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  • ScottyB

    Feb. 10, 2011 2:00 p.m. ScottyB New Reader

    Great thread. I'm a new small business owner as of last June, and although I feel like I've got a lot of the basics down, I love to read experiences like this - lots of good information being passed around here. I feel like the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know much at all.

    I did a bit of a similar thing...I started my graphic design business on the side as a hobby while working my corporate job to build up some savings and avoid a loan straight off the bat, as well as establish a [meager] client base. I'm mathtarded, so I've hired a local CPA and it's almost the best money I spend all month. I'd be up to my tits in paperwork and grief if I was trying to take care of most of that stuff myself. Incorporated right away too, which helps me sleep at night.

    To add to what others have posted: dig the logo. maybe see if your artist is willing to try putting the "bread" text outside the guitar silhouette, below and sized larger. I think it's very clever with the grain making up the neck but you do lose the bread aspect in the body of the guitar. I like the red color too....reminds me of an old barn so I get that rustic, hand crafted feeling of your product. maybe you could fabricate a little branding iron in the shape of your grain-guitar and stamp the tops of your loaves or something as a cool effect

    I think as far as budget marketing avenues, social marketing is tops for value. A facebook page is free, easy to make, and doesn't require huge time input to keep people interested and drive traffic to your webpage. Twitter is effective also. Blogging is helpful as well - if your site is rarely updated, you won't get much repeat traffic and interest. A blog can help keep people coming back and keeping their attention, as well as allowing you to maintain some openness and transparency in your adventure which people will appreciate. I've sold some personal stuff on Etsy but I could see it being a worthwhile way to sell things non-wholesale.

    almost forgot, don't forget to check out your local chamber of commerce. they may have some great info for new business owners as well as free seminars you can attend.

  • BAMF

    Feb. 11, 2011 6:25 p.m. BAMF Reader

    I'm not self-employed but I'm the most senior employee at a 5 person company and have been there for most of its 6 years.

    There is so much to operating a business other than the product or service you offer. Keeping up with the money, the marketing/sales, managing employees, etc. stuff can consume as much, if not more, of your time than the core of your business. As you grow and those outer elements of running a business grow, it's smart to hire people who can manage them with you, rather than for you, if that makes sense.

    SVreX wrote:

    There is no problem with debt.

    The problem is putting yourself in the position to have to learn to manage the debt before you learn to manage the business.

    This is spot on. From what I've seen where I work, debt for a major asset crucial to operations is a far safer bet than for paying rent or what have you. You can't bake bake bread without an oven. So if you don't have one, and can't buy it outright, borrowing could be appropriate. But if you can find a used one for cheap, all the better, assuming it works reliably.

    I wish you the best in your business start up.

  • alex

    Feb. 16, 2011 1:53 p.m. alex SuperDork

    Requisite Facebook page - head over and Like me!

    http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Red-Guitar-Bread/102023443211374

  • speedblind

    Feb. 18, 2011 1:46 p.m. speedblind Reader

    Love the idea - would you pass on the contact info of the person that made your logo? My 3-month old company needs one.

    Good advice on this page - I'm following along to learn as well. The recommendations here finally got me off my butt and now I have a very good CPA on the recommendation of a friend of the family. Feels much better to be able to concentrate on work without having the nuances of tax/business law hanging over my head.

    Keep the advice coming!

  • alex

    Feb. 18, 2011 3:04 p.m. alex SuperDork

    The logo was done by my good friend, the very talented Kirsten O'Loughlin, who runs Sensura Studio. She can be reached through her website.

  • alex

    April 13, 2012 10:25 p.m. alex UltraDork

    Long overdue update time.

    In October I left the restaurant where I was 'renting' space. That coincided with my farmers market closing for the season, and my business and the restaurant's were really in each others' way.

    When I left I had a space lined up for potential rental. Great company, pretty nice space, marginal neighborhood (but good access) - overall, workable. But a variety of extenuating circumstances conspired to delay that deal from closing. And in the mean time, I found a place for sale. So, at about 4 this afternoon, this became the new home of Red Guitar Bread

    I'm pretty excited. I'm shooting for something in the neighborhood of a month to build out the space - primarily to build the oven. Yep. Wood fired brick oven that I'll be building largely myself, with some professional guidance from a stonemason friend.

    Big changes are afoot. The real work starts on Monday.

  • Osterkraut

    April 13, 2012 10:48 p.m. Osterkraut UltraDork

    Building looks like a good fit for your logo, nice score.

  • alex

    April 13, 2012 11:01 p.m. alex UltraDork

    Heh, just reading through the thread, I realized I have been egregiously remiss in my updates. Bullet points that I've left out:

    • Started selling at a small suburban farmer's market last season, which was a great experience in direct-to-customer retail sales. Just the face time was invaluable. I'll be back at that market and at least one more this coming season, hopefully more.

    • Got some local accolades and press. Best Bread in 2011 from the Riverfront Times (our Village Voice paper), short profiles in a couple local foodie papers. One of those foodie rags that's affiliated with the Post-Distpatch (the 'real' newspaper in town) has first dibs on a proper profile piece, so I'll be ringing them up, since I'd like to have them on board to document my oven build process.

  • Conquest351

    April 14, 2012 9:39 a.m. Conquest351 Dork

    Very cool man! Congrats!!

  • Ranger50

    April 14, 2012 9:54 a.m. Ranger50 SuperDork

    I bet your neighbors will love you.

    Congrats on getting a space.

  • poopshovel

    April 14, 2012 11:07 a.m. poopshovel PowerDork

    AWESOME man! With a new baby, my 5 and 10 year plans are in limbo. Trying to figure out what the next step is.

  • alex

    April 23, 2012 9:45 p.m. alex UltraDork

    Building permit granted for my wood fired brick oven! This is excellent news, as the oven was the only uncertainty in this equation.

    So, we're moving right along.

  • stroker

    April 24, 2012 7:41 p.m. stroker Dork

    Lemme know when you're ready for a franchisee in Columbia.

  • dyintorace

    April 24, 2012 7:47 p.m. dyintorace UltraDork

    That building is super cool! Nice score!! And great news.

  • Curmudgeon

    April 24, 2012 7:57 p.m. Curmudgeon MegaDork

    That's great news! Best of luck to you.

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