New Year, Bring on 2017

Here we are, 2017!


I have reflected a lot back on the last year for about a month now. Sometimes you just have to do that to really let it sink in on how fortunate you are and just how grateful you should be. I count my blessings every single day.

This post will look back at big things in 2015 as a whole for me; personal and business things I think about on a daily and things I am thankful for on a daily because man, has it been a doozie!

1. Business.
   Business has been great! We have got to look back at LC Design last year vs this year and we've increased our sales by 287%, which is pretty great. We took our pieces to 5 different shows in 3 different towns. We've have purchased news pieces of equipment and learned new skills for our business to evolve into something even better. We've met so many new customers, had our amazing reoccurring customers, and those reoccurring refer us to others. Not to mention; we got a facelift! Our new logo looks beautiful and Brian did a phenomenal job on it. I feel even better about my businesses look and feel so professional now--haha. We can only hope that 2017 brings even better things!

2. OTA.
   I submitted my OTA application a few days before my birthday and leaving for Okoboji, I was so nervous! It took me about 2 weeks to finish the application, not because it was difficult, but because I really wanted to make sure it was just right. Not long after returning I was contacted by Hugh, OTA founder, that I was going to be interviewed by him and Angela. I was interviewed and then contacted the next day asking if I would like to accept the offer of being named OTA: Trailblazer for the last round of OTA, to leave legacy for the OTA story. Of course I did! And I was terrified after that! I literally have never had a panic/anxiety attack but I am pretty sure I did that next day. I had to ask myself what the f did I get myself into. From there, I really tried my best to immerse myself in my community that I already loved and to find my purpose even more. I feel like OTA has helped me grow and step out of my comfort zone. I got to host the Backyard Business BBQ and so many small business people attended, got to connect with each other, and had a great time. OTA hosted a Conversation dinner for me and I got to invite 25-ish people from the community; it really was a great night to connect with so many individuals who have impacted this community in some way. It all is still a work in progress, but a fabulous one. I got to be on stage for the OTA: Black Hills event and talk about LC Design and advocating for Pipestone. I attended the OTA:Finale and got to be inspired by so many creative, storytelling individuals. So many things I learned about myself and fellow creatives through this--and the friendships, oh the friendships that were formed. Possibility is endless. I will never, ever, forget this experience.

(Photo Credit: Kelsey Barker Photography)

3. Pipestone.
   A weird one, but totally makes the list. Pipestone is the community I came to a few years ago with a bitter taste in my mouth and so much unsure(ity?) of my future here. What was I to do?! Well, it has become more than just my home; it has become where lifelong friendships have been formed, where I have immersed myself into the people and the history, where I have become a part of a business community, a community where I can connect with some many different people on so many different levels. During the Backyard Business BBQ I was approached to stage a home for the Historic Homes Holiday Homes Tour, super exciting to be asked to do! I have so enjoyed being a part of the Strategic Planning and the Community Outreach for Pipestone future. Pipestone has allowed me to become so much more involved than I had ever imagined for myself. I have been fortunate enough to grace the pages of the Pipestone County Star six times this year! I felt like I needed my own column after I accepted my OTA:Trailblazer project. It really makes you feel like you are not going unnoticed; sometimes there was push back from people, but mostly kind words and people telling me I was just what Pipestone needed. I hope that others in my community decide to leap out into it. Like I am always saying, we are the brand of Pipestone; we are the faces, the stories, the reason Pipestone is what it is--so make it what you want people to see, know, and tell. 

4. Duke.
   Could we not talk about my pup? Our life with dogs has not been a very smooth one. We lost Case a little over a year ago and the same month of Case's passing, maybe even the day of, Duke contracted a nasty, nasty fungal infection that has been a fight for him to get rid of, we really hope we kick this fungus' ass and we get back to a new normal life. This month we will be saying good-bye to the eye this fungus took the sight from and say hello to Duke's new one eyed face. We will do anything for this guy to have a normal life because just one year of normalcy is not something we will settle for that easily. Currently, we are dealing with eaten toy we had no idea about. Just has to keep us on our toes. New year, new problem ;)

(Photo Credit: Julie Carrow)

5. Minnesota Farm Living.
   Second year in a row I was a guest blogger/feature of the Minnesota Farm Living Blog. This year was on "How Do Farm Wives Survive Fall Harvest." This was a great post that I was so happy to be involved in; a lot of women struggle in finding that happy-medium as a farm wife. It totally has resonated with a lot of people and also, gave a glimpse to those who aren't really sure what it is like.

