Going 'cold turkey' on technology this Christmas

I am having a hard time imagining the next fortnight away from my Mac. Christmas is nearly here, my suppliers are closing down for the holiday season and other soloprenuers are joyfully announcing "2 weeks of disconnected bliss.'

But I just can't imagine not going onto FB, writing my newsletters, posting to my lovely Instagram community and building my fledgling Pinterest account. What about the press releases that need to go out as soon as the editors hit their desks again in early Jan? And the event I'm co-hosting in February? Or the article I want to write?

My brain has totally been rewired to think constantly about My Bespoke Chair and how I can grow it, improve it and get the results I want and, damn-it, deserve.

Cold Turkey seems impossible to me.

But my family needs me to shut off from the Mac. I try very hard to balance being a great full-time mum, with working from home on a business I created myself. My beautiful, sometimes difficult 3rd child. But my even more beautiful and incredibly wonderful, loving and fun real children need me too. And I need them.

During school term, balance is easily achieved. I have a set time-schedule and we all fall into a nice, easy routine. See this blog post about A Day in My Life.

But holiday times feel boundary-less. Free and lacking in discipline. My routine of work and play go out of the window. I sneak into my office area when I should be taking the kids to the park, or baking, or sunning ourselves on the beach. I am a terrible mother.

It's the FOMO that I promised myself here I would avoid in 2014.

Solution?

I have put the parental control lock on MYSELF!

• One hour per day only.
• Forbidden use between 10am and 5pm.

Not quite cold turkey. More like luke-warm turkey. But boundaries have been set and I'm happy.

It's Christmas and it's an easy holiday to shut the business down through. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

So here it goes..........goodbye, sayonara, ciao, aufweidersehen, farewell, daag, au revoir and zaijian.

(Just one more thing - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year)

Video Montage - The Perfect Christmas Dream

The Perfect Christmas Dream

Click on the pink link above to view.

This is a whimsical, cute video I created in my 'spare time' with a fab new service called Animoto. Create your own 30 second video - simple to use and great fun. And free!



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My Promises for 2014

Just like magazines and fashion, I need to work a few months ahead of myself. Plan, prepare and then flop around for the holidays! So here's what I'm planning for next year. Nothing beats keeping promises made in public...

In 2014, I promise to:

• do less and think more.
• to stop, smell the roses and let my mind drift.
• to get out of the office and hang around cool places. 
• not listen to everyone's advice.
• have less goals.

I bet you're thinking, "Wow, she's given up. What a loser-list of promises."

But in fact, it's the total opposite. I plan 2014 to be my best, most successful yet. To grow my list of happy clients with gorgeous chairs.

My first year running My Bespoke Chair has been a wild roller-coaster; I've lost count of the times I've cried in frustration one minute only to score a fantastic victory the next. Worked like a mad-woman only to hit a brick wall, then bask in glorious 'how did I do that?' achievement.

If you still think I'm taking the road to Loserville with my promises for 2014, let me reframe them.

In 2014, I promise to:

• plan my actions and develop a carefully considered strategy.
• come up with inventive ways to promote, improve, sell and grow.
• to change my working environment so that inspiration flows towards me.
• choose only 1 or 2 industry leaders/programs to follow and implement their lessons.
• specify 3 goals for the year and reach them.

What am I trying to avoid in 2014?

• the scatter-gun approach to business. Of course, as an e-commerce novice, it was vital I tried out as many approaches as possible. It was the only way to discover what to do and how to do it.
• hearing opposing and confusing messages. There are so many experts and luminaries to take advice from and it can be overwhelming; newsletters, blog posts, seminars, webinars, online programs etc. It just becomes noise. So I'm tuning into a couple of my favourites only. People who have actually succeeded in the goals I'm setting myself. 
• FOMO. By setting only 3 goals, my focus will be on measurable efforts and results; not on sickening feelings of "I'm missing out if I don't do this, speak to this person, get into this magazine, go to this event, follow this program."

What are your promises to yourself in 2014?

*FOMO = Fear Of Missing Out

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Video - Creative Christmas

Episode 2 of My Bespoke Chair on YouTube.

There is NO excuse for boring Christmas gifts - or any type of gift to be honest. The internet is brimming with great gift ideas....

Just use your imagination. And if you find that a bit tricky, watch this instead!

Click HERE to view

My First Video

I have been learning about the power of YouTube and the leverage of video marketing in general.

Did you know that YouTube is the No2 search engine globally? From it's roots as an entertainment platform, it has grown into a serious research tool. If we want to know how to do something, or want to discover something or be entertained, video is an easy medium to digest. It's instant gratification and often being shown something is more powerful than reading about it.

So it's no surprise that people are using YouTube to get their message across. In addition, YouTube is now owned by Google, the No1 search engine globally. So they compliment each other; if you have a solid, consistent presence on one, it will help you rank better on the other.

That is why I published my first Welcome To My Bespoke Chair video. As an advocate for making your home truly yours, making your home tell the story of you, I wanted to share with you who I am, what I do and how I can help you. And you get to sneak a peak into my home (which we all find fascinating!)

Click on the link below and see you on the other side.....subscribe and get more tips, advice, info and sneak peaks.

Click here to view

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Business Books & Resources I Love

It's funny - I know many people think that running an online business is a simple affair. Create a product or service, design the site, get someone to do the techy stuff, plan a launch day and switch the site on. After the initial fanfare, watch the orders roll in, field endless media calls and try to keep everything up-to-date. Heck, and working from home....easy life!

