Sending our children off to school. Something we all experience in different ways across the globe, and what I would call an unspoken solidarity in parenthood!
I’ve tried to write this post a few times, and would get choked up within the first few sentences. Don’t worry, after a very long week with my four energizer bunnies, I don’t think I will be getting choked up about back to school week any longer. I think I may in fact welcome the normal routine and regular schedule with open and enthusiastic arms! However, it doesn’t change the same hesitations, worries, and anxious thoughts that are trying so hard to fight their way to the front of my mind as I send my children off to school. VIEW FULL POST
We never thought we’d have so much space in our backyard, so we have been making the most of it this summer. Last night we set up an outdoor cinema since the only escape from the heat is after the sun goes down! Being in sore need of a date with all of our babysitters in town we decided to haul living room and patio pieces to set up a backyard movie night. VIEW FULL POST
Over the weekend we needed a good detox from a week of takeout and sweets, so we press reset and went back to our healthy breakfast goals. The way I have found that gets everyone to eat a good bowl of oats? Lay out the toppings before them to build your own bowl! Every one of my children were licking the bottoms of the bowls which had me shocked to be honest and resolving to do this more often. VIEW FULL POST
Our little Rocco Samuel turns one this week so we had a crew of family and friends over to celebrate this Very Hungry Caterpillar’s first birthday. Like each of my children’s birthdays, they are always bittersweet for me. Letting go of the babyhood phase of their life and accepting that outside of your control, they are growing faster than you can grasp. Rocco has been healing balm for some very tough days for me this year, and so it is especially hard to swallow that he is already one. Gabriel, Veronica, and Max were so excited to celebrate their baby brother’s birthday that it motivated me to make it a fun theme for all of them. He may not remember the little details, but for me it is just a part of celebrating his irreplaceable life. Here are a few snaps I was able to get during party chaos! VIEW FULL POST
I always hold out on purchases till the really good sales come around. Since the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is now open to the public today, I wanted to share which items I think are worth the buy (if you can get them before they sell out – holy toledo), and which are worth the splurge or save. This is the sale that is actually a season ahead so instead of summer items you can actually get jazzed about the cooler temps around the corner. If I am being honest with myself, they are way further around the corner here in Atlanta than I’d like, but let’s pretend. VIEW FULL POST
(Topshop dress, Rag & Bone booties, Clare V. Handbag)
A few weeks ago I received my first ever Trunk Club Women box on the front door step. Audible squeals were heard over every item inside. I have never gotten to work with a stylist before, and this experience proved that I certainly have been missing out. Since I only online shop these days, I am usually gambling with sizes and quality. Often times, I just don’t have the time to sit down and browse for just the right dress or look for that upcoming occasion.
I was paired with the sweetest stylist Amanda, who asked me some personal style questions and got all of my sizes over the phone. I was hoping she could help me find some pieces that would work well now during pregnancy as well as after. A trunk club stylist selects pieces based on your preferences, and finds options from a good variety of brands in varying price points. I was so impressed with the items Amanda chose for me. She sent both maternity and non-maternity items that could work with my sizes, and they interchanged really well.
(Madewell Dress, Karen Walker Sunnies)
SO thankful for the hours of time she saved me from looking for options during this busy time of my life, and for making me feel like a million bucks in the process. I love that instead of being a subscription service, you can just request a box as often as you need or for any occasion you need help with. I also love that you just mail back any pieces you won’t be using or weren’t a good fit.
I’m looking forward to using Trunk Club for my continued post-baby style needs, as that is a time when it is as tough to get time to shop as it is to find pieces that you feel beautiful in. What a difference a good outfit can make during that transition time. Now deciding on which items to keep is a whole other battle.
P.S. They have five clubhouses, located in Chicago, New York, LA, Dallas and DC if you are lucky enough to live near one! Otherwise, there is the online service trunk service to women throughout the continental US. You have 10 days to try everything on. Shipping is always free both ways, and you’ll only pay for items you keep. Pretty savvy, huh?
Thank you Trunk Club for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.
Hello IHOD readers! My name is Amina Belouizdad, I’m one of the Co-Founders of Bartaile. I’m excited to share some of the lessons we have learned while building Bartaile, a modern travel bag brand. We started Bartaile for all those #goingplaces, whether you’re looking to further your career, see the world, or just do more. So, please, feel free to email me at amina@bartaile.com – happy to get on a call or share some thoughts and be helpful however I can. We’re all in this together.
Let’s start by dispelling some myths:
1) You need to have money before you start a business.
2) You have to love taking risks.
3) You have to be a subject matter expert.
4) You have to do it all yourself.
None of these are true! But they can be, if you let them stand in your way. I will tell you that both Felicia (my business partner) and I cannot say we had any of the above. And we turned out just fine! There really are no universal truths when it comes to starting a business – there are no rules and no right or wrong way. In my opinion, this is a better time than ever to just go out and do it. There is an incredible amount of resources available now both offline and online.
With that in mind, here is what I’ve learned….
So you have an idea?
You’ll know when you’ve found it; usually because you can’t get it out of your head, and it just makes so much sense to you. It might be a problem you’ve experienced directly or one that you’ve witnessed through someone else. If this is you then congratulations! You’ve been bit by the entrepreneurial bug. She’s persistent, tenacious, and speaks with the honeyed voice of a jazz club singer. She’s hard to shut down! The most important thing you can do is try to figure out whether this idea is worth pursuing.
This takes some pragmatism. It takes being able to approach your idea unemotionally, with a forensic eye. The questions you want to answer as quickly and cheaply as possible can really be boiled down to four:
1. How much does it cost for me to make my product or service? If it’s a product, create a prototype immediately. It can be just a minimum viable product — a simple, easy-to-make version of your product. If you’re crafty you can make it yourself, or if you’re not (like me!) you can just go to a manufacturer. Most manufacturers are very open to working on a developing a new product. The key here is to gain an understanding of the materials, pricing and costs. And to start thinking about ways to improve quality or design. Of course, if your idea entails a service, then it’s easier! A little bit of research will go a long way in terms of understanding the costs.
2. Who is my target market? One of the best ways to identify and understand your target market is through surveys and focus groups. Surveys are great because people tend to be more honest in front of a screen. Focus groups are great because you can gather feedback through body language, facial expressions and can really drill into certain aspects.
3. How much is my target market willing to pay for my product or service? Now, a lot of people try to answer this question with the same surveys and focus groups above. However, I think the only way to truly test how much people are willing to pay for a given product/service … is to have them pay for it! Hosting a pre-sale or pre-order is a great way to do this. An even better way is to host a Kickstarter. This also allows you to test your supply chain and production.
You can test different prices at different times and see how people react — however, for integrity, I recommend you then retroactively reimburse the difference for any people that paid more than others. This is an experiment that your first customers shouldn’t have to pay for.
4. Does this all work for me, my lifestyle and my goals? This is probably the most important part! And I don’t think we talk about it enough — in business, as in life, different people want different things. Some want purpose, some money, and others want to just be able to work from home in their underwear.
There’s really no right answer here, but questions 1-3 should help inform the context in which you answer the final question – is this for you? Is this consistent with your personal goals? Are you ready for the road ahead?
I hope this helps many of you budding entrepreneurs! We want to share one of our Bartaile bags with you today so we are giving away the Loden Bartaile Backpack! Enter below via Rafflecopter.
(Topshop dress, Rag & Bone booties, Clare V. Handbag)
