You Don't Know What You Don't Know

I wish that someone told me that January and February are dead months in my industry. Instead of trying to pump up sales, I would have spent my energy in product development for the rest of the year. HoCo16 was amazing, doubling sales is a really big deal. I was pleasantly surprised by how well I did during Christmas sales. So the major downturn in sales after Christmas was a shock, to say the least.

I was so disappointed that I thought more than once about quitting. I am not a quitter. I signed up for a trade show for decorators and imprinters, it was free. If I had not planned to room with my friend, I would have backed out and not gone and may not be writing to you right now. I took three days off. I spent family money on room and board and I crossed my fingers that it would all be worth it.

I have mixed feelings after the trade show.
I would not say I am pumped, but I am experiencing renewed determination to continue and succeed. I am armed with new information. I keep thinking, "You don't know what you don't know." Education is key and knowledge is power. I know what I need to do to succeed and I believe I can.

However, as I sit here, drinking my morning coffee before my day job, I am feeling resentful. I don't want to go to work. I need this time to develop my business, not someone else's business. Not to mention, I work in a negative environment and that vibe gets under your skin and in your psyche. I am going to have to rebuild myself every day. I am going to have to write down my goals and the steps to get there and remind myself every hour that I have goals and plans.

I'm going to let you in on my first plan. I disabled the shopping cart on my website. I am embarrassed to even send people to my website right now, it's a hot mess. But I am not making enough money to justify even $15 a month. However, if I pay for a year in advance then I save and I don't even have to worry about it. I don't have $150. So I am taking my lunch to work, every day for two weeks and socking that money away to pay for the shopping cart. Two weeks is a long time to wait for something.

I need to set some short term goals and work on those. Goal one is to learn and make a rhinestone shirt. I bought a kit a long time ago, and have yet to do anything with it. I am scared of wasting the money I spent, ruining the stones or a shirt. But its wasted money just sitting there. This afternoon, when I get off my day job, I have an order to ship and then, I will fire up the press and I will do this. Today.

Do I sound convincing?