The Big Launch November 26 2013

After producing all the products, costing them, and getting all the photography finished, it was finally time to make the website live. Initially, this seems like the easiest part. You just hit publish and BAM! your site is visual to all, meaning you're able to start selling.

This would be a wrong assumption, easily determined by trying to Google yourself. Especially if you have a name that is a commonly searched phrase.

At the time, giving your business a high-searched word seems like a great marketing ploy. It would make sense that since your name is searched you should automatically be the first link that pops up. Evidently major search engines don't share those sentiments. Instead, they prefer to rank your site based off number of links, meta-tags, and amount of traffic.

So now the question is how do you become visible to the major public?

Welcome to social networking. Set-up Facebook page, Pinterest page, Twitter account, Tumblr account, Instagram account, Blog, oh and post on everything daily. It would also be beneficial to have a Youtube account and post videos, because the public likes to waste time watching videos and looking at pictures more than reading.

What do they think we are? We are a small business that usually consists of 1-2 people. How can we possibly post on everything and still produce product? I would also like to eat, drink, and sleep too.

I guess we're just all going to have to turn into zombies, or force our teenagers into posting for us. They eat our food and don't pay rent, may as well make them earn it. Next time we will hopefully be searchable...

For Starters November 22 2013

I recently graduated from college with the intent of being a fashion designer of a large firm. After working in New York City and working for a designer, I realized that large corporations were not for me. Besides the drama and backstabbing that typically goes with any corporate job, it takes 10-15 years to be a head designer for any label (or someone has to die) and I don't have the patience for that.

So I moved back home to Iowa with cleaner air and a slower-paced environment. Originally intending to do a couture line of silks, the market called for more of a country or rustic wedding taste. So in the words of George Strait to Taylor Swift, "Give the people what they want!" Which brings us to our line of weddings done solely in camouflage (or at least with the theme of camo).

Sometimes I wish that it was back in the 80's or early 90's when I was starting this company. No digital age. No trying to find the same thing but cheaper. No having to be on all the social outlets and constantly updating them. Just a simpler time, where you go store to store with your collection, encouraging buyers to take a chance. Oh well- welcome world wide web and all that you entail!

My intent for this blog is to be a place to create a dialogue with other new entrepreneurs that can relate to the daily struggles of running a business and maybe we can all have a laugh together.