Dreams for the future .........

I've spent pretty much the entire weekend in the workshop! I poured all day Saturday and all day today to the point where I literally had to stop late this afternoon because I ran out of wax! LOL

I like being on top of things (no filthy comments please!!!) because it gives me a huge ego boost to look at the order board and know that I am up to date on things. I did discover from looking back on the records that I am £600 down for November on where I was last year and that isn't good... but it explains why I feel on top of things ... it's because I should be busier!! I've updated the website recently and sent out a newsletter to my email subscribers ... but beyond that there isn't much I can do.

I need a shop. I NEED a shop. I NEED A SHOP!!!

If I had a retail shop right in the middle of Brighton I would be guaranteed passing daily trade on top of whatever the website brings in. It's a student town, so every year I would have a fresh batch of blood - I mean new customers. The smell wafting out of the door would drive people inside in their droves!!!

I've actually thought of little else over the last few days. My dream has always been to have a retail shop and it's coming to the point where I think I am going to need it to stay afloat.

I have a terrific product - everybody who tries my candles tells me so! I am really good at what I do and I'm not just saying that to blow my own trumpet! I put time, effort and experience into what I do and I make damned good candles!! I have so many ideas to take the business forward and to do that I need to get my accounts up to date and then I need a serious cash injection.

With enough money I can ...

* Get the essential business tax debts paid off.
* Secure premises and pay rent for at least the first 6 months in advance so I don't need to worry for the first couple of months of trading.
* Buy enough supplies to make enough to stock the shop!
* Buy fixtures and fittings for the shop.
* Employ enough people to train up and help make / pack the stock.
* Still keep the website running.
* Pay my normal ongoing business bills (phone, water, rates, etc)

I have so many ideas! While I was pouring away today, I even thought about the decor of the shop, how I would lay it all out, what scents I would have burning at which times of year etc to draw people in! Heck I even started a spreadsheet on the things I would want to have on the shelves as a minimum by opening day! We'd have a twice weekly run from the workshop down to the shop to re-stock anything that their stock room is running low on. I'd do this as it would give me the opportunity to go down and keep an eye on things!

I'd employ three people initially at the shop. One full time manager to oversee the general running of the shop, then one full time and one part time to work behind the counter and help customers with choosing appropriate things (full training would be given! LOL I know how to sell my stuff). I could potentially also work at the shop on the manager's days off to make sure it's all running okay and sort out any problems there.

In the workshop I would initially want two people permanently packaging and wrapping. This would include packaging stock for the shop and dispatching orders out to website customers. In the pouring room I would want two other people alongside me - one making purely votives, hurricane candles, tealights and wax chunks, then another doing the pillars and larger stuff. There would also need to be one main person as a manager who would need to be trained in everything to oversee the general running of the workshop and float between the pouring room and packing area depending on where they were needed.... basically a mini-me!

The cash injection to fuel this project would also need to be enough to pay these 6 staff members for the first few months in business plus the on-going costs and overheads (heat, electric etc). I'd also want a weekly book-keeper and a monthly accountant!

BUT on top of this I could also employ party plan agents to do all of the parties for me and run all the training from the shop back room too.

The thing is, I KNOW that once this baby is up and running, I would be flying without wings! This time of year the shop would be FULL of glitter, Christmassy warm and welcoming scents and colours. Decoration would be subtle and be along the lines of greenery and berries. Not overly in your face tinsel with flashing lights ... but understated elegance instead!! I'd have the Christmas three wicks (which look stunning!) on a round table, shown off on their holders with twigs and berries all around them, foil glitters and tealights scattered across the table and just MAKE people want to re-create that in their homes! Of course the Christmas tree candles would have their own fabulously glittery display! LOL After Christmas I'd get ready for a mass January sale before launching the hearts for Valentines day! I've even planned the valentines decoration that I won't bore you with ... then there is usually a lull between March - August where I'd need to boost summer sales and garden candles plus you have father's day and mother's day where I could promote beer candles and gift sets respectively LOL .... then August - September is always hell for website sales until Christmas sales pick up, but in BRIGHTON in a SHOP I'd have all that wonderful touristy passing trade to lap up!!!

I would have large photographs all over the walls of the shop showing the candles in different rooms / scenarios. Show the romantic bedroom setting, the candles around the tub, floating candles in a garden etc. SHOW people how to use them in their homes!

I NEED A SHOP!

Where do I get a metric fuckload of money from though? I guess I had better start playing the lottery!!!!