What Do I Want To Say?

So, starting this blog all over again has given me a chance to reflect about what I want it to say to others and how it can help in this process of being able to present my wares and represent my brand.

When I decided seven years ago to take on a sole proprietorship it had been after five long years of paying off all the debt I had out.  My father had just passed away in 2000 and my debt load was heavy--due solely to my negligence with spending and using cards .  My parent's child, instilled with no bankruptcy rules, I set out to pay it all off by consolidation and a good repayment plan with a company in it to help--not to gouge funds. I was lucky it went smoothly.

I worked teaching full time and then picked up another writing gig at school on the side, which I retain to this day.  I picked up any side and summer work that I could.  All of my funds went into the pay off.  And meanwhile, I was searching the internet for a home that could become mine for a store that I dreamed would be established before retirement.

An up and comer, Rubylane, was showing great promise at the time.  I watched it for four years, monitoring pieces I liked and how quickly they sold.  I watched other online venues as well, knowing the minute I had paid back my debt that I was going to jump on and start my store up. And that I did.  The template was easy to use and beautiful.  I had started off with with a logo that I had designed from a Japanese Crest design in wood cut.  I had two of my students (one in art, the other in computer) refine the picture and then turn it into a jpg for me to use.  I was excited by this.  It was my own little do it yourself thing.  It was all mine.  Did I get criticized for it?  Oh, yes I did.  "What did the logo mean with a circular sword and a rose intertwining." " Sounds Scottish."  " What do you mean it is a Japanese design?  It doesn't look Japanese!"

But I loved it.  It had special meaning to me and I used it as my initial brand.

A few years into it, I saw an old french fashion advert and started using it as my brand logo.  It is on my business cards, it is on my invoices, it is on my store and both my Facebook and Twitter pages.
All of this was gradual and all of this took time.

There are times I am still not sure if any of this reflects who I am or what I want to say about myself.  But I will wear it until I change it, and I will be satisfied that it represents well.

For those of you in this process. . .give yourself time to do this.  It, at the core, is about finding yourself and presenting you to the world.  And that should be an adventure filled with change and love and discovery and fun. . .a lot of fun and laughs.