Happy Lunar New Year!
I've been thinking a lot about all the things I want to accomplish this year, and lemme tell ya – there are a lot. It honestly gave me headaches, but I’ve finally organized my thoughts and I wanted to share them with you!
So here's to my very first blog post and kicking off 2023 with some ambitious (but still achievable I think 🤞) goals!
This year, I split my goals into 3 main themes:
- Scaling
- Systems & Processes
- Sustainability
I. Scaling
Growing my business & making sure it can still operate smoothly at a larger scale.
1. Increase distribution channels.
Why do I want to do this?
I think a big part of scaling is distribution. I love doing events, but I know it’s not scalable because I can’t access regions where I’m not physically present. This means, even if people like my work, not enough people are seeing it.
To increase my distribution channels, I plan to invest more into wholesale business. And I know, I’ve been saying “I wanna get into wholesale” since I made my Faire account at the end of 2021, but I never actually did. So this is the year y’all! This is the year I’m finally gonna back myself and fucking do it lol
wtf is wholesale?? Wholesale means selling products in larger quantities with the intention of being retailed by others. So basically selling in bulk to stores (usually at a lower unit price), so they can retail your products.And Faire is an online wholesale marketplace for brands like me to sell to independent retailers. I think of it like Etsy for retailers. Etsy is B2C (biz to consumer) and Faire is B2B (biz to biz).
This year, I will:
- Reach out to at least 5 different retail stores each month.
- Double my annual wholesale revenue.
- Build out my collection of greeting cards (which I’ve seen a lot of retailers carry) by at least 5 new designs.
How will this help me?
This will help me diversify revenue channels and increase distribution points to art lovers.
2. Learn more about trade shows.
Why do I want to do this?
If Faire:Etsy, then Trade Shows:Craft Fairs. As far as I know, trade shows are large scale events where brands showcase their products to retail buyers in hopes of landing a few big orders or contracts. I think trade shows go hand in hand with wholesale, so I want to learn more.
This year, I will:
- Attend at least 1 trade show to learn how they work.
- Maybe participate in a trade show if I feel ready.
This will help me get my footing in the world of wholesale.
3. Be strategic about my time and energy usage.
Why do I want to do this?
My time is limited, but this is still a 1 woman show, so I have to do everything. Or do I?? I’m starting to re-evaluate this. My time is best spent on the creative work, the strategic thinking, and making personal connections, not the manual labor of production and manufacturing, so I want to be more strategic about how I use my time.
Honestly, sometimes I do enjoy the production work because it feels therapeutic to do a repetitive task. I’m also a perfectionist, so sometimes I have trouble trusting other people to do things for me. BUT I know it’s for the best 🥲
Honestly, sometimes I do enjoy the production work because it feels therapeutic to do a repetitive task. I’m also a perfectionist, so sometimes I have trouble trusting other people to do things for me. BUT I know it’s for the best 🥲
This year, I will:
- Consider outsourcing production when I can (stamping bags, trimming prints, etc.)
- Optimize production time when I choose not to outsource.
- Let go of tiny details that no one besides me notices when I outsource labor.
How will this help me?
This will allow me to reallocate time to doing more of what I love and that are most valuable for JaneLi.Co.
How can you support me in achieving these goals?
- Send me your favorite retail stores so I can reach out to them.
- Tell your favorite retail store to check out my website and consider carry my products.
- If you see my products in a store, tell them you’re excited to see my work sold there so hopefully they place more orders! But only if you mean it lol
- If you’ve got wholesale tips & tricks, please share!
- If you have a retail store, consider carrying my product! Check out my Faire catalog here.
II. Systems & Processes
Setting up foundations & optimizing existing processes.
1. Build up my shop presence.
Why do I want to do this?
Last year I transitioned off of Etsy, so I need start driving traffic to my own shop site. While Etsy has really great SEO and helps me get discovered by random people on the internet, it’s not a direct channel for me to reach my customers, and it takes a fuck ton of fees. So in order for me to grow my business, I need to have a strong presence without relying on Etsy. To build up my shop presence, I’m going to set up my email & blog system to drive traffic.
