Tag: learning

Practicing and Growing

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So now that I have the 2 new printers in the store it is time to start promoting what I can do.

I have been practicing and practicing and wasting. So far I know I can produce quality looking images for shirts and other soft products. I am able to print up to 30 Golf balls at once and have them turn out great.

My issue is now how to get the word out and get a steady work load. I have created some ads and a new business card for the printing services. I have an ad at the Golf Course starting this year for 2 years offering 15% off a purchase of $50 or more.

I find it really hard to self promote. I know I do good work, and my prices are fair. I am trying to fit in where there are gaps in services in the area so I am not directly competing with other companies.

My Goals:

  1. This year to get the business to stabilize and pay it’s own rent and utilities,
  2. Next year to get the business to pay a small wage for myself.
  3. Grow into a Print Shop for Crafters… Not a full production shop. Although I do have the ability to produce products on hand.

Who am I targeting in order to do this:

  1. Golf Courses
  2. Crafters wanting quality full graphic prints for their customers/Products
  3. Gift Shops offering pre-made and custom Golf Balls

I need help in marketing I think.

I also don’t like to create for no reason. My preference is to work with the client and develop something completely unique for them.

I am not a graphic artist but I can pull things together and create something just for them.

I know people don’t usually think of something till they see it somewhere and I am thankful for sites that I can buy files/Clipart. I am not trying to copy anyone’s work. I will not steal or use licensed images. I love to use art from other small businesses who create these images and I can print them.

This is the Business Card I created just to get the ball rolling on the Printing Services. I need to book some craft shows and such…

If you have any tips or advice I would love to hear it.

Moving forward

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So I’ve been busy with the bus, My Creative business and my services business. Between all that I’ve been working with my mental health worker getting house in some sort of order.

The new medication has slowed my thinking down and I appreciate that. However, I feel sluggish and have a hard time motivating myself.

I’ve always been a professional procrastinater. Now it seems to be a bit more but only because I feel tired and sluggish.

I spend my time working and building a steady routine. I’m trying to acknowledge how much I do and be proud of my accomplishments.

This last weekend Natalie and I went to Toronto to train in the business. It was a super informative day and I forced myself to stick around and meet some of the leaders in the business.

I’m connecting to another team and they are helping me hone my skills. It is great having support from more than 1 source.

I’ve been working on t-shirt orders this past couple of weeks and I’ll be getting more orders over the next couple weeks and this will keep growing.

Fully operational print powder and seal

Rusty

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Rustys last day!

Rusty came to us when he was 3 yrs old he was a yappy happy dog. 4 lbs and full of bravery and well to be honest stupidity lol…

He loved his fur siblings Mya and Trooper I would catch the 3 of them sleeping all together.

We put Trooper down 2 yrs ago when he was 12 and now that Rusty is 12 he has joined him.

Rusty has been in a lot of pain over the past while, so much so that we even used CBD oil to give him some relief. It helped but not enough…

I’ve been preparing for this day, however I don’t know if you can truly prepare for these days.

Rusty taught me that I can love and cherish even the smallest of the canines lol 4 lbs of pure love!

Business advances

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The DTF printer is finally on it’s way in Canada. Set to arrive next week. I’m so excited!

I spoke with one of my suppliers today to see if he can get in the door mats I use for camping customers.

I finished 2 orders today. Finally starting to feel a little more balanced.

Looking forward to these new changes and advancements with Uniquelyys.ca

The other new venture is coming along. I’m acquiring customers and looking for business partners who want to have a safety net of residual income from a new virtual technology business. I love that I can help people save money on their home and business services and help feed children locally.

Today’s fun project

My roadside flags are designed and also should be here next week.

Flags for Roadside

So many positive changes as we travel through the month.

New Business added

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I can’t stop… I saw a great opportunity to help people save on home services and build myself stable residual income and I took it…

This week started ok. I got my prescription filled. Started taking 2 mg Abilify Tuesday night up all night having panic/anxiety attacks. Chose safety over wages. So have taken the week off. Still having mood swings so not going Monday.

I am going to talk to Mark about switching to a Van run, reduce driving. However, this cuts into my financial support. Hence I am going to work my butt off at building this side business and then driving won’t be my support for Uniquelyys.ca

Our house is slowly coming back to being a home. Things are staying clean longer and less cluttered.

John is more animated lately. Which is great. Weird and uncomfortable in a way. I’ll get used to it.

