Archive for January, 2007
This article on TIME.com was incredibly interesting to me as a small-fry clothing manufacturer / retailer. It gives anyone thinking about going into this industry a lot of food for thought. Mainly how important it is to remain new and innovative, you have to always keep the momentum going, right? It also points out how difficult it is for the big manufacturers to turn on a dime.
Here’s a couple of things that are of importance to us little fish clothing manufacturers:
- Retail stores (esp. specialty boutiques) refresh their floors every six weeks. This means you’ve got to be in there all the time with new stuff to show.
- Don’t fall into the pitfall of too small of a core offering. I think we were in danger of slipping down this slope with our blankets. But, we’re small enough to react and get a fashion line out in time for fall instead of just accessories.
- Pay attention to trends; get out and get inspired!!
There is a lot more you can get out of the Time article if you’re interested. In my opinion, it’s definitely worth a read.
January 30th, 2007
I had a boutique appointment on Friday that went so-so. She didn’t buy anything because she doesn’t like the non-traditional stuff and wanted MORE PINK. I about died. Seriously the first person I’ve run into that wants more pink, more of the traditional stuff, but it takes all styles to make the world go ’round. She loved the designs, thought the burp rags were “freakin’ brilliant” but just wants more pink, more cutesy.
And, on my way home I realized that I have this bolt of pink / mint fabric (her absolute favorite combination) that I know she’ll “freakin’” flip for. Then I got into thinking about how much we’re able to react to customer feedback, and how quickly. As a small company, I’m learning more and more the advantage of being able to turn on a dime and make something happen. You also have to be careful not to be turning on too many dimes and changing things all the time, you’ll get schizo. You still have to stick to your plans.
So, I’ve decided to whip up three bibs and three burp rags in the pink / mint combination. I’ll send one sample set to this boutique, take two to KIDShow. I feel good about being able to get into that boutique and I really appreciate her feedback. Because it gave me a new perspective to my line. It’d be good to present some soft combinations, subtle prints - to speak to a broader audience, without compromising our style of course.
Here’s the other thing, she was wrapping up with another sales rep when I got there (she was buying stuff like mad from this girl; they obviously had an established relationship). In my eavesdropping I learned a lot of things - she wants people to come back in a couple of months to see what she’s missing from her Spring collections. That’s definitely something to keep in mind with all of the boutiques out there. There’s always gaps; there’s always a need for the right thing.
I didn’t leave there discouraged, I left there challenged. It pissed me off she bought so much stuff from the girl before and made me want to go after it. Also made me think about my presentation and how we’ll present at KIDShow. So, it was *good*.
January 28th, 2007
In the past week contractor nightmares have been a theme. And, since I dropped off the sample kits with my sewing contractor yesterday (I still can’t believe I made it - I was cutting up to the last minute, even putting the right spec sheet with the right kit on the way there!), it seems really timely to share what I’ve learned. I even learned more yesterday.
The first contractor I went to, I found through the yellow-page grapevine. Few people in the area take on, or have experience with children’s clothing manufacturing. I was also running late in the season - which made me feel desperate to find somebody, anybody, that would work with me. I should always be concerned about finding THE RIGHT person to work with me.
This being my first experience I went in with somewhat schizo spec sheets (admittedly), bolts of the fabric. I’ve since learned sewing contractors generally never cut the sample fabric on their own. She didn’t say anything about this. It was a disaster. Not a single sample came back on time, not a single sample came back decent, and what’s worse was that the styles actually changed. Unmatching prints and fabrics came back, wrong color trim on many of the garments - and in restrospect, I’m sure she had no clue what I actually wanted. But instead of ASKING me what the he** I just left with her (we did talk through it when I was there), she just went for it. We shouldn’t have paid, but we did - so mistakes all the way through.
Now, I’m in the loop with a good contractor, who was referred to us by my most-excellent pattern maker. He laughed at me (not in a mean way), when I asked if he cut the samples.
After our nightmare experience (and a whole season literally lost), here’s the single most important thing I learned, and trust me, if you don’t have the time to do this, then don’t do your season: Have the contractor make only one or two samples the first time. See their work, understand the communication process and how they like to work, what they expect from you, how they meet deadlines, how much respect they have for you as a small business - all of these things are crucial to the development of your product.