6. Thin Line Pieces. 
   The Thin Blue/Red Line pieces were one of our favorite pieces to work with this year. With 2016 being awful for supporting those who risk their lives for us every day and in any situation, we wanted to honor them. The outpouring love from people all over the Midwest was more than I can put into words, literally, no adjective can explain it. We were sending them out by the stacks this summer, 43 to be exact. With that, we donated a portion of our sales to the C.O.P.S Organization--Minnesota Chapter, we donated pieces to fire stations and police stations, and to fundraisers for police officers in need. It was one of my favorite things I have done in my life.

So what is in store for us this year?

It is always a great question! First, we plan on doing more shows than usual. We are already drawing up new ideas, picking new pieces up, looking at different places we never done a show before, and we are hoping to do one larger show this year. We will stock up on customer favorite pieces and try out new stuff we have in the works! Second, we are collaborating with different professionals this year already--one, we are in the works for doing a mini session with a photographer this summer, I am an extremely excited for this and hope it really materializes, hopefully, more details to come! Third, My handsome husband bought me a beautiful new Canon Rebel camera with that our photos will look a lot better and we may out our online shopping option to  use for easy to ship pieces. Fourth, if you have any suggestions of things you want to see, places you want to shop us at, or just some kind words; shoot them our way! We have so many things stirring in our head that when we get direction, suggestions, and wants/needs for our customers; it means lots and we can cater to you, who this is all for! Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for an amazing year, we cannot wait to see what 2017 has in store for LC Design!

(Photo Credit: Julie Carrow)
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And the Journey Continues...

It has been three months since I last blogged, yikes! So this may be   a lot!


OTA.

Last, I announced that I received the OTA:Trailblazer title. Most everyone has probably seen the articles from the Pipestone County Star or the OTA feature or update; to figure out what it is all about. But, we'll still do a little update.

After being chosen as the OTA: Trailblazer I had to decide where I was going to run with this because there are so many things I care about in this community; historic preservation, story preservation, the future of our youth here, the possibilities for my business, the people I have met full of stories and support, the studio I am a part of and the students I surround myself with, the agricultural community here that supports a lot of the people in it, the way the community will/has to sustain itself...literally, everything!

So I tried to figure out how to encompass all of the things most important to me. Of course, my business is important to me, the second thing is my students at the studio, and third thing is the sustainment of this community. Now, to roll that into a ball I wanted to connect different generations from successful business owners that have found themselves at the bottom and worked their way to the top, to entrepreneurs just starting out, and through that, show younger generations that Pipestone is an option; a place to call home forever. To be able to connect the different businesses on different levels of success realizing they are all here for one common goal; betterment of their community. Still confused, probably, but as I discussed just tonight with another business owner, it is hard to bottle up everything you are so passionate about and explain it in a conversation, or even in writing, without just showing it; so that is what I have been up to!

In all of that, I had my OTA Conversation event in which a lot of people I invited were people I hadn't really met, but people who influenced me, the way I see this community, or people who impact this community and want to see it progress and thrive. Some questioned what was really happening, but with some convincing and encouragement from others attending, they did attend and from the sounds of it, didn't regret it.

Like all great things, there are always those that don't really understand what you are doing or feel a little offended by it if they don't understand. For those who don't understand, lets have coffee and chat about it, I'd love to! For those who are offended, I guess as the saying goes "well-behaved women seldom make history." I am doing just that; I don't care if someone remembers who I am, but that I tried to inspire and break some barriers that we all see, but are afraid to knock on the door of for the betterment of our home. 

What else...well, I hosted the Backyard Business BBQ at our home to host Chamber Members and businesses who are potential business members. This was a casual environment where we opened our backyards for people to mingle with businesses that aren't always in the spotlight and to connect with people we wouldn't normally do so with. I think it went great and we plan to host it again next year! 

Just this last week I finally got into contact with Pipestone Area School and will be going into talk to sophomores about how Pipestone can be a forever home and the opportunities around them. Being from a small town, I know the feeling of never wanting to go back to the small town, but here I am, in a smaller town and making opportunities for myself where I see fit. 

This week we also attend the OTA Retrospective event in Sioux Falls looking back on the past 8 years of the OTA journey. It was great and we got to see and connect with so many different creatives. 

