Frequently Asked Questions - That I Don't Answer

After years of receiving at least an email a week asking for information that I just won't answer, I finally decided it was time to write an editorial piece. I hope that this will help someone out there in the journey to becoming a "Paper Chick".

How did you start your business? Will you help me get started?
I started after having a very, very, VERY rough year at my old job. I had always wanted to start doing something in the wedding business. But I needed something scary, like a terrible boss in a failing company, to push me into making the leap. I have always been a full believer that life takes you where you are supposed to go. And an even bigger believer that things happen for a reason. If it hadn't been for the evil boss, who made it so I couldn't stand to wake up every morning, I might not have started my business that makes me so excited, I can't wait to go to bed so I can wake up in the morning.

My next step was to take a "Starting Your Own Business" seminar. It was put on by the county where I live. Not only did it teach me all of the legal paper work that is involved in starting a company, but it taught me some of the best advice that I still use today. To have a successful business, you must have Manufacturing, Marketing and Accounting. Without those three parts, the company will fail. If you can't do one or more parts, hire someone to do it or you won't succeed. To this day, I hire professionals for the parts of the business where I don't have the expertise or the resource of time.

Where do you get your invitations printed? What kind of printer do you have?
I know why everyone asks this question - printing is a huge pain the rear. Why won't I discuss it? Quite frankly because it is proprietary. I spent more money on my printer than on my first car. I spent days and weeks calling manufacturers, researching specs, shipping in printers to only return them for huge shipping charges. Same with printing services. I did research and interviews and testing and testing. It is a right of passage. If you can get through this part, you will be successful.

I love the font on that invitation! Can you tell me what it is?
Well, no. Fonts are a huge part of the design, more so than even any graphics. I will spend hours looking through the 1600+ fonts on my system and then the thousands and thousands of fonts available online to find the "perfect" font. Nearly all of the fonts are very difficult to use if you don't have design software and they typically cost $100+. Learn to love fonts and use the online font websites to view your wording.

Where do you get your paper? What program do you use? Where do you get graphics? How do you put invitations together? What equipment do you use?
I'm going to give you my best piece of advice right now. If you don't want to research the very basic parts of your business, you're in the wrong business. I don't mean to be harsh, but that is the truth. So much of having a successful business is loving every aspect of it. Researching every paper company out there. Doing online search after online search. Talking to suppliers. Learning new methods and programs. Thinking outside the box. I started in the business in 2002. I went three years just trying to get orders. In those three years, I spent thousands of dollars investing in the business and learning. It wasn't until 2005 that I got my first paid order. It took me that long to learn what I needed to know and to find suppliers. Embrace these questions as your first clients. Research and test until you have found the answers for yourself and be thrilled with the accomplishment.

I want to have what you have - a successful business, working at home. What can I do?First and foremost, do something that you love. Maybe its not invitations or design, this applies to anyone. My business is like my second child. I love it. I can't wait to wake up and get started. I invest in it every day. I put much of the profits right back into the company to make it grow. I don't do this for the money. Sure, I want to earn money and get paid, but the money is just a benefit of doing something that challenges me and makes me happy.

Working at home is tough as well. I am ALWAYS at work. Housework falls behind because the email is calling and I'd rather talk to clients than wash dishes. I never get to watch TV anymore, or read books. And in the peak months, I get very little sleep. But working at home has one HUGE advantage, I get to spend an incredible amount of time with my 5 year old son. I couldn't ask for a better life.

So I hope my little rambling helps or inspires someone today to start a business doing something that you love.