Getting to be as busy as a bee hive with clover in bloom. Have selected a few new items for an upcoming business trip to ST Maarten.. Have a couple of meetings this Saturday with a possible vendor and my shipping guru. I did select the dates that I will be traveling to the island, Getting there on a Sunday afternoon and returning on the following Thursday, waaaaaaay too short but a guy has to do what he has to do.
Newest occurrence there is I am not completely sure where I will stay. I had a friend on island offer me a room and I truly appreciate it however our eldest son may be coming along with me and if that is the case I wouldn’t even think of imposing on our friends like that so we will stay at our usual stomping groundt the Flamingo Beach Resort. I have checked and they have space along with plenty of available seats on the flights.
Have to wait on my son to say weather or not he wants to go. He said he wants to just relax, sit at the beach and have a few….ok a bunch of drinks. He is 25 so if he wants to pack in some rum punch then so be it!! If he goes he can relax while I am calling on prospective customers and then we can hook back up for the evening and go hang out at a local establishment or two…
I am getting pretty excited but have so much to do and January is almost over….gulp!
Buzz buzz buzz, time to get back to it!!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Board meeting weekend
This weekend we are having a board meeting to discuss the path we are to take with our fledgling business before it overwhelms us. Need to discuss our website build, pricing of products, descriptions of products, budget, new business cards and flyers. Even simple things like returning to the island that we are trying to get our items into and making contacts for sales opportunities as well as international shipping. Doesn’t sound like much, or maybe it is a bunch but is next step things that are must do’s to grow the legs we need to have Antilles Treasures get up off the ground and move on it’s own.
We have ordered some samples from China and truly were more than a little disappointed. Will try that again but we are looking for manufacturing here in the USA as well. Have break points set as to pricing but the US wins with quicker turn around and cheaper movement of the product from completion to me.
I need to get a price sheet of products to one customer and prepare pricing and merchandise for several more.
There is a contact to be made on island before I can even think about a return trip that would be full with business and after that there is the annual trip to schedule that will be yet another bountiful harvest of photo art.
The weekend is already pretty full but this is a meeting that really needs to take place in order for us to grow this business. Oh, almost forgot I need to plant a couple of new money trees in our back yard too.
Wish us luck and think good thoughts for us!!!
We have ordered some samples from China and truly were more than a little disappointed. Will try that again but we are looking for manufacturing here in the USA as well. Have break points set as to pricing but the US wins with quicker turn around and cheaper movement of the product from completion to me.
I need to get a price sheet of products to one customer and prepare pricing and merchandise for several more.
There is a contact to be made on island before I can even think about a return trip that would be full with business and after that there is the annual trip to schedule that will be yet another bountiful harvest of photo art.
The weekend is already pretty full but this is a meeting that really needs to take place in order for us to grow this business. Oh, almost forgot I need to plant a couple of new money trees in our back yard too.
Wish us luck and think good thoughts for us!!!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Hallucination and Anticipation
What? Where am I going with this??
Let me weave this story for you.
Hallucination….
Our weather has been exceptionally wet and cold this winter. There has This week we have actually been above freezing all week so the snow is melting rapidly…and there has been a lot that has had to melt for this part of the country. Now that the stage is set and you are wondering what is this guy on anyway I will proceed with the story.
I carpool with a co worker and was sitting in his drive this morning waiting on him to join me for our drive into work. I peered out the drivers side window and what did I see??? No, not a fat man dressed in red with 8 reindeer….come on now..stick with me.
There in the pile of snow that he or a family member had shoveled off his drive was the outline and topographical shape of the tropical island of ST Maartin/ST Martin. I just stared at it…picking out different bays that we frequent and reminiscing about being there. I did make a mistake as I always carry a camera with me to capture unique and unusual things I see. I didn’t even think about taking this picture until of course my friend had joined me and we were driving away. Unfortunately the mound of snow wont look like ST Maartin when we return this evening…I would imagine that…. for those of you that know the island…. Terres Basses or for us Engilsh speaking folks…the lowlands will be gone, guess reclaimed by the earth.
Anticipation….