Next up? OTA: Black Hills! I will be heading to Rapid City to participate in the OTA Black Hills event and do a one-on-one Q&A with Hugh, the Founder of OTA. I will get to talk about my passions, my journey as an OTA Trailblazer, advocating for my community of Pipestone, and to hang out with lots of great creatives. If you haven't bought tickets, I encourage you to do so here. 




Pipestone Life.

With all of this I have been fortunate to attend  meetings on Strategic Planning for Pipestone's future. If those don't make your brain hurt! Before these meetings there was a Community Conversation with everyone from the community, we got to go over what the community really wants to see progress and thrive. All of these ideas were sparked from a phone interview, as well as a community wide survey that went out. This was helpful because people got to express their feels without having a face and name behind it. It really helped me with my OTA Trailblazer project, realize that people really do feel this way, it is not just an assumption. I got to see more as a community member, not just the new comer with outside eyes, which has really benefitted me and my relationship with community members as well. Anyway! Being able to attend these meetings really made me see so many things and understand things a lot more to be a contributing citizen to my community. Also, through this I feel I have been a gateway for some community members because I am just the new kid stepping up and not the usual face of Pipestone.; it is so nice to find that trust in so many people. I have had numerous people tell me to become the mayor, but I think I'll leave that for someone else at this point in my life, haha. 

LC Design. 

Since the last post we have done one show, Unique Junque in Rowena, South Dakota. It was wonderful even though it was hotter than hell and I wasn't feeling well, but we made it and it went wonderfully! We will be sure to be doing a few of Remington's sales again next summer! 

LC Design may be finding itself a new look. A new logo is in the works being that we dont exactly have one currently. We have a graphic designer from the Twin Cities area working on a new design for us and hopefully we can unveil it soon, we are pretty excited for it! 

We got to donate to C.O.P.S. (Concerns of Police Survivors) organization - Minnesota Chapter with all of our sales of the Thin Blue Line products. We are so absolutely happy we could do this as such a small business, we thank all of you who have purchased one making it possible to donate! 

We've laid pretty low just because it is fall and harvest is in full force right now! Currently, our next show will be November 5th in Pipestone at Pipestone Area School for the Annual Holiday Festival  as long as harvest is wrapped (or almost wrapped) up. 

Minnesota Farm Living.

Last November I was featured on Minnesota Farm Living's 30 Days of Agriculture. I approached Wanda about doing another post this time about the life of a farm wife during harvest/fall. We did it and the response has been amazing! We've have well over 2,000 views, over 100 shares, and over 200 likes. So many can resonate with it and it is nice reminder than we are not all alone. You can read it here. 


Well, I guess that is all for now! Right now we are taking orders for Christmas items...it is never to early to let us know what you are thinking so we can get it on the list. Also, if anyone wants to talk OTA project, I am serious, send me a message and let's meet up and get coffee, I'll even pay! Hopefully after OTA: Black Hills we can get a good update in a timely matter ;)

xoxo.

#WeAreOTA

Well, I figured I should get started with this post! 

I decided to apply for the OTA Trailblazer program in June when the application announcement came out. My favorite people of AcV2 architecture were in the Builders program for OTA prior and I was inspired by a lot of those builders because I could really relate to what they were doing and even reached out to one, Karina, who felt pretty similar in life and took the dive in starting fresh with a new business. I texted Patri and was like, "hey, do you think I should apply to become a Trailblazer for OTA's new program?" she replied "yes, do it! They want people just like you and will fall head over heels for you." 

So I did. 

It took me about 2 weeks to fill out the application because I am a person who second guesses my responses and how I spill them out. I feel like they needed to be just right for them to even consider me.

I finally submitted it.

I then received an email from them: I was a finalist. 

It was so exciting. I then started preparing for the interview. I wrote down so many possibilities and how I wanted to see things in a very non-age appropriate puppy notebook my mom bought me. I got the FaceTime call and there they sat Hugh and Angela. They said that had one question, yup, one. For a person who took 2 weeks to finish their application and has 957 things to say about one topic, thats difficult. What was the one question, have no clue. I totally do not remember. So afterwards I felt I was screwed, but I guess I had tried and wanted to stay positive. 

The next day I got a phone call, of which I probably sounded confused because it sounded muffled at first, and it was Hugh asking if I would like accept the title of Trailblazer. Well, yes!!!! So it was super exciting and I couldn't wait to tell everyone. 

