HOW I PREPARED MY SMALL BUSINESS FOR MATERNITY LEAVE

Hi there!

I wanted to share with you a bit about how we prepared our small, independent pattern design business to allow me to take maternity leave.

As I’m sure you can imagine (or perhaps know from hands-on experience) it’s a pretty major thing for a business owner to take a step back from their own business, particularly when it’s for extended periods of time, and even more so when the business has a very small team. I wanted to share my experience with you, in the hope that it helps other small business owners who might also be navigating similar waters.

Although my partner and I had always planned to have a child, the idea seemed quite abstract - mainly because I am self-employed. There were so many questions that needed to be answered. The main one being how we were going to manage a new baby (and everything involved in having a new baby!) while also keeping the business running. So, from the moment I found out I was pregnant, I began thinking about the changes that needed to be made so the business could continue to function while I went on leave. 

The other major difference between taking maternity leave as a business owner was the amount of time I could take off. With such a small team and a monthly project subscription, we decided that I’d probably need to be back at work after 3 months. 

Up until this point, In the Folds was run by myself and Alys. Between the two of us we managed everything from the big picture work like pattern ideation and design, to the more practical business roles, like answering customer enquiries and managing the books. Between the two of us we agreed that with such a small team and a monthly subscription to maintain, I needed to be back at work after 3 months, and we needed to expand the team.

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Hiring another staff member

So, I advertised for, interviewed and hired a Communications Assistant (the lovely Xanthe - who you will know if you’ve contacted customer service in the last year or are part of our Curated subscription) so that I could begin handing over some of my work. It was important for me to do this early on in my pregnancy so I could train Xanthe and ensure she felt supported.

With Xanthe now in charge of communications, I could step aside from that side of things and really get into product development so we could start working ahead on our Curated by ITF project schedule.

Using project management software

The next thing I could see needed to happen was transitioning us over to more robust project management software. We had been using Trello up until that point, which had always done the job, but with the growth of the team we noticed that it relied too much on my input to make it work. We needed an application that would enable us to take everything out of my head and automate it so that when I was on leave I could completely disconnect because the team wasn’t relying on me to tell them the next step. After much trialling and testing we settled on Asana and began the huge job of setting it up (which I must give Xanthe all credit for!). It was a huge job, but one that made a huge impact almost instantly.

Updating our Operations Manual

I’ve used an Operations Manual since hiring my first employee in 2020, but it became more important to ensure that everything was added before I went on leave. So we set about making sure it was up to date.

I’ve always held a lot of the In the Folds processes in my head and my team are used to being able to come to me with any question they have, but we wanted to make sure everything was in there so they could find what they needed and felt supported while I took a break. This was a great thing to do because it forced me to think about the things we were doing and question whether anything could be streamlined further. It also meant that when I signed off for leave, I knew I would only need to be contacted about urgent matters and nothing related to the day-to-day running of the business. This eased my mind a lot as it was really important to me to be able to spend the early weeks of motherhood solely focusing on my recovery and my new bub.

Working ahead of schedule

When you own a very small business, there isn’t the budget to replace a role as you would in a corporate setting or larger business. My amazing employees, Alys and Xanthe, really stepped up to allow me to have time off by doing more hours or taking over jobs I have previously done myself.

But even with the extra hours, they of course couldn’t cover the number of hours I was doing, which meant we had to get ahead of the project schedule before I went on leave and then dial things back slightly while I was away, so that the work was achievable with the smaller team.

To do this, we followed a fairly strict, and jam-packed schedule, working as far ahead as we could (thanks to the project management software we had changed to). Prior to this, Alys and I worked on projects together, but to get ahead we decided to work independently on separate projects and then handover to each other further down the line for suggestions and updates. 

Alys became the wizard of all things operations during this time, and kept her eye on the project timeline to make sure we were keeping up. We managed to get everything done to a point where I could confidently close my laptop, knowing that everything was in good hands! 

I can’t say that it was an easy thing to do to prepare In the Folds for me to take leave, but it’s something that I am so grateful for, and I think it shows that it is possible for small businesses to do, if you’re prepared to get stuck in and do the hard yards. 

Looking back, I can see that the benefits far outweigh the negatives of what it required. It gave me time to really focus on everything happening in my family once our daughter arrived. To be present and enjoy my new family, without the constant distraction of work, because those early moments are fleeting and work will always be there.

If you know anyone in a similar business stage, please share this post with them. Otherwise, happy sewing!

Emily

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WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING…

Neale jumpsuit by @sewing_andmore

Peppermint Wide Leg pants by @ivebeenmaking

BEHIND THE SCENES: A PEEK AT OUR PATTERN WRITING PROCESS

The pattern writing process might seem like a bit of a mystery to some people, so I thought it would be great to share a snippet of the process we go through.

Specifically, how we choose what finishings to include, and how we decide on the order of construction for the booklets we release for our awesome customers each month.

setting the direction

Okay, so first stop… say hello to Emily and I in the In the Folds studio!

Every project we release begins with us having a good long chat about the techniques and skills we want to share. Whether we’re creating a skills resource or a sewing pattern, we ALWAYS focus on what you can learn by making them!

how will we get there?

Once we’ve ticked that off and we know exactly what direction the project is headed in, we chat about the options for finishing techniques and construction order.

This is a stage we both really love. It’s fun to talk through the project and share our ideas. And, this part of the process can vary enormously, depending on the project we’re working on.

Sometimes our ideas will line up perfectly and we know exactly what is needed. Other times our individual experiences with sewing techniques will differ and we’ll have different perspectives on how we should approach the project.

When this happens we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each approach. Not all sewing finishes and techniques suit every application, so we try to base the decision on what is most suitable for the project we’re working on.

Most importantly, we aim to include sewing techniques and skills that our makers will enjoy doing. So, if we don’t think our community will enjoy it or get good results from using it then it definitely doesn’t make the cut!

Once we’re all chatted out, one of us will start to create the content for the project.

We’ll dive into the other areas of creating a pattern in future posts, but today we’re discussing how we create instructions for sewing patterns or samplers. If you’re interested in this topic, you can learn more about how Emily created a pattern for the Gibson loungewear set here.

SAMPLING TO TEST IDEAS

When creating each project, we always sew samples or a complete garment to test out the techniques and order of construction.

Sometimes we know exactly how the steps will be sewn; other times, we experiment and sample with a few different ideas until we come up with the best order for you!

Because so much of our work is computer-based, sewing is a fun part of the process and often a welcome break from the screen! I’ll set myself up for the day and prepare my sewing machine, fabrics, and filming equipment for any sew-along videos or photos.

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Join Curated by ITF - find your new community!

If you're looking to be supported, motivated and inspired through your sewing journey our Curated by ITF subscription might be just what you're looking for.

As well as a monthly sewing project, you’ll gain access to our private member platform where you can receive feedback and advice from the ITF team and other experienced makers, participate in sew-alongs and make sewing besties all over the world!

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Sometimes we’ll be trialling a few different techniques at the same time and we’ll discover that one method doesn’t work well with another. When this happens we have to adjust, or change completely, the order things are sewn.

If we’re just making adjustments we might sew two alternatives, or go back and just sew and photograph the parts we need for the changes to the construction method. Sometimes if the construction order has changed completely, we’ll sew another version from scratch.

As you can appreciate, it can be a time-consuming process!

For the Sewing Knits Skills Kit samplers, we already knew how most techniques and the construction order would work, which meant I could go ahead and sew each stage and take photos.

