Starting Up ~ Part I

A lot of people contact me because they read about me as a Mompreneur. They have great ideas but don’t know how to get started. Over the next few posts, I’m going to re-print some conversations with these individuals because they are full of some really great info that is presently just sitting in my archived mail box, not doing anyone any good. I will use the interview format of Q and A. So we can call this PART I…

PART I (See how I said I was going to do something, then I actually did it?) Ah yes, Execution! A vital part of a successful business! Granted, it was a little task, and an easy one as it turns out, but I can see you are already gaining confidence in your own project.

But I digress…

PART I
(This really applies to any juvenile soft goods product, not just clothes… Take note of the “Jenservations” which are observations I had or things I am experiencing. They might save you time and money.)

Q: I am thinking about starting a clothing line for kids based on a unique idea and I wanted to get your advice on starting a clothing line since you've already done it.

A: Not having a clue as to how to start in the apparel (aka soft goods) industry, the first thing I did was buy a book called "The Business of Fashion". Because there is ALWAYS someone out there who knows the answer to your question. This is a fabulous resource guide from conception to market. Another incredibly valuable book in getting started is Tamara Monosoff’s "The Mom Inventors Handbook: How to Turn Your Great Idea into the Next Big Thing". Tamara contacted me in order to use my experiences to help her write her book. So Stylease is actually a contributor but I'll tell you, it condenses information for you and will answer pretty much, any question you have about getting started.

I learned as I went along and did not really contact anyone for help.

Jenservation: This can be very expensive due to the learning curve!

There are several questions you should consider in setting up your enterprise.
Mainly, how big of an operation are you interested in and are you launching your own brand?

It would be a good idea to do a business plan. I didn't start that way. I didn’t even know what one was when I started this thing. If I had taken the time to design a plan, I probably would have talked myself out of pursuing launching a brand due to the unbelievably all-encompassing monster that it all is. So for me, it's actually a good thing I didn't do one first, or I would have missed out on this terrific little journey . BUT, a budget and some projections would have been nice. (And an inkling of how difficult it is to secure major distribution channels!)

There is something to be said for enthusiasm and drive but do yourself a favor and HAVE A PLAN. In the same breath, don't bog yourself down with every tiny detail or it will prevent you from moving forward.

Now don’t laugh, but I honestly thought I could walk up to the buyer for Target and say, “Hey look and my neat idea” and she would say, “Wow, I’ll take 10,000 dozen in every size and color.” “And let’s do lunch, and be best friends.”
Well, ok, not that last part but I might as well have thrown it in there, because the first part was just as unlikely and naive.

Jenservation: When lining up financing… However long you think it will take you to do something, triple the time and cost!


Next post: Inspiration and reality

New Links

I know, by the title of this post
you are rivited with fascination...
uh boy.

But seriously, I have added a bunch of links
over in the sidebar for your clicking pleasure,
cause everyone loves to click.
Or be in one.
Or try it with their heels.

So I am in the process of turning 40 today.
So far, fairly painless.
It's better than not being here to turn 40 I suppose.

See, it's how you look at it.
Turning 40 or being, well not to be depressing but
dead.

Being 40 is looking better and better every minute.
Hey, I have all my hair and teeth. Life is good.

Oops, I don't think I can say that anymore... Isn't
that a registered trademark of the Life Is Good guys?

What a great company story that is! I love those brothers.
They inspire me to greatness.
That is what the American dream is all about.
An idea built on an honest, optimistic, delightful idea that
rages to phenominal success.

Kudos to them!

Off to have my cake! Have a great day.

Hall of Fame

Sometimes I'm lucky enough to have customers send
a picture of their munchkins in Stylease.
I love this because I'm so buried up to my eyeballs
in day to day business stuff
and generally functioning in a suspended form of
sanity, I forget that people actually use the products
that we offer. And are proud to show them off on their
pride and joy.

I spend much of my time working on designing new stuff.
Calculating spec sheets to make the new ideas into outfits.
Making notes on samples that are waiing to go into production.
Keeping track of who is abusing their net 30 terms.
And in turn sending out statements to keep the green flowing.

Then when the kids get out of school at 2:50 I switch modes a bit,
knowing my attention will be divided.
Lately I'm trying to improve my bottom line so I find myself
considering macro cost ratios while making mac and cheese
for an after school snack,
wondering if the ad art I have ready will work with the new
layout measurements.



I generally pirate art from my other ads and assemble new ones.
You might notice similarities between this one and the ad I included
in the previous post.
The main difference is that this ad is for the New Baby Expo
in Hawaii, which is a direct-to-consumer show for parents or whoever
else wants to come. The ad in the previous post is geared toward
retail stores, not the end customer, so the focus is a little different.

It's funny to think about how busy I felt after we had our
first daughter. Adjusting to the constant demand for your
attention took time and was exhausting.
Then you have a second baby and wonder what you did with all the
free time you had when you only had one kid.
Then you accidentally start a company and wonder
what you did with all the free time you had
when you only had two kids.

What the heck!? Sometimes I see an older person sitting quietly
on a bench in the sun, reading a book, or a college age kid
shopping and laughing with friends and I think,
I was that kid once and I will be that old lady quietly reading, one day.
In the meantime, this blissful chaos continues.

It's about time

I've been meaning to do this for quite some time.
Set up a space where I can
hear from my customers,
address their issues with our products,
listen to feedback from people about what is working and what isn't,
get direction as to where we can make improvements etc.

I'm Jennifer Hughes,
creator of the Liloebe company
maker of Stylease infant wear.
I was on a perfectly happy life path, when having children
inspired an idea that has manifested into the most remarkable journey.
I am a parent, just like 99% of my customers.
The other 1% of you are rabid gifters and I thank you.

I started this company from an idea I had.
I looked into how to make that idea a tangible product
and thought that would be the hard part.
As it turned out that was the EASY part. Yipe! Cause it was hard!

Sales and distribution are the toughy.
It's easy to have an idea,
challenging to bring it to fruition
frustrating to market
exciting to launch
exhausting to maintain
difficult to execute strategies to build revenue and consistent sales.

This blog is a place for you to get and give advice,
discuss what is working for you
and what isn't, in regards to
our products
parenting
starting a business
being a woman in business
being a man having to deal with a woman in business
the page is blank, fresh, longing for dialogue.

Let's get to the bottom of this stuff!