Next day came and I woke up thinking what the hell did I get myself into. I quit my job like a month ago, I just started my business full time, I had a show coming up in less than a month, I had a zillion orders to fill for Minnesota Thin Blue Line pieces, and I was just chosen as a Trailblazer. I think I experienced my first anxiety attack and to this day I am finally coming down. It was so bad I was driving to the farm and almost had to pull over because I thought I was having a heart attack. I even scheduled a doctors appointment. I had my blood tested and everything came back negative but now I am a 26 year old on high blood pressure pills, really it was a matter of time because my genetics tell me so, but three weeks later I think I am finally coming down from the high and anxiety. 

So, now what does this all mean?! 

Well it means that I just had a meeting with five other Trailblazers, Hugh, and Angela this last week. 

I also met with Erica and Tom at the Chamber about some ideas 

And also met with some other fine people to talk about the next things going on with OTA and ideas.

Welllllll, what are they?! 

For my focus, I want young generations and young(er) entrepreneurs, and this community to know I want to inspire others to know Pipestone and the community can be home to success and to successful business people. Pipestone is full of a bunch of potential and sometimes I feel it may go unrecognized or misjudged. We all want Pipestone to be a great place but we have to be willing to welcome the great ideas and push the potential to see we want their ideas. So I hope to integrate some new things/ideas, but also act as a "role model," and I use that term lightly because I still feel like I'm not old enough to be one or have the credentials though I really know I do/am.  If you want to read more on this you can go to my application and wait for this upcoming Pipestone County Star to come out. Also just wait, see, and follow my journey of this experience of stepping totally outside my comfort zone. 

What happens now?

This Wednesday I will be taking over OTA Instagram. I will be taking pictures of things through out my day so be prepared to see meetings, Pipestone, Duke the doggie, the Prunty house/LC Design workshop, projects, lots of food, maybe some dancing and a whole lotta whatever seems share worthy! Then August 22nd OTA will be coming to Pipestone to have an OTA Conversation aka: celebrate me becoming a Trailblazer and advocating for Pipestone. This will also include a little dinner with people of the community who may be able to help me achieve this for our community and have some great conversations. In October I will be heading to the Black Hills (HOME!) to be a part of OTA:Black Hills event and then in November I will be attending the OTA Finale in Sioux Falls. In between all of that I will be working on little projects to help Pipestone thrive and advocating for Pipestone as a community. 

I am really excited to be a part of this and hope it really brings out the best! 

With all that said, our next show probably won't be until fall or maybe even winter due to being so busy. This doesn't mean we won't stop creating and selling but just not being at shows. Until next time friends! 

xoxo. 

How do you keep ahead?

Isn't it hard to come up with new ideas for projects? 

Don't you just run out of ideas? 

How do you keep coming out with fresh, new project pieces?! 


We get these questions a lot! It is pretty flattering knowing that people enjoy our pieces and the creativity that we keep coming up with. When we first came out with the shovel chairs I had the idea that they were going to be a huge flop, we'd only make a few because they would never sell and just become a conversation piece that will bring people in. WRONG! We've come to the point we are making so many and bringing so many because we've been selling out of them in past shows or before the shows and even in winter. So from there, when we find out we have a hot ticket item like that we sit down and ask each other, "What can we do next to top this? What will be the next out of the box idea to do?"

If you look at a lot of our items they are altered over time to either make them better or more interesting.   

Some instances:

+ Shovel chairs. They started out pretty basic. Now we've moved to adding the pitchfork to the backs. With/out a bracket on the top. We've learned that the basic chair still sells  really well and that we absolutely have to have a bar across the top the pitchforks because it turns into a "backscratcher" or "is a weapon." (Don't even get me started--haha)

+ Home signs. We started with the basic painted home signs. They went over like hot cakes, but we have pretty much saturated the market in the area or we've been victim to them being taught at local craft classes. What good does that do for me making a living at my business? None what-so-ever. So I had to revamp it. What would make it harder for someone to copy or to teach? What would be more unique that someone would rather purchase it for less than what it would cost for them to purchase all the pieces and go through the work of making it? We've added galvanized metal cut into state shapes and also cut the state out. What did we find out? They are doing just as good, if not better, than the originals.

New ideas?

