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From: MaryW
Date: 07-12-2004, 10:35 AM (1 of 8)
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What is the most difficult part of your business for you? Is it pricing (always a topic) or meeting deadlines or keeping records or maybe just getting the word out there about yourself. What do you find the most difficult? MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: paroper
Date: 07-12-2004, 11:19 AM (2 of 8)
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I think that pricing was always the biggest issue. I never charged what some people did, and we could have really used the money. We lived way out in the country though and I was always afraid that I wouldn't get a lot of business if I didn't price to get it. Once I got started I had plenty of business. The dealines were occasionally a problem. "When my 6 year old son was hit by a car doing 58 MPH, I had 5 weddings pending in 5 weeks..5-8 dresses each. I took some of those to the hospital to work on when I couldn't be with him in intensive care, I stayed with him during the night, catnapped at the hospital and my husband stayed in the day while I sewed at home. When my dad's heart surgery didn't go do well was sick for a couple of weeks and finally died, I had choir dresses and Halloween costurmes and a wedding, had to pull some overnighters to finish while spending most of the time at the hospital with my 80 year old mother. I managed but the stress was tremendous. The biggest problem with being a one person show is that life happens and you have to respond. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Holly Berry
Date: 07-13-2004, 08:43 AM (3 of 8)
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My hardest thing is pricing, keeping records. I also have a problem asking people if I can but my sewing in their shops. In between jobs I wanted to make some things and put them in consignment shops and other places. I had read that in a book. For some reason I can't get the up the nerve up to ask. I have come to realize I'd starve if this my main income. Holly Berry
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User: Holly Berry
Member since: 09-10-2003 Total posts: 77 
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From: weB2cats
Date: 07-13-2004, 11:21 AM (4 of 8)
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Staying focused on what needs to get done and alloting time slots of peace and quiet to concentrate. Between my job, parenting, taking care of animals, cleaning, shopping, etc., there isn't much energy left to devote to sewing for the business. And, I don't want to miss my child's needs. When she wants to go play at a friend's house, I like the peace it will afford me. And yet, I don't want her to go. During the week we don't see each other much and so I miss her. But obviously something has to give in a home business. You can't be everywhere at once. I think that balance is the hardest part of working, either away or at home. |
User: weB2cats
Member since: 11-07-2002 Total posts: 232 |
From: allie-oops
Date: 07-14-2004, 12:50 AM (5 of 8)
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Gads, I'm having trouble just getting STARTED. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do this and homeschool too - can't seem to find any balance. I think that every part of my business is going to be the hardest until I actually get started, lol, and meet it head on.
"onward through the fog"
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User: allie-oops
Member since: 10-25-2002 Total posts: 282 
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From: MaryW
Date: 07-14-2004, 08:00 AM (6 of 8)
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Priorities have to be in place. Talk to yourself, write things down. Weed thru everything and list your priorities. If you homeschool, look after the home and run a business you have to be organized. My husband and I ran 3 at one time from our home. Very early morning meetings helped a lot and so did quiet time when we could think things thru without interruptions. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: paroper
Date: 07-14-2004, 08:22 AM (7 of 8)
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I quit my professional job after 15 1/2 years to be home with my kids because they needed me. The only way that I could enjoy the kids and have a job at home was to set hours just like I had when I worked outside the home. I sat down with a calendar and plotted the trips to the park, the zoo, grocieries, trips to Wal Mar, etc. and I set steady hours around that. I worked every day, just as I were going to a "real job" but the hours weren't always the same. A lot of times I worked into the late night/early morning so that I could spend time with ny kids. When I did Gril Scouts, and later Directed Day camps one week each summer, I planned my meetings and camps into the same format. I kept a box for business related purchase receipts in my car and in my house. I kept the receipt book for purchases with the plastic bags in the sewing area so I didn't lforget the receipts. I kept track of all projects on the receipt book if there were any additional charges, I called the customer and added them to the book. When I finished a project, I would put one of the finished items on the dress form in the hall so that it would look nice for the customer when she came to collect, and I bagged the others and put the receipts with the bagged items. I coded the outside of my books so I knew the year of the receipts and which receipt book I had...and when they were full they went into the receipt box, along with my business insurance recipts, phone bills and anything else that could possibly be deducted. When the project was finished, I called the customer and tolld them it was ready to be picked up, reminded them of the final total, and arranged a pickup date and time. I never let anything leave my house unless it was paid. Most of my business was done solely out of my home. The onlly business that I did not do from my home was business for choirs, pom, color guard, etc. where I had mass fittings. In those cases I went to the schools and had fittings with another adult and child present. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: rose074
Date: 07-28-2004, 12:59 AM (8 of 8)
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The most difficult part of my business is money. I have a hard time charging for my time. I tend to want to price my items based on what I paid for the supplies (I double it). I am just starting to feel comfortable charging for my expertise. I've been quilting for 14 years now, I think it's time that I started charging for that time.
Danelle in Tri-Cities Washington
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User: rose074
Member since: 12-23-2000 Total posts: 73 
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