LADY IN LINKS HAS LAUNCHED!!
What a wait, my patience was certainly tried whilst waiting for all my beautiful products to arrive, be photographed and then inserted into my new website...take a look at www.ladyinlinks.com or www.ladies-cufflinks.com to view my brand new ladies cufflink collection!
With more designs on the way for the Autumn I am really excited. It feels great to finally be up and running, although I know this is when the hard work really begins!
Women Do Business has been a great support along the way, and I have a number of training days coming up to get me in the marketing mood! But it is all rather daunting. I know the orders won't just start rolling in, although I do keep checking just in case!! But i've now got the products and the website I have been waiting for, so here it goes!
Find me on Twitter @ The Cufflink Lady!
About Me
- The Cufflink Lady
- I have just launched my new and exciting business: Lady in Links. This online boutique is dedicated to providing beautiful cufflinks...for Women Only! These are no ordinary cufflinks. They are intricately designed, sophisticated, stylish, and most importantly, feminine. Take a look at the new collection at www.ladyinlinks.com.
Wednesday 25 August 2010
Tuesday 30 March 2010
Chapter 2
Well, it has been a busy few weeks. I am gradually ticking off my list of 'things to do', which then reminds me of something else I have to do before the launch date! I have written my website, although I am still making changes to the wording every day, so I am dreading handing over the final copy to my website designer.
My photographer has done an absolutely amazing job with my products and PR shots, I am so impressed with his work. I hope to have these up on my blog and twitter in the next week. It has really got me excited, and impatient!
Now is the hard bit......parting with my hard earned savings to pay for my new business! It is such a gamble. Even though I am so passionate about my products, I am never going to know if other people will like them and want them until I get them out there. It is a very scary realisation that...this is it. This is when I pay for my stock, webiste, photography, packaging etc, and pray and pray that my cufflinks are loved by others.
Unfortunatley I have had a set back with my box manufacturer this week. It is taking a lot longer than I had expected to produce my boxes, possibly something to do with the quality I am demanding, and with their delivery now delayed I will have to launch a few weeks later. Luckily I am in no great rush, although my patience is being pushed to the max, and I will be sitting on a lot of stock and unable to start selling it. But I decided today that there is nothing I can do, so I shall use the extra time wisely!
I went to my final installment of the business start-up workshop with Business Link last week; another priceless wealth of information. It is also so inspiring and reassuring to meet people in the same situation. This one was on accounting and finance, and luckily run by a gentleman with a very good sense of humour so we didn't all nod off. We were all chanting 'Cash is King' by 4pm, and had it drilled into our heads that 89% of new businesses fail in the first year. Great. Lets hope im in that 11% then. Not very good odds on my gambling is it?!
The next few weeks are crucial. Organising advertisement material, website details, stock arrival, and a bit of networking on the side with Women Do Business. I am set to be busy (and broke).
My photographer has done an absolutely amazing job with my products and PR shots, I am so impressed with his work. I hope to have these up on my blog and twitter in the next week. It has really got me excited, and impatient!
Now is the hard bit......parting with my hard earned savings to pay for my new business! It is such a gamble. Even though I am so passionate about my products, I am never going to know if other people will like them and want them until I get them out there. It is a very scary realisation that...this is it. This is when I pay for my stock, webiste, photography, packaging etc, and pray and pray that my cufflinks are loved by others.
Unfortunatley I have had a set back with my box manufacturer this week. It is taking a lot longer than I had expected to produce my boxes, possibly something to do with the quality I am demanding, and with their delivery now delayed I will have to launch a few weeks later. Luckily I am in no great rush, although my patience is being pushed to the max, and I will be sitting on a lot of stock and unable to start selling it. But I decided today that there is nothing I can do, so I shall use the extra time wisely!
I went to my final installment of the business start-up workshop with Business Link last week; another priceless wealth of information. It is also so inspiring and reassuring to meet people in the same situation. This one was on accounting and finance, and luckily run by a gentleman with a very good sense of humour so we didn't all nod off. We were all chanting 'Cash is King' by 4pm, and had it drilled into our heads that 89% of new businesses fail in the first year. Great. Lets hope im in that 11% then. Not very good odds on my gambling is it?!
The next few weeks are crucial. Organising advertisement material, website details, stock arrival, and a bit of networking on the side with Women Do Business. I am set to be busy (and broke).
Thursday 11 March 2010
Chapter 1 of Starting Up My Own Business
Hello! This is my first ever blog, and it is all rather daunting. But I wanted to share my story, or rather my journey to ‘Businesswoman’. Actually, I am not quite there yet, so I probably shouldn’t blow my own trumpet too soon. It has been a very long and slow journey to my business launch date, and I believe I can see the end, although it is still quite a distance away, about two months in fact. But so much has gone on since I said (over 10 months ago now) that I would finally put my money where my mouth is and start my own business.