Well, new ideas literally come to me in the middle of the night. One reason I had to quit my day job; I would NEVER sleep a whole night. I was constantly thinking of that next big thing and not sleeping making me a cloud during the day. My ideas are no longer written on my hands or a piece of paper in the middle of the day.
I usually avoid Pinterest like the plague unless it is seeing if it is already massed produced and making sure there isn't just a "how to" video out there.
I look for inspiration in every day, normal things. I will sit here and research beyond the point of no return and find myself looking at something irrelevant. (Now you can see how I can talk about one thing and go to the next, unrelated, run on sentence, kind of thing.)
Another thing I do is market my area. Is this something people in my area are going to get? Can they relate to it in some way? Will I hear some kind of back lash? Will this be something people want to buy?
One of my top things is I try to make sure that crafters in my area aren't doing the same thing or close to it. Also that it isn't just the usual Pinterest find. There are successful crafters I am friends with that their project ideas are straight outta the book taken from them. These things are precious to people like us. Nothing is bad business ethics than that. A lot of crafters are trying to make this a living and when it is swept from under you it either makes you 1)Rethink what you are doing 2)If it is worth sharing with the world 3)Keep doing what you are doing 4)Lash out 5)Work harder than you have before. I think I can say that I am a mix of #4 and #5. I always have to have my husband there making me back down. He knows I am a strong woman that works hard for where I have gotten, so it is difficult for me and my personality to "just let it go." Working harder than ever before is something I am constantly doing. I have applied for two different things lately just to get my name out there, my community out there, and to push both to its fullest potential. Hopefully I will be able to post about those one day.

What about those things we do see on Pinterest? 
Don't get me wrong, we do do the usual stuff for requests, fillers, or just because we tried it and liked how it turned out. We try our best to up those items and go beyond those; making them not our "featured" product. You can usually find those pieces for $15 or less. We pride ourselves on everything we make and are so happy to do what we do for the people who love what we do. We wouldn't be as far or hear our names tossed around in such a positive light if it wasn't for everyone who believes in the quality work we do. Whenever something goes out our door we always hope it lasts and if something does wrong, that someone lets us know and we can fix it for them and the product before it goes to the next.

So, what IS next?

We never know! Like I said everything just randomly comes to me and we collaborate to see where it can do and the potential it has. We will sometimes toss it around community members and if it gets the approval, we do it. It is essentially for this community we love and live in, so it has to pass!

Where is next?
Our next show is Saturday, June 25th at the Pipestone Courthouse lawn for Watertower Festival. We will bringing old and new pieces so come out and get things you've been eyeing for awhile and see some new stuff.

If it's both terrifying and amazing you should definitely pursue it -- Erada.

It has been a hectic last month. We have been so busy with custom orders coming in and going out. This weekend is the dance recital for my kids at the local studio. We'll be celebrating our 2 year anniversary in a couple weeks. Our little puppy pal has been a little under the weather. We've had visitors and still visitors to come. We've had spring planting nights. We have our first summer season show coming up in about 2 1/2 weeks. And I quit my day job. 

This is huge for me. In South Dakota you can work at 14 so since the day I turned 14 my parents had been pushing getting a job on me like you wouldn't believe. Never did I. I didn't even drive until I was only a month from being 19, so how would that even make sense. I didn't get my first "paying" job until I moved to Pipestone, I was 23. Paul always said to me that when you have a job you always find time to do the things you want to do and need to do; once that money hit your bank account you'd just keep wanting more. I am quite frugal and a penny pincher, so he was right. I have been working there and the studio for a year before I started selling my pieces. There are days I would go to work 8:55am-5:30pm to teach dance from 6pm-8:15pm and come home and do a few things. I did this constantly. I would be exhausted, but in order to make this work, I had to. If I had a day off I would have little motivation to do anything, I just wanted to sleep in and relax. That wasn't working. I've had family, friends, coworkers, customers, and even students tell me to quit for the last year and a half.  I needed to take my own advice for once. You gotta do you. I needed to find the time to do my dreams before I was older and regretting not doing anything for myself.

