End of an era

Yesterday was the last day of Yarnside Gathering as we know it. No buyer came forward and so we closed. The lease is officially up the first week of April, so I have some time to move everything out and clean up.

The spinning classes this week have been a hit! The place has been jamming and I heard nothing but compliments from the students. I am really glad that Stephanie decided to come down and do these classes. I think it was super positive for the shop and people will always remember that.

I had mixed emotions all day. Part of me is very sad. I had a great experience, I feel like I was a success, and I think that I have made a difference in people's lives (even if it was in a very small way). Another part of me is glad. I was getting tired of working so hard for so long. I'll be glad to get my Saturdays back. I can join McGuire's Tuesday night running group. I can go to festivals and run 5ks and enjoy the post-race parties. I'll have time to clean the house (that's not really exciting; it's necessary). Another part of me is nervous and excited about the future. What is coming next? Will I be working? full time? part-time? for myself? for others? in engineering? in yarn? where? I'm looking forward to finding out!

After closing up Regina and I went to the Melting Pot to celebrate. Bill took me there on the first Saturday we were open. I thought it was fitting to go there to close out the era.

I should go on vacations more often

Yesterday was a very good day for the shop! A VERY GOOD day! The register was ringing from 11:00 until 8:00. People were in and it was a little crazy. Sit 'n Stitch was extremely well attended. The guy who was knitting headbands for his daughter came in and brought wine. The lady from Kentucky who is going to teach spinning at the shop (in its last week) was in, the regulars were there, and some new people came. We needed extra chairs!

I processed more credit cards than I have in I don't know how long, and our total sales were about six times higher than a typical day. Even with the time off, this is shaping up to be a good month. I think that is going to make the inevitable harder, but I just have to remember to keep emotion out of business.

One last rant first, though. I have a golden opportunity for sale. It is a steal! I can't believe people don't see that. I know that most people are incredibly risk-averse and would rather go through life dreaming about something rather than taking steps to making the dream a reality. That attitude frustrates and saddens me. I am really sad to see the shop close. It seemed to fill a niche. I'm frustrated that there isn't anything I can do to make anyone see what an opportunity this is and encourage them to take the leap towards their dream. However, I am holding my head high, knowing I did a great job and I am not a failure. I know that if anyone does start a shop to fill the need that exists here, they are going to be kicking themselves for not availing themselves of my efforts.

Happy New Year, Yarnside Gathering!

Today was Yarnside's New Year Open House. It was a day for folks to come in and knit and crochet, catch up with others, and meet new friends. It was a HUGE SUCCESS! The table was full, and I had to bring in extra chairs to accommodate people! I think we had fourteen people at the table at any time, and over two dozen throughout the day. It was a fantastic way to start the year.

One of the best parts was that some of the people who came in today were people who haven't been in in a long time. It was like seeing old friends (even though we aren't close). I was very happy to see the crowds and join in the revelry. I had baked my frosted cinnamon-ginger bar cookies, which were a big hit, and had cheese and crackers, chips, and Molly Ranchers (my homemade hard candy). The coffee pot was cooking and there was plenty of tea. It was fabulous!

I left feeling drained, but fulfilled. Many of the ladies wished me well on the race this weekend and that means a lot to me. They see me as a person - a friend - not just a shop owner. It makes me feel sad about the pending closure of the shop. I had truly hoped that the shop would carry on, but it looks as though that will not be the case. I feel in some ways that I am disappointing these ladies, who found a place where they feel welcomed. On the other hand, I also know that there are no emotions in business and we are leaving, my lease is up, I have no buyer, therefore I have no option. I cannot be driven by feelings. It is a difficult lesson, but I know what I must do.

Happy 2nd Anniversary, Yarnside Gathering!

Wow! Two years! I can't believe that two years have gone by already and we are still open!

Yes, I'm still worrying about money and paying bills and wondering if I'm ever going to be able to draw a salary or hire an employee. Any good business owner should worry about these things.

I am grateful to my customers for coming in and buying. For taking classes, and for believing in me. Many have become friends. But I am most grateful for my husband. He didn't flinch when I mentioned this crazy idea. He encouraged me from the get-go, and showed a genuine interest in the business. He reviewed my financial projections and business plan, he helped me set up the shop, he worked there on his Saturdays, and he accepted the sacrifices we've had to make -- all without complaint. His support and love are unconditional, and I don't think I would be know I would not be anywhere near this successful without him.

