We're in the money (or something like that)

The above is Matt's attempt at creating a glamour shot for this lovely pink tie. He went about the whole photo shoot very seriously. He moved several pieces of our furniture, stacked them precariously on top of each other, draped Madeline's crib sheet over it all and moved all available IKEA lamps so that the lighting would be just so. Click, click. Snap, snap. And you have this stunning visual right before your eyes.

So simple to run a home business, no?

Last year Matt and a few friends started a neckwear company (check it out at www.wearcacti.com. For orders of 100 or more, I'll cut you a deal. Wink, wink). Matt and company came up with a label, ordered ties from China, built a website and Cacti was born. When everyone parted ways in May, Matt and I ended up with the company and about 1000 ties worth of inventory. Our company is currently tucked away neatly in our hall closet, which must remain closed at all times to keep Madeline from running the family business all through the house (she loves to play with ties, especially the zipper ties that the factory sent us as a promo. She thinks they are necklaces. See girly blog post from a few months back).

Anyway, I am thinking about ties because I went to my first trade show today. I ended up getting stuck in a room with a slightly inebriated talker who frankly wasn't that interested in our ties (his loss, really) and the only real lead that came from the whole thing has nothing to do with ties (Matt and I are thinking of getting into the heavy machinery resale business.) Actually, that is mostly me that is thinking of getting into the heavy machinery business. Just another one of my great business ideas.

Take homemade doggie biscuits, for example. That was after my idea for a personal biographer business and several months before fresh bread delivered to your door or stress free planter boxes (thanks Michelle G.). People in Philadelphia have pets instead of children and one day I found a recipe for homemade dog biscuits. After I figured out the cost per unit of making dog biscuit kits verses what you could sell them for, I got pretty excited and ordered several dog biscuit cookie cutters and paw print ribbon (so cute). Then, I really didn't do anything with it and every time the conversation turned to starting your own business, Matt would chuckle and make a snide remark about dog biscuits. I still maintained that it was a great idea, but that I was on to bigger and better things (mostly in the idea stages, of course). Accordingly, there the dog biscuits cutters and paw print ribbon sat unused in our laundry room for roughly 18 months and 14 days. Then, two days before we left Philly, Matt and I were out walking and we passed one of those cute little row home speciality shops in our neighborhood called "In the Doghouse." I remarked that I might just sell my doggie biscuits to them and Matt stared me down and said, "Why don't you?" So I walked in. And five minutes later I walked out having sold ten dog biscuit kits. Sure, not a big money maker, but all the reaffirmation that I needed that homemade dog biscuit kits were a good idea. I paid for my inventory (most of which I still have) and made roughly $3.50. Worth every penny of the two hours it took me to put them together.

So, you see? I am a successful business woman. If you would like to order any used heavy machinery, please contact me via the comment section of this blog. All purchases over $100,000 come with four free doggie biscuit mixes and your choice of five ties. Start your Christmas shopping early!