I did, however, test two sleeve options for our T-shirt pattern coming next month! I sewed one in flat and one as a set-in sleeve. They both worked well, but we felt the set-in sleeve gave a better finish overall for this pattern.

When I had photos for each stage, I typed up instruction notes and added the photos to each step. We try to keep the wording of our instructions consistent, so I’ll often look back at past projects and adapt them where necessary.

This document is then handed to our illustrator, who works her magic to create the detailed illustrations you find in our sewing patterns.

Once we receive the illustrations back from the illustrator, we drop them into our instruction booklets and tweak them to ensure they align with our vision!

If I’ve been working on the instruction booklet, once I’ve finished it I’ll hand it over to Emily (or she’ll hand it over to me!) to have a look over it with fresh eyes, and provide feedback.

Then we whisk it off to our pattern editor for a final check before it heads out to our photo team for testing and photography.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little look inside our creative process! There’s so much that goes on that we can easily take for granted, so if you have any questions, just pop them in the comments and we’ll make sure we answer them!

Happy sewing!

Alys

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WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MAKING…

Gibson loungewear set by @shuaychong

Collins top by @sewingmachinations

Printed sewing patterns are almost here!

If you follow me on Instagram you will might have seen that I've been working on getting my patterns into print. It's a really exciting time for me and this little business and I am looking forward to sharing it all with you! I'll give you a few details in this post, but I look forwrad to doing some more behind the scenes style posts in the new year!

After a lot of thought and consideration, I decided that the best way to get my patterns into print would be by crowdfunding. I decided to go down this route as not only would it provide me with the opportunity to raise the funds required (printing sewing patterns is very expensive), it was also a chance to ensure that the products are actually in demand. I would have hated to spend a huge amount of time and money on patterns and then not be able to sell them! By crowdfunding, I could confirm the demand before pressing print. 

Preparing the Kickstarter campaign was a huge amount of work. On top of that it was a very stressful time, thinking about all the things that could go wrong and how I would proceed if I didn't hit my target. Luckily, I didn't have too long to worry as, within one week of launching the campaign, I reached my goal of $10 000. It all happened so quickly that I hadn't even had a chance to write about it on my blog! I had envisaged a month of hustling and slogging away to reach the target, but it all went surprisingly smoothly and I have been blown away by the level of support I have received for this project. It has most definitely validated the product and also given me a burst of energy I really needed to get this project over the line.

The goal of the campaign was to raise enough money to get my first run of patterns into print (The Ruschutter, The Acton and The Collins Top), but now that we've gone beyond that goal, I am very excited to say that new patterns will be available in print much sooner than I expected. By having the funds in the bank, I will be able to work on releasing new patterns on a more consistent basis, and I have all of you to thank for that! (All 241 of you - at the time of writing this post)!

If you haven't had the chance to back the project, there's still 14 days to go. You can learn more about it and make a pledge here. There are lots of great rewards, from patterns, to tote bags and even tickets to a launch event here in Sydney!

The other exciting thing that has happened lately is that I was interviewed on the Love to Sew podcast. It was so much fun talking to Helen and Caroline, and the best bit... I hit my Kickstarter goal while I was being interviewed! So if you want to gear that very special moment, then head over to the podcast and have a listen!

Until next time, happy sewing!

Introducing Saki - Sew-along photographer and all-round awesome maker!

Today's post is a little bit different and a little bit special! You may have seen that late last year I put a post on the blog looking for an illustrator and photographer to help with my workload. A number of people applied for both positions and I was lucky enough to find an illustrator to help me with the illustrations for my pattern instructions, who I have now been working with for over six months (and you would have seen her work if you have used any of my recent patterns).

I found someone that I thought could take the sew-along photographs, but when it fell through soon after, I balked. I just couldn't get my head around how I would be able to pass this job onto someone else. It all just became too overwhelming to cope with. I accepted that I'd just have to keep doing it myself (and maybe just find someone to assist me).

Anyway, somehow in the months that followed (and a bit of time and space to think about it), I started working out how I could get someone to work on this part of the process remotely, and Saki came to mind instantly. She had sent me an amazing application for the job and it was a no-brainer (and had dropped a very funny fact about herself that you will learn in the interview, that meant she was unforgettable). I reached out to her and thankfully she was still keen to give it a go! We jumped on Skype and had a chat about it all and then after ironing out a few details we were ready to get started - her in Germany and me here in Sydney (how amazing is the internet, right?). What I liked about our exchange from the beginning was that we were both open and honest about where we were and our thoughts on the process. I haven't used too many freelancers and definitely have lots to learn, and although Saki has done a lot of freelance work, this particular type of job was new to her too. We nutted everything out together, from how we would price the job, to the timeline, to what size the finished files would be. I think it is a little scary working with someone you have never met before on something so important, but I think we both felt safe knowing we were part of the same community, and in a way that community acts as a bit of a safety net. 

Saki took a whole collection of beautiful photos of her assembling both versions of the Collins Top, so that I could create the sew-along for the pattern. I couldn't believe how much of a burden was lifted off my shoulders having someone else be responsible for this aspect (I really don't enjoy taking photos and have no skills whatsoever!) and I know that Saki really enjoyed doing it, so it really was a win-win situation!

In today's post, just before the sewing posts in the sew-along begin (and you get to admire her beautiful work), I thought it would be nice to introduce Saki on the blog (although a lot of you might already know her from her great blog and instagram account) with a little Q & A style post.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did!

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Could you please tell me a little bit about yourself.

Absolutely! My name is Saki, I was born in Tokyo but have spent most of my life in Portland, Oregon. I currently live half-time in Portland and half-time in a tiny town in the wine valley of Germany with my partner, John. I speak two languages fluently (unfortunately, neither of which are German) and am slowly (s l o w l y) working on a third and fourth. I love to travel, meet new people, and have been to four continents.

Can you tell me 3 interesting facts about yourself?

1) When I’m in Portland, I mostly work freelance as a hand model for the social media accounts of a few international companies. While I have to be discreet about dropping names, I think it’s safe to say that if you follow the social media accounts of a major coffee company, internet search engine, or sportswear company, you have probably seen my hands. The experience has given me some truly useful insight into product photography, lighting, and styling. 

2) I tend to say YES to opportunities I believe in, even if they’re not fully fledged ideas or I’m not fully skilled enough yet to accomplish it. Sometimes, of course, Future Self isn’t always the happiest with Past Self’s overconfidence, but in the end, I always land on my feet. When Emily asked me to shoot the Collins Top Sew-Along, I gave her a resounding yes, with the caveat that I’m going to have to learn some things as I go along. I’m so glad we both embraced this opportunity, and I can’t wait to do it again for her next pattern!

3) I used to have a black thumb to the point of killing succulents, but I was somehow able to keep my cat, Oliver, alive (and healthy!). It dawned on me one day that if I treat my plants like I treat my pets, they may also live longer than a few weeks. I now check in with my plants near-daily, checking for new growth, pests, or watering, and I listen to them when they show me their needs and read up on specific species. It might sound tedious, but it’s a ten minute task that brings me great joy, and now I can’t imagine what my life would be like without plants.

How did you start sewing?

My mom used to quilt entirely by hand and taught me how when I was six. I helped her trace and cut pieces, and then we started a short-lived Sewing Club with the neighborhood girls where we made tiny quilts for our dolls. After my friends’ interests died down, my mom and I moved on to creating an entire wardrobe for my favorite doll, complete with a Kimono, Christmas gown, and onesie pajamas. A decade later, I taught myself how to use her decades-neglected sewing machine, and nowadays I give her mini lessons on how to sew with a machine.

