Happy New Year to all!
In making my resolutions for 2105, I'm being gentler with myself. I've learned that setting unattainably high goals creates extreme stress and may be downright counterproductive. Despite fairly strong holiday sales in my Etsy shops and at craft fairs, I felt like a failure in 2014 because I fell so far short of my goals. If I'd ignored the goals, I might have convinced myself it was a pretty good year.
The crystal ball is cloudy as I look ahead to 2015, but changes may be looming on the day job(s) horizon that could impact my Etsy life. That's another reason I've lowered the bar for 2015.
My word for 2015 is: REGROUP
My Personal Resolutions for 2015
Continue my gratitude journal
Pray daily
Eat sensibly
Walk more
Read at least one good book a month and blog about it in a Book of the Month post
Continue to explore health insurance options
Complete three long-overdue quilt projects (Sandy's memory quilt, Erin's graduation quilt, and Pies & Tarts)
Complete unfinished Curiously Gorgeous Sisterhood creative journal exercises.
Adopt a 52-week savings program. (I'll put my first dollar in the big envelope tomorrow.)
52-Week Savings Program from Obvious Magazine
My 2015 ETSY-Related Goals
Hit 1200 all-time Etsy sales (I'm 7 away from 1,000) in my Pasque Flower Creations shop.
240 annual sales - Pasque Flower Creations
50 annual sales - Aunt Pheba's Vintage
Action Plan for 2015:
Continue to focus on high quality handmade oven mitts (I've made over 1,000), but add new product lines to my Pasque Flower Creations shop.
Continue to monetize scraps. (Card wallets and cord keepers did very well at local craft fairs, and I may add some new scrappy listings to my Etsy shop as well.)
Continue to participate in local / regional craft fairs. Apply to be on the wait list for some of the bigger area shows.
Improve photography skills.
Improve SEO (search engine optimization). I've signed up for Etsypreneurship's THRIVE program by Jason Malinak, CPA. It's a tax-deductible $13.41 monthly investment in my business.
Make better use of Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter as marketing tools, and add Instagram to the mix.
Anne Shirley of Anne of Green Gables
by L.M. Montgomery
A Bee in My Bonnet
I've been toying with the idea of opening a new Etsy shop after tax season. I'd call it Punkydoodles (my dad's nickname for me when I was a little kid long, long ago). It would delight my Inner Child. I'd include handmade soft toys, doll quilts, dolls, rattles, personalized baby gift sets, baby quilts and blankies.
It's something to ponder . . ..
I jumped the gun a bit on the 2015 Blogging Business Artisans January Team Challenge by Sharla of Beaded Tail:
January - Goals or hopes for the New Year
What do you hope to accomplish this year? What are you looking forward to doing in 2015? Do you have plans to travel some place exciting, move to a new home/city or how about get a kitten? Will you be taking your shop in new directions? Let us know or give us a hint of your year to come!
What do you hope to accomplish this year? What are you looking forward to doing in 2015? Do you have plans to travel some place exciting, move to a new home/city or how about get a kitten? Will you be taking your shop in new directions? Let us know or give us a hint of your year to come!
Wishing you all the best in 2015!
TTFN
LeAnn
LeAnn,
ReplyDeleteI understand how you feel about 2014, I did not make many of my goals either, but the year is over and done and not it's time to look forward.
Don't think of your 2015 goals as lowering the bar, embrace your word for 2015 and think of how you are going to REGROUP and and have a successful 2015!!
You have a great list of goals, enjoy the process and success will follow.
Happy New Year to you and your family!
Valerie
Everyday Inspired
Thank you for those words of encouragement, Valerie! Wishing you a happy and prosperous 2015!
DeleteI don't know how you keep all those shops straight! Best of luck if you start a new one.
ReplyDeleteHa.Ha. The vintage shop is not that busy. If I start a new shop, it will definitely be after tax season!
Delete2014 was not so good a year on Etsy for me either and thankfully I hadn't set goals or else I'd be feeling like a failure. I think regroup is a great word for 2015 and I'm going to do that too! Wishing you much success in everything you do in the New Year!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharla! Wishing you a great 2015, too! Tax season is upon us. Yikes!!
DeleteIt sounds like you did have a good year in 2014, and you are looking ahead to 2015 with a new attitude. I can't wait to see the scrap busters you'll be creating. You could probably make some good money off the scraps alone if you have as many as I do, and I'm sure you do.
ReplyDeleteI'm wishing you a super fabulous year in 2015 for your own personal life and your business life!
Thank you, Sher! Wishing you continued success in 2015! Yes--I have oodles and oodles of scraps!!
DeleteEven though my 2014 wasn't as great as 2013 - when I compare figures it was about the same as 2012...and at that time I thought I was doing great! I make quarterly goals, but I don't set them too high either. I agree the pressure is simply too great.
ReplyDeleteAs an avid reader I'm very much looking forward to your book a month review :)
The very best for your 2015!
Thanks, Duni! That pre-2013 perspective is helpful.
DeleteWhew! You have a lot of things in mind, but all of them are very doable and I think you'll do great. And another shop! I could barely handle two. Haha.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! :-)
Well--the new shop will not happen (if at all) until after tax season. I'll start with a section in my current shop, and see how that goes before committing to another stand-alone shop.
DeleteI like you tactic for new year and especially to adding a new section first and see how it works! Brilliant! When I created a new watercolor shop in 2012 - my first paintings was totaly different - it was abstract and floral only... but slowly I started adding more figurative work and then I saw the interest in that... so I changed direction. Online work not only to do what comfortable and lovely for yourself, it mostly what is current demands.... with personal vision! I hope all your plans come true....and if it is not... so it will be a learning process...!
ReplyDelete