Friday, July 31, 2009

My Day Was Made

Of course I love hearing that people love my products. I love when people email me after they have received their order and tell me how much they like everything. Yesterday I got an email from "Rachel" with a video attached. An adorable 3 year old little girl twirling in her new tutu. The title of the video was "Guess who won the best gift award". I am glad this cute little girl loves her new tutu as much as I liked making it.

It is late and I am still working on the details of "Give Back" or "Give Always", I can't decide on the name. I only have until tomorrow, I think I will sleep on it. I am so excited to launch this program and give to those in need while also helping my customers give!

Never stop researching and never stop marketing, so important for your business!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

I Love My Job

Really, I love what I do. I just feel so lucky to be able to do what I enjoy. One of Tigey's friends asked me a couple of months ago if I could have any job in the world what would it be? Honestly I am doing it! Don't get me wrong starting your own business without a lot of money and doing basically every part of it myself is TOUGH but beyond rewarding. I truly feel like this is what I was meant to do with my career.

So with marketing Bebe Dulce I have met a whole new community of people on different websites that I find inspirational and helpful. I am a member of Martha Stewart's Dreamer into Doers social networking site. Today I cam home from a long day to get an email from Beth (a fellow Dreamer into Doer) and she mentioned this here lovely blog on her blog! What a nice surprise. Beth has a great blog that gives helpful marketing info to small businesses. Thanks Beth. http://www.minibizbuzz.typepad.com/

The next marketing avenue that I am exploring is to send in our products in to "review" blogs and websites. There are many out there. I have a handful that I will begin sending press kits to in hopes of having my products reviewed. First I need to write another press release. I want to change my pitch a little to focus more on the quality of craftmanship you get from handmade products as well as the great customer service that we provide being a small business. When you give someone a unique, handmade gift with great quality and style it has more meaning than buying the same blanket or outfit everyone else buys from Target.

Don't forget I am launching "Give Back" on August 1. I am just working out a few more details and then this great program will take off. I am so excited to help others in this way as well as help my customers give just by shopping Bebe Dulce.

My wish for all of you is that you find a career that you truly enjoy.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Where Do I Begin

Well, for starters, today is my birthday. You know I don't really like my birthdays anymore, I feel like they are destined for disappointment. I don't want to seem like a downer because I try really hard to be positive in most situations. I just feel like the expectation that the day should be perfect makes it entirely imperfect. Just like New Years Eve, I don't know if I have ever had a great one. You make all these fancy plans get a new dress and then the night turns out to be a flop. Today was a fine birthday, nothing exciting. Sometimes I just wish birthdays were like they used to be, when I was a kid I literally felt different than I did they day before. Now they are just another day. Next year I want to celebrate like I used to!

So we went to Austin. It took a very long time. We left Wednesday night and drove to Denver, everything went fine, our hotel was actually much nicer than I expected. Thursday morning we get to the airport only to find out out flight has been cancelled. Frontier does not have another flight with available seats for 4 days to Austin. Okay. So they say they can switch us to United but the flight doesn't leave until 8pm, it is currently 8:30am. Breath. They say they can put us on stand by for 2 other United flights. The next flight leaves at 1:30pm. Luckily the bags are on the 1:30 flight, so if I can't make it for the trunk show at least my bags will get there and Jen can have merchandise for the show. We miss the 1:30 flight. We get on the 5:00 flight, after the longest day of my life (being in the airport with a 1 1/2 year old for 8 1/2 hours SUCKS), we get to Austin at 8:00pm, the same time the show ends. Still bummed I missed the show.