This year I will:
- Increase my email subscriber list by 3x.
- Build out 3 automated email flows: Welcome, Post Purchase, & Win Back.
- Send 1 email newsletter each month starting in February.
- Post 1 blog entry each month (debriefs, reflections, etc).
How will this help me?
This will help drive traffic to my shop, build my independent shop presence, and increase revenue.
2. Tidy up my admin materials & digital workspace.
Why do I want to do this?
My notes app is a hot mess. I started using Notion last year in an effort to keep things more organized, but even that doesn’t look great. I have excel sheets and Quickbooks, but they could also be utilized better. I know that if my digital workspace is disorganized, I won’t be able to do my best work. So this year, I’m going to tidy it up.
My notes app is a hot mess. I started using Notion last year in an effort to keep things more organized, but even that doesn’t look great. I have excel sheets and Quickbooks, but they could also be utilized better. I know that if my digital workspace is disorganized, I won’t be able to do my best work. So this year, I’m going to tidy it up.
This year, I will:
- Organize all my Notion pages into logical categories.
- Build out systems to use in Notion (content calendars, wholesale trackers, etc.)
- Learn how to use Quickbooks properly.
How will this help me?
This will make my processes more efficient & prevent future disasters.
How can you support me in achieving these goals?
- Subscribe to my email list! You’ll get monthly newsletters, info on product launches, debriefs, and more. Sign up here 😊
- Engage with my emails – open them, read them, share them with your friends!
- Tell your family & friends about my shop 💕
- Send me Notion and small biz accounting tips & recs!
III. Sustainability
Taking care of the environment & taking care of myself.
1. Minimize waste.
Why do I want to do this?
As I scale my business, I’m starting to generate more waste. There are a lot of things that are packaged with single use plastic, and while I re-use when I can, there’s just still so much. I will admit that it is extremely convenient and saves me so much time, but I don’t want to run a business with complete disregard for the planet, so I am going to make a conscious effort to cut waste where I can.
As I scale my business, I’m starting to generate more waste. There are a lot of things that are packaged with single use plastic, and while I re-use when I can, there’s just still so much. I will admit that it is extremely convenient and saves me so much time, but I don’t want to run a business with complete disregard for the planet, so I am going to make a conscious effort to cut waste where I can.
This year, I will:
- Switch to compostable poly mailers and padded envelopes when I finish using my current stock.
- Consider selling pins without plastic sleeves.
- Switch greeting card packaging to open sleeves without extra plastic flaps.
How will this help me?
This will help me take care of the planet! 🌎
2. Establish better work-life balance habits.
Why do I want to do this?
It’s not sustainable for me to work on my business during every second of my free time. Last year, I had a bunch of stress dreams directly linked to events. Because I was only focused on working, I stopped taking care of myself in other ways like exercise, eating, and sleeping well. I had less time to do other things I love like hanging out with friends, exploring the city, and being outdoors. But I’m in my 20s and living in San Francisco. I don’t want to miss out on life experiences or neglect my physical and mental health just because I’m going HAM on work.
It’s not sustainable for me to work on my business during every second of my free time. Last year, I had a bunch of stress dreams directly linked to events. Because I was only focused on working, I stopped taking care of myself in other ways like exercise, eating, and sleeping well. I had less time to do other things I love like hanging out with friends, exploring the city, and being outdoors. But I’m in my 20s and living in San Francisco. I don’t want to miss out on life experiences or neglect my physical and mental health just because I’m going HAM on work.
This year, I will:
- Keep at least one free weekend each month (except November 😬).
- Take at least 1 vacation where I don’t touch JaneLi.Co work at all.
How will this help me?
How can you support me in achieving these goals?
- Send me recs for compostable packing materials!
- Remind me to take breaks 🥺
I wanted to add a little list of other milestones I want to hit this year, but now I’m tired, so no. LOL this is all the goal setting there will be for 2023. Bye!!