Greetings y'all!
The past few weeks have been pretty exciting. I opened a new business called The Artisan Edge. My mission is to help small specialty retailers or people who have been doing farmers markets and craft fairs and are ready to take a leap to brick and mortar retailing.
I have 2 decades of retail experience with both huge success’ and a share of mistakes. I’ve been talking with small retailers lately and realized how much information and skills they lacked to truly be successful. So I’ve been documenting my journey from selling chocolate out of my cooler at the Volcano, Hawaii Farmers Market to high performing retail stores in Hawaii resort areas, Hawaii small towns and Santa Fe, NM.
I developed a mini course called Tips, Tricks and Tools Every Retailer Should Know and an outline for a deeper 7 module course with personal interaction and coaching. I’m still working on. I’ve had a deep dive into sales strategy, storytelling and new skills.
I can’t believe the amount of apps I’ve added to my phone and used from research to video editing software to graphic design and e-book making tools ,to script and copywriting , some with AI, and sales funnel building tools.
There’s also Amazon publishing and Print On Demand. Some of that is for the affiliate marketing I do for an income. The list goes on…
I had to make a spreadsheet just to keep track of all these apps! I also expanded my social media proficiency to Tik- Tok and You Tube. There’s a learning curve with all these tools and technology. I’m not a total newbie- I’ve had websites, IG and Facebook and email marketing and newsletters for years . In Hawaii we created some You Tubes. But some of this is next level and really exciting. I’m not the ace yet but I’m doing amazing things in the last couple months.
There aren’t quite enough hours in the day but I’m hoping that pace will slow just a bit. ( Or maybe I’ll just get faster)
On top of it though, is the Chocolate Making class I tutor twice a year for Ecole Chocolat. That just started up again and goes until early December. I love working with students from all over the world. I realize how much happier I am with something to tackle during the day besides walking the dog. I’m reading more and fully engaged on line. I miss the public contact I had when I had the stores.
Texas summer was pretty brutal and I’m glad to see the sun shifting and a cool off of 10 degrees or so. It doesn’t usually get cold here until Dec. but cooler weather is certainly welcome!
And like many places in the West, we desperately need rain. It’s rained only once since early June with an measurable rainfall. With all the fall hurricane activity we have a chance for some storm remnants to come our way. I’m loving my Tiny house and it’s been cool and efficient on energy. I planted some spineless prickly pear cactus, desert willow , Texas sage shrubs and clumping Mulhey grasses in my front yard. I don’t want to be a slave to watering thirsty plants.
Hopefully next year I can travel a bit more.
Happy Halloween and Fall Equinox.
Melanie
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