Sit back and relax - it's an online business!

Umm...no.

The day you switch your site to "live" is the day your education begins. Here is a list of some things you will need to become an expert in:

• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
• Website optimisation
• Social media marketing
• Email marketing
• Content creation (written, graphic, audio and video)
• Analytics
• Sales funnels
• Selling
• Customer service
• Manufacturing/product or service creation
• Supply chains
• Market conditions
• PR
• Networking
• Time and stress management
• ......and the list goes on.

Recently I've been talking to other people about where they find their most useful information; books, webinar series, online resources etc.

So here's my personal Top Ten Business Books and Resources

1. The Purple Cow by Seth Godin - how to create a unique product or service
2. 22 Michaels - business blog of Michael Fox, co-founder of Shoes of Prey. Start in 2009 and work up. Fascinating.
3. Marie Forleo's free videos and B School - her kick ass online business course. 
4. Better, Stronger, Faster by Brad Rosser - Simple, actionable methods to launch, build and exit.
5. To Sell is Human by Daniel H. Pink - the art and science of selling, debunking a few myths!
6. Email Marketing Blueprint by Steve Scott - how to create email relationships than convert.
7. Derek Halpern's Social Triggers website, videos and emails - marketing guru (shouts alot!)
8. Australian Businesswomen's Network - excellent webinars and interviews. 
9. Quicksprout - Neil Patel's blog. From SEO, website optimisation, data analysis and beyond, he's succeeded. Great articles and How Tos.
10. The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris - slightly obvious choice but it holds some great ideas and gives you permission to be a bit nuts.

Naturally, this list could go on....I discover so many wonderful, inspiring and informative people , books and resources on a regular basis. But, whether you are currently in business or thinking about it, this Top Ten will set you up nicely. Make it happen!

If there is another book, blog or resource you think I'd love, or influenced you positively, tell me in the comments box below.

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I Gave My Baby a Facelift

This is not a headline from the latest Kardashian saga.....(though, with that vacuous lot, nothing would surprise me!)

No. This week I treated my 'other baby', my precious website, to a much needed nip and tuck.

Last year my developers and I spend months designing and engineering the My Bespoke Chair website. For regular readers, you will know what a mammoth task that was. A path less trodden; where can you buy a mass-customisation site 'out of the box'? Nowhere. Templates....no chance. My ideas, thoughts and instructions were painstakingly translated into code by 2 clever people.

But, as with anything, with age come wrinkles, sagging bits and areas that just aren't up to the job anymore. To keep my site youthful, useful and alive I needed to research how the site was being used, what could be improved and how to improve it.

When I built the site back in 2012, it was all theory and ideas. I had no actual knowledge of running an online business. I did the best with what I knew. I learnt from the information at my disposal and I executed things by trail and error.

Most people would agree that you continue to learn by trail and error; I have learnt some interesting and valuable stuff through making mistakes in the last 12 months. Again, regular readers will know that I read, listen and network a lot. I read and learn and write notes about everything I don't know. Which, again, is a lot.

One thing I began to realise was that the home page was not working efficiently. In November 2012, it looked attractive, creative and intriguing. Homespun meets C21st e-commerce. I loved it - as did many people, given how much great press and attention the business was receiving.

Except, the layout was messy, the colours too many, the CTA (call to action) a little lost and it wasn't fully optimised to convert visitors into paying clients.

So I decided to redesign it. To give it a facelift. I left the other pages alone because a) they function well and look good. The actual design-you-own chair pages work like a super-charged dream! b) it was too expensive to redesign each website page.

The home-page is crucial. What you do here decides whether a person stays or leaves. Whether they trust and like you/your company/brand. Whether you sell what they are looking to buy.

This is some of what I changed on the home-page and why:

• All the CTA buttons are one colour. For me that's hot pink. Your eye is always drawn to block colours and on a website, we instinctively search for the action button. Start or Buy or Go or Submit etc.
• You can now start designing your chair or buy a ready-made one from the home page. No need to click through to another page. Don't make people work too hard. One click less is one click closer to conversion.
• Again, in the new side-bar boxes, you can see content from the Why Us and Testimonials pages. People can click through to read more, but they don't have to. Credibility is established on the home-page.
• Added a horizontal image carousel to showcase the chairs and value propositions (free delivery, free design service etc) Use the prime real estate on your site to sell what you do, your value propositions, CTA, newsletter sign ups etc. The prime real estate refers to the part of the page that people see on their screens without having to scroll down. It differs for all screen and device sizes, but you can estimate. 

I'm delighted with how it looks, works and feels.

Contemporary and clear, yet it retains a creative feel. The My Bespoke Chair character remains fully recognisable - just with a smoother complexion and rejuvenated smile!

The bandages are off, so do pop over for a visit www.mybespokechair.com!



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Why I love Mondays

Yes, I really do!

Mondays = the start of a freshly laundered week; crisp and clean; full of hope and promise.

Mondays say "Yoo-hoo, I'm here. Let's create some more loveliness. Let's get stuff planned. Let's start getting it done. Isn't this exciting?!"

Tuesdays say "Ok, Monday, you did a good job. Nice set-up for me. I'll take it from here."

Wednesdays say "Right, we've got some half-finished stuff here. Let's take it up a notch and make the ride to the weekend smooth."

Thursdays say "Last day of full action. People are still working strong. We need to get these projects finished. Hustle, hustle before slow Friday saunters in."

Friday says "I'll put you in a great mood if you've worked hard this week. If not, I'll leave you feeling frustrated."

