Type of Products/Services Offered:
Handcrafted baby accessories
Start Up Cost: Minimal - used working capital
What did start up
costs go for?: Raw materials for items (fabric,
ribbon, etc.), and web hosting. Generally I have
used working capital and only had to put minimal
amounts of money into the business from time to
time.
Earning Potential: $25,000
Skills Needed: Sewing, product design,
general business skills
Special Equipment Needed: Sewing (if making
yourself), computer
Best Customers/Target Market: Anyone needing
a baby gift, new moms
Resources & Organizations that help: I relied
on a book called "Made in America: The Business of
Apparel & Sewn Products Manufacturing" I also had
someone teach me how to design & maintain a website.
Any Tips?: My
biggest piece of advice to anyone starting a
home-based business is to be patient! Staring a
web-based business selling your own products is not
easy, and, more importantly, success will not come
overnight. It takes time and patience to get your
website up and running and get people coming to it
and buying. I think it was six months before a
non-family member or friend actually purchased one
of my products. Be smart about your advertising
spending. Don't waste money on expensive banner ads.
Focus primarily on getting yourself into the major
search engines/directories like Yahoo! and Overture.
List yourself in every free directory out there that
is pertinent to your target audience. Then maybe run
a few highly targeted ads in a newsletter that
targets your customer. I also think it is very
important to tap into on-line communities for
support and assistance. Some of my favorites are
www.digital-women.com or
www.momsnetwork.com . Starting your own
home-based business can be tough because of the
isolation. Being part of these kinds of communities
help you feel that you are not alone, and they are
wonderful places to network and find assistance on
everything from where to go for packing boxes to
finding someone to host your website. I think it is
also really important to run your business with
integrity and ethics. Do your homework to make sure
your business name and product name and ideas are
unique and don't infringe on someone else's
trademark. Always interact with your customers
fairly and honestly. Its amazing how quickly word
spreads if your customer service is poor. Ship
products quickly and always stay in contact with
your customers. Most importantly don't be afraid to
follow your dream! Stick with it, and if you are
patient, good things will happen!
