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1 Replies Last post: Jun 4, 2009 6:56 PM by Santa Fe CPA

Event: From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table

Mar 12, 2009 11:10 AM

Click to view CommunityTeam's profile sboc CommunityTeam 132 posts since
Jul 27, 2007
From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table - How to turn a good idea into a fast growing business

Have you ever wanted to take your home based business and turn it into a profitable and growing business?Please join us on May 28, from 1-2PM ET and learn how! Bonnie Marcus will be sharing her story and
lessons learned of how she took her great idea from the kitchen table to the selling table.

Bonnie Marcus is the creator and owner of her own stylish stationery company, Bonnie Marcus Collection. Before launching her business, Marcus worked as a wedding planner in New York City and as the Special Event Coordinator at the prestigious 92nd Street Y in Manhattan. Having also worked for a number of years in the fashion industry for top designers such as Diane Von Furstenberg, Bonnie was able to team up with a number of fashion illustrators who helped make her dream of chic, stylish stationery a reality. Bonnie started by launching a wedding invitation line, Down the Aisle in Style, and a holiday card line, Holiday Style. In addition to the wedding and holiday designs, the line has expanded to 10 collections including a line of invitations and note cards for moms-to-be, Expecting in Style, and a collection of fashionable flip flops launched earlier this year. Bonnie has been recognized as a pioneer for women in business. The Bonnie Marcus Collection can be found in over 1,000 retailers around the world, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Barneys New York and Kate's Paperie. Company website: http://www.bonniemarcus.com/

The SBOC Team will take advance questions from users who want to pose a question to Bonnie. If you have a question, post it here and then check back with the site on May 28 1-2 PM ET or anytime after that for Bonnie's response. You can also pose a question in real time to Bonnie anytime during the event hours. Remember you need to be registered to post a question. So, if you haven't signed up yet, do so now, it's free.
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Click to view simon07's profile Mogul simon07 38 posts since
Nov 28, 2007
1. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 23, 2008 9:30 AM
in response to: CommunityTeam

Bonnie - Can you please describe to us the key steps you took to take your home grown product (stylish stationary) and bring it to national stores? Sorry, I know it's a big question and you're on for an hour. But if you could just highlight a few key steps or tips. My wife is into jewelry design, but does it on a local scale so we're very interested in the steps you took and lessons learned.
Click to view MetroGal's profile Mogul MetroGal 101 posts since
Oct 20, 2007
2. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 23, 2008 4:48 PM
in response to: CommunityTeam
I checked out your website Bonnie and read that you were actually pregnant when you launched your company. Impressive! How do you seek the perfect balance between work and family? What advice would you give to inspiring female entrepreneurs who also want to do it all?
Click to view chicgirl's profile Start-up chicgirl 1 posts since
May 23, 2008
3. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 23, 2008 11:32 PM
in response to: CommunityTeam
Hi Bonnie!
I love your cards and invites! I have been a fan for the last couple of years when I first picked up your holiday cards at Bloomingdales in NYC! Since then I constantly go to your website to see what new arrivals you have to offer. I have a question for you. How easy was it for you to transition from cards to those stylish flip flops you are now offering? Do you find you can combine the two and still be a viable contender in the stationery industry? I ask because I have a small business now and want to try and launch another and am finding it hard to focus and give both the attention they need.
Click to view CommunityTeam's profile sboc CommunityTeam 132 posts since
Jul 27, 2007
4. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 27, 2008 5:21 PM
in response to: CommunityTeam

We are collecting questions for Bonnie right now! Submit your questions today, if you're unable to join us live tomorrow at 1PM - 2PM ET.
Click to view starfish's profile Start-up starfish 1 posts since
May 27, 2008
5. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 28, 2008 7:40 AM
in response to: CommunityTeam
Hi Bonnie,

You seem to have developed a wide variety of great cards which appeal to a broad range of people. How do you come up with new ideas for products? What are the steps which you follow to go from idea to finished product? Thanks for your comments.

Starfish
Click to view Jrfyahoo's profile Start-up Jrfyahoo 1 posts since
May 27, 2008
6. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 28, 2008 9:38 AM
in response to: CommunityTeam

Hi Bonnie-

What would you say are the advantages and disadvantages of owning a small business? What keeps you motivated?
Click to view Subway_Gal's profile Start-up Subway_Gal 1 posts since
May 28, 2008
7. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 28, 2008 10:54 AM
in response to: CommunityTeam
Hi Bonnie! I became aware of your cool stationery products a couple of years ago, and LOVE them! It's great to see you here on the Bank of America forum!
I also have a product based business, and wonder what you do to help project the inventory you will need.
Thanks!
Click to view chicgirl3's profile Start-up chicgirl3 1 posts since
May 28, 2008
8. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 28, 2008 11:14 AM
in response to: CommunityTeam
I have a small business too. How were you able to contact outside printers and fulfillment houses to distribute your cards? What qualities do you look at in an outside service to know you are going to get the right one for you?
Click to view FCPainter's profile Mogul FCPainter 83 posts since
Jan 8, 2008
9. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 28, 2008 11:19 AM
in response to: CommunityTeam