What I've noticed about other small business owners, entrepreneurs and work-a-holics*, is that we don't see our weeks or days as chopped up into regular chunks. It's 24/7. No clocking in or clocking off. We feel frustration when we can't get something done or speak to someone simply because it's weekend.

In our minds, Monday is no different from Saturday; though that doesn't mean we don't take downtime. I make pancakes for the family on Saturday mornings, which is a tradition now. And I'll enjoy a lie-in. Plus, the kids are home, so we'll go out together or have friends over. But in my head, all days are created equal. If something needs doing, I won't wait for the traditional working week to start.

Sometimes we feel very envious of people with regular hours and regular pay checks. But doing what we do is in our DNA. If I stopped My Bespoke Chair tomorrow, what would I do? I'd probably be doing something like painting, designing, surfing the web and trying to make money from my love of interior design....hmm, sounds very similar to My Bespoke Chair to me...!!

So here we are - Monday again. Enjoy! Grab the day with both hands - it's the best day of the week. This week is YOUR week, and it's only just begun.


* I'm not one!

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Pitch Perfect Pricing

Pricing your product or service is always tough. I have struggled with this all my professional life. When I started exhibiting my work back in 1998 in Switzerland and London, I often asked Fran, my husband, to price my paintings and drawings. I found it embarrassing to put a financial value on what was an extension of my soul.

I was torn - half of me delighted in earning money. The other half was ecstatic when someone else loved and wanted to own what I had spent time and passion creating. I could have given it away for free; I had found a kindred spirit.

In many ways, I still feel like that. When a client buys a chair or I deliver a painting they commissioned from me, I have butterflies in my stomach. And the soaring feeling of joy when I see my client's delight is hugely addictive. I truly live for those moments.

New - pastel chair frames with our Cupcakes and Chandelier fabrics

But I've become more business minded and now have things called profit margins and costings sheets!

As you know, I read and learn every day. I follow the blogs of business leaders I admire. I subscribe to their newsletters, go to their seminars and have taken an online business course. Pricing your value is a hot topic. And there are differing points of view.

"You deserve to charge what ever you want."
"Don't court bargain shoppers - they're not loyal."
"Price yourself high to get quality customers."
"Undercut your competition."
"Be aggressive in your pricing strategy."

My attitude to pricing is "The perfect chair at the perfect price for the perfect client."

Recently I have been revisiting my competition. There aren't many custom chair e-tailers but there are plenty of people selling chairs. I have always offered handcrafted, custom chairs at high-street showroom prices. Many chairs sold in mid-to-high end showrooms and online, are made in China, manufactured in the 1000s, bought in bulk and sold relatively cheaply. Some are still quite expensive because you're paying for the brand, despite being mass produced.

This week I lowered the prices on all chairs. Why and how?

I know my clients appreciate unique home-wares and furniture at great prices. What's more unique than a chair you had a hand in designing. Made specifically for you. But traditionally anything bespoke or customised has come with a hefty price tag. Luckily, technology and the internet have created a space for bespoke products at normal prices.

To do this, I had to negotiate with all my suppliers; they understand my vision of creating beautiful, bespoke chairs at comfortable prices. More sales for My Bespoke Chair = more business for them. And the savings I created with my suppliers are now passed onto my clients. It's a win-win-win situation.

Some people may criticise my decision, saying that I'm devaluing my brand or not taking out as much profit as I can. But I don't see it that way. I'm not taking anything away from my brand, or reducing my profits; I'm actually adding value to my client's purchase. The same Aussie craftsmen, the same chairs, the same fabrics, the same gorgeousness...just at a better price.

Free design service + free delivery + 100% returns + lower prices = pitch perfect pricing!


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Rockstars, Angels and Me

There comes a time in every business when you have your very own "Donald Rumsfeld" moment.

"....there are things we know that we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns - things we don't know we don't know."

But now I have a secret weapon, my very own mentor; a business rockstar.

A mentor can help you see the wood for the trees, can offer objective opinions and lead you to 'light bulb moments.' They understand your vision, can help fast-track growth and steer you clear of pit-falls. They've been there, done that and got the t-shirt.

Who is my mentor? How did I find him? How does it work? What can we both expect from the mentoring process?

Brad Rosser is a true business rockstar - the brains behind the brains at Virgin; Richard Branson's right hand man. After Virgin, he joined Unilever before setting up his own "angel" and management business, The BSF Group (short for Better, Stronger, Faster)

I didn't actively seek out Brad. We were introduced via a charter member at Sydney TiE; the mentoring and entrepreneur association I joined some months ago. I have been attending their evening seminars and sat in on a pitching contest they held at PWC. (Read my blog post on it here)

This is absolutely a result of my constant meeting with people for coffees (even though I only drink tea), going to events, meet-ups, seminars and always talking about My Bespoke Chair. You never know who you may meet and who will resonate with your story. I believe that people matter - read my blog post on this here - and connecting at every opportunity is vital.

Brad and I met properly today at The Westin; we had previously met briefly at a talk he gave last week. I signed up months ago for his Launch & Grow Smart event, and totally co-incidentally our mentoring introduction was made the same week.

As his mentee, I will be able run ideas past him, bring questions and queries to the table. We will meet regularly and informally discuss the direction of My Bespoke Chair.

I am pinching myself. Is it unprofessional to dance a little jig of joy?!

The path will still be long and winding, and there is no magic bullet for success; I have always been willing to put the hard yards in. But mentors are key to so many businesses in their infancy. And to have Brad on my team is pure gold.

