"There are thousands and thousands of people out there leading lives of quiet, screaming desperation, where they work long, hard hours at jobs they hate to enable them to buy things they don't need to impress people they don't like" - Nigel Marsh
www.ted.com/talks/nigel_marsh_how_to_make_work_life_balance_work.html
My temp job as an administrative law judge will end on March 30, 2012. The good news is, I will enter the second "peak" of tax season (my primary job and the one I love most of the time) without trying to juggle another day job and my Etsy shop along with other responsibilities. The bad news is, I'll miss that other paycheck...(long pause)...a lot.
I've given myself permission to devote the two months from the end of tax season through the middle of June to putting maximum effort into my Etsy business to see if my creative biz can become my "other job." I will, however, allow some time to reconnect with grandkids. I really miss seeing them during tax season when I work seven long days a week for 3.5 months.
I've enrolled in a six-week webinar, Six Weeks to a More Passion-Filled and Profitable Business, hosted by April Bowles Olin aka Blacksburg Belle. I subscribe to her newsletter and videos and believe her coaching will help me focus on my business and develop a plan to take it to the next level. I'm thinking of it as a sort of boot camp for my creative biz. The cost is $197 through March 26--then it goes up to $297. That translates to about $4.69 per day for business coaching--and that seems like a reasonable amount to invest in my business. And it will be tax deductible on next year's taxes.
http://www.blacksburgbelle.com/six-weeks-to-a-more-passion-filled-and-profitable-business/
I'll also spend more time restocking my Etsy shop cybershelves with new items geared to Mother's Day and beyond and exploring (and reassessing) local consignment or wholesale options.
And, I'll continue to SIMPLIFY. I'll earn less but live more fully (I hope). And if I fall flat on my face, I'll pick myself up, dust myself off, and look for another part-time gig to tide me over until next tax season.
TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com
Enjoy the time with your grandchildren! And hopefully, you will be able to sustain your income with your Etsy shop, although I find that it is very seasonal also. Wishing you the best of luck!!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you are really moving forward to take advantage of the situations life is handing out - good for you! I think the boot camp is a great idea, and I hope you are able to find new avenues to promote your handcrafted items :).
ReplyDeleteI love the attitude. You make wonderful stuff and people will love it.
ReplyDeleteThe webinar sounds very interesting. Work life balance is an ongoing challenge at my house. Best of luck to you with your shop! I hope it is a great success!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I've been following Blacksburg Belle too. She gives some great advice and I was impressed with her interview with Laura Roeder. I have been curious about her business webinars. That's very exciting that you will be participating. Here's wishing you much success in moving forward with your Etsy shop.
ReplyDeleteI think your attitude is wonderful, LeAnn. Yes, Etsy is hard, but if it is something you really love doing, stick to it. Maybe you can find other places to sell that will help with the income. I love your things and you could probably sell them in some shops. I'm cheering for you and in the meantime enjoy those grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Laura
I can't wait to hear what you think about April's class! I was considering joining, but never got the chance.
ReplyDelete