New Cards

Business or Pleasure? : Business

With the soft-opening of my Wordpress blog-site, I've had a place to refer clients to when they want to see my work. Unfortunately, I have not had any business cards to carry around with me to hand out. It's embarrassing when people ask for my card, because I never had any. The first 3,000 cards I ever had was something I created by tweaking some clipart, and paying a printer with two carrot cakes in order to print the very bland designs on some colored card stock for me. They did the trick by giving out my info, but it was nothing to be proud of, nor did it represent who I was as a pastry chef or my company as a fun, young, exciting product.

I was told that it made me look unprofessional and not serious about my work.

Once upon a time, I had a graphic artist working on a business card for me, but things didn't work out. It did light a fire under my ass to get it done, though. With the logo he created and a Christmas gift illustration that was sent to me, I came up with a card that's fun and functional. I guess it represents me in a way that I would be proud of. It's been delivered today and I cannot wait to see them!

I'm grateful to have known people who have helped me along the way with my business. My mom got me started. My ex-fiance Joel raised Queenie Cakes with me when it was a baby. I've hit some bumps along the road during it's tween years, but I was lucky enough to have people around me who gave me great advice, handed down some logos and beautiful marketable graphics, and dispensed valuable tech advice to bring me up to speed on the way things are done now.

A cynic would be bitter and jaded at the people who promised them the world but delivered nothing. I say; be grateful for the knowledge you attained by meeting these kinds of people. The best knowledge is often free. I've learned to be a little less trusting, to work a little harder, to stop relying on others to help me get the job I need to do done, and to still be sincerely appreciative for any little helping hand that I shake along the way.

Spiritualists say that every person you encounter in life has a purpose. Some are good and others are there to teach you a valuable lesson. My business is still young and growing. As a first time "parent", I tried many different methods and have found successes and stumbling points along the way. I want my business to succeed so I will adopt the philosophy that I will work hard to attain the goals that I set, accept and learn from failures as they come, and to be truly grateful for all the fantastic people that I meet along the way.

It is my personal belief that you will only get what you give out of Life. Maybe some would call it Karma. Many people have been there for me and my business throughout the years. I will help as many people as I can on my own journey. That way, all the good things will come around again full circle.

This business expense took a large chunk out of my bank account. Honestly, money has not been good lately for personal reasons, but I know I need to invest more in my business if I really want it to grow. In this case, I really had to re-evaluate what expenses I had that were 'pleasure' and cut those out so that I could afford this 'business'. Concerts were missed, movies were un-seen, dinners out where not eaten...But I have some beautiful new business cards waiting for me at home!