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Renee H
I'm in the process of writing my business plan. I would like to open a gift shop featuring handmade items only. Where can I find information on the top selling handmade gifts? TIA for all information!
Answer
I will start with the handmade items first â the top selling handmade gifts will all depend on where and when (what time of year) you are selling your products, as well as they type of storefront you are using! If your gift shop is a tent at the local farmer markets in your areas (also a very good place to find handmade items â you can talk to the local producers and see about buying wholesale from them and then reselling in your store) then you will look at the season and type of clients that typically attend those events. If on the other hand, you have a more traditional brick and mortar store, then again it will depend on where your store is. A high traffic area may require one type of product, while a high tourist area will require something totally different to a small community where you may have yet another client base to cater to.
Thus, the very first thing to do is look at where you might want to set up shop and sit down in that area and watch the type of people who come around! This will be one of your best forms of marketing analysis that you can do. If there are other small shops in the area that will not compete with you, you might try to talk to the owner of those small companies to see what they say about the area. The lead question you should ask them if they are willing to talk is: âIf you where to start over, what might you do differently or how would you get started faster?â
Now, as for the sources of handmade products â start looking around the local area where you plan to set up shop. You will find any number of small groups (local churches, handicap centers, senior citizen centers, youth groups, school projects {especially junior high and high school}, civic groups, local farmers â bee keepers, local gardening clubs, junior achievement, Amish, etc. etc.) that may be make products or willing to make products that you could then buy from them and resell.
As you get to know your client base, you will also be able to go to the web and search for various products that may either be unique and/or enticing to your clients. One of many that I am aware of is the first commercial lavender farm in Michigan called Leelanau Lavender Breezes (http://www.leelanaulavender.com). They have a number of products that are made in the Leelanau County area of Michigan. Thus, you can decide to focus on locally made products or any number of area specific or product specific items.
Now for the business plan and other common items that I typically suggest. You may already know about these items, but just in case, here is some of my typical suggestions for starting an organization:
Anytime you want to start any kind of business, there are several basics that you will need:
* You should first sit down and think about what it is you want to do and then write out the scenario in detail! This may sound tedious, but it will help you clarify what it is you are thinking about. Also, when you talk to anyone about the business (mentor, bank, clients, prospective investor), you will have a clear vision to share with him or her. You can check any number of books at your local library or the Internet for ideas on creating a business plan or goals list.
* Is there anyone out there doing something like what you want to do already? Can you research what it is that they do and maybe even talk with them about what they do?
* Are there businesses out there that are doing some aspect that you want to do? In this case, you want to create an online drop shipment business. What websites have you seen that you like (can you talk with them)? How does the local McDonalds or other retail outlet do business that might help you in yours (i.e. how is McDonalds able to provide a product to a customer on demand at almost anytime of day â and do it with a much of high school kids)?
* Never listen to anyone who says that you CANNOT do something UNLESS they have been there and tried that!!!!! Anyone can tell you the good things that you can try or do, however, only someone who has actually tried the specific thing your are thinking can truly give you advise on the pitfalls that could await the unsuspecting.
* If you want to look for a mentor (free or paid â although mentors usually offer their time at no cost), the question that you should be ready to address is WIIFM (What In It For Me {the mentor})! What are you willing to do for your mentor to help them with something that they may need (for me itâs simple â I am looking for 10 points :-)
Contacts:
* Contact your local Better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce â they have business people who will help start up operations.
* Contact your local high school, community college or university and find out whom the teachers are for courses related to your business (like business or computer/internet classes). Contact these teachers to get some ideas or even to see if they will take you company startup on as a class project or special project for some of the student to work on (might give the students extra credit and you a free startup). In the worst case, you might get the names of some good students whom you might hire to do certain aspects of what you need at a very low cost.
* Contact you local, county or state governments (check their websites) â many areas have small business administrations (or some other agency that can help with various things) that have any number of references and resources available at little or no cost.