This just reinforces how good we are for each other. He supports me and I support him. He would do anything for me and I would do anything for him. He's proud of me and my accomplishments and my willingness to reinvent myself and I am proud of him, the person he is and what he does, and the mark that he is making on the world.

I wish I could tell him all this in person, but that will have to wait a little longer. I look forward to the day when I can hold him tight and not let go!

Well, it is off to work and the first day of the third year! I hope it will be another great one!

Another example of a bad business model

Due to all the trouble with Marco, I've given in and decided to add another litterbox. This way I can let Abby out of detention and keep Marco in. I really like the Feline Pine litter and litterbox, so I placed an order online yesterday for another Feline Pine Litter Box. Here's a link to the Product Page. Notice that there are only two products on the page. Two.

Late last night I received this email:

Hi,

Just want to let you know that your litter box order is on backorder til the end of August.  We will ship it as soon as it arrives.  Sorry for the delay.

Thank you,

Susie

 Hmm.Your entire company is based on selling two products and one of them is on backorder for two more weeks? BAD BUSINESS MODEL.

$100,000 Question: Will they ship me the scoop I ordered or wait and send it with the box? Stay tuned for that answer!

This made my day!

When I got up this morning I checked my email. There was one from a customer titled "repair". I thought maybe she wanted to see if I was available first thing Tuesday to help her fix something. This was the message:

I am working on a stocking that is full of little cable twists.  As I was going along I glanced

down the pattern and saw where I did something wrong - not only did I do the cable the

wrong way, but it was on the wrong row - about 4 rows down.   I calmly (ha ha) dropped

the stitches down, counting my rows, checking my chart, twisted the stitches the right

way AND on the correct row.   When I got myself up to where I started, I instantly thought

"Hells yeah!!" and then just as quickly thought "THANK YOU MOLLY!!". 

So... Thanks Molly for all you do and teaching me so much!!!

That made me smile! I am sure I will read and reread this message often. It
was really sweet of her to let me know that I had made a difference in
her (knitting) life.

My spirit is rejuvenated ...

... and my vacation isn't until next week!

I got up this morning and after the termite inspection guy left took the new (bought on 5/24) computer back to Best Buy. It wouldn't charge. It turns out I had to reseat the battery. Easy enough. On the ride to the shop I talked to our financial advisor. Since I have been in a funk as of late about the shop, I thought I'd ask him, "When do you know it is time to close your business?"

Our lease is up in September. I do not want to renew it if the signs are there to quit. We're responsible for the rent for the duration of the lease regardless of whether we are still in business, so I want to be able to get out now while I still can. Mark is awesome! He always can make sense of things for me, he keeps our best interests in mind, and he has grown our personal wealth even during the downturn. He has taught me to keep emotion out of money matters. So his answer surprised me.

"When it is not fun anymore."

Those words really hit me. First, he was including emotion. Second, wow. That should be the reason! People want to enjoy work. Work defines you, no matter how hard you try to deny it. Work is only supposed to be less than a quarter of our lives (40 hrs out of 168), but when you meet someone for the first time, invariably the first question is, "What do you do?"

I still enjoy work. I love helping people with projects. I love teaching new skills. I love helping someone find the perfect yarn for the project they want to do. I love inspiring people to challenge themselves with a new, difficult project. In short, I really do love what I do! Mark reminded me that it takes on average 3 to 5 years for a business to be profitable. Maybe we'll have to loan the company some money to make it through the lean summer. That is OK, as long as it is OK with us and our personal finances.

We talked about cycles and seasonal business. He told me about the years he managed a McDonald's on the Eastern Shore (I never heard this before) and how he had to remind the owner that yes, it's winter and we're down on sales, but we're up this winter over last winter. We talked about the economy, the oil spill, the tourism, and kids not being in school. All in all, the conversation helped me to make the decision to hang in there. Bill has already said that he's behind me 100% no matter what I decide.

There was someone in the parking lot when I pulled in today, something that hasn't happened for a while. I invited her in after I turned on the a/c. After her, someone else new came in. In an hour I had more sales (from people who had never been in before) than I had all week. I called Mark and told him that our conversation worked magic! The end of the day closeout revealed that we had an incredible day in sales. More than we've had in a couple of months! We're doing a workshop on a project. We sold out the first day less than a week after we advertised it and now we've sold out the second day less than a week later!