I always have been someone to look for inspiration, a guide, buy books I never had time to read, even a Google search for answers or some kind of guidance. I'll never forget the time one of my friends had that same kind of moment in college. I remember walking into her room one summer day to her looking at me saying, "What am I supposed to do with my life?" she herself was Googling "What to do with your life when you don't know what to do." I now feel like I am having a midlife crisis moment at 25.  I keep going between being extremely terrified, asking myself "What the F did I just do?!" to absolutely relieved and knowing this is the time to run head on into my dreams and I wasn't going to be miserable at work. Not miserable because I hated everything about it, but because I loved every one of my coworkers and all of my regular customers, but my creativity was put in a box and my dreams were put on extreme hold. I have these big dreams for myself, my business, and my community, but by staying there and not being able to say that I at least tried was really disheartening. I was just busting at the seams and wearing thin.

The night before I quit Paul was at the farm late and I was at home Googling all those questions on how to make this work, what to do, and reading things that help you figure this out. I sat there and just cried. I think that I finally realized at that moment that summer was here, shows and big opportunities were knocking on my door and it was time to pull the trigger. I went into work that day and my manager just happened to be in the back. We stood there crying, but she reassured me that I wasn't going to fail and that I was going to be successful at my business. That I needed to do me. She told me I was always welcome there and the door will always be open. This was all reassuring to me being that Ive never had to quit a job and I felt like I was shutting the door and burning the place down. Maybe I will be back there, but I won't know if this adventure will be one that will forever change my life and my dreams will come true or at least have the reassurance that I tried my damned hardest.

So... I have 3 shifts left at my day job and a dance recital this weekend. Then until dance starts again in about 3 weeks, I am only employed by myself and my business. It means I will be dedicating all my time to my home life, my business, and myself. I will probably be covered in sawdust, paint, stain, and of course, dog hair. My office will be my basement or garage and my only employee will be my husband. I have been very fortunate to have someone like him. My dream has become his; we are meeting this adventure hand-in-hand and he is supporting me more than I could have ever asked for. I am one lucky lady. Bring it on summer. If you see me I probably will be wearing a smile on my face because I am still terrified and overwhelmed, but for all good reasons. Trust me, you really don't have to have it all figured out to move forward.  Thank you to every single person who has supported my adventure by purchasing pieces from us, a helping hand, advice, and telling me I have a lot of talent to not pursue my dreams; it all means so much.  It sure is nice when a career and a passion come together.

Next up: Luverne's Buffalo Days on Saturday June 4th. As we near the next ones, we will announce them and trust me, theres lots more!

A whole year!?

That's right, it has been a whole year since I decided to try this whole "business" thing. It has been better than expected. Shall we reflect?

So, I decided it was time to start this whole thing. I had a passion burning inside me that needed to get out. I was tired of building other peoples dreams and not my own. Well, I still am building other peoples "dreams" that probably don't support me building my own, but that is a whole different story. Anyway, it was time to do something for myself. If you have gathered I am a person who makes other peoples success and failures, fuel my fire. Not saying that I feel like I need to feel superior or like to watch people fail, but I do watch what is successful for them or may not be successful for them and apply it to myself. A live and learn situation. So I started, but didn't bust out until Watertower Festival. 

"...We had heard about your business, LC Design, that will be debuting at Watertower Festival, we would like to do a feature article on you, if that is something you'd be interested in..." Those were the words left as a message for me on my voicemail as I was going into work June 8th. How do I remember? Because I still have the voicemail, haha! Who would have thought that the word would have found it's way around town in that short of time and I hadn't even sold a single thing to the general public yet?! I still have people to this day come up to me at my normal day job saying they saw me in the paper. Maybe they should do a follow up? 

Then came Watertower Festival. People still barely knew we existed. Like 200 Facebook likes if we were lucky. It was pretty successful for a first show and we had a lot of people coming to stop and chat about pieces, the paper feature, and being new(er) residents of Pipestone. Still, I wanted/needed more. I made a point that every season we would have at least one sale, boy is that changing. 

Kind words continued to flood in from community members, complete strangers, near and far fans, and business people. We even started doing window displays at one of my favorite places, Reggie Gorter Performing Arts Studio. We have taken a break with the cold season and sealing the windows up. But hopefully get something in there again soon. 

Our next big sale was Luverne's Winterfest. It was great! Just like every show we have found out there is dead points, but people were just hauling our stuff out and by the afternoon we were looking pretty sparse. We have also found out that after every show for about a month we are swamped with orders. We. love. it! 