* Go to your local library in the Reference Section and find the Encyclopedia of Associations. It is a three-book set published by Gale Research. The first book lists thousands of tiles of professional organizations and groups. It will give a code number to use in the other two books to find out more about that organization. Contact the organizations who have something to do with your idea and find out if they have a services to give you advise or local groups that you can network with. In many cases, just asking for membership and publications information may give you a lot of useful stuff.
Other outstanding sources that I have used in running my four businesses:
* Nightingale-Conant â the largest producer of audio/video training programs in the world. Many of their programs can be borrowed for free from local libraries. http://www.nightingale.com
* Entrepreneur Magazine (http://www.entrepreneurmag.com) â many great tips and ideas about running a company.
* Rich Dad Poor Dad - http://www.richdadpoordad.com/ - by Robert Kiyosaki. Has any number of products (read the book first) that you can choose from.
* Start Up Nation (besides their website, they have a radio show that may be on in your area â usually Sundays and read the book) http://www.startupnation.com/index.asp
The secret to success in business is to read everything that you can relate to your subject and to talk with as many people in the field as possible.
Good Luck.
I will start with the handmade items first â the top selling handmade gifts will all depend on where and when (what time of year) you are selling your products, as well as they type of storefront you are using! If your gift shop is a tent at the local farmer markets in your areas (also a very good place to find handmade items â you can talk to the local producers and see about buying wholesale from them and then reselling in your store) then you will look at the season and type of clients that typically attend those events. If on the other hand, you have a more traditional brick and mortar store, then again it will depend on where your store is. A high traffic area may require one type of product, while a high tourist area will require something totally different to a small community where you may have yet another client base to cater to.
Thus, the very first thing to do is look at where you might want to set up shop and sit down in that area and watch the type of people who come around! This will be one of your best forms of marketing analysis that you can do. If there are other small shops in the area that will not compete with you, you might try to talk to the owner of those small companies to see what they say about the area. The lead question you should ask them if they are willing to talk is: âIf you where to start over, what might you do differently or how would you get started faster?â
Now, as for the sources of handmade products â start looking around the local area where you plan to set up shop. You will find any number of small groups (local churches, handicap centers, senior citizen centers, youth groups, school projects {especially junior high and high school}, civic groups, local farmers â bee keepers, local gardening clubs, junior achievement, Amish, etc. etc.) that may be make products or willing to make products that you could then buy from them and resell.
As you get to know your client base, you will also be able to go to the web and search for various products that may either be unique and/or enticing to your clients. One of many that I am aware of is the first commercial lavender farm in Michigan called Leelanau Lavender Breezes (http://www.leelanaulavender.com). They have a number of products that are made in the Leelanau County area of Michigan. Thus, you can decide to focus on locally made products or any number of area specific or product specific items.
Now for the business plan and other common items that I typically suggest. You may already know about these items, but just in case, here is some of my typical suggestions for starting an organization:
Anytime you want to start any kind of business, there are several basics that you will need:
* You should first sit down and think about what it is you want to do and then write out the scenario in detail! This may sound tedious, but it will help you clarify what it is you are thinking about. Also, when you talk to anyone about the business (mentor, bank, clients, prospective investor), you will have a clear vision to share with him or her. You can check any number of books at your local library or the Internet for ideas on creating a business plan or goals list.
* Is there anyone out there doing something like what you want to do already? Can you research what it is that they do and maybe even talk with them about what they do?
* Are there businesses out there that are doing some aspect that you want to do? In this case, you want to create an online drop shipment business. What websites have you seen that you like (can you talk with them)? How does the local McDonalds or other retail outlet do business that might help you in yours (i.e. how is McDonalds able to provide a product to a customer on demand at almost anytime of day â and do it with a much of high school kids)?
* Never listen to anyone who says that you CANNOT do something UNLESS they have been there and tried that!!!!! Anyone can tell you the good things that you can try or do, however, only someone who has actually tried the specific thing your are thinking can truly give you advise on the pitfalls that could await the unsuspecting.
