Wishing for a Stress-free Holiday Season

Just wanted to give you a quick update on my inventory management system I talked about in my last blog. I made some progress with planning and drafting, but I've hit a bit of a roadblock with actually getting it set up. I was hoping to have it done before the holidays, but I realized I need to learn a bit more about setting it up, so I've decided to pause until the new year. I'll be taking an Excel class at my local community college, hoping to pick up the skills I need to finish. So, even though it's on hold for now, I'll definitely have more to share in the New Year!

I am a little behind with my blog post (what's new!)... As I work through this first year of running my business full time, I am learning a lot on what I need to do better next year. As I prepare for at least 8 in-person shows over the next two months, two gallery exhibits and supplying my wholesale accounts, I realize I need a lot more inventory on hand! Once the holiday season is over, I'll write about some of the lessons learned and what I want to do differently next year. But for now, it is safe to say that I am freaking out a little about making sure I have enough jewelry on hand to make it to the end of the year.

Honestly, I'm pretty sure I'll be okay, but I'm going to be super busy with production for the next couple of months (which is also why the inventory management project is on pause). It's not exactly a bad problem to have, but it could've been avoided if I had planned better. The upside is that I learned how to manage my production schedule better during that 100-day jewelry challenge, which is going to help a lot!

Plus, my shows in September and October went really well, both sales-wise and with the feedback I got. I'm planning to use this success to keep me motivated while I ramp up production. So, I think I'll be alright... but I'm pretty sure the holidays won't be totally stress-free! Wish me luck, and I'll update you next month when I'm right in the middle of it all!