Beyond that, here’s what I need for my contractor and how the sample production process works:
- Once I’m satisfied with the pattern, fit and look, I sew up one final prototype. I will take this prototype to the sewing contractor, it doesn’t matter if my sewing skills suck, it’s for a visual of the style.
- I cut the fabric for the samples and group them together. Yesterday, I dropped off three styles, for two samples of two styles, three samples of the final style, almost all in different colorways. This is a small line and you can see from reading that last sentence how confusing it can be. The sample stage is more complicated because you’re throwing a variety of styles at the contractor at one time. (I’ve received some good production advice along these lines, but will save it for another day).
- Group all of the inputs for each sample together into one kit. I throw it all in one ziplock bag - including the associated spec sheet. Make sure any buttons, snaps, elastic, ties, etc. are also included in this bag.
- The spec sheet is the most crucial part. I hated the very idea of spec sheets when I first started this, maybe based on fear of the unknown alone. The spec sheet says everything about that style, contains the technical sketch of that style and (this is important) has mini-swatches of the fabrics and trims stapled to the top right corner, reading from left-to-right in the following order:
- Talk about each style and each sample of that style. Don’t leave until you feel you’re both on the same page (or get off the phone, whichever it may be).
I’m lucky enough to have a local contractor; this eliminates weeks of back-n-forth shipping for the samples. I will literally have the first round of samples next week, and time to drop off the final round of samples before KIDShow.I’m sure there is more I’m missing. Oh, yes, the new thing I learned yesterday. Stick the style# to the prototype for cross-referencing. I didn’t do that. I’ve needed little stickers a lot lately, so probably a good idea to just have a few blank sheets of address labels in the car at all times.
It was such a relief to get everything done yesterday that I actually got a full night’s rest last night. That’s about the most amazing thing of all. Somehow, miraculously, we’re all a little happier this morning. And I have lunch with some of my oldest and dearest friends. Excellent.
January 27th, 2007
Oh wow, the things I’ve committed to in the last couple of days! At the time I say “ok” it all sounds so simple in my head. And I think it all is - but a whole bunch of simple things only becomes complicated. How much of business is gut decisions? How much, oh how much, of my time is spent “listening to my heart?”. I have butterflies in my stomach even now.
I chalk these butterflies up to the day I’ve over-committed to, forgetting that my husband has an unexpected trip out of town. Now, I’m on the verge of pulling my hair out. BUT, I’m into the positive vibration thing, so instead of worrying about it, I’m telling myself it will all go smooth. Totally, 100% smoooooth. And then I’m going to make it through the entire day and tomorrow morning the kids and I are sleeping in…whew, deep breaths.
Last year, we learned at a conference about how your personality type flip-flops when you’re stressed. Questioners become doers, I think. At least that’s what happens to me. I’m the big idea-girl and the big “what if” girl. They say I’ll test forever and never launch - when I’m not stressed. When I’m under insane deadline pressure (like cutting all the fabrics for my samples by 7AM this morning, so I can have them to the contractor by 8:30), I kick into action. Like, really hunker down and kick into action. The catalog is ready for final revisions. The plans are made for this week’s round of samples (and I have to say, I’m incredibly lucky my sewing contractor is ’slipping us in’ this late - incredibly lucky) and all I have to do is cut them and prep the spec sheets. Bag em up and get through this day…
Deep breaths girl, deep breaths..
January 26th, 2007
Oh my goodness. Things are moving along, but the time is SO precious being just a few weeks out. I’m starting to feel that crunched “oh boy are we going to make it?” feeling. Heck, at least that feeling kicks me in gear.
I’m also updating the catalog, price sheets, & line sheets today. Because it HAS to get done already. I don’t know what my problem is, I put too much pressure on making it great, or I should say “fabulous”, that I end up with a ton of half-finished stuff. I have to just get it done to the point where I have all of the necessary information on the materials, then worry about making them oh-so-pretty.
I’m crossing my fingers and praying for the fashion line to come together. Running into glitches all along the way, but isn’t this typical? That’s ok. If it comes down to me sewing a few of the samples, I will. It’s actually the fabric that’s a problem. My long-time supplier suddenly decided not to do sample cuts, and frankly, this is crucial to me. We didn’t spend enough $$ with them last year for it to be worth it to them to do some sample cuts. Right, so it’s more worth it to me to “go for it” and hope those colorways sell because my supplier made me buy too much fabric. No, it’s actually worth it for me to spend my time and find someone that will give me sample cuts, so I can actually test the fabric before I invest in it.
