Hi my name is Wendy and I'm a resin business owner, my business is called Wendy-Anne's Delights. In today's blog I want to share my resin journey with you so that you can learn how to create a small resin business that suits you down to the ground and you actually feel comfortable with, no one else, but you!
I first opened a Facebook page with help from a friend probably around 5yrs ago now, it was called page manager app back then but still done through Facebook. I called it Wendy-Anne's Delights.
I crocheted lots at the time & had all these beautiful blankets and different items sitting doing nothing. I had to be pushed to do it and I found even writing posts nerve wracking in case people thought my work was rubbish. What’s this got to do with resin I hear you say. Well everything to be honest. I sold a few bits which gave me some confidence. I invited some more people from my Facebook friends list and started posting a little more often and sold a few more items.
Then came a suggestion from another friend who dabbled in resin herself, why didn’t I make resin buttons to go alongside the crochet. So I gave it ago and found myself making packs of buttons with glitter and other small inclusions in, I sold a few but nothing to write home about.
I posted on my page and got a few more orders with the crochet but it always took so long to make and I just wanted to play more with the resin. I moved on to some glittery trinket dishes and the odd coaster. It wasn’t long before I dried my own flowers all picked from family and friends gardens. Any money I made I ploughed back into buying new moulds, colorants, resin etc. I made coasters and all sorts with flowers in and dabbled with different techniques for colour amongst lots of other things. Over time my resin knowledge & what I made expanded a great deal.
My business head was, and still is, rather behind (not with making and ideas) but promoting, wanting nice advertising and kind of wanting my own logo etc. Without me knowing my same resin friend made me a logo & business cards etc using a photo of flowers I had dried one day. She made me cry happy tears as she knows my technology capabilities aren’t my top skill.
To be honest they are way down the list, but this comes from years of being a Mum to my wonderful four children. I don’t regret those years at all but sometimes wish I had someone who would teach me these things without it costing an arm and a leg. Also lack of confidence doesn’t help, I'm sure lot's of us feel like this at times.
Anyway I was building myself a little following & around my town Wendy-Anne’s Delight’s was heard of. With encouragement from a different friend who ran her own pottery shop helped me set up an Etsy shop. I was so nervous it was unbelievable. I managed to learn how to add listings and do the basics, then once it was done up and running, I felt pleased with myself (rightly so). I tried different tags, colours etc to help me be seen which did help. But after my initial enjoyment with being online, I began to have doubts and little fears build up about what if I got difficult customers, nasty ones etc etc, sad I know but that’s how my brain went and I couldn’t shake it off. This might resonate with you too, keep reading if it does because these thoughts don't need to stop us, we can still achieve things despite of these thoughts!
You know what I kept it for a year or more, it never did that well as I was too scared to go big. I shut my shop on Etsy around six months ago and never regretted it once. Sometimes you have to make these difficult decisions in the moment, but by doing so you open other doors that you maybe didn't see before that are more right for you. I then concentrated more on my Facebook page (business suite) as it’s known now.
I have enjoyed every moment since apart from my January 2022 blip (mental well being) I don’t regret it for a minute I love it. I’m not huge but I get orders, some custom ones, memorial ones etc and I get to make what I like as well. I pick up new customers every month and more people have now heard of me. I’ve done a few virtual markets in the last couple of years which did really well and I've done some craft markets.
I may not earn enough to be classed as a full time huge business but I don’t want to be, this is the perfect business for me, and I want you to know that along your journey you'll find the perfect one for you too.
A few things I have done on my own through selling and are important for anyone who sells is to have public liability insurance, build a relationship with each customer if you do get asked for a custom or memorial item as you'll be able to understand their needs more clearly. And be true to yourself for what kind of business you want, never be afraid to try, but if you do try and do have to give part of it up know that this is ok, you haven't failed, you are doing what's right for you.
This is me and my story of setting up my small business the way I’m comfortable with, it works so well for me but most of all I am happy and I make others happy with the work I produce and sell.
Remember setting up a business doesn’t have to be big and stressful almost 14 hours a day task, it is what you make it and how you want your own business to be.
I wish you the best of luck with whatever business you create for yourself and I hope you have lots of fun during it too.
Wendy