Here’s an obligatory nose-picking-naked-baby photo of me on my hand-sewn baby blanket made by my mom.

What are you working on right now?

I’m working on catching up on my blog! I have a handful of photographed but unwritten garments to work into blog posts, but it’s always just more fun to start daydreaming of the next sewing project. For example, I picked up some African Wax Print while in Morocco, and I can’t decide on which of the many things I want to make out of it. A two-piece set? A shirt dress? A summer dress? Who knows!

What is your favourite type of garment to sew?

Hmm… good question. Honestly, I’m in a phase where I’m shifting my sewing priorities, so it’s hard to answer this question. A year ago, I would have said dresses and gowns because I’m a person who will find any excuse to dress up. But I can’t sew a gown a week and steadily contribute to a Me Made Wardrobe, so now I guess my favorite type of garment to sew is whatever my next inspired project is.

I know that you have an amazing eye for detail when it comes to beautiful finishes on your me-mades. What is your favourite seam finish or technique for getting a really beautiful finish?

This is a surprisingly tough question, but I think I’m going to have to go with visible and contrasting bias binding. I love how adding homemade bias tape gives garments a bit of a quilterly quality, and when in all other ways it’s hard to tell whether your garment is RTW, it’s a detail that confirms it’s bespoke-ness. 

What garment in your me-made wardrobe are you most proud of and why?

Also a tough question. It could be a number of garments for a variety of reasons, but for the sake of being succinct, let’s go with the Collins Top. I’m not someone who has TnT patterns and the most I usually sew a pattern is once, but I’ve now made the Collins Top three times, which is a lifetime record for me. 

Do you have any favourite things to watch or listen to while you are sewing?

To be quite honest, I’m a pretty boring seamstress. I’m so horrible at multi-tasking that I can’t watch TV, listen to music or podcasts, drink wine or hold a conversation while I sew. But on the off-chance my brain is functioning enough to do it, I enjoy listening to Rachel’s Maker Style podcast or watching some pretty trashy reality tv (Hello Bachelorette and Catfish).

What would be your number one tip for beginners learning to sew?

Just do it! I know, cheesy, right? But you won’t learn how to put in that invisible zip without having put in an invisible zip. You won’t learn how to sew silk charmeuse without cutting into your silk charmeuse. You won’t get faster at hand stitching without sometimes setting yourself up in front of the tv for a Stranger Things marathon and hand-finishing a few meters of bias binding. Of course it’ll look wonky the first several times, but we ALL go through a phase of wonky construction, and we ALL still make rookie mistakes; my most common rookie mistake is cutting into the wrong side of the seam allowance for flat felled seams.

You take some beautiful photos for your blog. What would be some tips you would give others about how to get beautiful and interesting photos of their me-mades for their blogs?

Thank you! I know it’s not within the budget for many people but I think it needs to be said; a decent camera and lens does wonders for photos. It doesn’t have to be pro-level, but anything that gives you manual options and can shoot RAW has the potential to improve your photos.

Outside of that, my main technical tips are: 

• Use as much natural light as possible, and in conjunction, check your white balance. Artificial light tends to run yellow or blue and it’s much harder to adjust that afterward on every photo than to just get it right from the get-go. 
• Set your camera up before handing it off to your photographer friend. I lean on Aperture Priority mode a lot (for indoors, around 2.4f and outdoors 1.8f), which lets me keep depth of field and light levels somewhat consistent and lets the photographer basically just push a button.
• Shoot in RAW if you have access to a photo processor like Lightroom. Shooting in jpeg pretty much halves the breadth of information stored within a photo and limits your ability to edit the photo later. 

On another note, when I’m in Germany, I have John be my enthusiastically inexperienced photographer, and I’m (obviously) my own enthusiastically inexperienced model. Even with my best friend behind the camera, I’m still as awkward as humanly possible, and it’s not uncommon for us to take literally 200+ photos for a single blog post and come out with loads of derp-faced photos and less than twenty that are worth posting. 

It’s ultimately a numbers game… the more you take, the more that have to come out useable, right? We build it in to whatever we’re doing that day, like going for a walk through the vineyards or visiting a castle ruin or museum (John calls the background low-hanging fruit), so it’s not so much a chore or obligation as a fun thing we do together. And in the end, I’m just lucky to have the most supportive partner who can laugh with me when I make silly poses. 

If you had the time and resources to have an unlimited number of hobbies, what other things would you like to try out and why?

Oh man, can I just say EVERYTHING? Of course, I love everything and anything that involves fibers and fiber arts. I love to cook, and thankfully I have to eat every day, so I have a built-in excuse to play in the kitchen all the time. At the risk of sounding particularly Portlandian, I’m most inspired by foraging and food preservation experiments; drying, fermentation, pickling, curing, smoking, et al. Also, I used to hike and take landscape photographs weekly and feel that it takes too much energy now, but I’d do it again if I lived forever.

I also just started dabbling in 3d printing, with my first project being the curtain rod bracket shown above. And John just got a laser cutter, so when I sit down at my computer to write a blog post or photo processing, I’m always so tempted to open up a CAD program and start fiddling with all the things that can be done with lasers! There are some limitations as far as laser cutting fabric goes (it’s especially important to know the full fiber content), but I’m excited to start playing with that too.

Thanks so much for having me, Emily! It’s been a pleasure working with you!

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And there we have it! I hope you enjoyed this post and learning more about Saki. You can learn more about our collaboration (and her beautiful Collins Tops) over on her blog.

Stay tuned for her sew-along photos coming over the next few days.

See all the posts in the Collins Top Sew-along.

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Talking About: 1 year in business

I cannot believe today marks the day that exactly one year ago I launched In the Folds as well as The Rushcutter dress pattern. Part of me feels like no time has passed at all, while the other part feels like I have been steering this ship for ten years! I cannot believe how naively I took the plunge into starting my own business - and how much learning I have had to do this past year just to survive. I thought that a good way to wrap up the year would be a little reflective post about all that I have learned this first year, as a reminder to myself about how far I have come, and hopefully some tips for you if you are about to start this crazy journey too. 

1. Sometimes not having a clue is a great thing

Thank goodness for the blind faith of a beginner. It's so easy to jump blindly into something when you have absolutely no idea of what is involved. And this truly is a blessing. If I knew when I started what I know now about running a business (which is still not a great deal), I don't know if I would have been brave enough to do it at all. I see this trait in so many parts of life, sewing in particular. New sewers often jump right into projects far beyond their skills, because they have no way of judging what's involved and have no fear, or knowledge, of what could go wrong. I think this is fantastic, and something to really aspire to. I wish this was something we could control and bring into our lives more often, because fear really does stifle our potential. So see it as a bonus when you don't have a clue about something - it often will work in your favour. Step naively into the face of it, and take the challenges one by one as they come.

2. You can learn a lot from the internet

When I did start to lose my naivety and started realising the beast I was creating, I also learned that worrying about what you don't know is just pointless. Because basically there is going to be A LOT you don't know, and there's just no point dwelling on it or getting worked up about it. Soldier on and face each obstacle as it comes. It is incredible what you can teach yourself with the help of a good Google search (I learned how to draft patterns digitally by trawling the internet for blog posts and tutorials) or a podcast. If you break whatever is daunting you down into small steps, suddenly it looks much more manageable and achievable and then you can face each challenge one by one. 