I wear a small medallion strung on cord around my ankle that is about the size of a quarter, in the center is a cut out outline of the very same island. I wear it to remind me daily, choices I make and things I do are for a reason and that reason is to get us back to that very island. I am planning two island adventures in 2010. One as a business opportunity and the other as a photo working trip. The first trip if all goes well will be at the end of April without my dear wife as I will work some of the shops along front street and possibly have a meet the artist event in Grand Case. The second one will be around Halloween and will be for new photo ops as well as a bit of R&R for the two of us to renew and recharge.
Let me weave this story for you.
Hallucination….
Our weather has been exceptionally wet and cold this winter. There has This week we have actually been above freezing all week so the snow is melting rapidly…and there has been a lot that has had to melt for this part of the country. Now that the stage is set and you are wondering what is this guy on anyway I will proceed with the story.
I carpool with a co worker and was sitting in his drive this morning waiting on him to join me for our drive into work. I peered out the drivers side window and what did I see??? No, not a fat man dressed in red with 8 reindeer….come on now..stick with me.
There in the pile of snow that he or a family member had shoveled off his drive was the outline and topographical shape of the tropical island of ST Maartin/ST Martin. I just stared at it…picking out different bays that we frequent and reminiscing about being there. I did make a mistake as I always carry a camera with me to capture unique and unusual things I see. I didn’t even think about taking this picture until of course my friend had joined me and we were driving away. Unfortunately the mound of snow wont look like ST Maartin when we return this evening…I would imagine that…. for those of you that know the island…. Terres Basses or for us Engilsh speaking folks…the lowlands will be gone, guess reclaimed by the earth.
Anticipation….
I wear a small medallion strung on cord around my ankle that is about the size of a quarter, in the center is a cut out outline of the very same island. I wear it to remind me daily, choices I make and things I do are for a reason and that reason is to get us back to that very island. I am planning two island adventures in 2010. One as a business opportunity and the other as a photo working trip. The first trip if all goes well will be at the end of April without my dear wife as I will work some of the shops along front street and possibly have a meet the artist event in Grand Case. The second one will be around Halloween and will be for new photo ops as well as a bit of R&R for the two of us to renew and recharge.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Trial and Error
I am working on finding a low cost distributor for some of my photo products. I placed an order in late December for a couple of samples. They arrived yesterday. Rob was pretty excited as these are some small items that I am looking to produce to go along with my photo-art. Something a tourist would pick up while in gift shops as a memento of the island. I picked some simple and useful stuff then provided my pictures and waited….news came on Sunday that the package had been received at my son’s residence. He said he would bring it to me on Monday evening so I came home from work top change and then had a short business meeting with a vendor that I hired to tweak a few pictures. I left that meeting very happy with the end results. Went home and my son was soon there with my package from China. I tore into it like a three year old at Christmas…all you saw was flying paper and moving elbows…with the removal of each item I felt worse and worse. Fortunately these were one off items so I didn’t have to buy 2500 of each but if this is what they have to offer, I wont be doing business overseas for products. So this trial brought error but at least it was at a very small level so I don’t feel that I am out a bunch of cash or stuck with junk I cant move.
No one really hurt but just a bit let down. People tell me that I will need to work with manufacturers in China to make any money. From my first experience, I would rather work with those in the US and not make as much. I want the best quality I can get for merchandise or there is no point in me making an effort. I have a feeler out with a company I use to make one of my other products. We shall see how this goes.
No one really hurt but just a bit let down. People tell me that I will need to work with manufacturers in China to make any money. From my first experience, I would rather work with those in the US and not make as much. I want the best quality I can get for merchandise or there is no point in me making an effort. I have a feeler out with a company I use to make one of my other products. We shall see how this goes.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Could it be so???
It may be that I will be making a return to my island paradise soon, very soon as in 91 days from today. While there I will be shooting pix, hitting up some sales opportunities and with some luck having a meet the artist session at a wonderful store in Grand Case that has agreed to host some of my photo-art.