 I am certain that our working relationship will be as rewarding as it will be enjoyable. Today was a great start!



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Instant Love Instagram

Be still, my beating heart...

Last week I fell in love with Instagram. Finally.

Many people: "Emma, with your pretty chairs and everything, you really should be on Instagram."

Me: "But I don't have time. Besides, I'm loyal to Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter."

Many people: "Stop making excuses. It's a match made in heaven."

As with much of social media, when you're new to it, you wonder how on earth it works and how on earth is anyone going to find you, let alone follow you. And is it really worth it? But we all know that you just have to begin. Don't question why. Build it and they will come.

As an Instagram newbie, I thought I'd choose a gentle way to ease myself into the community; through a competition ran by Jen from Interiors Addict. 7 Vignettes is a photo-sharing competition with a different topic each day, for one week. You create an attractive still-life (vignette) that relates to the day's topic and post it on Instagram using #7vignettes. That way everyone can see what everyone is posting for the competition.

Simple. And in a space of a week, My Bespoke Chair gained 52 followers and over 314 likes. Plus I've 'met' many fellow Instagramers through the comments.

Here are my entries for 7 Vignettes:

Bedside

Elegant 

Emotional 

Handmade

Tea

Monochrome

Window

But..so what?  What are the benefits of being on Instagram for a business?

• Showcase your products, campaigns, services in a creative manner; we all like nice photos.
• Connect with customers and prospects directly. Everyone can comment and share.
• Share your company's latest updates.
• Offer a fascinating behind-the-scenes, off-topic glimpse of your company.
• Use the # to find a wide audience.
• Use the @ to directly contact specific people.
• Share your photos instantly on other social platforms. 
• It's the fun side of business!

I'm probably preaching to the choir in this blog post - but when you first fall in love, you just need to shout it from the roof tops!

Join me on Instagram - it's so much fun and we can hang out together through our photos!


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My Top 5 List of Stuff

I have started this blog post many times, only to abandon one topic for another. Brain chaos!

I think, "Ooh, yes, a blog post on Google Analytics - good for understanding site traffic data."

Then I think, "But no, explaining what an Elevator Pitch is might be more useful."

And then I remember my excitement at the record number of people who signed up for my newsletter today.

Plus, I received a really lovely email that I wanted to share with you. Not forgetting how I smashed it up at the gym this morning too - the endorphin rush was magical.

Focus. This is what I am lacking today. Generally I am very good at focusing. I have a plan. Tasks lined up to get me from A to B and onwards to Z.

So, I will harness the chaos and turn it into order. Here are my micro-blog posts:

1. Google Analytics
Numbers and I do not get on. I'm a words and pictures girl. But understanding the traffic flow to your site is crucial. You've got to know what's going on 'under the hood'. So here's some key points for My Bespoke Chair:

75% of visitors are new, 25% returning
Visitor Location - Australia 80.85%, UK 5.39%, USA 4.92%
Sales Location - Australia 100%
Traffic Sources - Direct 44.9%, Search 25.4%, Referral 29.7%
Homepage Bounce Rate - 31.5% (industry average is 20-40%, so we're doing OK)
Average pages per visit - 3.62
Best referral sites - Pinterest (averaging 8:36 minutes on site) Facebook (46.53% of all referral visitors)
Ranking on Google for 'chairs' - 3rd (behind Ikea, Ebay)
Ranking on Google for 'custom chairs' - 1st and 2nd

 Conclusions - as a school report card, it says "Good effort, some nice results but could do better."
   
2. Elevator Pitches
Imagine you have 1 minute to tell someone what you do. What do you say? How can you possibly convey your passion, knowledge and the complexities of your business in just 60 seconds?

This is called the Elevator Pitch - simulating the short time alone with someone in a lift before they reach their floor. The door opens half way through your fascinating, long-winded explanation and Ciao, they're gone. Opportunity missed.

You will need an Elevator Pitch when speaking to a) potential investors b) potential customers c) key influencers

My elevator pitch:
Design your perfect chair online. At My Bespoke Chair the customer is the designer. We are part of a growing, global retail trend called Mass Customisation or Co-Designing. Using our intuitive and simple design tool, you can choose the chair style, wood finish, trim and fabric combinations. Spin your design 360 degrees and view it from 8 angles. You design it - we create it and deliver it to your door. Feel the joy of designing something yourself. We want you to say "I designed this."

3. The Importance and Joy of Newsletters
Growing your online business means growing your list. Not everyone who visits your site is ready to buy; sometimes it takes months for someone to be ready, if ever. But they love your product. You want your product to be top of mind, tip of tongue. So you invite them to subscribe to your company newsletter. You offer an ethical bribe in exchange for their email address; a free e-book or gift voucher etc.

Now you can communicate directly with them. They have invited you into their private email in-box and it's your duty to deliver value. Special offers, company news, product information, competitions and related topics of interest.

Yesterday was a booming day for us in the media; interview with Women Love Tech, articles on Babyology and in Real Weddings magazine. Site traffic surged, newsletter subscriptions rocketed. I felt such joy knowing that people loved My Bespoke Chair and felt inspired to discover more and be part of our community.

4. The lovely email
Getting emails and feedback from customers and people who follow us, our community, is always brilliant. Recently, we ran a 'Win a Cushion' competition on social media and through the newsletter. A winner was drawn and emailed the good news.

Here is our winner's response:

Thank you! I'm looking forward to receiving it! 

