5 Business Resolutions for 2011

First, I want to take a look back at last year's Resolutions for 2010 and see how I did. I'm going to give myself a grade for each resolution.

Increase production B+
I've definitly increased produciton during the busy times of the year. But I need to remember to be sewing consistently even during the times that are not so busy. In other words, more pro-active and less re-active.

Interact more with facebook/twitter/myspace friends. A
I think I've done a great job on Facebook this year and I am active on Twitter, but I sometimes neglect my Twitter friends, so there is work to be done. I no longer do Myspace, so that's not relevant anymore.

List items more often on Etsy. C+
I do well in spurts...but not all the time. This is the best way I can communicate exactly what I am working on at the moment to everyone, especially those outside of Charlotte. I'm going to keep this resolution around for 2011.

Take photos of people wearing SM hair clips and knits. A+
See them here & here & here.

Offer more variety in hair clip styles. B
I've added more styles but I'd still like to consistently offer rubber-band and headband styles plus pins for males & females. I'd also love to design some SM logo merch....T-shirts, canvas totes, hats, stickers etc.- I think they would look great with the sewing machine logo.

New Year's Resolutions for 2011
5. Better Bookkeeping
My bookeeping is not bad, but it is time consuming, since I do it all on Excel Spreadsheets. I'd love to use a program like Quickbooks or Outright to automate the process a bit. Crown Town Handmade's member workshop this month should help- we have a Q&A scheduled with a local accountant.

4. Better Time Management
I need to take time off each week. I need to stop working all night. I need to get up at the same time each morning. Read The 99 Percent's One-step Plan for Super-Productivity.

3.Get Sewing Help
Business has grown to the point that I need some help with the workload. Especially since I not only market, blog, do accounting, buy supplies, ship, communicate with stores, write product descriptions, etc, etc, etc- I'm also responsible for making all of the products I sell. I think I've done a pretty good job so far, but it would be great to have a little help making the products. I've researched a North Carolina Co-op with some really experienced seamstresses (male and female) where I might be able to get some of my non-customized products sewn. That would help tremendously.

2.Get an Intern
An intern could learn a lot from helping out with many of the duties I listed above. They would also get to see the inner-workings of an active studio. I enjoyed coaching cross-country and teaching art sessions in the past; I think I am naturally a teacher. I'd love to bring someone on board who might someday be interested in running their own business or having a career in art/craft/design. It would be an unpaid internship, but it could work for someone who needs college internship credit.

1.List a new item on Etsy almost every day
This is going to be tough. But I have to try.