Well things have been very unstable lately, talk about feeling like a yo-yo! Were should I start, ah yes, last week.
It all started last week, I hit some financial trouble with regards to BellaFlo Boutique. It was pretty horrid, there were a few days where I thought I would have had to close my shop. As you can imagine, I was in a bit of a pickle, not having enough money to run a fashion boutique whilst you're in the middle of making your boutique successful, is a bit of a sticky situation. I had people telling me all different things and giving me advice on what to do. I had never thought about having to close my shop, especially when it's only 7 months old. I didn't know what to do. Yes, it would be easy to close the shop, then me and Louie could live quite a comfortable life without having a shop to pay for. But seriously, I have never done anything by half, and this is no exception.
I've never really had to worry about money, not because my family are rich or anything (they're not), but because my life has never revolved around money. For me it's always been you have it or you don't kind of attitude, I am not one for lavish gifts, fancy cars or big gestures at birthdays or from Louie. I am not saying I don't like presents, but I like thoughtful things, not expensive things. ( This may be a little contradictory to the idea I have of me living in a 1940's ballroom, but hey!). So last week was worrying but also a little weird for me, I obviously understand money and how the world revolves around money, but I felt vulnerable knowing I depended on money to keep my shop open. The worse thing for me during this time was the fact that there is NO funding available to me at all. And do you know why? I cannot get any money from the government at all because I have set up a FASHION business!! If it was anything else, then yes fine they'd give me some money, but apparently fashion haven't been as hard hit as other industries. Pfft, can see that the government hire incompotent staff who clearly cannot research properly. It is common knowledge to everyone involved in fashion, that the fashion industry has taken a massive hit from the recession. Yes everyone still needs clothes, but with cheap throw away fashion at peoples finger tips, they do not spend so much on clothing, why would they when they can go to Primark and get a top for £3 that's been made by a child in Eastern Europe.
Needless to say, the government have made me furious! Not knowing which way for me to turn or which road to chose, I emailed Mary Portas asking for help! A desperate act I know, but I think she does amazing things for independents, I am still waiting for a reply, so if anyone knows Mary Portas, get her to give me a holla! So far it seems that I have resolved my financial problem, but that is only for the time being, and if my projections are accurate, so it's going to be a nail biting couple of months.
So, a week later I still have my shop and I'm determined to make it work. I am even experimenting with bright colours for my new collections, which I do not usually do ( I prefer more neutral nude colours), not that I am opposed to colour, I am not at all. It's just that working with a beautiful cream chiffon and adding beautiful beading work to it gives the sense of, well, beauty! I have a few plans to help turn the shop around. I am changing the inside of the shop, quite dramatically, but this will not eat up a lot of money. I am wanting to change the hsop around to make it look like a 'proper' fashion boutique. I have frriends and Louie helping my vision become reality. I am also taking on the mamoth task of filling 80% of the shop with my clothing (worried face!). But fingers crossed all will work out (double worried face).
I have also still managed to buy some jewellery pieces from a new jewellery line, called DaintyDamsel Delectable Jewels. Their stuff is pretty amazing, and I now have it instore, the pieces sit so beautifully in my shop glittering away under the spot lights. This means I can attend their jewellery launch party too, which I am very excited for. I am having a stall there and 2 models meeting and greeting everyone. It's going to be a great opportunity for BellaFlo.
Obviously there are still money worries but the key is to carry on as if BellaFlo is going to be around for years, and if all goes how I want it to, then it will be.
Monday, 20 June 2011
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Progress
Well whilst I'm sat in my empty house waiting for my cheese stuffed crust pizza to arrive and sipping a glass of rose wine, I thought I may as well unload the gossip of the last few days.
I have my first intern!! A delightful young woman, who I could talk to for hours- which probably is not the best thing when trying to do work, but she is just what I was looking for! Her name is Katie, she has no fashion experience but for me, that works in my favour. It means I can teach her and show her easier ways of doing things, rather then getting some girl fresh out of college who is moulded and sticks strictly to how they were taught. I am very excited to say the least, though it has been weird. I haven't worked with anyone in my shop before, apart from when been helped by my good friend Mima. So what I'm trying to say is that I've developed a few habbits. I have been used to doing what I want and not worrying about anyone been around me- except for when customers are in obviously! And yes I am the boss, but so far in the shop I actually haven't had to act 'boss like', sure I own a business and I'm fine with that responsibilty, as well as making over half of the stock in the shop too. It's just I have a relaxed routine during the day, so although I'm so happy I've got an intern, it means there's going to be a few changes. Which I am looking forward to in a way, it will just be weird having to tell someone what to do and what not.