But that’s more scurrying around and somehow I always get to o-dark-thirty with too many phone calls I didn’t make. But I can do this. I have some prospective suppliers up in LA and they can get me sample cuts fast. It’s finding something I’m happy with that I’m concerned about.
I could change my plan and offer a lot more of the fashions in one colorway. But I don’t really want to work with that company, and I don’t want to change my plan to suit theirs. How are you ever supposed to start up with them?
So, business hours are about phone calls today. Which makes right now, the kid’s sleeping time, about the print materials. Just get it done.
January 25th, 2007
Everything in business takes committment, true. But I need to really committ to our marketing plan, meaning I need to set up standard daily tasks and weekly tasks that I’m committed to completing. Such as press releases. How often should these be going out? What is a realistic schedule for me to get them out? I think, based on the fact that I’ve yet to issue one, I think that one a month is more than generous. I should be able to accomplish at least that.
And then I have to committ to sending mailers on a consistent basis and following up on a consistent basis. If I could just do those couple of things, I know it would help to grow the business by leaps and bounds. But sporadic cold calls and sales phone calls are not doing the trick. I’m getting the business and the interest when I actually make the time for it. It’s now crucial that I make most of my time about marketing and sales. Branding is going fine. Marketing and sales. Must keep on the marketing and sales.
And I must say, keeping your chin up is a hard part about this too. It’s amazing how drastically emotions can swing, and if you’re going to be able to launch a business, you have to keep going amidst all those heady doubts. Two days ago, I felt on cloud 9, yesterday I felt like folding. Wierd. Luckily I stuck to my usual solution and just kept going. Accomplished something, updated my to-do lists, sent some long over-due emails.
I guess it serves a dual-purpose, when I’m not in the most “go get ‘em” of moods, I actually do all the “I’ve been meaning to get to that” stuff, which I otherwise happily put off…and getting some of that stuff off my back is like lifting a weight, which in turn lifts my mood and brings us back to “good”.
Top of my to-do is to write the copy for the back of our oversized postcards so that we can get those mailers out and make some appointments for KIDShow. Marketing and sales. Tra la la la - marketing and sales.
January 23rd, 2007
Three patterns are under production. We’re really pushing it to get these done on time…But we also have a collection of patterns we’ve had made over the last couple of years which will give us a fair launch at KIDShow. Super-cute stuff that I have loads of confidence in. I’ll have a lot more confidence when the new samples are complete and ready to go for KIDShow and our sales reps.
I’ve found that providing the pattern maker with a good-fitting sample is the best way to start the pattern process. She can work from a sketch alone, but my measurements are likely to be a little whacky based on a drawing alone. So, by my providing a sample (doesn’t even have to be the same design) that fits well, we’ve got a lot more concrete measurements to start with.
This is the whole purpose of “blocks”. Blocks are base patterns of styles that have proven to fit well. For example, I’m having our first boys shirt pattern made. If this pattern fits well, I’ll use it as a block for a short sleeve style, one with a butterfly collar, one that buttons down all the way - I’ll create numerous styles using one base style. This way, I capitalize on the work and time we’ve invested to get the garment to fit right in the first place.
Our pattern maker is busy because it’s that busy time of the year. She is an independent contractor, which means we have no choice but to get in line. I’m already doing “worse case” scenario planning in my head. Making plans for a) the patterns not coming through at all; b)the patterns coming through too late to have samples made by our standard contractor and c) the samples not coming through or coming through too late.
We’ll make a plan to go to KIDShow without those extra samples, so that our booth is sufficiently covered if they don’t make it on time. But we’ll also plan BIG, as if it all will come together like a magic carpet ride.
We actually napped today while the kids napped. It’s oddly refreshing and disturbing at the same time. I guess it’s because I know that there is so much to be done, I feel guilty slacking off. But slacking off we have to do, to regroup, to say thanks and give praise, and to have much-needed downtime.
January 21st, 2007
“Support” has been a major theme in my life over the last few weeks. Well, really since starting a business, but extremely so in the last few weeks. And by “support” I mean both the incredible support I get from some people and the incredible lack of support I get from others.