Needless to say, I am now really reenergized about the shop. Some new folks came in for Sit 'n Stitch. They've never been in before, but decided to come in. They were really sweet about asking whether they could knit with yarn they had acquired elsewhere. I smiled and offered them "amnesty" (how could I not? They've never been in before, should I have expected them to buy a project just to work on it? That's something my competitor would do, not me!). As it turns out, several new people today commented on how they were there because of a bad experience at the competition. I just can't help but grin ear to ear inside. I know I am creating the atmosphere I think a shop should have.

I gave a private lesson today to a lady who just wanted a refresher, she told me that I was so wonderfully patient with her and that she would never set foot in the other shop after the way she had been treated. She was happy to drive all the way in from Molino to see me, rather than to see the other shop. For those who don't know, the other shop is halfway between Molino and me, which means the lady would rather drive 20 miles or so each way to my shop rather than the 10 each way to the other. That just meant a lot to me. And when the other customers in the shop tell her that she came to the right place, or they drive 45 minutes to come to me, too, I just feel so appreciated. Today has really lifted me out of the funk I have been in and enabled me to refocus.

I cannot thank Mark enough for validating my feelings and offering me some food for thought. We discussed filing a claim with BP for damages resulting from the lack of a summer tourist base. I told him that I do intend to file a claim and I believe I have the records to substantiate a claim for loss. If I close the doors now, I will lose that opportunity (not that that should be the deciding factor, of course). He laughed when I told him how I would back up my claim. He laughed not because it was funny, but because it was "brilliant"! He was impressed by my forethought and "impeccable" record keeping. I almost feel a little guilty for thinking of business school as a place for engineering dropouts.

Well, dinner is about done and I am hungry. And my wine glass is empty. Cheers!

Still hurting, but a little less

I am still sore. I still have trouble sitting and standing. So I decided to run this morning. I could feel the muscles wobbling in protest, and my time was not as good as before. The temperature was in the mid-80s at 6:30 this morning, and the humidity was super high. I was not using Motion Traxx. I averaged 11:14 min/mi, which is a decline from the other day. But that's OK. Today was Day 2 Week 9. One more day to go and I graduate! My next 5k is on July 3. My legs feel better. I guess working them today helped. I had brunch today with Cherryl and her husband. She said she didn't get off the couch all day Friday because she was in such pain. It made me feel a little better knowing that. Day 3 of foundations is tomorrow at 7:30. I hope we won't do any squats, but I'm pretty sure we will. I may never walk right again.

I never did cast on those socks I talked about the other day. I found out the yarn is not a machine washable yarn, and I don't want to 1) hand wash socks or 2) risk having them felt on my feet. I will rummage through the stash tonight and see if I can find a yarn for my next pair of socks, the ones I'll carry around and work on at home. I did cast on a pair of baby socks yesterday and I finished them today. One of the students aboard the flight from VT-86 that crashed in April was married and his wife is expecting. The wives received an invitation to a baby shower for her. I won't be able to go, as I have to work that afternoon, but I wanted to make a little something for her. I feel bad for her. I can't imaging what it must be like to be married such a short time and see a whole life with your husband and child ahead and then find out he's taken from you in a training accident. That happened with a friend of mine around 8 years ago and it is really sad. So anyway, I thought it was the least I could do to show my support and caring.

Cat paw included for size.

So I have been thinking about Seth Godin's 16 questions. I'd like to share some thoughts with you on a few of them.


2. Are you trying to make a living, make a difference, or leave a legacy?

I want to make a difference. I want to reach people through a craft, make them stretch out of their comfort zones, and realize their potential. I can do it with yarn and projects and hope that it translates across their lives and develops them into more confident people.

3. How will the world be different when you've succeeded?

Most of my clients are women, so I would like to see more confident and empowered women realizing that they should not be afraid to challenge limitations, whether self-imposed or assigned to them by society or others.

4. Is it more important to add new customers or to increase your interactions with existing ones?

Both. In order to grow the business I need to continue to reach new people, yet I need to take care of my current ones.


10. Are you done personally growing, or is this project going to force you to change and develop yourself?

I don't ever want to be done personally growing. That thought scares me! I want to continue to build on the person that I've become and challenge myself to try new and different things. Some I will like, some I won't. Sometimes I'll fail, other times I'll succeed. Bill and I talked a lot about the future when he was here last weekend. One idea that has been developing is to volunteer with the Central Asia Institute building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. That would definitely challenge me and force me to grow, and I love the idea of doing something like this with him. We both bring something critical to the table and we'd be an incredible team! It is an exciting possibility. First, however, we need to see how the deployment goes. There is the rosy, idealistic view and the real world. Let's see if they are compatible. Bill may hate the time he spends there and may never want to go back, no matter what.