The Christmas season was sooooooooo good to us! People were ordering gifts non-stop. I am glad we were stocked up. Nothing makes our hearts warm and asking ourselves what is the next big thing, like that. We always want to push ourselves to give everyone something cooler than last time.  What were the most popular, trees and pillows. We sold more pillows than imaginable. We now have a huge pile in our guest room closet just to stay on top of it. We also started shipping stuff! If that isn't crazy?! We had an order from New York City going to the Twin Cities, order going to California, lots going to the Twin Cities, and recently Texas has been very good to us. This. is unbelievable. There are some people who don't enjoy the whole online shopping experience because it takes away from the "shopping local" aspect. Trust me, this is just as great. You are helping an extremely small business who isn't in a brick and mortar hopefully get to that point. You are doing great things by ordering from us.  

The end of the "year" came, so here came taxes. It was kind of nerve wracking to say the least. We knew we sold a lot, but we also know to start selling 6 months prior that we had a lot of expenses that we were probably far in the hole. A lot of business don't expect to take any money home in the first year, or second, or fifth, maybe even tenth. Well, we did! Though it wasn't a whole heck of a lot I felt good about it. With having to buy less tools and less "supplies" it should make out for an even better year. We have no one else to thank besides everyone who has made us a successful, small, home based business owners, than y'all! 

We then started stock piling for the next shows ahead of us. In the meantime, I weighed the pros and cons of becoming a Pipestone Chamber Member. I felt it might be weird to become a chamber member only being a home-based business and only doing shows or selling through Facebook. So far Erica and Tom have been great getting the word out there that we exist. We attended the annual Chamber Banquet and being the new kids on the block was pretty awkward, but as we sat in the corner, by ourselves, we watched people mingle in their groups of friends and knew at that point that these are the people to reach out to and to hold ourselves up to. Don't get me wrong, we were frightened to talk to people who are old enough to be our parents or our grandparents, that we didn't really put ourselves out there and welcome ourselves into their groups to chat. So thank you to the few people that did talk to us, haha. Im sure it was just as awkward talking to people your children's age as it was for us to sit there as the new comers. In the end, we looked at it as these people are business people of Pipestone and so are we. We thought to ourselves if we went around the room asking each person what they were doing at our age they probably wouldn't be saying sitting at a Chamber banquet as a member or even having a business. It also helped that Patri, my boss at AcV2, saying "I would've sat with you. I would've been beating people to be at your table. Don't give up. You got this!" Sometimes you need that reminder that people do believe in you when you feel like the out of place new kid. I bet this experience will only go up from here! 

Any who! The next show was this month, April. It was in our own town so we decided to only bring our top selling items and the new creations. We did great! The show was kind of slow, but people were just dragging stuff out and leaving us big holes and big impressions! It was great hearing everyone so excited to come out and see us or say they were only coming because they heard we would be there. I am sure my big smiles freaked people out, but my heart was so full. Not to mention I got to (re)meet a fabulous woman who dropped off some of her junk on my porch this past summer and made us have the biggest looked at Facebook post for us, ever. Our yoke light reached 1.543 people...we don't even have that many Facebook friends! Because word was getting out, our next post with a peek at what things we are bringing to the Spring Fling: 3,867 people reached! That is cruising up to the population of this town! 

So now what is next? This is where I said "each season having a show" is changing. This summer we are so busy. We know for sure three shows we will be in, contemplating two others. Summer is the key time to hit these shows. Our customer base expands, as it should, every show so it just keep getting better. Also, we have been considering opening an Etsy shop this summer for our smaller, popular items. We are still hoping to see the building we have our eye on, to open up. I say to myself everyday "Why can't I just have a shop?" I know that in time it will tell and we will open outside of shows and our basement. It has to be the right time and the right place. Currently, we have 485 likes on Facebook and growing literally everyday. Everyday we are doing a new project just to keep up or to keep a stock pile for the next show. We are living and learning this and totally loving it. Spring is now upon us and we are about to hit the planting season so things will be slowing down in one area and picking up in the other. It will be a two-ish- three week of idea turning and figuring out what is the next "thing." As I scroll through these photos and this post I cannot believe how far we have come from just a wild idea to a real fan base and requests for new pieces. We have reoccurring customers from near and far. We couldn't be happier with where this adventure is taking us. 

Next show: Buffalo Days in Luverne. See ya there! 

Entrepreneurship:If It's Both Terrifying & Amazing You Should Definitely Pursue It!

entrepreneur noun -[ahn-truh-pruh-nur] 

1. a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, especially business, usually with considerable initiative and risk.

