{Quit Your Day Job, featuring Plumfield Shop}

Editors note:
It has been 8 months since I quit my day job to work on Gussy Sews full time — and to help celebrate the anniversary of this little dream of mine, I’ve put together a {Quit Your Day Job} mini-series.

Coming up: many more stories of encouragement, inspiration and how-to.

Bio:

My name is Lauren and I have been sewing for five years. I had always wanted to learn to sew and one day decided that it was time. I got an inexpensive sewing machine and read the whole manual. I asked my husband for help (he had taken Home Ec in middle school, while I was taking wood shop). After lots of practice, I was hooked. I wanted to sew all the time. So we came up with the crazy idea that I could quit my full time job and start a sewing business. And that’s what I did.

I live in Charlotte, North Carolina with my husband, Steve. We have a very quiet house. However, we are in the process of adopting two children from Ethiopia, so I think this is the last year of quiet. We’re super excited. Plumfield Shop, where I sell my wares, contains an eclectic mix of bags, purses, baby toys, home décor, and accessories. My favorite things to make are things that I can wear and use, so if you see it in the shop, chances are I made one for myself as well.

The Interview:

1. What were some ways you prepared to become a handmade biz owner {your day-to-day schedule, financially, emotionally, etc.}?
Steve and I read books on starting a home business and we also combed Etsy to see what other people were doing. We monitored our budget over a six month period to see if we could make ends meet with me not making a salary. And I started telling everyone I knew about my business idea so that they could get excited about it ahead of time and spread the word to others.

2. Share with us a positive “ah-hah” moment from this process.
I think that is was great for us to realize that even though I might not be making money at my job anymore, we’d actually be spending less if I wasn’t going to work. We spend less on gas and work clothes, and we don’t eat out as much since I’m home to cook. Figuring out little ways that quitting work would save us made me feel more confident to move forward.

3. What was the time frame from when you decided you were going to quit to when you actually put in your notice/took some serious steps toward becoming self-employed?
Steve and I had been dreaming about me being able to quit my job for probably about 6 months before we finally decided to just risk it. I put in my notice two weeks after we made our decision and I quit working full time four weeks after that.

4. What was your first day like as a handmade biz owner? Describe your feelings, were you really excited? Did it seem soooo weird to be home/self-employed? Share this moment with us.
My “first day” as a handmade business owner happened about two months after I actually quit my full time job. I had several part time jobs throughout the summer and was kind of getting things lined up for the business. My computer-savvy sister came to visit at the beginning of August and helped me take pictures and get all my items listed in my Etsy shop. She also helped me start my blog. The day she left is what I would really consider my “first day”. I announced my shop opening on my blog and Facebook and I got an order from a friend immediately. I couldn’t believe how exciting that was! All of a sudden, this business was something real, not just something that I’d been dreaming about.

5. Do you write out a “schedule” for each day? How do you divide and organize your time?
I make a two column list each day- one column for household chores and one for business tasks. I make a mark by tasks that could be carried over to the next day and then aim to get all the “must-do” tasks done first. I usually try to remain in business mode for a couple of hours at a time, and then take a break to vacuum or make dinner, and then get back to business. I find that it helps break up the day and it’s good to move around every so often!

6. What is a current challenge are you facing, and how do you plan to overcome it?
I am currently having a difficult time with pricing custom orders. I have come to realize that they are more costly for me to create because I am purchasing specific material (instead of using what I have on hand) and I am usually only making one item at a time. Pricing is a difficult area for me and I hope to become more confident in it as my business gains momentum. I am currently reading “Craft, Inc.”, a book about starting your own craft business, and it has some great pricing tips that I plan to use.

7. What are three tips you can to pass along to someone that’s ready to make the leap? :]
-Just risk it. Starting a business is like having a baby- you’ll never really be ready.
-Be your own biggest fan. Wear and carry your stuff everywhere and tell everyone you meet about your business. Your enthusiasm for it is bound to rub off on people and you’ll get tons of free advertising!
-Open a business bank account right away and keep detailed records of what you are spending and what you are bringing in. This way, it’s easy to see if you’re making money and that can be a huge encouragement.

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