Katie will be my assistant whilst on the internship, I don't need someone to just sew for me, or pattern cut, it's things like helping to organise events BellaFlo is involved in, having a creative input on the presentation of the shop and in the clothing lines. I want to get Katie as involved in the shop as I can, it's about giving valuable experience to someone, making it worth while. Instead of doing an internship looking good on a C.V, which could be spent making cups of tea and doing the lunch run, no I want to give someone proper experience. So Katie will meet most the people I meet and attend the events I attend.
Speaking of events, we are at a launch party for DaintyDamsel jewellery on 28th June. They are a small business which stocks to a good few boutiques in Hull and the surrounding area. Their pieces are amazing, which are designed by themselves and other pieces are hand picked.I was making a mental note about most of the pieces, you know, the one you say in your head whilst giving out chocoltaes; one for you and two for me! As we are buying their jewellery, they have invited BellaFlo to have a stall at the launch party, as well as having two models of mine meeting and greeting guests at the door, and then do a raffle. This is all good news, but I thought it would be easy to pick 2 models, considering there are atleast 10 models who would model for me and all of which I would use. But this isn't just modelling, this is meeting and greeting, it's all about personality, but more than that, they have to be passionate about BellaFlo. It's no good to me having two models wearing BellaFlo couture dresses if they do nothing but talk about themselves, but which two would fit this, which models would compliment each other? After much deliberation, I had made my choices, but as it turns out the chosen models are unavailable. So now I have models to finalise, as well as their outfits and styling, also the hair and make up needs sorting. But I have a friend who coincidently a make up artist, who I have used previously, and is an amazing woman.
There is a lot to be done!
I have my first intern!! A delightful young woman, who I could talk to for hours- which probably is not the best thing when trying to do work, but she is just what I was looking for! Her name is Katie, she has no fashion experience but for me, that works in my favour. It means I can teach her and show her easier ways of doing things, rather then getting some girl fresh out of college who is moulded and sticks strictly to how they were taught. I am very excited to say the least, though it has been weird. I haven't worked with anyone in my shop before, apart from when been helped by my good friend Mima. So what I'm trying to say is that I've developed a few habbits. I have been used to doing what I want and not worrying about anyone been around me- except for when customers are in obviously! And yes I am the boss, but so far in the shop I actually haven't had to act 'boss like', sure I own a business and I'm fine with that responsibilty, as well as making over half of the stock in the shop too. It's just I have a relaxed routine during the day, so although I'm so happy I've got an intern, it means there's going to be a few changes. Which I am looking forward to in a way, it will just be weird having to tell someone what to do and what not.
Katie will be my assistant whilst on the internship, I don't need someone to just sew for me, or pattern cut, it's things like helping to organise events BellaFlo is involved in, having a creative input on the presentation of the shop and in the clothing lines. I want to get Katie as involved in the shop as I can, it's about giving valuable experience to someone, making it worth while. Instead of doing an internship looking good on a C.V, which could be spent making cups of tea and doing the lunch run, no I want to give someone proper experience. So Katie will meet most the people I meet and attend the events I attend.
Speaking of events, we are at a launch party for DaintyDamsel jewellery on 28th June. They are a small business which stocks to a good few boutiques in Hull and the surrounding area. Their pieces are amazing, which are designed by themselves and other pieces are hand picked.I was making a mental note about most of the pieces, you know, the one you say in your head whilst giving out chocoltaes; one for you and two for me! As we are buying their jewellery, they have invited BellaFlo to have a stall at the launch party, as well as having two models of mine meeting and greeting guests at the door, and then do a raffle. This is all good news, but I thought it would be easy to pick 2 models, considering there are atleast 10 models who would model for me and all of which I would use. But this isn't just modelling, this is meeting and greeting, it's all about personality, but more than that, they have to be passionate about BellaFlo. It's no good to me having two models wearing BellaFlo couture dresses if they do nothing but talk about themselves, but which two would fit this, which models would compliment each other? After much deliberation, I had made my choices, but as it turns out the chosen models are unavailable. So now I have models to finalise, as well as their outfits and styling, also the hair and make up needs sorting. But I have a friend who coincidently a make up artist, who I have used previously, and is an amazing woman.
There is a lot to be done!
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