Books + Gardening this summer
After a whirlwind of a spring, and a full year in business, I am intentionally slowing down to welcome in summer. If you follow me on Instagram, you know the last few months have been filled with markets, a huge amount of Candle Pour Bars, in addition to a lot of family celebrations and commitments at the university. Slowing down means I am going to be spending a lot more time in the garden, listening to a lot of books on Audible, and starting to plan and prep for fall.
I booked my first in person market in May last year, at a place that’s known to support entrepreneurs. I prepped for weeks, invested in a lot of supplies, and was filled with anxiety as I drove and set up. Matt and Kate showed up to cheer me on. And after a full day of selling, I made back my vending fee. Traffic was slow. But I sold a few candles and gained some confidence.
The summer was filled with learning and trying weekly at the diversity market, seeing what people were interested in, what price points consumers responded to, how to talk about my company and products. And I made enough to cover my costs and reinvest back into more concrete and candle equipment. Then I set up at the farmer’s market, which blew me away. I showed up a few times, and made enough to plan and pay for inventory in the winter. Q4 is a big selling season, so I wanted a strong presence for the holiday pop up and with my b2b candle sales.
The holiday season was fantastic. Combined, it was more traffic and sales than I had ever gotten at a market, through wholesale, or online. I had made enough to pay off my Candle Pour Bar equipment and make a plan for Q1 in 2023. Now Q1 is notoriously slow in retail, so I used time to prep all my handmade items and to work with a financial coach to better understand my business and think strategically about growth. April was going to be the start of market season, and I was determined I would sell out at every show I attended. But the markets were slower this year, consumer habits have shifted. The fees for vending at markets are high, the travel is grueling, inflation is hard on everyone. And to be quite honest, I was crushed by the results. I was looking forward to doing so well that I would be expanding my retail portion to be an eco-conscious and local artisan destination. That was the plan I was working towards.
The best laid plans often go awry. (Can you name the book that quote comes from?!)
I’ve learned that when things don’t go according to plan I feel uncomfortable, and when I feel uncomfortable it’s usually just an opportunity to grow. So I have been listening to the cues, reflecting deeply, and I’m shifting. I’m leaning into the things that I enjoy, but also can make this business function as a business and not just a hobby.
I’ve committed to a few markets and in person selling this year, and will be attending the mini markets that I help plan that have a social cause attached to it. But I am significantly reducing the time I spend at in person markets, because my time is my most valuable resource. With some time back, I can garden in the sunshine this summer with my kids more. I can invest in learning and reading more.
I am just cutting back on in person markets. I will continue selling online, offering Candle Pour Bar classes, creating custom and b2b products. And I’m going to be spending more time with other DIY projects that I put on hold this past year, and teaching others while I document the processes. I’m an educator by training, and an experiential learner myself. I have to do things to understand them. And I can often find opportunities to explain things in a way that clicks for others.
Now don’t get me wrong. This summer will be full. I’m working at the university, I am teaching four classes in fall (with some curriculum planning this summer), I am active in 2 different volunteer roles that require a lot of my time. I try to be a present partner and parent. I am a solopreneur who is a notorious overachiever. But I planned and mapped out time in the garden, and when I have my hands busy I like to devote time to learning. And I am so excited these few sweet summer months we get in the Midwest, so my book list is growing.
I am an occasional sucker for a good hard copy of a book. But I love audio books because it allows me to multi-task. To get in the garden and listen to someone read their story, share their lesson. Many of the audio books I have on my list this summer are on leadership and reproductive justice for my work at the university, entrepreneurship and business for myself, and a good autobiography just for fun. If you are a busy multi-passionate person like me - you got to try it out. Sign up here for a free 30 day trial on Amazon, and tell me what book you listen to first!
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