Business Studies 701: Sole Proprietorship
The GCSE and GCE Business Studies textbooks from back in the day really weren't kidding; when you are a sole proprietor, you face the stress of a one-man band from dealing with EVERYTHING.
Case study: FeldieJournals, established 2015
Here are the hats I wear:
Acquisitions: sourcing fabric, card, thread, glue, clear pockets, photo corners, sticky tabs, decorative masking tape, pens, packaging material, paper, cutting mats, awls, bone folders, safety rulers, cutters and other equipment
Research and development: learning how to print, cut fabric, card and paper, bind, glue and otherwise make a journal; refining the process
Design: designing printing templates, shop logos, business cards, shop signs, the website and the display stand
Marketing: shooting the binding process and finished product; updating the website; trying out Facebook, Etsy and Instagram platforms; setting a price range; making price tags; advertising to family, friends and acquaintances
Logistics: arranging for delivery of acquisitions; to bring journals to and from market places; posting or delivering finished journals to clients
Customer liaison: explaining features of FeldieJournals and custom options; fielding queries
Retail: discovering, registering for and attending market fairs; taking orders
Business development: finding new models for selling better
The 3.5 days' craft fairs were tiring, but pretty good overall. It is not something I intend to repeat in the short future, especially since this whole deal is chiefly a diversion from the rigours of teaching. And lugging a 35 kilo suitcase with fiddly wheels is no joke. Now that I have a chance to look back at the journey so far, I see that the love and support from family and friends along the way has been an unspeakable overwhelming grace. I have only been making baby steps in giving thanks for them, from their purchases and orders to their manpower in running the stall to their generous provision of water, coffee and snacks to their bountiful ideas for improving the display, marketing, journal design and business model to their encouragement, interest, enthusiasm and prayers. Simply minding the stall while I nipped off for a loo break would have been sufficient, but they went above and beyond...
