Monday, February 6, 2012

Originality rules.


The Glittery One gets oodles of emails every day.  The emails usually fall into one of these 3 categories: 1.chicks wanting to know where I found Super Grover junk, 2. chicks wanting to buy something I no longer sell, and 3. chicks simply wanting business advice because they adore me. (maybe not "adore" me, but more like they think I am marginally cool;)

I am honored to receive email + giddy happy to help whenever I can. Business advice emails + messages are the ones I get most often and the ones that honor me the most. It is tough to be a small business owner. Whether you are a WAHM, or a chick trying to start something up when you get home from your 9-5 each night-it is never easy, nor should it be.

My business advice is simple: do what you love + be original

If you do not have passion for what you do, you cannot truly achieve success. Yes, of course, there are people that hate their jobs and succeed and makes tons of dough and drive Bentleys, but I am talking about a different kind of success. The kind that makes your soul happy. The kind that makes you dizzy happy to get up in the morning. The kind that makes you beyond excited to find someone to talk to about your new designs and ideas. The kind that you cannot wait to edit your pictures to show everyone the cuteness you created. That passion always shines though. Financial gain is secondary.
I adore my work. I am honored when someone chooses me to be a small part of their child's special day. That is an honor and privilege for me to have that connection with people. My glittery junk a part of somebody's important milestone. I love the idea of my business-celebrating glittery happiness- and I love the designs I create and the materials I use. I cannot wait to touch my glitter in the morning and I am dreaming up new designs every waking moment.

Passion + love of your work will spill over and motivate you to do to the additional hard work you need to do to run a business. The research, marketing, social media, networking, sourcing, designing, creating, customer service and discipline skills will all fall into place if you have that true love for what you are doing. Not easy by any means, but if you are in love with what you do, this will not seem like torture. You also need to balance your passion with your real life-kids, family, food shopping and sanity always come first and many of us forget that at times (myself included)  and strive to find that balance. Even if you love your work and want to marry it-there are, indeed, more things important than a successful business-health,  family and a happy life. Balance.

Be original. I strive to be a peacock in a room full of pigeons. I like different. I like real. I like out of the box thinking. I am not a follower of ideas, but a creator of one. I am inspired by something or someone at least a thousand times a day, but I can take that inspiration and create something totally unique to me. No, not everyone is a fan of my style, but I am. I create with love + heart. I design for myself. To put something out there that is different than everyone else is empowering. I have my own style. Not everyone digs that style, but that is the way it should be. I love that people can tell that I made something without seeing a caption or a credit. I encourage anyone starting a business to really be an original. Do not copy design elements, designs or items because you like someone's work or everyone else is doing it that way. It is obvious when someone steals from another designer. Everyone will know it. Trust.
Do not set up your party tables the same way. Not every party needs a dessert table against the wall-not that there is anything wrong with that, but I just adore creativity on many levels. Picture perfect does not equal perfect in my book.
If you are serious about creating a business for yourself-create a style, vibe, an aesthetic that no one can ever confuse with someone else. Stand out from the party pack in some way-even if that means standing alone. Brand recognition is an art. You have the power to create your brand. You really do.

Okay, I'll stop yapping. I am getting a little bit Preachy Ziggy. I am an oversharer-can't help it.


I will leave you with a few inspiring partyware designing girls that have seriously unique style. I can spot their work from across the internet. Take a peek at their completed sales for inspiration. These chicks are the real deal. Just a quick list- I know there are many more, these were just some that came to mind. Feel free to list anyone below who inspires you. Unless they are a skank.


Michelle {Le Poppy Designs}
colorful + creative collections

Do {Piggy Bank Parties}
hand illustrated charm + beauty on a budget

Bird {Bird's Party}
clever + creative
always coming up with something original + fun

Jill {Peas & Thank You's}
handcrafted brilliance + unbelievable details
she is the exacto knife whisperer

Linnette {Paper Glitter}
Kawaii inspired perfection + consistently cute and innovative

Abigail {Paper & Cake}
fabulously fresh + modern

Kori {Paper & Pigtails}
dreamy + charming
the designs that make chicks swoon

Jessica {Party Box Design}
funky + fabulous
chick of 1000 fonts


15 comments :

Unknown said...

This is a really really great post... being original is so key.

Can't believe I am included in this post, really really nice of you and I feel super special now. I also feel inspired.

One of your best posts to date, really spoke from your heart.

Great Gatherings said...

Fantastic! Love it!

Great Gatherings said...

Fantastic! Love it!

Anonymous said...

I am going to be completely unoriginal and say that I agree with everything Jessica said... ok for reals, I do. Nobody can speak it like you can. And you walk the walk. You are truly inspiring K.

Brittany Schwaigert said...

Word. Preach Sista. Though I must say that I am super guilty of doing dessert tables, but, hey, I gotta please my clients! ;)

Pink Peppermint Paper said...

Whatcha got against pigeons? I thought you had a thing. Seriously though, truer words... I know when I've come up with something special, and there's no feeling like it! Certainly not something you get from doing 'me too' work. There's no formula to follow. That's what makes it interesting!

Eleanor

Kori Clark said...

You are fantastic! You have no idea how thrilled I was to have made your list!! I think branding your business and setting yourself apart is so difficult, but so important! Great post!

Piggy Bank Parties said...

To use your own words...brilliant + ridic! It's not always easy to march to your own drummer...but the end result is always amazing! Honored to have made the P-List!

PiGs ♥ PuGs

linnette from paperglitter.com said...

What a sweet and amazing post. So inspiring. You can apply this to anything in life. Smart words to live by :)

linnette from paperglitter.com said...

p.s. I am beyond thrilled and in a very humble way that I made your initial list--WOW!

much love-

Kustom Kreations by Elisha Akram said...

Love the Post! Glad I was able to run by this today!!!

Bird said...

WOW! I'm honored Pug!! Can I just say that I agree 110% with everything you (and Richard Branson) said! ;D

Love is the driving force for me too. And it means so much to have someone as passionate, as glitter-crazy and as genuine as you to acknowledge my work!!

Your advice is real, honest, constructive and from the heart! That's the make of a true successful business woman in my book!

If the chicks that write to you in search of wisdom get half of the love I feel from this post, they should count themselves very lucky!

Thanks for being real, and for adding me to your glorious list!

Unknown said...

Originality rules...nuff said!

Lissa (Bellenza) said...

Very sage (i know, such an un-cool term!) advice from the Glittery One! Totally agree, too, with the list of super-talented ladies you highlighted!

Teronia Wilson said...

Thank you so much for posting this. I have to constantly remind myself that I don't have to do it the way everyone else is doing it. I can create my very own technique, template, etc. I admire other people's work, but I want my work to reflect me. "Physical evidence of my inner self" - Tara