* If you want to look for a mentor (free or paid â although mentors usually offer their time at no cost), the question that you should be ready to address is WIIFM (What In It For Me {the mentor})! What are you willing to do for your mentor to help them with something that they may need (for me itâs simple â I am looking for 10 points :-)
Contacts:
* Contact your local Better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce â they have business people who will help start up operations.
* Contact your local high school, community college or university and find out whom the teachers are for courses related to your business (like business or computer/internet classes). Contact these teachers to get some ideas or even to see if they will take you company startup on as a class project or special project for some of the student to work on (might give the students extra credit and you a free startup). In the worst case, you might get the names of some good students whom you might hire to do certain aspects of what you need at a very low cost.
* Contact you local, county or state governments (check their websites) â many areas have small business administrations (or some other agency that can help with various things) that have any number of references and resources available at little or no cost.
* Go to your local library in the Reference Section and find the Encyclopedia of Associations. It is a three-book set published by Gale Research. The first book lists thousands of tiles of professional organizations and groups. It will give a code number to use in the other two books to find out more about that organization. Contact the organizations who have something to do with your idea and find out if they have a services to give you advise or local groups that you can network with. In many cases, just asking for membership and publications information may give you a lot of useful stuff.
Other outstanding sources that I have used in running my four businesses:
* Nightingale-Conant â the largest producer of audio/video training programs in the world. Many of their programs can be borrowed for free from local libraries. http://www.nightingale.com
* Entrepreneur Magazine (http://www.entrepreneurmag.com) â many great tips and ideas about running a company.
* Rich Dad Poor Dad - http://www.richdadpoordad.com/ - by Robert Kiyosaki. Has any number of products (read the book first) that you can choose from.
* Start Up Nation (besides their website, they have a radio show that may be on in your area â usually Sundays and read the book) http://www.startupnation.com/index.asp
The secret to success in business is to read everything that you can relate to your subject and to talk with as many people in the field as possible.
Good Luck.
Can you help me with wedding details?
bdubbayou
I'm wondering how long our wedding reception should last and what type of food is appropriate. Here's a few details:
The ceremony (indoor) starts at 12pm
The reception site is about 25-35 minutes away
The reception will be outdoors & at the end of July (historical average is 85º)
It will be a very kid-friendly reception, we're using the farm we work on that hosts the largest fall festival in the dc area - so we want to utilize the fall elements for our wedding: giant slides, hayride, ect. but we also want to keep the wedding from appearing to be more of a carnival!
We're Inviting 120 families (190 adults, 35 children, 225 total). About 95% of these people live in town, and there's really no room to trim the list. My guess is that 180 will show up.
We've got a limited budget (about $5000, reception venue, DJ & photography are free). My family wants to cook the food, but I would rather them enjoy the wedding and not have to deal with trying to cook for that many people.
So my questions are:
How long should the reception last?
What type of food is appropriate for hot weather?
On our budget - how should we go about catering?
Thanks!
Answer
That sounds like fun! You are lucky to have a lot free, but I applaud you for realizing your family are guests and deserve to enjoy the event rather than work. That said, I think a picnic style event would work well. You can get wholesale chicken wings, potato salad, sandwiches, and fruit and vegetable platters and serve it on pretty paper or plastic plates. You can rent long tables and chairs or benches inexpensively, and even set up picnic blankets for the kids. Receptions generally last three to four hours, so I would bank on that. Also, because of the weather, I would try to get a couple of tents to keep people cool if it won't break your budget. Good luck and congrats!
That sounds like fun! You are lucky to have a lot free, but I applaud you for realizing your family are guests and deserve to enjoy the event rather than work. That said, I think a picnic style event would work well. You can get wholesale chicken wings, potato salad, sandwiches, and fruit and vegetable platters and serve it on pretty paper or plastic plates. You can rent long tables and chairs or benches inexpensively, and even set up picnic blankets for the kids. Receptions generally last three to four hours, so I would bank on that. Also, because of the weather, I would try to get a couple of tents to keep people cool if it won't break your budget. Good luck and congrats!
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