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Helping Your Stained Glass Business (And Yourself) Survive With Style
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BETTERSTAINEDGLASS.COM |
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| Last month we showed how to solder a repaired art glass panel. This month we discuss a little of the philosophy on Helping Your Stained Glass Business (And Yourself) Survive With Style. This isn't just for business owners, but for all who struggle with paying the bills occasionally.. | |||
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The new LDS Oquirrh Mountain temple
hosted an open house which we attended. They have "glass
curtains" throughout the building that are elegant and stunning,
all cut with bright wheel technique. . |
We had a chance to spend some time near
Sundance with our friends, the Allen's. Jeanne took the picture so
wasn't in the shot, note the reflection of the mountains in the windows! . |
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| I find that when times are good and when times are less than good, either way, I need to get out there and promote stained glass (see the article we wrote on stained glass promotion). But, when times are difficult, you need ways to maintain a positive attitude as you go about promoting your art and growing as an artist. | |||
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Helping Your Stained Glass Business (And Yourself) Survive With Style |
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You've all heard it, the radio ads that tell you
how bad things are and the news reports that thrive on the doom and
gloom of the global economy. With all the whining going on, it's a
wonder that any one is still in business or still alive!
We talked about how we were sick of this attitude of impending doom in the article about the "Hope Star". But I thought it might be a good idea to go over some ideas that we've had to avoid the gloom of so called, "bad times." These are just some of the ideas that we've had, I hope you'll look at them and see how you might incorporate these ideas in your life and your business. If you have comments and more suggestions, e-mail them to us and I'll add them to this article. |
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When I was a kid, my Mom would get up in the
morning, singing happy songs. One went, "Count your blessings, name
them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done."
This song was full of good advice, we really do need to count our
blessings and focus on what's right in our lives.
Later in life, I learned that my Mother wasn't happy in the morning. She was a real grouch, but she sang all those happy songs as a way to get into a happy mood. And it worked! By pretending you're happy, you have a change come over you that will make it a reality. It's hard to be sad with a big grin on your face. |
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Throw a Party To
Celebrate |
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You don't need a big event to celebrate. Next time
you get a glass order or complete a big project (or complete a little
one) throw a party. Have a cookout, bake a cake, hang some balloons,
invite your friends and clients and just have a great time.
If you have a celebration, you'll be too busy having fun to be worried about the future. You may find that while you have fun, you'll make new contacts and have new ideas spring to mind. You'll see solutions instead of problems because you've taken a step back and now you can see the forest and not just the trees! |
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Take A Break -
"Free" Vacation |
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Have a garage sale, clean out some of
that junk you haven't used in the last few years. Then, take
the cash you made and spend it on your break.
For your break, your mini-vacation, do something you haven't done for a while; visit the zoo, a museum, a friends stained glass studio, something that's very affordable. Try to spend as little money as possible. Take the left over cash from your yard sale and buy chocolate for the next time you need a lift! Taking a step back will let your mind clear and your hopes soar. |
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Create Something New |
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I read a book about running a retail business that
said that 30% of your inventory, or the line of product you sell each year
needs to be new. The
book was written by Carol Schroeder who runs "Orange Tree
Imports."
(Carol contacted me and said that what she wrote about was that it is a goal to replace the value of your inventory three times a year, i.e. get three turns. So I read about replacing inventory someplace else. Still, I've found a lot of help in her book.) You need to look at the things you sell and cull out the 30% of items that are duds. And to produce something new to replace them with. They said that you need to plan on doing this every single year that you're in business. Well, before, you were likely just too busy to do that, but now that you've got time, create a new product. Who knows? The law of the harvest is really at work here, Christmas is always coming and you need to build up an inventory, some of the tried and true items and some of those new and wonderful ones. Then you'll be ready when the opportunity presents itself. |
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Take A Class |
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Not Only is taking a class a good idea, you may want to look into taking a more active role in Stained Glass Organizations. The SGAA, Stained Glass Association Of America would be a good place to start. Or subscribe to a new magazine, when it comes, you'll be inspired to reach for new heights. World
Art Glass Quarterly |
If business is slow, you have something
you didn't have as readily before and that's time! Invest some of that freed
up time by taking a class.
You can learn to sand carve glass or do some lampworking or kiln fire some glass or even do some glass blowing. Each of these classes will teach you new skills and techniques that will add to your abilities as an artist. But don't stop there, learn to do new projects in stained glass and learn to weld so you can make your own stands or how about taking a woodworking course so you can combine glass work with woodwork. How about learning that drawing program that will make you more productive? These classes don't need to have a direct connection with you and money. But somehow, everything you learn will make you rich in skill, rich in enthusiasm, rich as a person. The students and teachers you meet will enrich your life. (We've got project videos for an easy way to learn a new skill) D & L Art Glass supply in Colorado offers many classes in glass painting, fusing and other areas of interest to glass artists. |
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Display Your Work
Somewhere |
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Look around, there are art shows and galleries that
have been touched by the slow down. In fact, this may be the perfect time
to strike up new relationships with gallery owners who would love to have
a new artist to introduce. Your new art will be a blessing to them because
they need your new, fresh art to gain momentum in their business.
And while you're looking, don't forget the other businesses in the community, restaurant waiting areas and bank lobbies may exhibit your art just for the opportunity to have something new and fresh for their clients to enjoy. |
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Do Something For Someone
Else |
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No matter how hard you look for happiness, it will
escape you unless you learn to do something for someone else.
Christ said, "He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." I've always thought that meant that when you desperately look for happiness, it will escape you, but when you get out of yourself and serve others, there it will appear. So, go work a temp job and give the money you made to a charity you haven't helped before. Or you could sell plasma and then give a couple of bucks to the next panhandler you meet, whether you think they're deserving or not. Or at the very least, go volunteer at the local food bank. You'll feel better for having done good and maybe, you'll get the impression that you're really not as poorly off as you thought. |
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Send us e-mail with your comments and suggestions. We enjoy the chance to share with others. | |||
A change is as good as a rest!
This month's featured decorator piece.
