CreepyQueenMagazine - A Goth Gothic Online Magazine Punk Zine Community DIY Handmade Crafty Blog Alternative Forum

I'd like to know everyone's story!! Here's a mini questionnaire you can fill out to share a little bit about your shop and how it started up.

How long have you been in business?

Why did you decide to start selling your products?

How long have you been making your products?

What were some issues you faced while starting up?

Where do you hope to be with your business? Ultimately? in 5 years?

What is unique to your business that customers wouldn't be able to find anywhere else?

What was your 'big break', or the best moment you and your biz have had so far?

How long have you been in business?

One year with UvKITTY and 1.5 months with KleanKitty

Why did you decide to start selling your products?

I'd been making dreads for quite some time for myself.. and I had begun getting confident in them. They were starting to look better and better. I go to concerts a lot, so when people would come up to me and as where I got my dreads... I didn't know what to say. So I started UvKITTY.com, and things are going great

How long have you been making your products?

5 years, give or take .

What were some issues you faced while starting up?

My family didn't really accept what i was doing as a 'business'. More of as a hobby. I wanted to dedicate my time fully to UvKITTY, and my family accused me of lazing around the house all day and doing nothing. (even though that wasn't the case). So I had to juggle school, a part time job, a full time job, with UvKITTY on the sidelines the whole year. There was always something coming up that slowed me down.

Where do you hope to be with your business? Ultimately? in 5 years?

I would like to open a brick and mortar shop. Ultimately AND in 5 years.

What is unique to your business that customers wouldn't be able to find anywhere else?

Everything I sell is something I wouldn't personally wear myself. All of my headbands, hairbows, etc.. they're all made by me. And there is always a duplicate copy in my stack of personal accessories.

I wouldn't make crummy stuff for myself, so you shouldn't expect to receive it.

Also- UvKITTY thrives on communication. We are always available to our customers via email, live chat- and we strive on keeping customers in the 'know' on the status of their order, with an order status page, and a twitter account- which I update daily with all of the orders I've been working on.

What was your 'big break', or the best moment you and your biz have had so far?

Actually- KleanKitty was just featured in Celebrity Gift baskets- which is really awesome. They're in gift baskets for Gwen Stefani, Angelina Jolie, Ashlee Simpson, and Nicole Ritchie.

and UvKITTY is going to be a featured 'Myspace Muse' in May, and I may even appear on the front page of the site!

My products are also going to be spotlighted in a tattoo/pin-up magazine, both in the featured products, and in one of the Nude Shoots!

So, everything's coming up Milhouse UvKITTY!

How long have you been in business? A little over a month now.

Why did you decide to start selling your products? I always had people asking me where I got my jewelry and hair clips from. When I told them I made them they always asked to whip something up for them.

How long have you been making your products? I've been making them for probably about 2 years now.

What were some issues you faced while starting up?  Too much time devoted to my shop and not enough to my other jobs!

Where do you hope to be with your business? Ultimately? in 5 years? I hope to get my own website and start selling indepently.

What is unique to your business that customers wouldn't be able to find anywhere else? I wouldn't sell something I wouldn't wear myself. I love trolling the store for new beads and findings, you never quite know what I am going to put out.

What was your 'big break', or the best moment you and your biz have had so far? I think I'd have to say my first sale. It was so exciting.

How long have you been in business?

As a small business copywriter, I've been writing for about two years, three years as a freelance writer, and I've been working on Wedding Skulls for about 5 months.

Why did you decide to start selling your products?

When I was planning my wedding I noticed a real gap in the gothic/alternative niche for indepth planning advice and a shopping blog. People were always asking 'I want this style for my wedding - how do I do it? Where do I find a dress/shoes/favors/decorations/rings, etc? I knew all the answers! The rest is history.

How long have you been making your products?

I've been writing ebooks for about a year. I've written the two Wedding Planner ebooks - Gothic Wedding Planner and Halloween Wedding Planner, as well as a writing ebook '33 Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters' available through my Small Business Copywriter website - and I'm about to release another writing ebook on Freelance Writing.

What were some issues you faced while starting up?

Mainly how would I go about selling ebooks, how to promote and how to run an ecommerce site. Now I've got all that down, I'm moving on to new challanges - an Etsy shop!

Where do you hope to be with your business? Ultimately? in 5 years?

In 5 years I will be full-time, supporting my family, from my writing - probably not from ebooks alone, but a combination of ebooks, business copywriting, novels and magazine articles. I'm well on my way already.

I also want to expand the Wedding Skulls brand through my soon-to-be live Etsy shop - not just selling ebooks, but wedding and gothic crafts (I'm such a crafter). I'd love for this to be doing well by then.

What is unique to your business that customers wouldn't be able to find anywhere else?

You CANNOT find wedding planners anywhere else specifically tailored to the gothic/halloween/steampunk/alternative market. It's that simple

What was your 'big break', or the best moment you and your biz have had so far?

