03 Sep 10,000 Orders – Thank YOU!
Sweet Sanity was never my #dayjob. I am shocked to think that we have designed, printed and shipped 10,000 packages to 10,000 adorable clients who actually had 10,000 events we have been part of. Through and through the universe has dropped ridiculous people into my path – least of all the hundreds of brides, bachelorettes, mommies-to-be and party planners who made my day but letting us be part of yours. The story in short…
Heard about Etsy.
Took 3 days off work to take a Photoshop course.
Learned how to print on label paper.
Design favor labels.
Sold a set of stickers for a wedding in 2009.
Emailed with a real live person and squealed.
I took photos of my items. They sucked.
Made enough $ to buy a custom upholstered ottoman.
Thought I’d died and gone to heaven.
Realized I could have bought a printer with ottoman money.
Bought a new printer.
Now really feeling like a CEO.
Sold labels for weddings.
Sold labels for baby showers.
Experimented with new paper sizes.
Found vendors on line.
Bought more fonts.
Tried new colors. Cried when they sucked.
Emailed with more clients.
Still squealed when they were happy.
Couldn’t keep up with emails.
Hired Kristie – still can’t live without her.
Sold more. Kristie more.
Went to the post office. ALL. THE. TIME.
Ran around Chicago hording priority envelopes.
Screamed over paper jams at midnight.
Meet Tonya of Toluka Paper, a dear friend in this new world.
Tells me to stop printing at home.
Sends me to local printer.
Local printer becomes like a mentor.
Email him all my orders.
Panic I cannot pick up orders while at #dayjob.
Found Cathy, who still picks up twice a week.
Set up booth at Martha Stewart Wedding event.
Meet real live clients. Love them.
Meet Lisa in the hallway.
‘I don’t know any photographers.’
‘Well now you do.’
Lisa photographs all my products.
Use Lisa’s photos.
Make my own website. Pull my hair out.
Learned more code. Still pull hair out.
Skype with freelancers overseas.
Need more help. Along comes Lindsey.
Hire Lindsey as our social media guru.
The clients + friends I have made thru this endeavor have carved out a whole new world to my existence! And my parents, support system of friends and even two dogs along the way sitting up with me late nights while my face was shoved in a computer screen have supported me through talking about Sweet Sanity for years. At some point I pinned myself on that 10K goal. It seemed sort of crazy to say but I just wanted to get there. One order at a time, nothing speedy and fancy, not the tortoise no the hare, I have arrived. Eternal thanks and hugs to you all!