I've just been reading your blog and I just wanted to say I've really enjoyed what I've read so far, particularly the 'How to Get Media Coverage' post.  I've just moved to Sydney from the UK and I'm interning for an interior design company and it's been really interesting to find out about My Bespoke Chair.  I love how you personalise everything, it really does feel like a community! 

Thanks again for the cushion, 

5. Gym Bunnies
By now, you probably know that I love, love, love spin classes. But....

Have you ever rowed 200m in 46 seconds? Three times. That is what I did at the gym this morning. Fi, my fabulous personal trainer, was impressed. After the PTS nausea subsided (which Fi didn't see after I staggered out!) the rush of endorphins was amazing. Bring on Friday's double spin, I say!


So there you have it - a comprehensive brain dump. Next time I promise to be more focused!




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Radio Interview

Warning - this program contains strong language. 

Parental guidance is recommended.

This week I was interviewed by The Start-Up Show on Eaglewaves radio, Sydney.

Click here to listen....

My interview starts at around 10:45 minutes. But watch out for Matt and Shona's fruity language!

I guest wrote a blog post "You are the New Design Star" - co-designing and the positive psychological effects of designing things yourself.

Click here to read....

Meet The A-Team

"If you have a problem, if no-one else can help, and if you can find them, 

maybe you can hire the A-Team."

Everyone in business needs to have their own "A-Team". A group of crack commandos in their fields of expertise. I may appear to be a solopreneur, but the reality is that there are many people making sure that your chair is easy to design, perfectly made and delivered on time.

Let me introduce the web development team, headed up by Steven and Jo.  From the moment I met with them, in Feb 2012, when I was putting the site build out to tender, they were infectiously enthusiastic about my product. Bingo! It is a non-standard site with no existing templates to build on. You need people who "get it". And they continue to help me improve the site and keep it up-to-date.

The pre-production preparation of my fabric designs and the chair illustrations on the site require Photoshop/Illustrator intervention. Being a "paintbrush and pencil girl", I hired Neha who is a whizz at putting my ideas into digital reality; preparing files for the printers in Portugal and the web development team here in Sydney.

The best chairs are sourced from a family-run furniture wholesaler who import the carved wooden frames from factories in Indonesia. Located just outside Sydney, and easy for me to drive the van to, Jill and Darryl are great to work with.

Our master upholsterers, a team of 3, are responsible for transforming your designs into stunning reality. This is Rachel in the workshop; Oz and Tony were out when I visited last week. I love the workshop; design alchemy occurs here. From the chaos of chair frames, bolts of fabric, tools, machinery and blaring music, emerges exquisite and beautiful furniture.

And then when it's all wrapped up, our friendly delivery man collects your chair for distribution across Australia. He really is very nice (a lady's man, I suspect!) and he understands how important these chairs are to me and my customers; "They are precious, like children."

So, there you have it. My A-Team. Who's on your A-Team?

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How to Get Media Coverage

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away (London, actually) I got my first job as Press Office Assistant for a well-known UK fashion brand; Hobbs. As a fashion graduate, this was as close as I was ever going to get to fashion glory. To be honest, I was a dreadful fashion designer and can hardly believe I was awarded my degree - my saving grace was the 1st I got for my dissertation 'How Can We Justify Fashion?' (a clue to my attitude towards fashion in 1996!)

My primary objective at Hobbs was to get their clothes and shoes into all of the press; Elle, Marie-Clare, Good Housekeeping, all the Sunday papers etc. I worked under a truly wonderful manager; an elegant, professional PR who showed me the ropes. But our Boss was a witch - I think I can safely say that after 17 years. Watching "The Devil Wears Prada" a few years ago brought me out in a cold sweat. I was Anne Hathaway's character. Trembling and in constant fear.

"How many editors did you call? How many journalists have you chased? Why aren't we in Vogue this month?" plus the classic fashionista put-down "What dress size do you wear, Emma?"

It was all about numbers, numbers, numbers. This was all before email and social media, so contact was  made via telephone. Very dry. My eyes swam in mind-boggling lists of editors and journalists to call every day. Relentlessly. And Vogue was her raison d'etre, the Holy Grail. Nothing else mattered. As a naive but hard-working 22 year old, those levels of stress were utterly alien to me.

Fast forward to sunny Sydney, 2010. Time has seen me become a wife, mother, selling artist, newly arrived Aussie Permanent Resident and business owner. As many will know, Bespoke Art launched first and being new to Sydney, I had to promote it, which meant doing my own PR.......flash backs!  Eek! Would I tremble? Would my mind boggle?

No, thankfully. And I continue to do the PR for My Bespoke Chair. Only this time, it's a happy work environment! And I've learnt that individuals matter.  Not numbers or lists.

Everyone has a story to tell and everyone likes to hear a story. Doing your own press is just story telling, and making sure the right people hear it.

Here are 5 tips for getting media coverage:

1. Be a reader. Buy the magazines your ideal customers read. Compile a directory of editors, key journalists and stylists. Update regularly as people move - and it's a great excuse to read magazines under the guise of work! You can buy media lists or employ a PR company, but My Bespoke Chair is bootstrapped and self seed-funded, so I'd rather spend money elsewhere.
2. Be personal. Often I send news and updates via email to groups of key editors, journalists and stylists. That's simply efficiency at work. But just as often I will contact someone individually if I think the news would resonate personally. One-on-one contact is nice. 
3. Be remarkable. Everyone likes nice parcels in the post. Intriguing in this digital age. For an event, I sent beautiful perspex boxes filled with the invite, a press release and great photos to key editors, journalists and stylists. Vogue Living came and a few months later my work graced their hallowed pages.
4. Be chatty. Follow and comment on blogs and e-zines you admire.  Don't write inane "yes" or "I love this." Be respectful and add value to the conversation that someone else started. Blogs and e-zines are the future (and present) of media. Follow in the same vein for social media.
5. Rinse and repeat. Information, opinion and players change so often that you have to be on the ball at all times. It's exhausting, a huge learning curve, but rewarding. 

