I am stuck, even after 10 months on this forum. TLDR: Do I revamp and fastlane my slow lane handmade widget business, or do I just do that for money while I execute some other fastlane ideas?
The problems I struggle with:
Problem #1: My handmade widget business is very slow right now. And even though everyone gives gifts and I make nice things, I’m one of those people who thinks there’s too much stuff everywhere and I am an introvert who’s never going to say “Hey y’all, buy my stuff!”. It’s possible to fastlane a large portion of my business and revamp it, but I am tired of failure and honestly, I’m SICK OF IT. Sick of the whole business. Even though, I really like the area of widget making I’m in, and I could make this stuff forever, I just hate everything involved in selling, hence the idea of fastlaning it by having products made elsewhere--this has possibilities but again, not sure the world needs more stuff, and I hate to put the time in only to fail. I had initially thought I could help others sell their widgets by selling useful guides for things like visual presentation, and discovered I don’t really give a schnitzel if other people sell their widgets.
Problem #2: My attention span moves faster than a flea on meth and with both the widget business and any fastlane ideas, I have about 100 ideas a day. I feel that my handmade widget business has failed due to my failure to concentrate on one area for very long (I am talented in a lot of areas and can make a lot of things). I need to concentrate on execution and carry things through.
Problem #3: My health is uncertain and my time is not always my own. I’m not likely to shuffle off this mortal coil any time soon, but it is somewhat limiting. Everything I have in mind to fastlane can be done within my limitations, though. But I wouldn’t be able to go, say, pick up a warehouse job to make ends meet while doing some fast lane ideas on the side. I also have commitments that require me to be flexible with my time.
My biggest advantages are probably that I am a good writer and good at just about every kind of craft (this has got to be an advantage but it feels like a millstone sometimes)
If I could write things that had value for people, I would do that. I thought about writing copy, but I’ve always wondered, how is that fastlane? (just an aside). I’ve thought about writing keyword lists for the handmade world (even though I don’t like writing how-to-sell guides, I really like writing lists (OCD!)). I could write tutorials for handmade widgets, but with so much content available for free these days, I am not sure there’s a market. One thing I’ve done well and done for free for people in the widget community is to write lists of potential products they could sell. Again with the lists--I really like lists.
I have several fastlane ideas, but I tend to lose interest fairly easily--flea on meth, that’s me.
If you got to the end here and are still reading, thank you. And most of all, thanks, MJ for creating this forum.
So, advice? Kick in the pants?
The problems I struggle with:
Problem #1: My handmade widget business is very slow right now. And even though everyone gives gifts and I make nice things, I’m one of those people who thinks there’s too much stuff everywhere and I am an introvert who’s never going to say “Hey y’all, buy my stuff!”. It’s possible to fastlane a large portion of my business and revamp it, but I am tired of failure and honestly, I’m SICK OF IT. Sick of the whole business. Even though, I really like the area of widget making I’m in, and I could make this stuff forever, I just hate everything involved in selling, hence the idea of fastlaning it by having products made elsewhere--this has possibilities but again, not sure the world needs more stuff, and I hate to put the time in only to fail. I had initially thought I could help others sell their widgets by selling useful guides for things like visual presentation, and discovered I don’t really give a schnitzel if other people sell their widgets.
Problem #2: My attention span moves faster than a flea on meth and with both the widget business and any fastlane ideas, I have about 100 ideas a day. I feel that my handmade widget business has failed due to my failure to concentrate on one area for very long (I am talented in a lot of areas and can make a lot of things). I need to concentrate on execution and carry things through.
Problem #3: My health is uncertain and my time is not always my own. I’m not likely to shuffle off this mortal coil any time soon, but it is somewhat limiting. Everything I have in mind to fastlane can be done within my limitations, though. But I wouldn’t be able to go, say, pick up a warehouse job to make ends meet while doing some fast lane ideas on the side. I also have commitments that require me to be flexible with my time.
My biggest advantages are probably that I am a good writer and good at just about every kind of craft (this has got to be an advantage but it feels like a millstone sometimes)
If I could write things that had value for people, I would do that. I thought about writing copy, but I’ve always wondered, how is that fastlane? (just an aside). I’ve thought about writing keyword lists for the handmade world (even though I don’t like writing how-to-sell guides, I really like writing lists (OCD!)). I could write tutorials for handmade widgets, but with so much content available for free these days, I am not sure there’s a market. One thing I’ve done well and done for free for people in the widget community is to write lists of potential products they could sell. Again with the lists--I really like lists.
I have several fastlane ideas, but I tend to lose interest fairly easily--flea on meth, that’s me.
If you got to the end here and are still reading, thank you. And most of all, thanks, MJ for creating this forum.
So, advice? Kick in the pants?
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