Evening Rockhopper fans!
Once again, a slightly late entry. The excuse this week is a good one – I spent most of last night writing a mammouth email to a potential new stockist, who makes the most beautiful, handmade clutch bags.
In fact, I’ve been working super hard in the last couple of weeks at getting more new lines onto the RT shelves. Unfortunately, all too often those old pals “logisitics” and “cash flow” buddy-up to scupper my plans for new product lines. I’d love, love, LOVE to fill RT’s cyber shelves with even more wonderful, beautifully made, unusual products for our brilliant, discerning customers, but without getting a stonking bank loan, thereby putting lots of pressure on the teenie fledgling that is our precious little business, we have to bide our time, add lines as and when we can afford them, and grow “organically”.
The problem with growing “organically” is that it can take an awfully long time; which of course can be a good thing (time to grow creatively, develop ideas, build relationships and really try to find our identity in the crazy world of retail), but can also be, quite frankly, mind-numbingly frustrating and an altogether right royal pain in the derriere. What we need is a lottery win – that’d bazooka a whole heap of challenges. Or a wealthy benefactor. Like in those Charles Dickins’ novels, where some long lost, mystery relative (usually related to our late mother who somehow disgraced herself by marrying beneath her thereby cutting herself off from her fortune forever), comes out of the woodwork just at the critical moment, scoops us out of the gutter, puts is in a top hat and tails and presents us at the society ball as the most elegible batchlor in London… OK, there is a chance I’m labouring the metaphor a tad. But the principle stands – what we could do with is a wad of cash all earmarked for stock – *sigh*.
Anyhoo – in other news, I’m booking in craft fairs left, right and Chelsea, so keep an eye on our social media and home page for updates. Can’t wait to get back out on the road with all the new gear. Sadly we’ve been turned away from a couple of events because we’re not the actual makers of our stock (which would be impressive – see The Elusive Super Crafter entry…). It’s a pity that some people see retail outlets as the bad guys; incidentally, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, we sell products so I guess in that respect we have something in common with John Lewis or Amazon, but I think we can all agree that’s where the similarities end. Hey ho – we’ll continue in our quest to change hearts and minds, and who knows? Maybe one day that long lost relative might come a-knocking…