so following on from my last post i thought i'd start a bit of an online diary of my ups-and-downs whilst preparing for Top Drawer / Home january 2014.
in one years time i hope to have just completed my first trade show (eek!). i was hoping to do this september but 3 market stalls and xmas kind of got in the way. having now done markets i know the path is clear for me to focus on the trade show. it's surprising how much time preparing for a market stall actually takes so goodness knows how things will be for a top london trade show!!
step 1 ...
clear a space to create a plan. a BIG plan. i have a whole wall that i now have dedicated to my research, findings and ideas.
it's a bit bare at the moment but i'm only just starting and i'm sure it will soon be full of lots and lots of fabulous ideas ... give me a little time!
i have a little calendar up underneath my planner for all my deadlines and so i can keep an eye on the time slipping away :s
i have a little calendar up underneath my planner for all my deadlines and so i can keep an eye on the time slipping away :s
so what have i done apart from this? well, i signed up for a couple of sessions with Monica Lee of Smart Creative Women for some advice and guidance. i felt i needed someone who had the experience to give me some honest opinions and also to add some fresh ideas. you can become stuck in your little bubble far too easily when you work on your own and it's good to get other peoples thoughts. and boy did she have a few! all good - lots of tips and trick, and it's made me think about things a little differently ... lots to get on and think about! i still have another session left which i'm looking forward too ... have a look here for full details (i'd recommend it!)
i have also signed up with Make It British and Kate has been most helpful in researching manufacturers for my needs. i have lots of different product ideas and i am researching them all to find the best combination design-wise and price-wise. then i can select my favourite and move forward with producing the final designs for those.
so that's it so far - a lot of researching at the moment but a lot hinges on that so i need to focus and get that done. then i can get back to the fun part - designing!