P.S - I tried not to gloat on the inside when my work was featured in Vogue - in respect for my old boss, you understand. :-) To see the media coverage for My Bespoke Chair, click here

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It's a Lonely Life!

If you know me personally, don't panic and call my mother. I'm not lonely in my real life, nor in my virtual life. My family, friends, gym and cat keep me happy in the real world. My personal and business social media communities keep me happy in the virtual world.

But I am alone in the every day My Bespoke Chair world. Apart from the people who work with me to build the website, print the fabrics and make the chairs, the buck stops with me.

Being a solopreneur is tough and there are times when I sit back from the screen, look around, realise that I've spent the best part of the day clacking away at the keyboard....and for what? For whom? What's the point? Am I a madwoman for starting this impossible journey - building a business with a product, website and ethos that is so unlike my competitors?

Questions:
a) What do I do next and how do I know it's right?
b) Who can I look to for inspiration?
c) Where can I find guidance?
d) Why am I torturing myself by embarking on this journey?

Answers:
a) I recently completed an online business marketing course, lead by an incredible woman called Marie Forleo. She's been sought out by Richard Branson and Oprah Winfrey for being the voice of the modern woman in online business. This 8 week course taught me customer targeting, marketing strategies, website optimisation, copywriting and lots of American "yay-go-girl" kookiness. I gained precise insights and strategies, I gained affirmation that much of what I am doing naturally is correct and most vitally, gave me access to a community of women (+ a few men) who are starting out, just like me. It is a life-long membership to her course and supportive community.

b) On Saturday, I was humbled to be part of the TEDx Sydney audience. TED is a global organisation, spreading ideas worth sharing. If you haven't experiences a TED talk, hop onto their site and pick any; they are free online and totally awe-inspiring. I sat for 12 hours at the Sydney Opera House, listening to clever people talk about the Digital Data Black-Hole, Housing for Health, Drugs to Slow Aging Genes, Marketing to the Masses and Nature as a Designer. Plus a fabulous chap who created an entire Jazz Band with his mouth, voice-box and a mike. Inspiring stuff.

c) On Monday, I went to a Pitching Competition, organised by TiE and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. This event showcased entrepreneurs pitching for Venture Capital and a 1st Prize to attend TiECom in Silicon Valley. A bit like Dragons Den without the cool warehouse studio. I was encouraged to hear people pitch their dreams and disruptive business ideas. I felt less alone. And TiE is a global mentoring organisation, linking entrepreneurs with Business Angels. I attended a 2 hour mentoring introduction last month but now I shall join the organisation. Launching and working unguided is daunting, but now I have some of Sydney's best business brains on my side. The start-up industry is burgeoning in Sydney especially and there are opportunities to be explored.

d) Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, explains perfectly why I am compelled to run My Bespoke Chair and Bespoke Art, to use my talents and follow my ambitions. I don't want to be 80 years old and regret not exploring my life's possibilities. But he explains it better! Watch it here.

So I'm not alone in being alone.  I'm just alone in pushing my own boundaries.


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The Day My Site Crashed (& I confessed to cheating)

The first 4 months of My Bespoke Chair were spent setting up all the social media requirements of a modern, online business. Job done, boxes ticked, virtual world navigated and mapped. Happy days. Love my online community. Everyone rocks!

But no sooner has one obstacle been overcome, the next looms. And it's more terrifying and less appealing then Pinterest boards, Facebook reach and Twitter #@lingo.... Technology: WP plug-ins, API keys, video embedding, HTML codes, autoresponders, downloads and uploads. Not to mention passwords for every breathe I take.

Google is my IT tutor, my know-it-all mentor. I Google everything techy and it inevitable tells me to watch a YouTube tutorial. I watch endless videos of clever, techy people zipping their mouse across the screen, clicking methodically and instructively. Easy. Simple. Just do this step, then do that step. Done.

Last week, I needed a simple WordPress plug-in to be installed. I decided not to use my actual web developer, but to try out a web company who will "tweak" your site. No contracts, you pay by the "tweak". Seemed fool-proof. To cut a long story short, it was a stressful nightmare for 7 days.

Ok - I can do this myself instead. So, I asked Google and YouTube. I tried installing the WordPress opt-in box to the My Bespoke Chair homepage myself. It's a little dialogue box that appears inviting you to sign up for a newsletter. Nice companies offer you a thank you gift. We're nice; we give you $300 off your perfect chair when you sign up for our newsletter. Then fortnightly, we'll email you a pretty newsletter packed with useful interior design tips, special offers and behind-the-scenes news.

I digress...

It went horribly wrong. The site seemed to crash. When I typed in the URL I saw something like this. My reaction frightened the children. I thought I was going to die.

