[Jewelry making - Article 00125] - Re: [Orchid] Starting small home jewelry repair business

[Jim Sprague Jr.]

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Greetings Orchidians,

    I've been following Orchid for a while now and this I think is my
    first message. My name is Jim, and I come from a sculpture
    background, and recently breaking into the realm of jewelry. I look
    forward to being active in this community as I've here seen, in
    black and white, a very strong member foundation. 

    I think the following ramblings (forgive length) could apply to any
    home business. (FYI: Use of "you" referring to anyone in general.) 

    1. ADDRESS & PHONE NUMBER CONCERNS 

    Definitely do not give out your home address. I've purchased a mail
    box (different from PO Box) through the UPS Store. It runs about
    $385/yr, but completely worth the price for the privacy attained. I
    then am able to put the "mailing" address on my business card, and
    it looks very professional. If you're in a city that would be a
    great solution, but for those in really rural areas, this may be
    difficult to find. In that case, get a P.O. Box from the closest
    branch of the USPS. You may only get to drive to the P.O. Box once a
    week, but it is worth it. ?And hey, any tax write-off sounds good to
    me. Also, you can continue to receive packages at your home address,
    but don't try to have packages sent to your P.O. Box. Mail boxes
    like UPS Store, however, do accept packages and will notify you when
    you receive them, upon request. As for phone numbers, simply don't
    use your home?phone. Get a cell phone. Any cell phone used for
    "business" is tax deductible as well.

    2. PERSONAL & MERCHANDISE SAFETY (OFF TOPIC BUT RELEVENT) 

    The drawback of working alone is some may feel not as safe or secure
    in operating their business. If at all possible, share studio space
    with someone in a different line of work than you are in, someone
    who you've known very well. Sometimes all you need is trustworthy
    company to keep your fears at ease. Then again, I've known of women
    who would rather keep company with their handy tazers, and even give
    them names. Don't want a gun? Forget pepper spray, non-lethal
    electric stun weapons are the way to go. And remember, you get what
    you pay for. I(TM)m sure it(TM)d make a great addition to the bench. 

    Meeting clients at public places is a huge deal. It is important to
    be in a place they are comfortable at, where there are people, but
    not too many people to overwhelm or drown out your conversation in
    background noise-- as that can be very annoying and
    counter-productive. It is highly unlikely a potential client would
    be out to rob you, especially in a public place, but if you are
    around hundreds of people the odds are higher that there are
    pickpocket thieves on the prowl. This won't be a problem if you
    carry your merchandise in a discreet and secure manner, like in a
    combination briefcase, not some clear plastic craft bin, and
    especially not carried loose in your pocket. 

    Just as important, document all of your merchandise; you can do
    monthly or bi-monthly inventories to make sure none of your wip or
    merch' got up and walked away. Take digital photos and upload into
    folders labeled by month/year. This way, the worst case scenario if
    you lose anything to theft, you can report them as losses on your
    taxes. You can minimize that risk by building a miniature vault some
    place for your raw materials, and keep a stack of pewter ingots
    labeled as silver bullion out in the open-- thieves are usually in a
    hurry ;)

    3. FEAR & WORRY (EVEN MORE OFF TOPIC) 

    Psychological problems like excessive fear and worry are not good
    and must be eliminated to retain any creative flow and retain high
    productivity. There is a huge difference between being careful and
    safe in business dealings, in comparison to being afraid to do
    business. It is natural to get the "butterflies" when meeting new
    clients, but help should be sought if one is too afraid to deliver
    work in person. To me, client relationships are important to build,
    and one cannot do that while living in fear. 

    Additionally, like sharks in the ocean, thieves are capable of
    detecting fear and people with low self-esteem; they know those
    traits make for the perfect victim. A thief is highly unlikely to
    victimize someone who displays a strong sense of self and has good
    business practices, because that increases their risk in getting
    caught. Though, there are stupid criminals out there, but it is
    better to live life with the "Don't mess with me" attitude, not the
    "always-looking-over-my-shoulder" mentality. 

    If low confidence, low self-esteem, fear, or worry is a continuous
    problem, it can be more of a theft in your life than any criminals
    out there. Get help or support somewhere quick!

    All the best in starting your new business! 

--Jim Sprague Jr.---

 
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