3. Sometimes you're just not ready for the information

This leads me to the point that sometimes it's best not to know something. There's only so much brain real estate we have, and there's no point filling it with useless things that you may not need until a year down the track. For example, before I started In the Folds I did a small business course. The teacher harped on and on about marketing. I listened, but I just couldn't wrap my head around it. Of course I knew it was important, but it all just seemed too big and too daunting for me to think about. So I didn't. I chose to focus on more pressing issues. At the beginning the most important thing I had to do was learn how to make a great digital product (I have always been a pattern maker, but only knew how to draft patterns manually). There would have been no point spending hours working on marketing when I didn't even have a product to marker. Twelve months on, and now that I have mastered creating a PDF pattern, it's time to take the next step. I am finally realising what a huge impact marketing has on your business's success and I am ready to learn. I am ready to take it all in. I have been reading marketing books, and listening to marketing-related podcasts, and actually understanding them, and even enjoying them. Because I am ready for the information now. 

4. Having your own business can be very lonely, but that doesn't mean you have to do it alone

Photo care of Louisa Eagleton Photography

While I was still at university I did work experience with a local fashion designer. I went to her studio one or two days a week to help out with anything and everything she needed help with. Early on I was struck by what a lonely working life this designer led. She spent her days in the studio with no-one around but her dog, and me when I was there. At that moment I vowed I would never have my own business - it would be far too lonely for me. I need to be around people all the time. Or so I thought. Fast-forward seven years and here I am sitting at my desk writing this post. Totally alone. And extremely happy to be doing it. What I have learned is that although you may get lonely running your own business, it doesn't mean you have to do it alone. I choose to work in a shared studio space, so that I am surrounded by others. I choose to collaborate with businesses that believe in the same things that I believe in so I can bounce ideas around with other creatives. In the past twelve months, I have met more like-minded individuals than I had met in my entire life pre-business. I may not get to see these people every day, but when I do see them, they re-fuel my energy and inspiration in a way that sustains me in the lonely times. And then of course I have my friends and family, who have been absolute troopers throughout the journey so far. 

5. People generally want to help you

And this leads me to another major lesson I have learned. People generally want to help you. There is something about "the little guy" (or gal) who has said 'Stuff you normal job / normal lifestyle' that excites and inspires people. They may not want to take the leap themselves, but they will often want to be part of the journey. I find it really difficult asking for help, but what I am slowly learning to accept is that I cannot do it alone and people do actually want to help. There are always going to be times when I'm going to need to call in a favour. And that's okay. 

6. Starting a business forces you to look internally

The biggest surprise to me this year is how much having my own business has made me look internally. If you mentioned the term 'self-help' to me a year ago, I would have actually laughed in your face. I didn't understand it, I didn't get it, and didn't believe there was any need for it in my life. Then I started a business and realised that when you pour your heart and soul into something, it becomes part of you, and any cracks or strains in the business are often reflections of some part of you that needs to be looked at a little closer. Blocks in my business often relate to personal blocks I have. For example, when I started In the Folds I wasn't too worried about how many patterns sold. Money wasn't driving me. I thought this was a good thing, it meant I could be creative and free without thinking about money. Then I realised that it wasn't liberating to work like that. Having no money doesn't give you freedom, it limits you and your potential. I wasn't worrying about money, not because I had risen above to some higher plane where money wasn't an issue, but because I felt I didn't deserve it. This was a huge revelation to me and something I must continually think about and work on. I now work on different things internally, as I realise how these things manifest externally. It is a never ended process, but a very rewarding one. 

7. Creating a routine is really important

Photo care of Louisa Eagleton Photography

When I tell people I have my own business, they often remark about how great it must be 'being able to work whenever you like.' Any business owner will know that it's not like that at all. Having your own business encourages you to work ALL THE TIME - whether you like it or not. There is always a million things on the to-do list and only you to do it, so you just work and work and work and work. I definitely have work-aholic tendencies. I love to work. I have always enjoyed working, and working for myself has made me love work even more. I truly love what I do and it makes me feel incredibly happy and fulfilled. But that doesn't mean it is good for me to work all the time.

I do not want to be defined by what I do for a living. I want to be defined by my relationships with others, by what I give to the world, the stories I share, the places I go. This article from Womankind that I read recently resonated so much with me - and was a great reminder that I cannot let work absorb me, nor should anyone. This means trying to find some work-life balance.

I am definitely not going to pretend I have worked it out. I haven't. But I am getting better. And the main thing that has helped is the routine I have created for myself and my work. I try to work normal working hours. I get to work between 9am and 10am. I have lunch around 1pm, just like I would do if I worked in an office. I leave work around 6pm so that I can spend time with my partner or friends in the evenings. I work weekends when I have a deadline, but I try to refrain from  working so that I can spend time with my friends and family, and just relax and re-group. This work takes a huge mental toll on me, and I like to have the weekends to reflect and gear-up for the week ahead. I went to a great talk earlier this year and the speaker discussed the idea of our "Golden Hours." By this she meant the hours in the day where you do your best work. Realising that my "golden hours" are first thing in the morning and later in the afternoon / evening has been a great lesson. I now plan my days around these peak times. First thing in the morning I do my most important work, the things that have to be done, while I am full of energy and ready to go. After lunch, when I am feeling like crawling under my desk for a siesta, I try to do my favourite work. The work that I don't find challenging and I love to do no matter how exhausted I am - sewing and pattern making fall into this category. And then in the evening (if I have a deadline and need to work) I get back to the important stuff. 

8. Put everything into it - it's so much easier than only going halfway

I worked in London for two and a half years or so a couple of years ago. I moved there with the grand dreams of interning in the fashion industry and working out what I wanted to do with my life. I got there and realised that although it would be easy to find an internship, a paid one was almost impossible to come by, and if I wanted to eat I was going to have to find another job. After calling my parents and having a mini melt-down on the floor of a 12 bed dorm in a backpacker hostel I remembered that I had been tutoring kids for years back home, and maybe I could find some part-time nannying work. Fast forward a couple of weeks and there I was at the park with three gorgeous young children who were now my responsibility four afternoons a week. It was not ideal, but it would pay the bills and let me do what I wanted each morning (i.e. interning). A year or so later I started working on my first pattern making blog and although I loved my job as a nanny, I quickly realised how hard I was finding it to focus on the job at hand. All I could think about was working on my blog. Pushing a child on a swing, I would be thinking about the next tutorial I would write. Walking through the park with the stroller, I would be thinking about what I would sew next. Then I would finally have time to do all that I had been dreaming about and I was just too exhausted to do the work. Now that I work in my business full-time, I finally feel focussed. No longer do I catch myself (as often) day dreaming of the work I want to be doing, while eating dinner with my partner or while talking to my Mum on the phone. By being 100% in in my business it is no longer a chore to do the work. It has become a non-negotiable. I work every day. And then I rest on the weekends and evenings, and actually give my attention to the people around me that deserve it. Here is a great article that illustrates it really well. 