I made a frantic, embarrassed call to my actual web developer, Matt - at 9pm on a Friday night. Miraculously, he answered, listened patiently and non-judgementally to my choked ramblings...then fixed it in a flash. Back to his beer and NCIS on the TV (I made that bit up)

Lessons learnt: It's OK and necessary to be in charge of your own back-end CMS. Adding new text, pages, images, keeping the site's content fresh and tweaking here and there. WordPress is brilliant and easy to use, even on a site as complex as My Bespoke Chair.  But just because everything is "figure-outable" through Google, YouTube and other sites, doesn't mean you should. A wrongly placed < > and you're doomed. Leave the fiddly stuff to your web developer and stick with what you're excellent at.

Until I can employ an IT/web manager in-house, I shall never again cheat on my web designer and developer.  You always get caught....

(go see the finished result here and sign up....I'm very happy now and it's already proving a success with new subscriber sign-ups increasing)

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A Day in My Life

7:00 - Wake up to my alarm ringtone which is Paradise by Coldplay - what a great concert that was!  I check my emails and Facebook on my way downstairs; my office is near the bedroom, so I find it hard to resist. The kids are old enough to get up themselves and, by the time I'm ready, they've been up for half an hour, dressed and breakfasted. And they have fed Lady, our slightly nervous but sweet cat.

7:45 - Packed lunches made, bags packed, we're out the door. First stop school. Then I continue driving against the rush-hour traffic to the gym. I am addicted (I think I'm not exaggerating) to spin classes, and travel a good 20 minutes to my favourite gym in Balgowlah. Yes, there are closer gyms, but this one is clean and modern; plus the instructors are awesome and I know a few people there, so I feel totally at home.

8:30 - I get my favourite bike at the front. Double spin class starts. I curse for the first 15 minutes. It hurts and I'm pushing myself to the limit. But I love it really. I have 1h45 to think, review and plan the day ahead. Physical struggle brings mental clarity.

10:15 - Spin ends and often I drag my sweaty-self to the supermarket downstairs. People actively avoid me in the aisles.

11:00 - Home, shower and put on a laundry load before starting work. Each Sunday night I prepare a To Do List for the coming week. It invariably includes sending press releases to the interior design media, following up on media requests for images and info, completing assignments for the business course I'm following, keeping up-to-date and active on social media marketing, meeting my web development team (which is constant as I slowly offer more functions and fabrics) deliveries and appointments.

I also have Bespoke Art to run, and at any one time I may have a painting or fabric design commission to work on. Or a simple upholstery job.

13:00 - I stop for lunch, which is often a quesadilla or noodle soup. BBC News 24 goes on and I catch up with what's going on in the Big Wide World.

13:30 - Back upstairs to work with a cup of tea. I follow up on chair orders or any requests that have come in recently. I have to be super careful that I don't mix social media marketing for My Bespoke Chair with personal Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and blog reading. It's a fine line between useful work and gratuitous pleasure (though I'm not complaining that a vast part of my work includes fun stuff!)

14:30 - If I have fabrics to source or finished chairs to pick up from my upholsterers, I will dash out now. I take the van which has my logo splashed across the side; it's a very recognisable vehicle and I am often spotted, so I have to drive on my best behaviour! I was once pulled over by the police in a very prominent spot, and felt mortified that my precious business was being tarnished by my "criminal activity" (failing to wait the full 3 seconds at a Stop sign.......)

15:30 - I am queuing in the school car line. Back at home, I feed the kids, chat about their day and get back to work. They are great at doing homework without fuss and we are united in our toil. TV goes on once they are finished.

17:30 - Time to down tools and start cooking supper. So, as I chop and stir, the kids join me in our open-plan kitchen. This is when I fix myself a well-deserved G&T.

18:30 - My fabulous husband arrives home and we eat supper all together. It's a great time of day.

20:00 - Kids in bed, cuddles given, and I gravitate back up to my office. There is always work to do and I find very little time to watch TV. I have Downton Abbey (series 3) waiting for me, but I have yet to start it. Maybe because I know once I start, I'm locked in for the whole 8 hour series!

22:30 - Bed with a good book. I have to read to wind down. On holiday, I can get through 6 books in a week! My husband also runs his own business, so we often stay up late discussing the joys and horrors of being entrepreneurs. I sometimes dream about steady monthly pay-cheques and a predictable life. But ultimately, I love My Bespoke Chair and couldn't image doing anything else.

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8 Things I've Learnt

It's been 4 months since the launch of My Bespoke Chair. Here are a few lessons I've learnt:

• Starting my My Bespoke Chair is not the same as being in business with the Bespoke Art shop. For starters, and quite obviously, online is like being invisible. Customers don't just drive past and stop. The on- and off-line work load and diversity has delighted me, befuddled me, excited me and depressed me.
• My natural enthusiasm and impatience are a troublesome mix. Growth has been slower than I anticipated; when I put in 110%, I expect 110% straight back. But I am learning that success is a series of baby steps. 

"Timing, perseverance and 10 years of trying, will eventually 

make you look like an overnight success." Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter.

• Checking the metrics every day is as pointless as weighing myself every day. Some days are amazing, where site traffic has jumped and business is looking up, but some days are "fat" days, where things slump and my spirit falters. New Golden Rule -  check Google Analytics on Mondays only. That way, I can swiftly ascertain what's been working and what needs improving; 6 days of action, 1 day of contemplation and strategy.
• My love for My Bespoke Chair means that I work 24/7 and I seriously need to find a way to disengage and relax. But it's hard because:  

          a) It doesn't feel like "work". I love what I do.

          b) I like action; it brings clarity. Once I start a project or task, I cannot stop until it's done.

          c) My office is at home so work and family routines blend. If I'm not writing a Press Release I'm doing the laundry. During the school-run, I'm mentally running through the metrics and next strategy.

