Changes a foot

2013

There comes a time in small business when you have to review and ask yourself some questions

about how the business is going.

Has the business been successful?

Do I enjoy what I am doing?

How can I make changes?

Will those changes make me more successful?

Will they make me happy?

I am a big believer that you should do what you enjoy and if there are aspects that you dont then take the plunge and make some changes, you never know they may be the best thing you have ever done.

So what conclusions have I made over the last 14 months?

I have thoroughly enjoyed myself setting up my little shop in Holsworthy and I truely believe it is one of the best things to happen to Holsworthy for a while (and thats not just my opinion, I have many loyal customers and alot of the other traders have enjoyed my shop). It has also been a huge success.

However does it make me happy?

Well the honest answer is yes and no, I enjoy having somewhere to showcase my work and seeing my many regular customers and meeting the many visitors to Holsworthy.  I have also enjoyed the fact that having the shop meant that I could also help over 20 other local small businesses to have somewhere to display and sell their work,  I have however continued attending craft events and this is where my heart is, I love the camoradery between other traders and the adrenilin to get everything set up in time, and then meeting all the new different faces, as well as some of my loyal followers! I love the variety being a craft market trader brings and the flexibility and of course the profits!

So what am I going to do about it?

Well after a long time thinking about it, I have decided that I would prefer to go down the route of market trading, but not just little events I want to go "BIG", I am currently applying for large events such as Badminton Horse Trials and various other large shows and I am also applying for Festivals including Farmfest, Watchet Festival and even the biggy Glastonbury!

To do all all these events I have decided I need to be more central to reach them easier (Devon/Somerset), and it just so happens that my parents have a cottage to rent next door to them near Taunton.

This move will also bring us more opportunities we hope for Mark to extend his side of the business (his artwork), we would like to get some of Marks paintings made into puzzles and he would like to do t-shirts too for instance.  This could also mean potentially that Mark could give up full time work so that he can attend the big events with me in the summer and then he would progress his hedge laying and woodland management business in the winter.

So what happens to T&M Arts and Crafts

I will still be trading under the same name.  My website will change slightly in that it will only have mine and Marks work being sold online, however I may keep (still to be decided) everything on there and items will be sent direct by the makers, this way I am still helping all the very talented people in the area and you will still be able to purchase online.

Then it will be a case of keeping an eye on my events page to see where you can find me, or alternatively buy online.

I'm not saying I will never open another shop again, as I said I have enjoyed the shop, but while I am young "still'ish" I would like to hit the road a bit more for a bit longer! I will then aim to open up again in a larger busier town, such as Exeter in the future.

I also have plans to expand my jewellery range, for this I needed a proper workshop as I would not be able to fire in the back of the shop, so next year I will be teaching myself to use polymer silver clay, I will be concentraiting mainly on Celtic designs as I hope these will sell well at the music festivals I will be attending and also because I have a huge love of Celtic designs, so all very exciting.

The future is bright and full of opportunities and I intend

to grab them all by the short and curlies,

So watch this space!!