Today I am writing the blog from the train, which is good in that I have time to myself, but bad in that I hate Pendolinos, they make me feel sick even when I'm not reading/typing. 2 hours to London is not to be sniffed at though ....
So this time last year I was stressing about setting off for the London Toy Fair in thick snow, worried it would be a disaster and scared I would be "found out".
This year I am properly excited! Even a late train and being 9 coaches the wrong end of Euston station when I arrive is not going to weigh me down.
Because I know what I am doing. I am beginning to know what sells, what to say, how to ask about shipping and MOQs and FOB. I know this stuff! And I know where the toilets are, I haven't forgotten my business cards, I am a young (ish) business woman who isn't going to be scared of the salesmen in suits who sneer at these "idiots who sell via Third Parties". I sell on Amazon, eBay, my own website AND in a bricks and mortar shop. Get with the times losers.
And best of all I will have my mum with me so I have someone to chat to - maybe I'm not so tough after all.....but she is my accountant, and if we didn't look so alike I could get away with it 100%
And that's the lonely part of working for yourself I suppose. That's partly why I am so excited to be going to the trade fair because I get to talk shop with people who are interested. I realise that although my heart is taking me in another direction, i loved working in huge organisations because I like to talk. I like to laugh with colleagues, do a secret bit of gossiping, argue with other people about the right way of doing things, so I think that's why having a face to face shop or keeping up with occasional contracts in financial services is the right thing for me. I need to interact, I can only enjoy my own company for so long.
So with that, wish me luck for tomorrow, and lets hope I find lots of lovely things for the shop. Well not too many things, I need to shift all the stock I already have!
Au Revoir
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