Deciding on a Business Structure

There are several ways you can structure your business legally here in the U.S. It can be a Sole Proprietor, Partnership, LLC, LLC Partnership, S Corporation, or  C Corporation.

Product Focus - Self Care

Image by Beth Hurlin via 
Juhan Sonin on Flickr

When I started Scarlet Moon Creations my goal was to make more money doing something I thought would be simple. How wrong I was and how far I have come with some knowledge. Honestly, even if it had been super simple I would have complicated it by always trying to improve. 

However I did not research beyond product packaging, ingredients, basic shipping, bookkeeping and how to use Etsy. I had this image in my head of selling spa quality all natural products to the every woman. Which is not bad but not specific enough. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people doing the same and that's just on Etsy. Then there's the other products I decided to add. My handmade books (journals and photo albums) as well my pagan products. Tons of people doing those as well.

Last year after joining the Pagan Business Network and finding out how to do much more research I realized the "if you build it they will come" idiom is deceiving. I had a lot more work to do. One of the things I've realized that I needed to do was decide on a product focus and target market.

After a lot of thought and research I decided that self care would be my product focus. What is self care? I have seen several definitions but the one I am focusing on is "intentional actions to take care of yourself." Having dealt with anxiety and depression I know that bathing and grooming are big parts of self care. As is talking and writing things down. Being aware of what you are putting on as well as in your body is mindful self care. So this ties into the natural movement and the herbal and aromatherapy communities. I also see self care being a major facet of practicing witchcraft and other types of paganism. Improving oneself, sacred bathing, ritual baths, journaling, Book of Shadows and Grimoires, astral traveling, anointing, cleansing and so much more.

Self care as my product focus leaves the door open for future products that I have been considering as well. With all of this in mind earlier this year I changed my Facebook pages focus to posts promoting self care and inspirational messages as well as my products. I have started organizing my Pinterest page to do the same there. Next will be Instagram and Google+. When I finally have an email list my newsletter will highlight self care as well.

Don't get me wrong self care is different for everyone and it includes emotional, spiritual, and mental activities as well as physical ones like using your favorite scented body scrub to scrub the day away. But I want my products to help you help yourself. For those people that do see an at home spa experience as helpful to their well being I am your gal. However, I also think the acts of scrubbing or washing away and putting or smoothing on to be symbolic. And I plan to make more products that tap into that symbolism to help those in need take away the unwanted and put on those good feelings. 

If nothing else, helping people feel good and take care of themselves helps me feel good, so why not?
~Lashette
  Scarlet Moon Creations

Logo Design

I apologize for my absence. I've been working hard to get Excelsior Events, my event business, off the ground. You know, that other creative business. I've been focusing mostly on building my brand, logo and website. People when I tell you to get help with these things, get help. I designed my own logo and it took forever. There are too many options and I went way off the image I wanted to have (well not totally). Now I'm wondering if I should start over. I wound up editing my slogan to better explain my logo but then I didn't feel like it fit my business name. So I shortened it. The full version and explanation are in my business plan of course but I was recently reminded that too much information confuses people. 

That aside, I did a pretty good job. Its not completely original art but its distinctive enough. I used Gimp, a program I didn't have much familiarity with but I found its similar enough to photoshop, with its many features, and its free. It moves slowly on my old computer but that's the price I pay. With some instruction reading and lots of youtube video watching I got what I wanted.

My hesitation in changing the logo is because I don't think my other idea will translate well for more serious and sober business events clientele. Also my website launch date has long passed. Thinking about keeping it at this point doesn't feel like settling. More like a good business decision. Maybe one day I will have a pro update it. For now, I am quite proud of my creation. And I am happy with its versatility.

It is easily blown up or downsized. I have a black and white version for when necessary. 3 colors can get expensive when printing but not beyond what I am willing to pay. I also think it looks pretty enough for potential wedding clients as well as meeting clients.

Check it it below. Tell me what you think.

~Lashette
  Excelsior Events
  Scarlet Moon Creations