I have lots to do still, like purchase tickets. Make some contacts and plan the meet and greet. Still checking on products and new ideas. Trying to set reasonable price points and honestly having a difficult time with that subject. I see what going price is on items and just rub my eyes and swallow hard…I’m finding it puts me between a rock and hard place. I am finding that to wholesale I may make less than the stores that carry my products…OUCH!!! Hard to justify some products. Say it cost me $10 to have something made, I think it is worth $25 that would mean I would need to mark it at about $12.50 a unit to make the item appealing to a retail sales establishment.
Hmm, I fly to another country pay for my say and food, shoot the pictures. Buy the pictures from a photo lab and then make $2.50 a print while someone else makes $12.50..but I have no risk like they do so I see where they should make some reward. Now I am part way thru a website where I can offer the same thing at retail prices. Lets see what happens….done venting.
I am very excited to have the opportunity to once again visit the island and possibly put some of my products out there for sale. I am also soon to be the featured photographer on a website. Myislandart.com There are 10 pix out there already with pricing to follow soon.
Wish me luck folks.
I have lots to do still, like purchase tickets. Make some contacts and plan the meet and greet. Still checking on products and new ideas. Trying to set reasonable price points and honestly having a difficult time with that subject. I see what going price is on items and just rub my eyes and swallow hard…I’m finding it puts me between a rock and hard place. I am finding that to wholesale I may make less than the stores that carry my products…OUCH!!! Hard to justify some products. Say it cost me $10 to have something made, I think it is worth $25 that would mean I would need to mark it at about $12.50 a unit to make the item appealing to a retail sales establishment.
Hmm, I fly to another country pay for my say and food, shoot the pictures. Buy the pictures from a photo lab and then make $2.50 a print while someone else makes $12.50..but I have no risk like they do so I see where they should make some reward. Now I am part way thru a website where I can offer the same thing at retail prices. Lets see what happens….done venting.
I am very excited to have the opportunity to once again visit the island and possibly put some of my products out there for sale. I am also soon to be the featured photographer on a website. Myislandart.com There are 10 pix out there already with pricing to follow soon.
Wish me luck folks.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
What a difference a day makes.
Just realized it has been a month since I have posted. Man the winters get me down.
Yesterday was cold and blustery, today..you would think it is spring. Yes, the weather has changed for the day but not that much. Here is what has made me think it is spring.
We are planning our return trip to our little paradise. It will be late October or early November but guess what….we are going and I can plan again. Have talked with some friends that will be there at the same time…Look out Halloween here we come!!!!!!!!
Paid my resort fees for our timeshare and can book as soon as we nail down the days we want to be there.
Second, it looks as if I may have a bachelor trip to the island in April. This will be a very short trip as in 3 full days on island and two full days of travel but…..it will be a great launch opportunity for my business. My intent is to get on island, visit with some merchants and hopefully get into their shops with some of my photo merchandise.
Rob is big time jazzed. Even had a hard time sleeping last night. I was up till midnight working on pictures and merchandise. Today there is a bit more pep in my step and I am so much more excited about things than I was just yesterday…..
Now trips to plan...have the blood flowing with a bit of adreneline again. Guess that will give me reason to post more so if there is anyone out there reading these....there will be more to come.
Yesterday was cold and blustery, today..you would think it is spring. Yes, the weather has changed for the day but not that much. Here is what has made me think it is spring.
We are planning our return trip to our little paradise. It will be late October or early November but guess what….we are going and I can plan again. Have talked with some friends that will be there at the same time…Look out Halloween here we come!!!!!!!!
Paid my resort fees for our timeshare and can book as soon as we nail down the days we want to be there.
Second, it looks as if I may have a bachelor trip to the island in April. This will be a very short trip as in 3 full days on island and two full days of travel but…..it will be a great launch opportunity for my business. My intent is to get on island, visit with some merchants and hopefully get into their shops with some of my photo merchandise.
Rob is big time jazzed. Even had a hard time sleeping last night. I was up till midnight working on pictures and merchandise. Today there is a bit more pep in my step and I am so much more excited about things than I was just yesterday…..
Now trips to plan...have the blood flowing with a bit of adreneline again. Guess that will give me reason to post more so if there is anyone out there reading these....there will be more to come.
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