Since I’ve become a full time laser dad, I’ve had okay sales here and there. It hasn’t been as important as making sure the (10 month) baby stays alive. Before the transition over to the dad life I made some cool contacts while working at a bank, one of which planned on opening a store a couple of blocks from where I lived. He said he was interested in setting some of my stuff up when he was able to get into the location and took my number.
Flash forward to a week or so ago and I see him standing outside where he’s opening his store in our local shopping center. He said he was gonna call me because they planned on finally opening the store! Talked to him for a while and I said it was crazy that I happened to walk by and he said it was meant to be, I’m inclined to believe that. They opened yesterday and already I’ve had to make some more inventory over what I gave them of a few things and they said they had customers wanting a few custom things. I’m pretty pleased with the last couple of days and hope to see this excel me into some positivity and growth! My wife and I are really hoping that this will bring some custom work, because that’s where the real money is
My thoughts with wholesale have been that it stinks to work for cheaper, but it’s an effective advertising tool — and way cheaper than real advertising, since you’re making money in the process — so it pays off in the end. I include a single side 3x5”ish printout in the box that invites them to get in touch with me regarding custom puzzles.
I was in Hawaii for the first time a couple of months ago and I noticed all the tourist stores had a small selection of the same laser cut plywood garbage. It’s so refreshing to see what can be done by someone with talent and an eye for quality.
Whenever friends or family come, I try to make them something like a keychain so they can have a thing made in Hawaii, versus something that says Hawaii, but made in China, Philippines, Indonesia etc. I feel like people prefer that, and I personally feel like the quality speaks for itself over the junk you can get from the swap meet, or Walmart.