What I will say is that we ended up having a spectacular time in Austin thanks to Jen and Derrik. Such a fun, fun weekend. Drank wine, played in the fountains, laughed, kids played and didn't miss a beat with a great friend I haven't seen in 6 years. It was great.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

What a day already and we haven't even left for Austin yet!! I have been running around like crazy trying to finish up last minute orders, packing, cleaning and a million other things. I am so excited to go I can barely think straight. Then I check my email and Austin Kidbits featured us in their newsletter today! WhooooHoooo. It was a great little bit on Bebe Dulce and mentioned our trunk show Thursday night. Okay, now I really can't think straight. My wonderful brother came over to watch Alea so I could go into town and run errands. I needed to go to the post office and the bank. I mail everything at the post office and then head to the bank, only to realize that I left my deposits at home!!! Dang it!! Good thing we live in a small town and we are only 5 minutes away from town but geez, today has loads of excitement and my brain is not working!! So now I am sitting on the couch, having an early glass of wine and blogging. Whew. Not sure the glass of wine will hurt me or help, who am I kidding??? Of course it will help, wine ALWAYS helps!! HEHE

Cheers! We are off to Austin!

Visit us at Sanctuary Thursday night if you are in Austin! 6-8pm

Monday, July 20, 2009

Goin' ta Austin!

Well, Jen has done it again! She has gotten more orders! We will soon be in stores in southern Cali! I love expanding our market. Once we ship the orders, we will let you know where you can find us in SoCal!!

We are headed to Austin, Texas this weekend. Bebe Dulce will be having a trunk show at "Sanctuary" for their anniversary party. This is our first trunk show, hopefully the first of many to come, and we couldn't be more excited. Plus I will be seeing my long-time friend and now sales rep, Jen who I haven't seen in 6 or 7 years! We are in for a fun-filled weekend! My how times have changed. The last time Jen and I saw each other we both lived in NYC and went to all the best "hot spots", now we are both married with kids and have little time for ourselves much less hitting all the "hot spots"! I am sure we will make time this weekend though! I will tell you all about it next week.

Jen and I will also be heading to several of the Austin stores that carry Bebe Dulce baby gifts. I love seeing my products displayed in stores. Hopefully, I will remember to take pictures of the displays for everyone to see!

Friday, July 17, 2009

Marketing Pays Off & My Baby Girl Rocks

You know about a month ago I decided to concentrate on marketing Bebe Dulce. I had been really busy with store orders but my internet business had slacked off. So I started researching marketing techniques, everything from internet based to handing my business card out more. I have been so focused on this. I have learned lots of things from doing loads of research. I will have to say all my hard work is paying off. I have been really busy with internet and "word of mouth" orders. I will also have to say that I really enjoying marketing, I am kinda surprised by that.

This afternoon I took Alea to town and we were at the fountain playing, well she was playing. Lots of kids are constantly there. Alea loves it. She is so social, although she barely talks in public, and loves other kids. Anyway, there are always balloons there for the kids to play with and of course Alea was playing with a balloon. There was another balloon a couple of feet away from her, she walked over to the balloon, picked it up and took it over to a 10 month old little girl standing with her Mom and gave her a balloon!!! I am so proud of her. I work so hard on making sure she shares and today made it all worth it. What a good girl :)


"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away."
— Maya Angelou

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Random Thoughts, FREE Pillow

Random Thoughts...

Just a little exercise tip, when you go walking or hiking, bring your ski poles or a couple of walking sticks. Why? You burn 25% more calories when walking or hiking with poles because you are moving your arms as well, therefore getting a full body workout.

I should have started this blog, joined facebook, twitter and all the other social media sites when I worked for someone else. It was so much easier to waste time on someone else's clock rather than my own. Damn it!

I don't know why I dream of being on Oprah!? I can't even talk in front of 20 people much less the whole world. I think I will change my dream that my company, my products will be on Oprah, not me in particular.

Let's have a little fun.
Okay, now if you message me today, this means by midnight tonight, Thursday July 16. I will send you a FREE relaxation pillow. Yep, totally FREE, FREE pillow, FREE shipping.

What you need to do is visit my website http://www.bebedulceaspen.com/ and fill out the email list on the home page. Include your shipping address and what scent of pillow you would like. To find the scents visit the Mom's relaxation products page on the site.