• It is perfectly possible to be a full-time mum and business owner and cook freshly each day. It takes 20 minutes to whip up a simple pasta sauce or a hearty salad with pork chops. No excuses. In fact, my favourite down-time is when the kids are doing homework in the kitchen and I'm preparing supper. A cheeky G&T helps too! Plus, it is my duty to keep my family healthy. 
• A steep learning curve is actually very addictive. Knowing and doing stuff that I didn't know or do before is exhilarating. 
• The business needs to develop further - more fabric choices, embed a short video on "How It's Made", offer a more sophisticated Gift Certificate range, widen the Gallery {Buy It Now} choices and offer a free Chair Design Service for customers looking for inspiration and advice.

But most of all, I have learnt that my motivation remains steadfast - to share the joy of designing, make it accessible and encourage people to say proudly "I designed this."


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Why

I came across a fascinating TED speech, given by the great Simon Sinek.

Everyone should watch it. At first, it might sound like its aimed at people in business but actually it applies to us all. It has plenty of "a-ha" and "that-makes-perfect-sense" moments.

Everything we do should begin with "Why am I doing this?"

Watch it here....

P.S Why did I start My Bespoke Chair?
Because I want everyone to feel the joy of designing. I want you to say "I designed this".

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Reach Out and Touch Me

In my last post I wrote about the need for trust in building a great online business. But I think I jumped the gun a little on that one...put the cart before the horse. Before you can get people to trust your brand and product, you need people!

The human connection is so essential in social media marketing. Who ever said that technology is killing human interaction must be a dinosaur or had a lobotomy. Think blogs, think Facebook, think facetime, think Twitter, think Pinterest, think Minecraft (yes, I have a 12 year old son who meets his school friends to build villages...) and the list is endless. Today, we interact with more people in more places than ever before.

So when I think about how to acquire more customers, how to grow My Bespoke Chair, and how to build a great company, I must first think about who I am going to reach out to. I have recently vowed to actively make one significant connection per day; one person who I want to either tell about My Bespoke Chair, or one person I want to listen to, one person I can ask for advice, or one person who can put me in touch with more people.

Of course, I will tweet, post, like, comment, email and pin. That's rather like saying "I will breathe and eat today". But just going through the motions is not enough. I must understand that human connection is the new currency. The Industrial Economy brought checks and balances, systems and processes. We are in the midst of a Connection Economy. Emotional connection with our audience/customers is vital.

It brings me to something the grandmother of my best friend at school said. Granny Thomas said "People matter." This was circa 1990, before the internet and social media. I remember Granny Thomas' words often - little did she know how perfect her advice was for this digital world. RIP Granny T.

But it's hard and scary to reach out in a meaningful way sometimes.

To be accountable, this week I've:
a) met with Tessa White from Down That Little Lane. She started her online business a year before me, and she's flying. I needed to hear her story and learn from her, so I emailed her and met her for tea and cake on Monday. Priceless.

b) took part in a live, online webinar with the mighty Seth Godin, Yahoo genius and author on disruptive thinking and contemporary marketing. I am in awe.

c) sorted an editorial deal with a major wedding magazine (the best wedding gift is to design your own chair online. A story to tell for years to come - "I made this")

So if you can, reach out and touch me. We mustn't hide our skills and ideas away. We must be brave. I must be brave. There are 7 billion people out there, ready to hear a story. The human connection is what technology and the future of business is all about.


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Trust me, I'm an artist.

No seriously, you've got to trust me....I'm an artist, mother, wife, daughter, friend and extremely exhausted business founder who is working (and worrying) day and night to grow My Bespoke Chair.

No matter what a business is selling, and everyone sells something, a key component in success is trust. This is especially true when selling in the online market, where physical contact and a sense of "I know where you work" is missing. When tapping out your credit card details or transferring your hard-earned cash for something you can't yet touch or use, that's trust in action.

So how can I tell my potential customers "Trust me and, rest assured, you will receive the gorgeous chair you designed and paid for"? I know I will deliver on the company's promises, but how do you know I will?

Trust, like respect, cannot be forced and much as I'd like to whack up on my Home page "Trust this site and product", I can't. It would send out the wrong message. (actually, has anyone ever tried this and it work out favourably?!)

And so, my time has been focused on PR; getting great magazines, newspapers, online publications, bloggers and social media to endorse My Bespoke Chair, through articles, reviews, posts, tweets, pins, likes and word-of-mouth. Reportedly, it takes up to 8 times for a potential customer to see your product or brand in various places before they decide to buy.

Customer testimonials are probably the most important "Trust Me" advocates, though for a sparkly new business, this is often easier said than done. On average, most start-ups struggle to gain customers in the first few months and the first 6 are always hair-raising. Read a fascinating insight here

So it's a vicious circle. You need customers to gain customers. New businesses need early adopters to buy the product and fly the flag. Brave pioneers of the consumer world - we salute you!

Customer acquisition is an art in itself and warrants a post for another day. But in the meantime, our first batch of orders (fabulous chairs designed by our talented customers!) went out recently. It was nail-biting times; until I received an email last night from one of our customers/loyal Facebook followers and I leapt for joy...

"I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for my chair which arrived last week. It's beautiful and perfectly made. I really love it and it's comfy too!...The colour matches perfectly with my bed linen."
Natalie, WA.

Happy customers...it's a trust thing.


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