Starting a business brings out the best and worst in people, especially you. I’ve worked myself to the bone and somehow find a way to work some more. But this escalates stress levels and everyone pays when everyone is too stressed. It also sheds a new light on friends and family and even acquaintances in your life.
My strongest supporter is my husband, my business and life partner. He does SO much to keep this business moving, from designing our graphic T’s to designing the website and handling product photography. I know that there is no way this business could run with just one person behind it (we’re not even getting into the numerous contractors who help us out). Even with just half of the business to run, I’m running around like a mad woman half the time. I resolve every day to get more organized, and while it happens in small pieces, I have far to go.
My husband supports me mentally, emotionally, and completely in the business. He is half of the design team, and it was his graphic onesies which were the biggest hit at the celebrity gifting suite.
Beyond my husband, the story is a little different. I’ve found some surprises in people who I thought were mere acquaintances - more than a few have turned out to be my strongest supporters. I’ve found surprises in those I thought were nearest and dearest to me, more than a few have given not only no support, but negativity and disbelief instead. To which I chant in my head an Ani DiFranco line “A thousand eyes will smolder with jealousy, while you were just flying past.”
I think that the celebrity gifting suite escalated emotions for people. Oh you would not believe the offers I received to GO to the suite and meet the celebrities. How few offers we received for hands on help (this is not to negate those who came to our rescue, no way we could have pulled it off without you). And I honestly could tell that some friends were jealous. Here we were, too caught up in getting prepared to even get too excited about meeting celebrities, and others are just chomping at the bit for a chance to see these people.
But man - those people who are jealous have nothing to be jealous of; they have no idea how many years of midnight shifts we’ve done to earn that prize. How much of our “free time” we’ve devoted to working on this business in order to craft products that are worthy of an event like that, in order to get enough attention to make it to an event like that. I can’t count the hours, but I know very few people who would give up their evenings and weekends for 3+ years in hopes of making something out of it. So, I’m proud of us and I feel okay saying we deserved the invitation and we put on a good show and presented celebrities with products that we are incredibly proud to present.
And what came out of it, even from people we love, is just how little they believed in us prior to that event. Sadly, it took that event to buy us validation with some people who are supposed to be the closest to us. What a joke.
January 20th, 2007
Things are going good. Things are on the up ‘n up. I think we’ve picked up a sales rep. YES!! I’m excited to bring her on-board and she’s excited to jump on-board, so this could be good, very good.
Once momentum gets going, it’s crazy how things seem to fly by you. All of a sudden, we’re only three weeks from KIDShow, and help-me if we end up in the same scurried position we were in before the gifting suite. The planning HAS to be better than that. So far, it is.
For the last event, we planned product offering, we planned display, we semi-planned print materials. And with all that planning, the product stuff took us so long, we ended up with very little time to devote to display, and less to devote to print materials. What happened? We forgot to set all the deadlines along the way, and to write it all on the calendar.
This time we’re breaking it down to nitty gritty deadlines. We pulled it off last time, but this time I don’t want to feel like we have to pull it off, I want to feel like we’re well prepared. So, that’s the plan. And this time, the print materials and the display are higher priority.
We’re also planning on launching a few of our fashion designs. It’s fall and it’s time. It’s so time. We’ll capitalize on a lot of the designs we’ve invested in, but we’ve got a few new patterns under production - all of them are new to the market, all of them will be fabulous.
Ok, we’re off to do the calendar and then off for the night. We’re sticking to the early morning schedule and it’s really a lot nicer to get to work when we’re refreshed in the morning.
January 19th, 2007
We’re not on a very balanced schedule right now, but we need to be. We focused so much on the web design in Sept. & Oct. that we couldn’t get to product development. Then, November and December was spent focusing on product development, and we couldn’t get back to keeping the site updated.
We need to balance so that everything is always moving forward. We need to figure out how to do this, so that we’re not completely focused on just one thing. I know we can do it, we just have to figure it out.
I know that I definitely need the first couple days of this week to get caught up on admin tasks. But I also need to finalize the product plan for KIDShow (not to mention get all the kit papers faxed back to them). And I have so many emails to send / contacts to update from the gifting suite last week. So, if I can get those things done, then I’m going to feel like I’m on top of things.
Happy Monday all! Happy Martin Luther King Jr. day.
January 15th, 2007
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