Do Business BETTER: Why photography businesses fail – PART 1

This is an amazing lady with amazing insite on her area of expertise.  If you really want to know why your business isn't succeeding then take a look at this business training session part 1 & 2 with Shay.  She has had more than seven years of experience in the professional photography business.  She has some great insite to share with you.

 

Why photography businesses fail...with Shay Cochrane...part 1

 

Why photography businesses fail...with Shay Cochrane...part 2

branding, discovering yourself...with Ashlee Proffitt...part 1

I have been working on creating my own products, brand, etc.  While this has been fun to do.  I have tried looking out on the internet and wasn't finding what I have been looking for.

Then I found this website by this awesome lady...she had the answer for me! 

If you are looking to FIND yourself or your BRAND then this is a great three-part series that you should take a look at.  She has learned a lot in her process and has taken the time to share with the rest of the world what she has found and learned.  Take the time to read, learn and understand what it takes to "brand" yourself.

 

Branding, discovering you...with Ashlee Proffitt...part #1

 

What I have learned is that I must look deep within myself to brand myself.  Trying to emulate others will not get me what I  want.  It might take some time to actually get there but at least with this series I have a running start.  Due to what she has shared it may not take me as long as if I had tried to figure this out on my own. 

I don't want to take the time to reinvent the wheel when someone else is willing to help me learn how to make my own wheel roll along.  The road may be bumpy at first but that's what learning is all about.

 

I believe that if we go to the Lord with our wishes He will help us to fulfill them.  He answers our prayers in so many ways.  I have been pleading with Him to help me in this area and He has answered with a portion of the scripture below.

 

A wise man will hear, and will increase learning...

~ Proverbs 1:5

 

Ashlee and her friend, Shay are a great resource and I will be referring back to them often. Thank you ladies!

clean & organize as you go...

There are times when I finish a project and want to leave the mess behind. 

Well, I can't do that any more. 

 

I am learning to...

To clean and organize as I go.

 

My work station needs to be cleaned up after each project that I complete.  I need to be able to sit down and start my new project when I am ready to.  Not, have to stop and clean up BEFORE I start the new project. 

 

It's like going to bed and leaving the kitchen a mess with dirty dished everywhere.  Then you get up in the morning and clean the kitchen before you can even get your morning started.  So not cool to do to yourself. 

I am turning a new page in this chapter of my life and making sure that I clean as I go and then totally clean up after each project.  Putting all of the tools, embelishments, paper scraps, stamp pads, pens, scissors, etc back where they belong.

 

It is a goal because...

organization is a process, not a destination! 

 

got the creative powers going now...

My third set of Easter Cards are teal & pink.  I chose two shades of teal, light & dark.  Two shades of pink, light & dark.  One card I totally added the fifth color of yellow.  The are awesome looking!  There is a photo below to give you that sneak peak until I get them up in my shop.

 

 

Tomorrow will be a mistery, as far as, what colors I chose. 

I might have to dwell on that one for a while.

Thank you for stopping by!

 

more easter cards...

This time I went for a different color combination.  I try NOT to make more than five cards using those colors that I have picked out.  If I do then I end up running out of creative ways to rearrange the decor on the card.  Today's colors, for the five cards were, dark blue, lime green, avocado and pastel blue.  They turned to be great looking cards.  Most of the time I stick to three colors because odd-numbers is a design tactic.  However, I also shared with you that I tend to branch out & break the rules occasionally.

 

 

easter is just around the corner...

Hop Hop Hop...

 

Yes, it is closer than you think because this year Easter falls on the last Sunday in March.  When I was scheduling out dates to have my cards made and posted by it kind of took me by surprise.  I know it happens every once in a while but I wasn't sure of the exact date until Saturday morning.  So I gathered all of my Easter goodies and got busy creating.  I love being able to sit down with a bunch of "stuff" and the creative juices start to flow and the cards just happen.  The four colors that I picked today was hot pink, light pink, lime green and avocado.  They turned out really nice and below I'm giving you a sneak peak into what will be in my shop for Easter.

 

 

a busy week...

It has been a very busy week.  I purchased my domain name and then we had Jungle Technology take it over, so they are hosting it now. 

 

Then I made sure that everything on my Etsy shop was ready to go.  I also set up this new blog and set down to put together a business plan.

 

I never imagined just how much would be involved in getting this up and going.  I have had fleeting little thoughts but nothing big enough to scare me.

 

I have everything mapped out in my planner and have my idea journal to track the things that I am doing all in one place.  I make a to-do list for each day and work hard to stick to it.  If I don't my day could end up being very random and not really accomplish one thing.

 

On Friday of last week I pulled out all of my valentines "stuff" and got busy making Valentines Day Cards.  I spent the entire day working on them.  I was able to accomplish 20 completed cards.  I was excited but ready to do something else.  I was so tired of the color of red.

 

*in shop*

 

Then on Tuesday of this week I spent more time working on the Valentines Day Cards.  On Friday, 1st February 2013 I posted 15 of those cards in my Etsy shop.  I have post another five of them today and I now have 20 cards in my shop.

 

*in shop*

 

*not quite in shop yet*

 

I had so much fun creating this greeting cards.  I will continue to post the rest in my shop as the next couple days go by.

 

My next adventure will be Easter Cards. 

I am gathering all of my goodies right now.

FUN FUN FUN!