Arrived at my job this morning and
received an email from my business partner Karen – the salient points of my
press release (which I emailed to as many information outlets as I could) is on
the front page of the business section of the Times-Colonist newspaper. It was
announcing our opening on this coming Saturday! WOW – I did the prolonged and intricate
happy dance around the office.
Victoria is
the largest city on Vancouver Island and the capital of the province of BC. Therefore,
it is really a big deal for our business opening. In addition, it is great
exposure for the business itself, the more the name is in the public; the more
people will recognize it at the markets. I know for myself that I am much more
willing to try something new if I have some knowledge or previous exposure to a
product.
Now it
seems more real, which is strange as it never has felt surreal. I can feel
myself getting excited and nervous about the launch now – it is Tuesday and we rollout
on Saturday. That means I am making lists – it is one of my best methods of
coping with stress. I have an active mind and when I flip into high gear, I can
barely keep track of what I need to do. Checklists save me from feeling
overwhelmed and scattered.
I have
created lists for many big tasks. The one list I depend on and use extensively
is the comprehensive checklist I have for showing the goats. The shows are only
for a 6-week period, once a year and for that very first show I always feel
like I am starting all over again. I have shown the girls for about 8 years, so
I have experienced all sorts of problems with forgetting essential items. Some
have been extremely embarrassing, some just dumb. To avoid adding more stress
to a competitive environment I use my list. After the second show of the
season, it is generally all good but I still have a quick look to make sure.
Now I am pretty confident I can arrive at a show with white pants, underwear,
the correct paperwork etc….
I must
mention the work of Emagination Design and all the help they have been with
developing a marketing plan. I was complimented this morning concerning the
launch’s marketing and I have to thank Emagination for the plan they provided.
I really don’t have a firm understanding of what marketing is, I get that it is
getting your businesses name out in the public but it is much more complicated
that just that. The logo, the colours, the business cards, the labels, the
signage, the social media, the web page, giving out samples, every email – this
is all part of marketing. And it’s also how I talk about my product and how I
present myself. Dang – it’s practically everything! No more sloughing off to Wal-Mart
in dirty jeans, rubber boots and a grubby coat – could meet a customer. Didn’t
tend to come to town in “farm clothes” anyways but now I think about it.
Call me
superstitious but ever since Dec. 21st – the end of the long count
Mayan calendar – my life seems to have changed. Changes are happening and
definitely to the good and positive and healthy. Now it is a new year – 2013
and everything is looking up.
Still lots
of work to do – the launch is just the beginning of the work of the actual
business itself. We have to continue producing the product we have and get
ready for a new cycle of births in the dairy. I hope that we will still be
shipping some milk to Salt Spring Island Cheese but that will depend on what
they need. The first flavor I want to produce when the ladies are milking again
is our Island Honey Vanilla – it is such a light, clean flavour. We will start
visiting restaurants and expanding our customer base after the does have kidded
too. Plan to attend a farmers’ market in Victoria in the spring as well.
I am just thrilled, happy, and excited. Hope
you are having a good day as well.
Perhaps Emagination will contact Nea3Now at some point..
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