9. You just can't do it all

When I started In the Folds I just knew I had to do everything myself. I didn't have the budget to pay anyone for help, so I didn't even think about it. I learned how to do the things I didn't know how to do and just got on with it. Until I hit a road block. I wanted to change something on my website and I just couldn't. I trawled forum pages and blogs, trying to find the solution, wasting hours and hours and not coming up with an answer. I finally bit the bullet and decided to call an expert for help. His rates seemed astronomical at the time, but I knew I didn't have a choice. Then he did the job in no time at all and it was perfect. And suddenly I had no problem handing over my credit card details. I have learned that my time has value and can often be spent doing something far more useful than trawling the internet for a solution that may not exist. I am now learning that it is a good investment to outsource some of the work, even when my budget is very tight. I sent my last pattern for Peppermint Magazine to a pattern digitser and grader. I couldn't believe how much time and frustration that saved me. For future pattern releases I plan to hire someone to illustrate the instructions. I know that I can do all these tasks myself. But I also know that I could find someone that could do it better than I can, and I can carry on doing the things I couldn't outsource to anyone. 

10. Having a plan is great, but you've got to be flexible

When I did the small business course I mentioned earlier, we had to write a business plan. It was a tough exercise, but I found it so useful in getting my head around what I was setting out to do. I handed it in and then haven't looked at it since. How come? Things changed. I realised that I couldn't pump out the ten patterns in the first year like I had planned. Things took far longer than I thought they would. Things cost far moe than I had planned and I needed to take on an occasional freelance job just to get by. And that's okay. It is really difficult to make a plan when you have no idea of what processes you will use and how long they will take. There is no point sticking to a plan just because it's there. To me, business is about constantly pivoting and adapting to what's going on around you. I do plan to write that business plan again though. With a year's worth of experience under my belt, and finally a clue about who my "ideal customer" is, I think I am in a much better place to put pen to paper. But I will be flexible with that plan too.

11. Enjoy the process and celebrate the successes along the way

And the final lesson, and perhaps the most important. Celebrate the victories along the way - however small they are. Our definition of success is constantly changing, as we move the goal posts back each time we achieve something. So I am learning to celebrate the moments along the way. Like today when I'll be having a glass of champagne and giving myself a pat on the back and saying "Girl, you did it. You survived your first year in business."

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Talking about: Getting Started

Lately I have been thinking a lot about how to get a business started. I have a couple of friends who are just starting out on their small business journeys, or are just in the pondering phase, and it has got me thinking about the kind of advice I can offer them. 

I am obviously no business guru. This is all very very new to me, as I myself, have only been officially in business for about six months (I also had a little warm up period three months before I officially launched my business). But I know, there are a few things I am very grateful that I thought to do (or was told to do) at the very beginning, and there are also many things that I have learned in the last six months, which I wish I had thought about in the beginning!

So I thought I'd share a few things with you, just in case you are thinking about taking the plunge too!

 1. Research is key

When I started researching for my business, I didn’t even know that’s what I was doing. Long before starting In the Folds, I had  stumbled upon the online sewing community (which I somehow had remained oblivious to until about three years ago) and was just completely blown away by how many people were sewing. 

I became a blog addict, following every blog I could (thanks to Bloglovin’) and soaking up all the amazing sewing goodness I could find. I hadn’t bought a sewing pattern for years (as I had learned how to draft patterns at university, and didn’t really feel the need to buy patterns), but suddenly indie patterns became very appealing. I wanted to know what all the hype was about. I bought a few patterns and gave them a whirl. I saw the incredible detail that was put into the instructions, the beauty of the packaging and the online support that was available. I suddenly understood the excitement.

And at this point, a seed was planted in my mind. What was stopping me jumping on board and producing patterns too?

This is when I realised how much research I had already done. I had been looking at sewing blogs daily by this point, so I already had a really good understanding of who was making patterns and the types of garments that were already on offer. I started taking note of what designers seemed to be the most popular, and what people liked about their patterns. I read countless blog posts about indie patterns and reviews of garments sewn with particular patterns, getting a good idea of what people expected from their pattern and what they did and didn't like.

I put my hand up to test a pattern, knowing that it would be a good way to learn how to go about testing a pattern, when I eventually got to that point. At this point I had no idea how the process worked, but by getting involved and doing it, I quickly learned the things I liked about pattern testing, as well as the things I didn’t like - and how I could iron out these creases when I was the one getting people to test my pattern. 

When I finally launched my business in October last year, I knew the world I was going into. Oh boy, there was still a tonne to learn, but my research had put me in good stead to know what to expect and to envisage (some of) the obstacles that were likely to come my way. There is an amazing group of women who made the indie pattern scene what it is today, and I think it would be crazy not to listen to them and learn from them. 

When my business started, my research did not stop. I am still constantly researching ways I could do things better, how to be more productive, more efficient and how to create a better product. I set time aside regularly to just sit down and absorb what I can. I continue to read blogs (although a wider range of blogs appeal to me now), search for interesting articles online, and listen to tonnes of podcasts (which is a great way to keep learning while you work on something else), as I think it is just so important to keep my finger on the pulse and always be questioning how things are done, and how things could improve. Once upon a time (albeit very recently) you needed to get a business degree to learn the ins and outs of starting a business, now you can find everything you need online. It is incredible. 

2. Just do it already

This is a piece of advice I have come across a lot (thank you Nike), but it does ring very true to me. After stumbling upon the online sewing community, I was busting to start a blog, but it took me months to finally do it. I didn’t know where to start, what people would think and if there were already too many blogs out there. I questioned whether there was anything new I could contribute to the conversation. I am so thankful that I pushed myself to just get the ball rolling and hit publish on that very first blog post. 

The only way to find out what's going to happen, is to go for it. The cliche of ‘you’ll never know until you try’ is just so true. Just starting a blog gave me a chance to work out how to put a tutorial together and work on my writing style. It gave me a chance to find and develop my voice. It gave me the confidence to realise that I was adding something new to the conversation, and that people were interested. Although I look back on some of my first tutorials and cringe, I know it was so important in the development of my style, and I had to work through that awkward stage, to get to where I am now (which is still continually growing and improving).

I think this quote from Ira Glass really sums this stage up very well:

In short, your work may (is likely to be) a little bit crap at first. But you won’t know that till you try, and you won’t be able to get it looking better if you don’t just put it out there and start ironing out the creases, developing your style, working on your process, and getting feedback from those around you. It can be scary at first, you wonder what people will say, what people will think, but all you can do is be brave and put it out there. Just do it. 

I recently watched this TED talk by Reshma Saujani about the importance of women being brave instead of being perfect, and it really struck a chord with me. And this blog post by Heather Lou form Closet Case Files, is also another great read about just biting the bullet and doing it (just in case you need a little more of a shove).

3. Practice makes perfect

No-one goes into business knowing how to do everything. No matter what they tell you. I went into my business with a lot of knowledge and skills related to my business - I have a degree in Fashion and Textiles, I knew how to create a website, I knew how to put a tutorial together, I knew I could write well. 

But that was far from the skills and knowledge I needed - I didn’t have a clue about marketing and advertising (and still don’t know much), I had no idea about book keeping for a business, and I also didn’t know all the ins and outs of drafting and grading a pattern digitally. But I didn’t let these things turn me off.

There is always going to be things we don’t know how to do (I still hit these obstacles daily), but the internet is an insane resource. We are so lucky to live at a time when finding the answer to a question is as simple as typing it into a Google search, or reaching out to a friend on Facebook or Instagram. 

One thing I found really liberating was to accept that there were things I did not know how to do, but I also knew I didn't need them right away. So I decided to file them away in a corner of my brain, labelled as 'work it out later.' By compartmentalising the tasks at hand, I could focus on what needed to be done, and learned, in the present, with the understanding that I could cope with the other things in the future. For example, when I decided to start my business, I had no idea how to grade a pattern digitally. Although I knew it was an important thing for me to learn how to do (and was crucial to me being able to launch my first product), I also knew I didn’t need that skill on the first day I started my business. There was still A LOT I had to do before I got to the point that I would need to digitise my pattern (I had to design the pattern, make up countless samples until it was just right, scan in the paper patter and build a website to house said pattern) and there was no point wasting mental real estate on it. 