Ready, Go, Have a Great Day!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

"Give Back"

I am itching for more marketing and PR techniques. As of now I have sent out press kits to a few publications. Unfortunately, since sending them we have only been able to get in touch with one person. That person was of course the one person I almost didn't send a press kit to because they don't really do stories on businesses and people, they are strictly "news". Bummer. We will keep calling though. In the meantime, I will be writing another press release to send out, one that is more "news worthy" vs. informational on Bebe Dulce as a company.

I have a new program that I hope to launch August 1. It will be called "Give Back". Give Back is a program that I wanted to create to help give back to the community, non-profits, charities and organizations. Bebe Dulce will give a percentage of our sales to a chosen organization. We will let our customers choose the organizations where they can also honor someone. I chose the program "Give Back" because we want to give to organizations in need. I also want to give back to my loyal customers for shopping Bebe Dulce.

I hope that "Give Back" is a success and we can give LOADS of money to people that need it.


"The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up."
— Mark Twain

Monday, July 13, 2009

Bebe Dulce Business Tip

Okay, so I want to start giving tips on how I am increasing business for Bebe Dulce. I am just learning and I do a lot of research but other than that I am new to the business game (as of last year).

So my Bebe Dulce Tip of the Day...

Recruit your friends as sales reps. I knew that I needed a big jump-start to my business. I only planned on doing "word-of'-mouth" advertising for my internet based business. Well, that didn't work. I mean I got a couple of orders a week but that wasn't cutting it.

My awesome friend Jen really liked my product and would help me brainstorm on how to get the word out. Before we knew it Jen was my first sales rep! I then asked a couple other friends and now I have 4 sales reps. One is a stay at home Mom and the others work either full or part time. They love it because they can make their own schedule and work as much or as little as they want, plus they make extra cash! I love it becasue they make commission only and they pay for their samples they "use" to sell. I researched loads of sales rep jobs to figure out what was common practice and then added in what worked for me. So far, this has been an incredible jump-start for Bebe Dulce. We are currently in over 20 stores in 3 states!!

If you want to be a sales rep or if you have a business and would like more info about hiring sales reps, just send me a comment.

Enjoy your day!

Sunday, July 12, 2009

My Baby, My Work

I wonder what Alea will be when she grows up. I was thinking today that she likes soooo many things. She LOVES to talk on the phone, she loves to "colar", she loves to rub lotion on me, she loves to play in the dirt, she loves to pick flowers she also loves for me to put make up on her, she is such a happy girl. I am so lucky.

I have been painting onesies, t-shirts and tutu's all weekend. I love it, it is such a nice change up from sewing. Both equally fun! I have a great job. Hopefully soon I will be able to employee some of the people that are laid off. Business has been good and let it continue! Cheers!


"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." — Albert Einstein

Friday, July 10, 2009

My Baby Girl

Exhausted. It really is amazing how much a 1 1/2 year old can completely wear you out. For now, I get about a 2 hour nap break during the day. I think I definitely need to start napping instead of racing around the house trying to do a million things during that time. I need a nap! It is Friday night, 7:45pm and I am already laying in bed watching TV!?! My-how life changes in such a short time! I do think about going out and having fun, being social, but when the time comes I am a NO-GO! I can't remember the last time I even stayed up 'till midnight! Don't say New Years because I haven't even rung in the New Year for the past couple of years. Am I what people consider a loser?? What will I be when I have another baby?? Okay, don't answer that.

Since I am on the kid topic...how can a 1 1/2 year old have so many opinions? Now we don't wear bibs, don't want to wear diapers or clothes, don't sit in stroller, barely get in the car seat, only like to wear shoes indoors?? When she is completely forced to wear shoes outside she only wants to wear one?? Really? Only wants to eat my food even though it is the same thing that is on her plate, I could really go on for days. My Mom claims that Alea acts like I did as a child, really? Is that why it took you a mear 6 years to have another?? Damn. So Alea got Tigey's looks (other than the tan skin) and my amazing personality! Good thing she is beyond adorable.