12. How long can you wait before it feels as though you're succeeding?

This question is difficult for me. I want to succeed immediately. To me, success is defined as the business covering its operating costs, earning enough to grow, pay us back our initial investment, and let me draw a small salary. By this definition, we are not successful. Yet. We've been open a year and a half. That fact alone, at some levels, indicates success! I supposed I should be patient and continue to nurture the shop. If I don't sell it before we leave, I have another year to reach my definition of success.

14. Do you want your customers to know each other (a tribe) or is it better they be anonymous and separate?

I definitely want my customers to know each other. I am trying to develop a community. I would like people to feel comfortable with each other and want to become friends.

15. How close to failure, wipe out and humiliation are you willing to fly? (And while we're on the topic, how open to criticism are you willing to be?)

This question was the hardest for me. Plain and simple: I DO NOT WANT TO FAIL. That said, my definition of fail is different from not meeting my definition of success. My definition of fail is having to pour more of our savings into the shop and never recouping any of it. I don't want to shut the doors when we move, not having sold the business, end up paying off the loan out of our pocket, and try to sell furnishings and inventory piecemeal over the next several years, at a fraction of their worth, just to get rid of them. That would be failure. After some recent slow days I have considered just shutting the doors before the lease renews. Bill says he'll support me no matter what I want to do, and that means the world to me. The other half of the question is that I welcome criticism, as long as it is constructive. Any ideas people have for making the shop better are welcome. It's the "You shouldn't do (this)." with no explanation of why or suggestion of what would be better that drives me crazy.


The shop has not been a lifelong dream for me. When I realized that I wasn't going to find an engineering job here, I started thinking about my options. I could be an unemployed housewife (which some days looks like it would have been the best choice) or take my new business degree and give this town a new yarn shop. I had several experiences at the other shop which were simply horrible. I knew that people should not be treated that way and I could offer that alternative. I feel like I have done that. I can close the doors and not look back with regret (even if I fail like I described above). This has been an incredible opportunity for me, in terms of a learning experience and a chance for personal growth. It has been one of the most satisfying things I have done! I just don't want my experience to cost my family a huge chunk of our savings. That makes me feel selfish. I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it. I am not doing anything to increase savings, I only burn through it. I think that is why I am afraid to fail (my definition). I know that the knowledge and the experience have been worth it, and if Bill knew I felt this way he'd probably try to smack me out of it. I hope he realizes that I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I do anyway.

The recent slowdown at the shop has me worried. I will probably be able to make it through this month's bills, but I am not sure about next month's without some kind of a miracle. Last year was our first year and we did better then than now. I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out why, but I come up empty. I know the economy, the fact that it is summer and school is out, and the oil spill all play a part in the down turn. How can I mitigate these? I have also noticed that several of my regulars are not so regular anymore and that worries me. Perhaps I need to do some kind of promotion to bring them back.

Speaking of promotion, I read somewhere recently that users want social media to engage them, not just inform them. I use the shop facebook page to announce things and those things get posted on my fans' walls. I am a fan of Community Coffee, and they post to my feed almost every day. Sometimes it's promotions like free shipping, but often it is trivia or contests. The most recent one I can think of showed the CC tumbler somewhere in the world. The first correct response won a gift basket. I haven't participated in the contests, but I feel engaged. Same with the Wine Searcher. He's always asking questions. He'll post about a certain type of wine and then ask if we taste the same things, or what was the weirdest flavor we've tasted in a wine. Tons of people respond. I never get any responses to the shop posts.

So I've been thinking. Maybe I can start playing a little game. I'll take a picture of me knitting every Monday somewhere in the Pensacola area and have people guess where I am. All correct responses will be entered in a drawing for a few dollars off their next purchase. I can also send out posts about the different yarns and seek opinions on good projects for those yarns. That would use the two examples I gave above that I like, but adapted to my business. This may increase interest in the brand, as well as help develop the sense of community that I want to have among my customers.

This has been a long post, and quite cathartic. Sometimes it is scary to see my thoughts as words. I feel that much more accountable. But Seth's 16 questions really got me thinking, and I appreciated the exercise. It is nice to give organization to the jumble of thoughts in my head. Thanks for sticking with me!