When it was finally time to grade the pattern, that’s when I faced it. I started experimenting. I read everything I possibly could get my hands on on the topic. I knew how to use Adobe Illustrator, but had never tried to draft a pattern with it. I was learning from scratch. I practiced, I tried out different techniques, and I made mistakes. Lots of them. I trawled the internet for information and took snippets from many different sources, until I found a process that worked for me. My process wasn’t perfect, but nor did it need to be. It did the trick, and I knew that the next time I did it, I would be faster and more efficient.

3. Find your people

Finding your people is so important to the success of your business. I did a short small business course before I started In the Folds, and there was a lot of talk about our ‘ideal customer.’ At the time it seemed like a very abstract concept to me. I didn’t know what my ideal customer liked, didn’t like, what she did for work, what she did in her spare time (apart from sew, obviously!). None of it. I didn’t even know how I could find this information. 

Then I found Instagram. [This is not to say that Instagram will work for everyone. Your ideal customer may hangout elsewhere, they may not even be present online (although I think that is doubtful if you are taking the time to read this post), but this is just an example of working out where your ideal customers spends their time.]

Unfortunately, this was a lesson that took me a while to work out. And this is one of those lessons I wish I learned before starting my business. 

There was a three month period between my official first day of business and the day I launched my website and my first pattern (the Rushcutter). I had my head down designing my first pattern, putting it through testing, and getting my website up and running, and I had very little contact with the outside world (particularly with the outside online world). A girlfriend kindly offered to help me get some social media up and running (see point number 5 for the importance of calling on favours), as it was something I had been neglecting, and for some reason just couldn’t seem to face. She suggested I get on Instagram, as it would be a great place for me to be in touch with people who may be interested in my website or even my products. I told her it was fine, I already had an Instagram account from my previous blog (with a whole 34 posts and 226 followers) and I could just carry on with that. 

Thankfully, my dear friend knew far more than I did about the power of social media. She created an account and said she’d just have a play around with the kinds of posts she thought would work for my brand. I quickly realised the power of Instagram, as well as what all that fuss was about… Apparently sewists love Instagram (myself included). Due to the generosity of my friend, I quickly learned the kinds of posts I should be publishing, how hashtags worked, and how to use Instagram to chat to like-minded people. I quickly connected with hundreds of amazing women (and maybe a few men) who loved sewing as much as me, and wanted to see photos of all the things I was working on. Suddenly I felt part of a community. A community that is incredibly supportive and inspiring - which is worth its weight in gold, when you are knee deep in a business that you run on your own. 

Although I have now found my people, I do think it would have made launching my business and my first product much easier if I already had an online presence back then. Not only because I think I would have had customers from the get go, but also because of the huge amount of support and encouragement I get from my online friends (and some have even become offline friends now too). So, if I was going to go back and do it all over again (which I obviously can’t do, but I am writing this in the hope that it helps someone like you), I would have opened an Instagram account the moment I knew I was starting a business, and built some hype (and some friendships) in the months before my launch.

4. Plans are much better than lists

This is another one that took me a little while to learn. If you asked me a year ago which camp I was in - To-do lists or plans - I would have proudly said that I was a to-do list addict. Fortunately, in time, I learned that to-do lists just don’t cut it. I find a to-do list a really good place to start, if my mind is overflowing with information, but it really is just the first step.

I use a to-do list as a way to just clear my mind and get everything down on paper, but then I use a schedule to allocate time for each thing on that to do list. It has made me become much more realistic about what I should get (and can get) done in a day, and also allowed me to overcome that disappointing feeling at the end of the day when I haven't managed to cross off the 332 (and possibly 82 hours of work) off my To-do list, because now I don't have those crazy lists that were setting me up for disaster before I even began. If you’d like to know more about how I manage my time, take a look at this post where I go into a bit more detail.

5. Ask for help

I am notoriously bad at asking for help. I always worry that people are too busy doing their own things, and asking for help will be too big of an ask.

What I learned when I started In the Folds, was that people really do want to help. People are inspired by those who are going out on their own, and even if they don’t want to, or can’t do it themselves, often they will still want to be part of that journey.

When I told my friends and family that I was starting a business, I was surprised and heartened by the number of people who came forward to offer their time and expertise. One beautiful friend offered to get started on my branding, while another (who I mentioned earlier) got on with my social media. Help in these two areas (which were two areas I had very little confidence in my ability to do well) was just what I needed. I quickly learned that with a bit of a push and some encouragement, I did know what I wanted, and I also did have the skill to handle it, once they had got the ball rolling for me. 

So this is the moment when I say, TAKE THE HELP! Be gracious, be humble, be very very thankful, but just take the help. Who knows when you will be able to return the favour, but you can always find a way. And don’t be surprised by the people who come forward to say they’d like to help. You can find wisdom in weird and wonderful places. A friend of mine who is a computer coder offered to look over my pattern digitisation process, to see if he could streamline it at all. He showed me a shortcut that literally saved me hours! 

6. Start book keeping from the very beginning

This one is a boring one, but a very important one! Book keeping is something I neglected until about six weeks ago. Yep, seriously. It was something I just kept putting off. And putting off. And putting off. There always seemed to be something more important to be doing. But when I finally decided to bite the bullet, after a friend told me about the success she was having getting her taxes sorted on Freshbooks. I quickly realised it was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. Yes, I have spent far more money than I have made, but at least now I know exactly how much. And I also know where my money is going. And now I have a process.

I would suggest working out a book keeping system as soon as you can - particularly when you are right at the beginning. As this is something that can grow with you if its done right, and you will spend less time rummaging through your handbag looking for receipts!

7. Be authentically you 

Being authentically me is something I find so important in my business journey, and something I am always thinking about and continuously working on. In my offline life, I am outgoing and positive (well at least I try to be) and this is something that I wanted to shine through in my business. I know some people have their online persona, which is intentionally quite different from their offline self - and I think this can work very well. But for me, I wanted to be as much myself online as I am offline. Starting my first blog gave me a chance to develop my voice and see how it was received. The chatty way I write online, is just the way I speak offline, and people seem to respond very well to it. 

As well as being genuine and authentic, I think being as open and honest as possible is a really good thing in business. When I think about the blogs I love reading the most, they are definitely the ones where I get a realisitic idea of the life the blogger or maker lives. I love when people acknowledge that their business journey has been hard, and that their lives are not always as shiny as their Instagram feeds. It makes me feel normal, and that I may too be on the right track. 

I am not here to say it is easy being open on the internet. It is definitely not. And this is also an area I have not explored as much as I would like, but I know it is the way forward for me and my business. I have learned so much from others who have opened their lives and their businesses for me to see, and I want to be a part of the movement for more transparency in business (if you would like to know more about why I think it is important to be transparent then have a look here). 

8. Reach out

Reaching out is possibly the thing I have found the most difficult in these first months in business. I find it very hard to compose an email to a complete stranger, but I am learning that it is so crucial to success. I am also learning that people are generally nice, and will reply to you. As I said earlier, just like friends and family wanting to get involved in the amazing journey of going off on your own, even strangers get inspired to come along for the ride too!