2. an employer of productive labor; contractor

When I was a senior in college, I remember sitting in Julie Bell's office, she was my advisor the last 4 years, she asked if I wanted to get an emphasis in Entrepreneurship. I couldn't get a minor or a major so I stopped listening after that. It also wouldn't really count towards much, but taking more of my money. I remember thinking to myself I will NEVER own my own business, like ever. Little did I know... I also had to take so many credits in Business, why the f did I care? Still, never going to own my own business. I took a few that were awful and made no sense. How could organization and management be hard, I am the queen of organizing? Well, it was and it was awful and anyone can attest to how awful it was. Luckily, for me, my husband had to take quite a lot of business classes to get an Animal Science Business major. Let me tell you, he is the only person I know that manages money like a boss. I know no adult who is financial established and savvy like this man and like I said, I am damn lucky for him. 

Now to the answer of "Why do I want to be an entrepreneur?"

My summer spent with ACV2 architecture I got to watch a woman go from her basement office and getting her foot into the door to being one exclusive woman who is busy with her family and the office. How could I not be inspired to be something or someone? It will forever stick in my mind that they predicted my future after I left - - and it is exactly what I am doing now. 

Some say being so busy and making the sound of being exhausted from hustling [for your business] is a bad thing, we are putting that look on a per say pedestal. I am not the person to say that to. I work three jobs, one being my own business that I have built myself, I have a beautiful gray highlight coming in I am learning to embrace and a lot of insomnia (that's the thing about creative people, we never seem to sleep). But I am not just a number, not just 1 of 4,157 people just "living" in Pipestone. I do not want to just be a number. I am 25 year old, educated, woman that has an upcoming, successful business and nothing is more invigorating as that. I think we need to step back and look at what it takes to get what you want; that you may need to run on fumes and have sleepless nights to succeed and build your dreams. You cannot sit on the sideline and watch it slip through the cracks. In college we were getting time management pounded into our brains, but still, if you didn't have sleepless where you felt at your wits end you wouldn't find yourself walking down at commencement. Moral of the story; I wanted to work hard and knew I had to become an Entrepreneur. 

I moved to a new town with a fresh face, a fresh look, and a fresh mind; I had to put it to work. I am passionate about what I do and it is important for me to push myself to the limits to make it successful. I went from being no one here to a familiar face, I had a name, and I was impacting my community in some way. I don't ever want to be in big box stores, I don't want mass production; but I do want to be a part of my community, I do want to be entrepreneur who built her own business, who can do a little relaxing because she worked her tail off to get where she wanted to be, and be a Pipestone area household name.  In less than three years, I was featured on two blogs for two different topics, I was featured in the newspaper, I became a role model to my beautiful, young kids at the dance studio, I became a face at a local retail store that is greeted with smiles and stories about the grandkids, I redesigned one of the places Pipestone prides itself on, I became a Chamber member, I've sold products from one coast to the other, and I became more than "that Prunty Farm's girl." Moral of this story: I am becoming more than just someone, I have become an Entrepreneur. 

Soooooo, what is the big answer? 

I love the sense of accomplishment when someone says to me that they couldn't wait to see what I had come up with and take it home with them. I love being my own boss and the freedom of being able to be creative how I want to be and on my time. I love the excitement I feel every time we make something unreal and it becomes a hit. I love that I can be completely nuts, entrepreneurs are some of the biggest risk takers, we pretty much sit there with a handful of cash and lay it all on the line without knowing what could happen. I am always learning, always researching, and always on the look out for things to fill my brain with, to see what could be next thing. I love being able to work with clients/customers that share the same love for things. The list could go on, but that is why I wanted to be an entrepreneur. 


With all that said! 

This last week we had a sale, it went absolutely great for us! We hear the buzz around town that people heard about us, their friend told them about our products, they saw it on Facebook, they came just for LC Design; what a great feeling! As always, we are still making custom orders and requests for people after the show. It happens every time and we love it! Tonight we have the Chamber banquet and this was a great day to reflect on all the why's of what we do.
Also, we went from 380-sh likes on Facebook last week to 426 this week. That's kind of a big deal. And one of our posts reached over 1,500 people....also a pretty big deal for being a non-brick and mortar business that started less than a year ago. We already have plans shows this summer, details to come as they near. 

xoxo