With this I am signing off...
Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."
—Robert A. Heinlein

Thursday, July 9, 2009

My Life Today

Well, I just had a nice phone meeting with a website designer. So, BebeDulce.com facelift begins! This is so exciting, I hope it goes smoothly!

I have been really busy with internet orders this week, I hope this means my marketing is starting to pay off. I have been studying all about marketing and PR lately. There is so much to do and to learn. Everyone has a different take on what has worked for them. I am just taking the things I like to do and going with them first. If that doesn't work then I guess I will have to start doing the things I don't like to do..... like talking to people I don't know about myself and my company.
It is such a learning process and the common key I have found to marketing is that you can never stop! You have to keep up with many marketing techniques consistently for them to work. That is the hard part! It is so easy to do something once, like writing a blog, but to keep up with doing them is a whole other story.

Anyway, today is my one day a week that I work at the Aspen Club & Spa front desk. It is hard for me to stop my work and get there but once I am there I really enjoy it. Since I work at home, I feel like a hermit. It is good to have to get out of here and be social, something that I like to do but have a hard time doing. In case you didn't know, I am actually a pretty shy person. I really want to talk to strangers but it is so hard for me. That is definitely the trait that I like least about myself, I think, at least today anyway!

Okay, enough for now. I hope everyone is having a good day!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Vote for Bebe Dulce

Back to the Blog world! You know I have never been able to keep a diary. I just could never keep up with it. I would write a day or two and then forget to for months. That was years ago when I was single, had easy jobs, and no kid. Now I run my own business, married and have a very busy 1 1/2 year old. Why do I think I can keep up with this now????? I think I will just cross my fingers and imagine that I have more time than I know what to do with! Go Blog!!

As for Bebe Dulce, I am trying to redesign my website. It is really tough. I want add a few new features and upgrade it over all. This is such a big task, but so very important for my business. Websites are so complex and then add the search engine optimization!! WOW. I am glad I am not in the web business.

I entered Bebe Dulce in Start Up Nation's Home Based business competition. So follow this link and vote for Bebe Dulce! You can only vote once a day but once you vote you can get email reminders to vote every day. Vote Bebe Dulce daily!!

Anyway, back to my day with Alea and enjoying her silly-ness.

I wish everyone a day of love and laughter!

Monday, July 6, 2009

Oprah

I can't believe I haven't written on here since Thursday. Last week when I started this blog thought I would write on here every other day at the least! Oh well, it was a holiday weekend after all!

I mailed out more press kits today. I am excited to see the response. This week I need to follow up on the kits I have already mailed. I also need to work on my kits for OPRAH, yep I said Oprah! I have decided that is my new goal! I am determined be on Oprah one of these days!

This week I want to work on more marketing techniques. RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH!!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Hand Out Business Cards

Today was a great day. I love having great days. I Set up a table at the Aspen Club and it was very successful. I think even just standing there and handing out business cards is success. As long as I am telling someone new about my company or just talking about Bebe Dulce I think is really good. Spread the word!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

My first blog post!!

My first blog post!! I better make it good! HAHA

Today was a great day, my brother came over and babysat this morning for a few hours so I could get a little work finished. I am so glad to have my brother here. Alea just adores him and he babysits anytime for free. Living so far away from family, in particular my Mom, I don't know what I would do without a little free help and especially with someone I trust. He always talks about moving but I really hope he doesn't.

Tomorrow is daycare day! I am going to set up a Bebe Dulce table in the morning at the Aspen Club. I hope it is busy! I haven't set up a table there in months. I have also always done it with someone else but tomorrow I will be by myself. I am not a person that likes doing things like that by myself. Wish me luck!

I am really excited for the holiday weekend. I have never been a huge holiday person but now that I have a child, holidays take on a totally different meaning.