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Mother’s Day Gift Guide

OOOWEEE! Our busiest time of the year is upon us!

Mother’s Day has usually been busy for us year after year. During the spring time it’s always a time that’s busy in the retail world. Typically the spring is the start of craft show season here in LA and this year is no different. 

We’re going to be doing 2 craft shows this spring – Jackalope Fair on April 29-30 in Pasadena and Patchwork Show on June 11th! It’s our first time at both shows so I’m really excited to talk to our customers and local community in person. Both of these events are free to the public if you want to attend! It’ll be tons of fun I promise 🙂

Even though my mom isn’t here with me anymore Mother’s Day is still extremely important to me. My other mom, my mother-in-law, is the most beautiful and loving person. Ever since Charlie and I have been together she has welcomed me into her family and loved me like I was her own child. I’m so thankful for the bond we share. She and I have this special mother/daughter relationship that I cherish. Without her, I don’t know where I’d be.

Me and Mom, Christmas 2014

I’ve been shopping here and there for the perfect gift but here are a few things I’m personally eyeing for Mother’s Day.

  1. Burt’s Bees Essential Everyday Beauty Gift Set. If you read my skincare regimen post from last month you’ll know that I’m loving Burt’s Bees. It’s a good, mostly natural product that doesn’t break the bank. I’m loving this gift set they put together!
  2. Essie Spring 2017 Mini Kit. My mother-in-law and I love doing our nails. This mini kit would be a perfect small gift!

  3. Miss you Most Mother’s Day Card. This card means a lot to me. I designed this card when I lost my mom and debuted it at Unique LA in 2016. I was surprised how people resonated with the message. I talked to people that also lost their moms just like I did as well as people that just couldn’t be with their moms because of distance. Sometimes the best gift is just a heartfelt note. <3
  4. Le Petit Crap Bag Tote. This is one of my mother-in-law’s favorite products that I sell! She has a great sense of  humor. She loved it so much that she actually bought a bunch for her coworkers too!

Looking for something for your mom this Mother’s Day? Use promo code MOMLUV17 now through Sunday, May 14, 2017 to get 15% off on everything in our shop! Plus, spend $40 or more and get free shipping (no promo code needed) 🙂

xoxo,

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CO Creative Cartel – My Ideal Customer

I have a back ground in graphic design and marketing so I know a thing or 2 about niche marketing, target audience, etc. It was one of the first things they taught us about in college.

When you’re the business owner, though, it’s a lot harder than you think. A lot of times you want to be the right fit for everyone, but as we’ve talked about before that’s just not possible. As a business, I need to think about my target market and get really specific.

  • Who are they?
  • How old are they?
  • Where do they live?
  • Where do they shop?
  • What is their typical day like?

It’s really hard to answer those questions, but it’s worth it so you can better serve your audience. For me, my target audience are people just like me! A driven, “trying to make a difference in this world” entrepreneur. 🙂

  • We’re ambitious and passionate
  • We need to multitask and have a drive to expand our knowledge about all things business
  • We have ideas constantly running through our head
  • We need the ability to run their business on the go
  • We live in or near a big city
  • We like good quality products at a competitive price. We know where we want to invest and where to save.
  • Our day never ends. As much as we want it to, our mind never turns off.
  • We’re millennials that love to use a combination of technology and analog tools to achieve our goals
  • We want to make an impact in this world
  • We’re not afraid of a challenge
  • We shop online and in stores

I know that honing in on my ideal customer will not only help me with my brand but also my creative process and business choices. If I have a clearer picture of them in my mind I can create with more intention and purpose. The more I think about it too, this applies to more businesses than just CO Creative Cartel.

So who is your target market? My challenge to you is to really think (in detail) who your ideal customer is. Ask yourself all those questions so you know who there are, what they like, where to find them, and how you relate to them.

xoxo,

 

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Journey to Wholesale – Las Vegas Market Planning 1

A long time dream is coming true for me guys. For over 5 years I’ve been wanting to take my stationery business – CO Creative Cartel to the wholesale market. This year is the year!

I’ve put my deposit down on a booth at the Las Vegas Market this summer. Let the planning begin!


First thing is first, I’m working on getting all my product offerings down so that I can start working on the next big beast – the catalog. Dun dun dun!

I’ve done a bit of soul searching with this business last year and since then  I’ve decided on my niche market. That being said I really want to create products that point back to my brand mission which is to create stationery for entrepreneurs. More on this later.

That being said there’s a lot to do now that I have a clearer vision for my company. I’ve been doing a lot of research with the product ideas I have. I’m in the process of ordering samples from different companies to make sure I have a good balance of the right quality and price point. This is extremely important if you want to sell products. Not only do you want to make sure you cover the cost of the product but also your time, your expenses, your packaging, shipping costs…you have to factor all that in when you’re thinking about setting your price. Don’t undercut yourself and don’t undercut your industry.

Ok guys, keep me accountable. 

  1. Finalize product line
  2. Start designing the catalog

Las Vegas Market, here we come!

xoxo,

 

 

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