Bonnie - What is your advice on how to leverage 'celebrity' customers and contacts. For example, we have painted the houses of some really famous people through the years. However, our strategy has not been to promote that we have done their homes and they have not been a strong source of referrals. What are your lessons learned on how best to leverage celebrtiy customers and contacts?
Click to view SJCarpentry's profile Mogul SJCarpentry 30 posts since
Feb 6, 2008
10. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 28, 2008 11:24 AM
in response to: CommunityTeam
My wife has a home-based business making ornaments and figurines out of bread dough. So far, it's only making $10K-$20K a year. However, now that our boys are 2 and 4 years old, I think she's ready to take it to the next level. Her biggest challenges so far have been finding ways to sell through retailers, rather than just selling at craft fairs and events. Can you give some advice on how to take your home based business to the next level. I suspect her biggest issue is making the decision to want it to be bigger and then finding the extra time to do it.
Click to view mominbiz's profile Authority mominbiz 11 posts since
May 28, 2008
11. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 28, 2008 11:31 AM
in response to: CommunityTeam

My question is on financing - how did you finance your business initially (personal funds, home equity, bank loan, loan from friends and family) and what is your advice to other home based businesses looking to grow. I offer travel services out of my home and would love to borrow money to advertise more and grow my business, but my husband is old fashioned and advises that my business needs to grow out of the proceeds it brings in. Any tips on what you did well and what you could have done better?
Click to view SBOCTeam's profile sboc SBOCTeam 328 posts since
Jul 27, 2007
12. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 28, 2008 1:01 PM
in response to: CommunityTeam
Community Members,

Please join us in welcoming Bonnie Marcus to your Small Business Online Community. Bonnie is here to answer questions on how to turn her a home based stationary company into a profitable and growing business. Today, Bonnie will be using the screen name PaperPrincess.

To all Community Members
If you have questions for Bonnie, post it here by simply hitting reply and then refresh your browsers often to view Bonnie responses. Bonnie will try to answer as many of your questions as possible.

Click to view PaperPrincess's profile EXPERT PaperPrincess 23 posts since
May 22, 2008
13. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 28, 2008 1:02 PM
in response to: simon07

First, I would like to wish the best of luck to your wife on the success of her jewelry business!

It's wonderful that you are writing in on her behalf, because I believe that the most important step to having a successful business is to have a strong support system. Whether it be a supportive spouse, friends or family members, it is very difficult for someone to start a business without the emotional (& sometimes financial) backing of those around him or her.


I was able to bring my product to the national level, only by first "testing" the product in my community. I determined who my target customer was (brides-to-be), and then conducted a few "focus groups" to get their feedback/input on my product. I also went to a number of local retailers and asked them questions about the price of my product, the packaging, the design, etc. If you make an appointment to meet with a few local store owners, I'm sure they would be more than happy to sit down with you and give you very helpful feedback.


After I determined that my product was designed, packaged, and priced correctly, I took it to a trade show specific to my industry (the National Stationery Show in NYC). Since I did all my "homework" before the show, our product was a huge success at the show, and this is actually where I picked up all the national retail stores that we still have a very successful business with, six years later.


Again, I think if your wife does all her research on a local level and finds that she has a "sellable" product, she should try participating in an industry trade show, if she wants to take the business to the next level.


Best of luck!

Click to view PaperPrincess's profile EXPERT PaperPrincess 23 posts since
May 22, 2008
14. Re: Event: May 28 -From the Kitchen Table to the Selling Table May 28, 2008 1:05 PM
in response to: MetroGal
Great question!

I actually think that there is no "perfect balance" between work and family. The key is to be happy where you are!

I have met many moms who tell me that they "feel guilty" that they are not at home when their children come home from school because they are at work, or "feel guilty" they cannot stay later at the office, because they need to run home at the end of the day.

I have found that if my husband and I are happy with our work/family situation, then our children are happy as well. They are proud of me and my job, and they love going to "mommy's office". I think a positive attitude is what is most important. Again, there is no "perfect" situation - it is whatever you and your family are most comfortable with!


Personally, I find that my most productive work hours are between 9 and 12 at night, after the children have gone to sleep. My staff knows that any emails they have sent to me during the day will be responded to during that time, and they will come to work in the morning and have answers to any questions that they may have. I think that having "set work hours" such as these makes it easier for your family, as well as staff/customers that are dependent on you as well.
Best of luck!

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