2009 Get Your Business Up and Running Challenge

**homesteadmamma** · 12-27-2008, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by jollyquilter

I also have a small business. And as was said here it really help during the bumpy times. Dh is retired now and can do more. And we also do several festivals and swap meets per year.

I am looking forward to following this thread. ( If I can remember how to find it)

The easy way to find it is to go to "Frugal village challenges" and check the stickies. You can also subscribe to this thread.

**frugal-fannie** · 12-28-2008, 11:28 AM

Thanks, I will get in on this one
1. I have a business for property rentals but would also like to expand to sell some of my land with owner financing.

2. I want to sell some of my antiques and other items including plants at swap meets.

3. I want to set up and get a contract coding from home.

**mommy4ever** · 12-29-2008, 12:55 PM

I am up for building this. I have a small craft business, I have done extremely well at craft sales, but took this year off, and still had sales through the website. I am looking at working with a writer to improve things on the site, write a press release for my local paper.

I'm going to re-open a sister site for little girl accessories, as my other business is nearly exclusively Christmas at the moment. Between the two I should be able to create a steady second income for myself and accelerate payoffs etc.

I hope to be full time doing this in 2 to 3 years.

First task is updating current site and re-registering the sister site.

**hugxlaughxsmilexlove** · 12-29-2008, 03:39 PM

I've been in the "adult novelty" business for over two years now, switched companies in May '08 and now I am ready to become #1 on this side of the state! Definitely need to look over my goals and focus!

**madhen** · 12-29-2008, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by hugxlaughxsmilexlove

I've been in the "adult novelty" business for over two years now, switched companies in May '08 and now I am ready to become #1 on this side of the state! Definitely need to look over my goals and focus!

We aren't going to have to start calling you "porn queen," are we?

**Jill B.** · 01-06-2009, 07:35 AM

I am starting a "small business" of presenting a frugal living 2 hour seminar at public libraries in my area. I am doing one this month and one in March. I am getting $50 each time. I need to do 4 things:
1. call other libraries and get it set up.
2. update my presentation materials
3. file copyright papers for the materials.
4. create a blog to go along with the materials.

I need to do #2,4 and 3 this month. Should be fun!

**freebs** · 01-06-2009, 07:53 AM

Ok im in! Mine will be selling goats, chickens, rabbits, eggs and hatching eggs. Will try to sell chicks also. May look into selling hay and maybe try to find a wholesale feed outlet and sell feed too!

**jayneluvsmickey** · 01-06-2009, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by Jill B.

I am starting a "small business" of presenting a frugal living 2 hour seminar at public libraries in my area. I am doing one this month and one in March. I am getting $50 each time. I need to do 4 things:
1. call other libraries and get it set up.
2. update my presentation materials
3. file copyright papers for the materials.
4. create a blog to go along with the materials.

I need to do #2,4 and 3 this month. Should be fun!

that sounds so neat! what a great idea.

**jayneluvsmickey** · 01-06-2009, 08:35 AM

i don't know if it exactly counts as a business, but i definitely made extra money doing it and it provided most of christmas in 2007 and it was a NICE christmas

i sweep

not the floor, although i do that, but sweepstakes, contests, and instant wins

some stuff i won i used for gifts or the home

some stuff i sold on ebay or locally

i won a trip to florida...that is my biggest win so far

anyway, last year it really dropped off and this year, since i'm working part time again, i'm picking it up again

and it's organized and i have a plan while doing it

**Debbie-cat** · 01-06-2009, 10:20 AM

I was able to get my plans done for this month. The basic outline is there and I am going to let it sit for a week or so then review it and see if it needs any tweaking.

**rmy9** · 01-08-2009, 12:06 PM

It's great to hear everyone's plan of action for 2009. You all are so crafty, I would love to see pictures of all of your creations.

I started a business last year that shows people how to earn cash back when they shop online. It was free to start and it doesn't cost anything to run, I just need to start spreading the word about it.

Since I have been blessed with a steady paying government job, my goal this year is to donate 80% of what I make with my business back to charity. I think that doing it to help others will really motivate me to spread the word and expand the business. I'm trying to live a more frugal life and one that's less about me and more about serving God and helping others.

Keep updating with your business accomplishments, I look forward to reading them!

**jayneluvsmickey** · 01-10-2009, 01:25 PM

found this in an email from betty crocker and thought i'd share. if it's inappropriate, i apologize.

http://www.hybridmom.com/hsn-mfp.html

We are THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE our partnership with HSN - one of today’s leading multi-channel retail platforms!

HSN will market products created and developed by moms under the Moms-for-Profit Trademark, in Partnership with Hybrid Mom Consulting & Media Group.

HSN has joined Hybrid Mom in our commitment to assist mom-owned companies in a manner they only dreamed possible. With our HSN relationship, products will be marketed through television programming on HSN that is dedicated to products created, solely, by the mom members of the Moms-for-Profit program . In addition, HSN will market additional mom products through their website storefront hsn.com , that will not only feature products for sale, but will also feature content created by our media division, Hybrid Mom Media - of which we produce the Hybrid Mom quarterly print publication.

If you are a mom-owned business and create a product that you think would sell on HSN, please click https://app.formassembly.com/forms/view/61037 and submit our
application to be considered!

if you have questions, you can email stacey directly at stacey{at}hybridmom.com

There is a $95 fee to join hybridmom.com

**madhen** · 01-25-2009, 01:35 PM

Okay, just spent an hour taking an on-line class given for free by the SBA. I think I'm ready to face putting together my business plan. My little business has been pretty defunct for the last year, so I'm treating it like a brand new one and starting from scratch, doing all the things you are SUPPOSED to do, but that I jumped right out of the gate without thinking about.

One short-term goal for this week is to get my FBN re-registered. It was due in 2008, and I didn't do it.

**madhen** · 01-27-2009, 05:06 PM

Okay, in an optimistic leap WAY too far ahead, I just rented a booth at a crafter's cooperative!! I stopped off a little store that has been open a few months, but that I've never had the time to stop at, just to see what they have. In talking to the proprietor, it turns out that she is renting booths to crafters. Pretty cool deal. You rent the booth and set it up, but you don't have to be there other than for re-stocking purposes. She handles all the sales (and even pays the sales tax on everything at no charge to the renter), and pays you the retail price of everything you sold once per month. I took a sample of my stuff over to her, she liked it, so we made a deal. It is $75/month, but it is in a pretty good traffic area, and if she is eating the sales tax, that is like a discount on the rent in my mind (as long as my stuff sells). She is also being very picky as to how many of each type of craft she is going to allow to rent. She is only allowing two jewelry crafts, and I was the second one in! (The other woman does mostly necklaces, and I do earrings, so there shouldn't be a big conflict.) Minimum lease period is three months, so I figure it is worth the risk to see how it goes.

So now I just have to figure out how to set up my little 6' x 6' booth so that it looks cool and draws people to it. I will take some pics, once I get it set up. I could start this Saturday, but will be in Chico at the bunny show, so I probably won't get going until the first weekend in February.

**Debbie-cat** · 01-27-2009, 07:06 PM

That's cool madhen! Good for you!! I did kind of the same thing a few years back but it was just a Christmas Store. She took care of the sales tax and selling and I had to do is re-stock. At the end of the 2 months, she kept 10% and paid the rest to me with cash. Those two months, I made just over $1000!

So I wish you much luck with your new venture! You will be really happy, I am sure with the outcome. A suggestion for your booth......mirrors. A few well placed nice mirrors would add alot to the booth seeing that you are selling jewelery.