Chartreuse and Co

…building a business: hiring

September 10, 2013 by christen 3 Comments

There comes a point in a small business where you have to choose how big you want to grow and how hard you want to work. It’s really not as easy as it sounds especially if you are in the same boat as I am and are a mom first.

If your business is really blowing up and you find yourself working every minute of every day then it’s probably time to hire someone.

Hopefully, if you are working this hard you are also making money at what you are doing. (If not, it’s time to slow down a bit and be patient until you do some selling. Just trying to be honest.) You then have the funds to allocate to some help.

Maybe this means hiring a babysitter a few days a week to watch the kids so you can work. Maybe this means hiring someone that you can train to help you. Maybe this means hiring someone to help you move or stock your wares. Maybe this means hiring a sales clerk if you have a brick & mortar presence.

If you are ready to hire someone, it means you are all in and giving this business a real try. You will be producing more, you will hopefully be selling more and so the cycle goes.

I, personally, have come to this fork in the road many times and continue to. I try to be a good observer of those that have gone before – those that are the friends that I’ve made in this business & people that I admire & respect. How are they doing at their go of it? Does my life look like theirs? Could I make that work? I have been very blessed to have been offered some amazing & wonderful opportunities. Yes, I could have hired a few people. Yes, I could have been a part of a shop or a barn or Lucketts or Chartreuse or Stylish Patina’s barn. Yes, I could have said yes to more projects; more jobs; more people; more furniture; more sales. Do I say yes because I’ve been given a choice? Or do I say no or not right now because I’m paying respect to what I feel is right and true. Thanks for letting me process 🙂

I love that as adults we get to make these choices for ourselves. If more is your “Yes” then congrats & much luck to you. If “No” is your yes at the moment then feel good about getting to make the choice.

Filed Under: building a business Tagged With: annie sloan, annie sloan chalk paint, ASCP, blue egg brown nest, Building a Business, Building a Creative Business, chalk Paint, Chalk Paint Tutorial, Chartreuse and Co, Design, diy, garage, Luckett's General Store, Lucketts Spring Market, stylish patina, vintage

…building a business: make new friends

July 9, 2013 by christen 9 Comments

One thing you will find when you are in any type of business is that it is important to make friends with people that are doing the same thing you are.

Some of you may embrace this and think “Of course!”. You want to draw from others’ creativity and inspiration. You think “more is more” (Theresa!) and love talking shop with others that understand where you are coming from. You can discuss new techniques, creating, marketing, sales, etc and lean on each other for support. This is important especially if you are doing something creative and you are the only one on the payroll! It can get isolating and overwelming. You need the communication with a like-minded person.

I know Marian aka Miss Mustard Seed is an awesome mentor to many of us chalk painters 🙂

I also am in love with Christina from Greige Design‘s ideas & images, Theresa from Stifel & Capra and Sue from The Treasured Hunt just to name a few!

I have met so many wonderful, creative & savvy business women in my painting travels & have learned from them immensely. Just by observing & taking note.

(These amazingly beautiful grape tomatoes were a gift from the garden of a creative client & friend, Sharon.)

I do want to recognize that making friends in your industry can initially be a bit threatening. We all have an ugly, little or big monster living in us as humans called Envy. Envy rears his head when we compare ourselves to others that we encounter in our businesses and/or personal life. A bit of competition & ambition is good, but when it turns into making us feel less than because we are not keeping up with someone else it is just distructive.

(Me and my ceramics teacher from Pig Pen Pottery. I can’t help but ENVY her studio-barn & kick wheel!)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Just because their glass is full it does not mean your glass is empty; their success is not a reflection on your success & it does not mean you are unworthy if you are not in the same place.

Your ideas and personality are going to lead you in a direction. It may be to mentor or open your own shop or to become a vendor or sell or create for friends or give or write about your task. It may make a international splash or it may just be noticed by your family & loved ones. You can still learn from those that are going before you or next to you and use them as inspiration.

If this is difficult at times because of Envy, keep your loved ones close as your cheerleaders. These are the people that see how hard you are working & the heart you are putting into your craft.

Fiona cleaning the card catalog I found at Chartreuse.

DH loading the Budget truck.

My M&D helping backstage at my Home Show presentation.

My DF meeting me in the pouring rain.

These are the people will help you load the Budget truck, fix a broken piece and purr up next to your newly upholstered seat cushion, approving of your fabric choice.

Filed Under: building a business Tagged With: Building a B, chalk Paint, Chartreus, Chartreuse and Co, Greige Design, Stifel & Capra, The Treasured Hunt

…stifel & capra

March 6, 2013 by christen 3 Comments

I’m happy to announce today that I will be selling a few pieces at Stifel & Capra in Falls Church. Dear Teresa & her sweet, spice-making DH Bob have welcomed me into their eclectic, vintage, artsy, hip shop. Yes, it’s the big, white house-shop on the corner of Broad St.

I did my very first showing at her Holiday Market about 2 years ago. And my dear friend, Liz, bought my first painted piece at the show!

Of course it was a family affair.

I know quite a few of you have asked where to get started selling. An indoor/outdoor, holiday or summer craft show is a great way to test the waters.

Come on in and see the shop! Along with lots of treasure, you will find Cece Caldwell Paint available. Colors are a bit different than Annie Sloan, but there is a huge range. It’s also a completely green product, eco-friendly & non-toxic. I’m excited to try them out in the near future and posting. I already picked up some Memphis Blue to experiment with.

P.S. I will still be selling pieces from my website, my Etsy shop, Luckett’s Spring Market & Chartreuse Market Days.…and refinishing custom pieces from my home of course.

P. P. S. Happy Snow Day!