Moving Towards 2011

I have been counting and organizing, making charts and graphs, calculating and typing, numbers have been crunched to review 2010 as a whole.  My soap business has grown and I am happy to move forward into 2011 with even more ideas and energy.

So, not only do I need to replenish my soap supply after all the craft fairs, farmers markets and end of the year surge in wholesale orders, but I have lots of other "business" type things to do.

I am working on new soap fragrances, products and packaging for 2011.  New types of soap, some special request and your ideas.   A dream list of wholesale accounts to capture.  Researching how to create bar code stickers.  And a new work space.  My hubby has been hanging lights in the basements in anticipating of me moving my operations down there.  The month of January will be dedicated to building my new soap studio!  I currently work out of my kitchen, a small hall closet and the spare bedroom on the second floor.  Several of my summer farmers market items live in the garage too.  This new space will allow me to contain my soap business all in one space.  Not only giving me my house back, but also creating a more efficient work space.  The up and down the stairs for supplies on the second floor, over to the hall closet for ingredients, back to the computer and printer for labels and everything spread out on the kitchen table works fine for a small business, but I need to streamline as my business has grown. 

I also am in the process of creating my goals for 2011, a vision board (which keeps me inspired throughout the year) and revising my business plan.  I try to run my business very efficiently and as organized as possible.  And I recognize that I am a creative type and sometimes I don't like or just don't get how to do some parts of the business.  I am lucky enough to have my husband to bounce ideas off of and see my ideas from a business point of view.  Does it make sense?  Is it efficient?  How long does it take to make this or that?  He asks all these type of questions to keep me from losing money.  My point here is to take the help when you can, and there is nothing wrong in asking for help.  Just remember to step back and not take it personally when someone tries to tell you that your super awesome idea just isn't working.  It doesn't always mean no, or to abandon the idea, just maybe you need to approach it differently.

I will keep you up to date with new soaps and products as they come along.  Back to the computer for me today.  Onward to 2011 !