Inspired by someone in your industry? Write them an email and tell them! They just might get back to you and say that they love what you are doing too.

I studied fashion design in an environment that I felt was was very cliquey. People kept their ideas to themselves. What I love most about the online sewing community is that it is the complete opposite to that. Designers are not competing with each other. We are working together to make our community better and greater. Because in the end, this is the most beneficial to all of us right? 

For example, I contacted Beth from Sew DIY late last year, asking if she’d be interested in reviewing the Rushcutter for me. She suggested a pattern swap. We sewed each others patterns and then blogged about it. Not only was it fun, but we both broadened our audiences, and sold some patterns too! And I made a new friend through the process. 

9. Save some money

Exactly one year ago, I moved back to my home in Sydney after spending almost three years in the UK. While I was living in London, I had really started thinking about the possibility of starting my own business in Australia, but it always seemed like quite a far fetched idea. When I moved back to Australia though, I realised it was the perfect time to do it. I didn’t have a job, and no strong desire to go and work in the mainstream fashion industry.

I was lucky enough to be in a position that I didn't need to pay rent, and I had the opportunity to apply for a government funded program to help get new enterprises get off the ground. I also had a bit of money in the bank. Not a lot, by any stretch, but enough that I could invest in a few things I needed to get me going.

Although I knew I was going to have to do all the work required to get my business off the ground, as I didn’t have the money to employ anyone, I was relieved to have enough money in the bank to get some professional help when I needed it. After days of playing with my Squarespace theme, I just could not get it to do what I wanted it to. Having some money in the bank meant that I could contact a freelancer who could do it for me. Although it was pricey, it did save me from days and days searching through Squarespace forums, for an answer that may have not even been there.

This is the moment where I say that if you are thinking about starting a business, save some money! Having the ability to get professional help when you need it, is priceless. Although I have learned so much by trying to do everything on my own, it would have really relieved some of the stress, if I could have outsourced more of the work. If you are thinking about quitting that job to get started on your own business, try and hold on and save some money first. It will really make your life easier in the long run if you have some money behind you. I listened to a great podcast recently, which happened to be an interview with a very good friend of mine, where she says exactly the same thing. If you are thinking of taking the journey, have a listen, Caitlin has some great tips!

10. Diversify

If like me, you are not really in a position to hold onto a job and save some money before taking the plunge, there are still lots of options. Diversify. Accept (and even celebrate) that you can make many from many different places. Get a part-time job - I work one day a week as a nanny, so that I know I will be able to afford to at least eat each week. It also forces me to get out of the studio every Friday and get some fresh air and to focus on something that isn't my business (try thinking about work when you are chasing a three year old around the park). I am always surprised by how many great ideas I come up with when I finally leave my desk and focus on something totally different.

You could also consider getting some freelance work.  As you know, I am a pattern maker. Although I love most to make patterns for myself, and all of you lovely people, sometimes I take on a freelance pattern making job. It is a great way to bring in some bucks, as well as develop my skills. Win win I say!

There is probably another million things I could have included in this post, but these are the things that I have found to be the most important at this early stage of starting a business.

Other resources

There are tonnes of resources out there, to get you started on your small business journey, but here are a few of my favourites:

• Start Up podcast
• Food Blogger Pro podcast
• Sarah Starrs
• The Business Bakery
• Elle & Company
• The Nectar Collective

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Are you on a similar journey to me? Is there a piece of advice you have about going into business?

Talking about: Planning and goal setting

If you have been following along with me lately you may remember that I have been talking about my desire to be little more open about the struggles as well as the little victories of my day-to-day life as a very new small business owner. Since getting all your lovely responses on the topic, I have been busting to get started, as I feel there is a huge amount of value in this exercise. For me, it will provide an opportunity to consolidate my thoughts and ideas on a topic, keeping a record of it for the future (when I will most probably read over it and cringe), and hopefully for you it will provide inspiration and food for thought - or hopefully, some encouragement for your journey. 

Planning + goal setting for 2016

As it's the very beginning of a new year (okay, okay, three weeks in... where did the time go?), I have been thinking a lot about planning and setting goals for 2016 - as I am sure many of you have been doing too. I think it's only natural to see the end of one year and the looming of another as a time to reflect and make some changes - in the hope of being happier, healthier, more productive etc. in the new year. But what I have finally accepted is that these changes will not happen over night and all big changes are about commitment, dedication and making these changes into a habit or ritual.

On my way to burn out

A little back story. If you saw me on December 22nd last year, you would have seen a pretty haggard excuse for a person. I was most probably hunched over my sewing machine or computer (or maybe even both by that stage ... There was a moment when I'd become so overwhelmed by my to-do list that I had my sewing machine set up in front of my computer, and would jump between the two) and had given up on wearing make-up or anything apart from jersey sacks, or even washing my hair. Not good. Obviously. On this particular day I spoke to a friend about how exhausted I was, how little time I had to do anything for myself (including exercise, grocery shopping, seeing friends or even washing said hair) and how burned out I was feeling. I loved my little business, but it was literally taking over my life. Yet I was persistent that I was just going to work through the holiday period, convincing myself (and no one else) that I would feel better in the new year if I just kept soldiering on and knocking things of my ever growing to-do list.

After I said it out loud, I realised how stupid it sounded. Did I think some magical New Years Fairy was going to come and sprinkle fairy dust on my head and I was going to wake up, somehow recovered from one of the biggest, scariest, craziest, most challenging years of my life, and be ready to do it all over again?

The answer is no.

No matter how much I love doing what I do every day, I have learned that, there are times that it is more beneficial to my business (and probably yours too) to step back and take a rest. This probably seems very obvious to a lot of you, but this was quite a realisation to me. Coming to the end of year, and reflecting on the awful state I was in, emotionally and physically, I realised that I was going to have to make some huge changes in my life if I wanted to create a business and a lifestyle that would be sustainable, and wouldn't have me totally washed up before I turn 28. And before any of these changes could take place, I needed to take a good long rest. I took a week off work, in which I spent my time catching up on sleep, friends and TV series. Utter bliss. Suddenly it didn't seem so daunting to wash my hair or write that email that I had been avoiding replying to. If you follow me on Instagram, you may even know that I even found the capacity to iron every garment in my wardrobe (yep. Seriously. And I mean EVERYTHING, as I had not ironed in six months!)

So after a much needed break, I was finally in a fit enough state to start looking forward again. Just in time for New Years eve!

New years resolutions

I always have new years resolutions, although for the life of me, I cannot remember one I have ever set, and therefore no idea if I have ever accomplished one of my goals. I guess I just thought everyone had flakey goals and setting them was more about having something to talk about over the new year period - and then forgetting them by the end of January. I must admit, this year was no different. I set some really flakey goals.

Sitting on the beach with an esky full of picnic food and drinks, a friend asked me what my resolutions were for 2016. I answered, 'To have a happier and healthier year than 2015." When I asked him what his resolution was, he told me he wanted to do an Iron Man. Bang. The moment when I realised how tangible his goal was compared to mine. At the end of 2016 he will know whether or not he has achieved his goal, with a straightforward yes or no. Me? Even if I remembered my Flaky Goal, how would I measure it? Do a happiness pie chart? A health graph? I don't think so. This is the moment I remembered what I had learned on the small business short course I did in 2015 and it was time to actually use it.

Goals need to be S.M.A.R.T

Goals need to be smart as well as S.M.A.R.T : Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant and Timely. This means that instead of my Flaky Goal, 'I want to have a happier and healthier year,' I would need to consider a goal such as, 'I will schedule in at least one weekly dinner with a friend which will help me feel happier and more connected to those around me,' or 'I will go swimming twice a week to work on my fitness.' 

