questions from you no. 16

Posted on 29. Dec, 2009 by Princess Lasertron in business, craft, questions from you

Here are some of the questions I’ve received in my inbox in the last few weeks. Feel free to contact me any time through e-mail at meg@princesslasertron.com, twitter @lasertron (which is easiest for me), or by leaving a comment here!

Q: What advantages do you see in running your business through online channels? Disadvantages? (From Carrie)
A: Running a business from home, using web-based marketing strategies, and reaching clients through a blog is a fantasy of mine come true, but it comes with unique challenges. It is a different reality than a lot of people imagine. I love the mobility of my work—I can do it anywhere. I love to stay up late, have afternoons free for meetings and inspiration-gathering trips to my favorite shops, and I love to set my own hours. But sometimes people don’t realize that for most small business owners who are serious about profit and success, that means ALL hours. I have never worked so endlessly and passionately in my life.

There is also a challenge in the computer-mediated communication that comes with running a web-based business. I get so much correspondence that it can be hard to discern which clients will be the most reliable and fun to work with, who will be the best fit for me. Sometimes I am sent communication from so many different channels from the same person–Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, web comments, etc–that small details about their orders can be lost. Sometimes people can’t spell or explain clearly what they need. These are all challenges that come when no face-to-face meetings are held. There is also a lot of pressure to maintain an active presence online—continually posting original content on my blog, for example.

Q: As I build my supply stash for crafting, I wonder how you find time to hunt down such a wonderful assortment of buttons — and where? (From Pamela Jane)
A: Most of my button hunting these days is done by my mom, Mary Beth. I think she has a lot of fun with it and she understands my aesthetic and price points really well, so she finds the best ones. Here in the midwest we are saturated with antique stores, and she visits shops all over to find the best materials. There are a few stores in Iowa that are her favorite up near Spirit Lake. We also get some of them from eBay–but don’t bid on my auctions!

Q: What would your first question for Martha be if you could interview her? (From Paula)
A: Can we really have it all? What have you given up for success? What is the biggest misconception about you? Who was your greatest mentor in your early years? What is the last thing you do before you head to bed for the night?

Q: Have you ever felt so completely overwhelmed with how much work you need to get done by a deadline, and if so, what in the world do you do about it?! (From Laura Emily)
A: This happens probably every 4-5 weeks, but I will never never NEVER forget May 2009–the month of 24 brides. Twenty-four. Twenty-four special individuals with their own special needs and problems and visions and inspirations. I do not know how I kept them all straight and got through the month. My employee Hollie helped me a lot and my mom helped me a lot and Professor Lasertron helped me a lot. I think I slept two hours a night. What got me through it, what gets me through all times like that, is knowing that there’s an end in sight. I know I can push my body through it and meet the physical and emotional demands as long as I see a light at the end of the tunnel. If you go 30 days without a weekend, I think you’re entitled to a nice dinner and few days off! And after the customers receive their orders, their feedback always motivates me so much that I can’t wait to get back to work!

Q: Could social media work for all businesses? (From C. R.)
A: The game has changed. Any business owner would be foolish to ignore the growing influence of the Internet in their marketing strategy. I mean, this is seriously an unprecedented chance to engage our clients and broadcast our messages that generations before us have never had. Many people are unwilling to accept that social media is changing the business world—and our whole society—because they are uncomfortable learning new things, or think they are “too old” to understand it, or think they can get by doing things as they have always done. Embracing that truth might be the difference between “making a living” and “living your passion.”

Q: How do you get your pictures to look like that? (From Jenny, Steffany, and Melanie)
A: Well I am not a photographer. I don’t enjoy it, I don’t want to be one, and I don’t spend a lot of time learning about it. I have a really nice new Rebel that takes great pictures and a nice lens, and I just let it do the work for me. I edit the pictures in photoshop and Picnik. If you haven’t done it before, play around in Picnik–there are a lot of fun effects and tools you can use for free!