The two best so far were when my website first went online and when someone first brought one of my ebooks - I was so happy! I'm hoping for many more great moments to come!

How long have you been in business? On Etsy, June will be one year.

Why did you decide to start selling your products?  Because I love crafting and tattoos!

How long have you been making your products? I have been crafting my whole life!

What were some issues you faced while starting up? Pictures!!!!

Where do you hope to be with your business? Ultimately? in 5 years?  Self Employed!!

What is unique to your business that customers wouldn't be able to find anywhere else?  Have a look and decide for yourself!!

What was your 'big break', or the best moment you and your biz have had so far? Being able to make jewelry for Devil Doll on her tour.  I have been a HUGE fan for years!!!!

How long have you been in business?  I've been sewing handbags for about 6 or 7 years. I started off on Ebay when the DIY category was poppin! After running a shop for a few years I moved over to Etsy in Oct. 06 and in Sept. 07 is when I really started moving with it.

Why did you decide to start selling your products? Mostly for fun in the beginning but when I saw that people were really diggin' my bags on Ebay, I thought to myself, "Self, you can bring in a good little chunk o' change doing this stuff!"

How long have you been making your products? Almost 7 years now and I see no end in sight. I love it too much. Any true blue crafter knows it's like a scab, we just can't help but to pick at it!

What were some issues you faced while starting up?  Time. Until I quit working about 4 1/2 years ago. Then I decided to go back to school almost 3 years ago and now its all about finding time again!

Where do you hope to be with your business? Ultimately? in 5 years? I think I'd be happy if it stayed the way it is now since I am almost done with my journey in becoming an RN. Ultimately I'll be back in the work force again working crazy hours, trying to raise my 3 boys with my awesome husband. As long as I can always make something whenever I fancy, I'm am one happy girl!

What is unique to your business that customers wouldn't be able to find anywhere else?  Alot of the fabrics I use aren't sold in your local fabric store so if your looking for freshness, you've found it. That, and all my bags are my own designs.

What was your 'big break', or the best moment you and your biz have had so far? I haven't had a 'big break' yet but everytime I've been featured in a blog and even this awesome site it's like I'm Miss America in my own little head. And the best part about it is all the bad ass friends I've met in cool places like Etsy, DIY Scene and here at CQ! ♥

creepyqueen at 11:52AM on Apr 06, 2009

I'd like to know everyone's story!! Here's a mini questionnaire you can fill out to share a little bit about your shop and how it started up.

How long have you been in business?

Why did you decide to start selling your products?

How long have you been making your products?

What were some issues you faced while starting up?

Where do you hope to be with your business? Ultimately? in 5 years?

What is unique to your business that customers wouldn't be able to find anywhere else?

What was your 'big break', or the best moment you and your biz have had so far?

How long have you been in business?

A lil over a year

Why did you decide to start selling your products?

It started as a gift for a friends wedding- she knows i make everything , she read about the wedding vase tradition and the first thing that came out of her mouth, and always does is "MAKE14ME" my new business venture was born

How long have you been making your products?

All types of things for years, this has not been my only craft biz, just my focus now

What were some issues you faced while starting up?

getting the florist to enbrace the idea .....i get alot of florist thorny attitude -if you know what i mean...lolll....and altot of "we are trying to keep the emphisis on the flowers...personal though....they will be dead in a few days...lolll

Where do you hope to be with your business? Ultimately? in 5 years?

Im hoping this romantic tradition and keepsake item i am trying to bring to this century will be wanted by many

What is unique to your business that customers wouldn't be able to find anywhere else?

1-of-a-kind, custom painted just for themin the colors of thier choosing, great keepsake and a true work of art to something so ordinary

What was your 'big break', or the best moment you and your biz have had so far?

ummmmmmmmmm...being embraced by non traditional brides...to mean that means allot ...i have not had what i would consider a big break yet...its cool...im happy for right now...who knows

BUMPIN THIS!!

How long have you been in business?  I opened my Etsy shop in February '09 but have only been exclusively making purses and bags since Spring.

Why did you decide to start selling your products?  I quit my job to stay home with my youngest and decided to see if there was a market for the things I painted.

How long have you been making your products?  About 5 months ago, I taught myself to sew and have sort of been making it up as I go along.  I got a couple books about making handbags to learn specific skills since it's really a new skill for me.

What were some issues you faced while starting up? Lack of space in our house for all my supplies and going to fairs & festivals and having people comment how much they "loved" my items but then not selling anything - frustrating!

Where do you hope to be with your business? Ultimately? in 5 years?  I would love to be able to get my bags in local stores and maybe someday have my own shop.

What is unique to your business that customers wouldn't be able to find anywhere else?  Instead of just making the usual t-shirt tote bag, I use the design and colors of the t-shirt (or other clothing) for inspiration to make a truly original purse or bag.

What was your 'big break', or the best moment you and your biz have had so far?  Don't think I've had a big break (yet) but have been super happy when buyers are happy with their purchases.