Breaking goals down

Although the S.M.A.R.T method does really help when creating the right goals (I now have a list of goals for 2016 that I will be able to reflect on at the end of the year - and they are written down this time so that I don't forget them!) I do find big goals to be very daunting. Particularly when it is really difficult to predict what will happen in the future - which is definitely the case when you have your own business.

This is when breaking down a goal into smaller pieces makes the world of difference. When I say I want to release a pattern by x date, I instantly get butterflies in my stomach, thinking about the sheer amount of work that needs to be put in to create a pattern. Suddenly the goal no longer feels achievable and I begin to stress, rather than just getting started. 

By simply breaking the goal down into steps, I have realised that the Big Scary Goal becomes much more tangible, and also allows me to work out where to start.

For example, for this goal of releasing a pattern, what is involved? First, I need to come up with the design, make the initial pattern, make a sample and fit the pattern on a fit model. I then need to continue sampling and fitting until I am happy with the pattern. Once that is done I need to scan the paper pattern into the computer and digitise it using Illustrator. When I have done that, I next need to grade the pattern to my size range, take photographs for the instructions, write the instructions and test the pattern. I need to consolidate the testing feedback, create the listing and then finally release the pattern.

Although there is a lot to do, suddenly it doesn't seem so daunting. With this list, I have a much better chance of scheduling the right amount of time for the project and setting an achievable deadline, and knowing exactly where I need to start. It also allows me to plan things in advance. I should be fitting by 'Week X', do I have a fit model organised? I should be ready to take photographs of the process by 'Week Y', do I have fabric on hand, or will I need to purchase something? Having things pencilled in, means I can avoid stressful last minute runs to the shops, and wasting days not knowing what to work on. 

I really like the Goal Pyramid by Matthew Michaelwicz, which provides a simple, yet very visual way of breaking down goals into smaller milestones. 

 

Celebrate the victories

By having smaller goals, that lead to a larger goal, there are many more chances to sit back and reflect. Am I on track? What do I need to do this week, or even just today, to achieve this goal? As well as a chance for little celebrations along the way.  I don't want to have to wait until the end of the year to give myself a pat on the back for all the hard work I have done - and this means stepping back and celebrating the small achievements that will contribute to the success in the big goal. My celebrations aren't anything extravagant, but they are a time in which I allow myself a chance to say 'Well done! Go you!' A moment to sit back and feel very proud of what I have achieved. For example, a couple of weeks ago, I sold my fiftieth Rushcutter dress, and to celebrate I danced on my bed (the 50th pattern was sold while I was asleep). It is a lonely business, having a small business, so instead of seeking a high-five or a pat on the back from others, I have really had to learn to celebrate my own achievements in my own little ways. 

 

To-do lists vs scheduling

As I mentioned, this time of year is a very obvious time to be having thoughts about goal setting and planning, which means I have been running into great pieces of advice, suggestions and blogs everywhere I turn. While somewhere in BlogLand, I came across a link to this article about millionaire's not using to-do lists, and it really encouraged a light bulb moment for me.

I have not been able to function for the last six months without my to-do list, but then, when it gets to the end of the day and I have once again not managed to get everything crossed off the list, I feel like crap. Like really crap. What I had been overlooking is that a to-do list has no concept of time or priority. Basically, I just write down everything I can think of in the order I think of them, and then work my way through (normally leaving the most painful and time consuming tasks till last) until it is time to leave work (or was time to leave work three hours ago). This advice, to schedule things in a planner is very obvious, but has already really changed the way I work through the day, and the way I feel at the end of it. By scheduling tasks into a planner that is broken up into the hours of the day, I suddenly need to be realisitic about the time a task will take, and therefore don't end up with a list of things that could never be completed in a single day.

I still have my to-do list (as it's a really great way to get everything out of my head to make room for others - as apparently we can only hold 4 things in our head at any one time!) but once I have written my list, it doesn't stop there. I take the list and work through it - scheduling in each task and allowing a realistic amount of time to complete it. If, for some reason, something doesn't get done on a particular day, I reschedule it. Allowing nothing to be left behind - and preventing those moments when I wake up in the middle of the night, realising I have forgotten to do something. This is a great episode of the Note to Self podcast, about the science behind getting organised, if you would like to hear more. 

I am currently trying out the Passion Planner, and so far it seems to be doing the trick. I love that it has a section for 'Today's Focus' as well as a 'Weekly Focus,' which is a constant reminder that I need to accomplish the small milestones in the hope of one day achieving the Big Scary Goal. A great reminder to just keep putting one foot in front of the other, and to night get caught up in the end game. 

 

The importance of rituals

I find setting goals as a great way to give me the motivation and focus I need to get through the day-to-day grind of running a business. But this year, particularly after reading this article from Seamwork Magazine, and then binge reading Sarah Starr's amazing blog. I have been thinking a lot more about the importance of rituals and how I can bring some new rituals into my routine. I am not talking about massive changes, just small things that will add to the overall experience.

One of the first things I thought about was how much time I have been spending on my phone, and how unhappy that makes me. Particularly in the evenings, I want to get better at putting my phone down and focusing on something outside of my work (as my phone is becoming more and more associated with work as this journey goes on - when an email comes through I think I have to deal with it then and there, whether I'm still in my towel after taking a shower, or already in bed), which has lead me to going to the library to borrow books and reading before I go to bed, instead of scrolling endlessly through my Instagram feed. I find this much more relaxing, as the online space tends to stimulate me much more than a book, and I end up flooding my brain with more and more ideas, instead of focusing on winding down.

Although not as enjoyable, I have created a ritual out of grocery shopping. By scheduling it in my planner at the same time each week, I no longer see it as a chore, or something that can be sacrificed if I am too busy. It needs to be done as it is important that I have access to quality food at home, so that when I'm tired or busy I don't end up skipping a meal or eating junk.

Accountability meetings

One final ritual that has become a highlight of my week, is my accountability meeting. When I first agreed to meet with two of the women I met on my short small business course, it just seemed like an interesting thing to try out. The shock of going from working amongst other people to working on my own day in and day out, had not yet hit, so the need for human interaction was not there. A month or so in, I realised how important it was for me to meet with these women each week. It gave me a chance to get out of the studio, see people and also truly connect to women who were on a very similar journey to me, feeling accountable to someone apart from myself.

I am so early on in this journey, but still looking back, I can see how naive I was to what it would really be like. I hadn't realised how much a journey like this is also a journey into who you are as a person, what you really want and the kind of life you are trying to create (but I will save all that for another day), and that it really helps to have understanding and supportive people around you - who you can share your doubts, fears and little victories with. Someone who knows you and your business is only a phone call away, and there is something in that which is very reassuring. And with the deadline of a meeting, there is a sense of needing to get things done on time. My meetings are very relaxed, which has been great, but I have been doing a little research this week on how we could go about creating a structure for our meetings (after half an hour free time to catch up, of course) so that is something I will continue thinking about this year. 

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What about you?

As I think I have now made clear, I am no expert on this topic. It is just something I have been thinking a lot about, and reading a lot about, in the hopes that I will find a process that works for me - allowing me to get more done, with less stress.

I'd love to know how you manage your days, and if you think there's anything else I should be trying to make sure that 2016 is happier, and more productive, than 2015 (the Flaky Goal strikes again!)

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