Hard to manage my mood swings but only gotten through week 1, so looking forward to balance soon.

Learning new methods
My new profile pic.

Adjustments

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So I started Abilify 2 mg last Wed and last night I had panic attacks almost the full night. I did not drive the bus today because I knew I would not be completely attentive and I’m exhausted.

I decided to take the rest of the week off to allow my body to adjust to the meds. I’m struggling with guilt for leaving the company short handed but I could not allow myself to drive and take the chance of something going wrong as I adjust.

I’ve teamed up with my Sister Cheryl in a business. We will be helping people save money and building a team together while we do this.

I am starting to get orders again. So things are starting up. I unfortunately lost an opportunity as I can’t compete with companies that can offer products below my acquisition cost.

More changes

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The train is in constant motion. Whether it be on the mental health track, physical health, financial health, relationships or other. It is always in motion.

As I strive to be better and healthier I am met with more realizations. I am not someone who likes change but I constantly make changes as I strive for better.

This week I met with a psychiatrist and he has added a new med that should compliment what I am already on and help me stabilize my anxiety. This will help me move forward in so many directions.

I have to admit I am nervous it will negatively affect me and my driving career with the school bus. I rely on the school bus to support my business and my mental health. I rely on it for so much as it has been my best stabilizer through the past 23 yrs. Losing this would be a huge loss for me. I rely on it financially as well for just knowing I have the funds to meet our needs as they come.

We just went through a week of snow days and holidays mixed with a weekend and losing that routine was not easy.

I did use the time to catch up on bookkeeping for our 2020 files. Next will be getting 2021 caught up. Then focus on inventory and then advertising/website development.

The house is coming together as I have had assistance from a couple friends over the past couple weeks. My mental health worker and Home Support has been great.

So here I am moving along on the track of life. Sometimes speeding on a straight way, easy going. Other times more than not, up-hill on a bend as slowly and safely as possible. But still progressing.

Thanks for your support as you read this. I truly appreciate it.

Adjusting…

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So after the initial plan of moving just the manufacturing over to the new location, we have now completely moved.

This means that I am now adjusting how things will look and work here. I am adjusting to this as this was not my plan. We were going to be sharing a space with another Vendor but he felt the space didn’t work for him with my products in it. So we decided to pull out completely. I feel betrayed and am in a bit of shock but I am getting there.

At least I am away from the daily drama and don’t have to deal with certain issues anymore. I know that I am part of the issue as I am someone who will speak my truth and sometimes I don’t have the best filter.

I am not someone who adjusts to change easily and it will take me sometime to get there. Also not someone who can understand the way people treat each other. The negativity is not what I work well in and I am a mediator type of personality so I am always trying to fix issues that are not mine to fix. I do understand where that comes from but have yet to be able to walk away from doing it.

I know I am feeling hurt and betrayed but I don’t believe that was anyone’s intention. Trying to wrap my head around this is going to really take me some time and energy to keep going.

I just have 1 more load to get from the Market then we are done.

On the home front John and I are still continuing with COPE part 2 (part 2). We are now doing every other week sessions with our Coach and we are moving to complete some of our goals.

1 Being that we are decluttering the home and making it more of a comfortable space for the both of us. I have my Mental Health Worker every other week and Home Support weekly.

I know I don’t ask for help easily and that is something I am working on. Part of the reason I don’t ask is because I can’t seem to be clear with my words as my brain is racing, and I can’t tell them what I need at that moment. The other reason is that when I finally do ask… I fail to get the help I need ( such as what just happened at the Market).

2 Finances are being openly spoken about and we are moving together on completing some of the goals we had set for that.

3 Being closer is also progressing and we are finding more enjoyable moments together. We are creating time just for us and that is working. We are as always talking to each other about our needs but the conversations are constructive now and I feel we have found a way to understand and meet each others needs and wants.

So I use these type of posts to calm my brain when I am stressing and having it written for me to later read and understand where I was mentally.

For those that are reading this please note this is for me to sort my thoughts but also for you as the reader to understand how someone like me with Depression/Anxiety Disorder as well as PTSD copes day to day.

Thank you for your kindness and support.

1st Week

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We have moved over the equipment and supplies to the new location. Started to organize, connected to internet and have most things up and running.

It feels great to start working with everything in the same space. I was able to plow through my to do list today.

I am very grateful for the support I’m getting as I grow. I need to focus on developing a business plan now and continue to work on growing.