Building a Sustainable Small Business
Staying out of debt isn’t easy in the world that we live in today, but as most of you know, it’s a goal of mine. I feel that there are enough things that weigh us down and keep us rooted to one spot without it. This goes for my home life and for my small business.
Some people say that this will be a hindrance to me and that my business can’t grow without it, but I’m going to try anyway and I guess we’ll cross that bridge if we ever come to it.
I can’t say I haven’t been tempted. I’m really missing not having a car and I’d love to get a new one, but the idea of being chained to monthly repayments for 9 years is just too scary! I’m a wimp that way.
I have some really big goals for next year and some of them are expensive. Melbourne is an expensive place to live and it’s only getting worse. One of my main goals is to find a place of my own, somewhere in Melbourne, to give my business and myself a new location. Somewhere more central and with the opportunity for me to be less of a hermit (where I live now doesn’t allow for that).
Part of building a sustainable business is making enough money to live and now that the web design business is 12 months old I feel that it’s time to price my products so that they reflect this. The business is no longer an experiment of ‘can I do this’, it’s a real business that needs to be treated that way. So from January 1st, 2012 I will be increasing my prices for new clients that better reflects what I can offer them. I will be updating my business website in the new year to include some new offerings and to better highlight my past work.
I want say a special thank you if you have helped me and my business (in any way) over it’s first year. It was hard to say goodbye to the bag business, but I now realise where my future is and what I truly love doing. It is with your help that this has been possible.
I can’t wait to start sharing the new year with you, I hope that it will be a prosperous and happy one for all of us.
Today is my last official working day for the year and I’m hoping to have some computer free time over the next two weeks, I hope to have a few posts for you over the break, but incase I don’t, have a happy and safe festive season and remember that I think you’re awesome, no matter what anyone might say.
Dannielle. x
Inspiration: Wood Type Evolved!
Back in November, I went to Chicago for the day (from Detroit) to visit an exhibition that I really wanted to see. This exhibition was on at the Center for Book and Paper Arts at Columbia College and it was called: Wood Type, Evolved: Experimental Letterpress & Relief Printing in the 21st Century.
I meant to share some of my photos from the trip a long time ago, but I totally forgot. The exhibition was really about the revival of the old art of letterpress and how younger people are finding ways to create the wood type using modern equipment and sometimes creating replicas of traditional equipment so that the art of letterpress does not die. I found the exhibition totally fascinating, the only thing I think would have made it better was if there was a gift shop where you could buy either prints or books on the topic. (But it probably saved me a lot of money that they didn’t have one).
I took way too many pictures as usual, so here are just a few.
I’m glad that I went to the exhibition, even if it ended up being an exhausting day. It was great to see what people are doing to revive an art that it would be so devastating to lose.
A Permission Slip
This time of year is super stressful and unsettling for lots of people (me included). So today I wanted to give you a permission slip just incase you need it.
I give you permission to:
- forget your diet and eat what makes you happy
- not worry about the future and living up to your potential and just focus on getting through the day
- take a little time to breathe out
- feel overwhelmed and scared and not feel guilty for it
- to not be perfect or be organised
Anything I missed? Let me know and I’ll add it to the list.
Contrary to some of what is floating around at the moment, lives are not ruined by uneven wrapping or not meeting other people’s expectations for your life. If you got out of bed today, you’re doing really well, and if you didn’t, maybe try for tomorrow.
Remember that you are loved even on your worst days. Don’t let the “rule makers” get you down.
x Dannielle