Funnily enough, I said a similar thing about starting a blog about 8 weeks ago, and I have only just got around to it. But here goes...
So, my business idea sprang from an accessory that has been on the market for many many years, but has predominantly been geared towards men: Cufflinks. I am putting together a collection of cufflinks that are designed specifically for women. They are such a sophisticated accessory that really allow an individual to express their personality and add a unique touch to everyday work wear. Yet it is only in the last few years that ladies cuffed shirts have become readily available on the high street - and still the range of ladies cufflinks is so small and limited. So that is my business objective; to provide women with classy, beautiful and feminine cufflinks that look fabulous and give a feel-good factor to a shirt or suit.
Design was a large and important part of these accessories. They have to be intricately feminine whilst also being practical. Therefore my choice of materials ranges from sterling silver, precious stones, pearls and crystals, to rhodium and gold plated designs of enamelled finish that will all provide longevity. The majority of the collection also feature pointed swivel fittings which ease the process of putting the cufflinks on, which is always an issue when I am rushed in the mornings.
My next task was presentation boxes, which are fundamental to the lady in the sense that it can be a fantastic gift box, as well as providing the protection that beautiful jewellery requires. With these in the pipe line, I am now designing my website, organising photography, writing business plans, marketing plans, you name it, it’s all on my endless list of things to do. But the most important factor that keeps me propelling the business forward is my passion. I love these accessories, and I want every lady out there to love them too.
I have been really lucky with the support I have received along the way, this has helped me enormously. Firstly are my friends, who have had to cope with endless market research questions being propelled at them, along with sampling products and providing feedback. Secondly, the support from Women Do Business has been wonderful. This programme is run by the Rural Community Council for Devon and provides local women starting up businesses with advice and support. After joining last November I have been hooked, attending all the seminars, workshops, and this week’s International Women Do Business Day. I always leave an event filled with confidence, self-belief and inspiration. It is a great way to meet women in the same position, share stories and worries and receive advice and support on the subjects that are limiting our business progression. We must have all looked hilarious at one of the workshops last week when we were trying to set up Twitter accounts for our businesses. Technology was quickly identified as one of our core weaknesses. But you can now find me on Twitter as The Cufflink Lady, thanks to that fabulous workshop. I just hope I will be able to put some photos up soon so that you can all see why I am so excited to be launching my business.
Funnily enough, I said a similar thing about starting a blog about 8 weeks ago, and I have only just got around to it. But here goes...
So, my business idea sprang from an accessory that has been on the market for many many years, but has predominantly been geared towards men: Cufflinks. I am putting together a collection of cufflinks that are designed specifically for women. They are such a sophisticated accessory that really allow an individual to express their personality and add a unique touch to everyday work wear. Yet it is only in the last few years that ladies cuffed shirts have become readily available on the high street - and still the range of ladies cufflinks is so small and limited. So that is my business objective; to provide women with classy, beautiful and feminine cufflinks that look fabulous and give a feel-good factor to a shirt or suit.
Design was a large and important part of these accessories. They have to be intricately feminine whilst also being practical. Therefore my choice of materials ranges from sterling silver, precious stones, pearls and crystals, to rhodium and gold plated designs of enamelled finish that will all provide longevity. The majority of the collection also feature pointed swivel fittings which ease the process of putting the cufflinks on, which is always an issue when I am rushed in the mornings.
My next task was presentation boxes, which are fundamental to the lady in the sense that it can be a fantastic gift box, as well as providing the protection that beautiful jewellery requires. With these in the pipe line, I am now designing my website, organising photography, writing business plans, marketing plans, you name it, it’s all on my endless list of things to do. But the most important factor that keeps me propelling the business forward is my passion. I love these accessories, and I want every lady out there to love them too.
I have been really lucky with the support I have received along the way, this has helped me enormously. Firstly are my friends, who have had to cope with endless market research questions being propelled at them, along with sampling products and providing feedback. Secondly, the support from Women Do Business has been wonderful. This programme is run by the Rural Community Council for Devon and provides local women starting up businesses with advice and support. After joining last November I have been hooked, attending all the seminars, workshops, and this week’s International Women Do Business Day. I always leave an event filled with confidence, self-belief and inspiration. It is a great way to meet women in the same position, share stories and worries and receive advice and support on the subjects that are limiting our business progression. We must have all looked hilarious at one of the workshops last week when we were trying to set up Twitter accounts for our businesses. Technology was quickly identified as one of our core weaknesses. But you can now find me on Twitter as The Cufflink Lady, thanks to that fabulous workshop. I just hope I will be able to put some photos up soon so that you can all see why I am so excited to be launching my business.
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