Starting a Business is Easy...Right?

Let me first start by sending a huge THANK YOU to all of my customers! You guys and gals ROCK! I never would have imagined taking a leap of faith would result in such a reward. But why am I surprised? Look at the God I serve!! Before I act like this journey has been super easy...let me just tell you.

So, after much thought, I decided to just do it! Yea..me...an entrepreneur....crazy right? For the sake of those who read regularly (or err umm when I post) I won't bore you with the background info. If you haven't read the post, click here. I planned, prepared and most importantly, I prayed for guidance and confidence. However, I quickly learned that no matter how much you prepare, you will always encounter challenges.

After returning from New York City, I found that an entire order of mugs were ruined! Okay, maybe ruined is a bit much, but there was an imprint issue---the writing is so small you need a microscope! So naturally, I contacted my supplier and tried to negotiate and create a win/win situation for the both of us. ::starts to panic:: Again, challenges! To make a very long (and boring) story short, I was partially compensated for the error. So, I have a ton of mugs at home that I'll never use. I guess I'll just donate them :) Unfortunately, this really discouraged me because not only did I lose money, but I had to explain this to my oh so understanding customers. Now, I'm huge on customer service and the last thing I wanted, was to ruin my brand.

So, what's the end result? Thanks for asking :)
1) I have a full stock of God's Timing is Perfect
2) A NEW (finally) stock of Proverbs 31
3) For the moment--I am suspending the Psalm 139: 14 (fearfully & wonderfully made) mug until I can make a few necessary adjustments. If you ordered this mug and I have NOT contacted, I will do so by end of business tomorrow.
4) I will be releasing 2 new designs in the coming weeks

GOOD NEWS! You guys can now order through my blog until my website goes live. Here's a step by step (really simple):
Step 1: Visit www.natoyasanders.blogspot.com
Step 2: Look to the right & you'll see a PayPal tab
Step 3: Simply choose which design you want and click "add to cart" and you will then be directed to paypal.com
If you would like to purchase multiple mugs, simply select "continue shopping" and go back to Step 2!

What did I learn?
I learned that....
...life happens
...it's not the end of the world
...mistakes challenges = growth
...I made the best decision EVER by launching sweethoney's
...God's timing truly is perfect.

Again, thank you ALL for your support during this process! I have been extremely blessed and humbled by the support shown. As much as I would like to remember everything, I can't so I ask that you keep up with all things sweethoney's on the following social media outlets:
Facebook: Sweethoney's
Instagram: sweethoneysdesigns
Please direct all questions to sweethoneysdesigns@gmail.com


xo
Sweethoney's

Sweethoney's

I know...you're probably wondering, "How in the world did she come up with the name Sweethoney's?" Well, I didn't...but someone very close to me did. Here's the story.

For as long as I can remember, my Aunt Mary (and all of her friends) called me Sweethoney. Mom said the day they brought me home from the hospital, Aunt Mary looked at me and said "That's my Sweethoney"---and it stuck! Now, I know many of you are wondering "Who is Aunt Mary?" Let me try to explain.

My Aunt Mary was my everything. She was literally my bff! If you ask anyone in Corinth, they will tell you that Aunt Mary (or Red as some called her) was the most loving and generous person ever! Sassy for sure, but she would literally give you the clothes off her back. If you were fortunate enough to meet Aunt Mary, I am certain your life was touched in a major way. 

Aunt Mary and Sweethoney!

Growing up, my sister and I would stay with Aunt Mary while mom worked by night and went to nursing school by day. It was during these years that I began to notice Aunt Mary's love for coffee, except she loved her coffee black! As I got older and went off to college, I would often come home on the weekends to visit. During our visits, Aunt Mary and I would go to the grocery store, the bank, and always make a stop for coffee (or we would brew our own). We would sit in the living room and sip our coffee from a little white mug with a saucer--classy, right? while catching up on the latest gossip haha!

So yes, I credit my love for coffee to my Aunt Mary. Therefore, it is only fitting that I dedicate Sweethoney's to her! Afterall, she is my Aunt Mary and I am her Sweethoney!

xo

sweethoney

WANNA BE ON TOP?

Today I had the opportunity to speak to students participating in the leaderSTATE program at Mississippi State University. After changing my talk at least 3 times, I settled on the topic of "Self-Improvement/Professional Development". I am in no way an expert, but I have been fortunate to participate in several professional development opportunities. In addition, I have been blessed to have a people in my life who make it their business to hold me accountable and gladly contribute to my personal and professional success.

"Make the most of yourself...for that is all there is of you."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Many of us (self included) want to be successful, but do not want to put in the work....so...how bad do you want it? I guess that all depends on your definition of "success". Again, I do not have all the answers, but I want to give you three points that I truly believe will contribute to your personal and professional development. I will not give you an exhausted list, as I believe in the power of the small things. So, here are three things that you can do TODAY:

1. Read a book: Find a good book and read 10 pages each day. Yes, reading is fundamental. The more you read, the more wisdom you gain. It's just that simple folks! Grab a book and get to it. Since I love love love reading, I'll provide you with a few of my favorites.
   a. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
   b. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
   c. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

2. Update your resume: Your resume is basically your brand. I don't care if you are the best person for the job, if you have a crappy resume, you will never get that face to face interview. Keep it current! Joined a professional organization?...update your resume. Change careers?...update your resume. Trust me, it is easier to update it as life happens versus trying to cram everything in at one time---you are bound to forget something!

3. Get a mentor: I can not stress the importance of having a mentor. A mentor should be your champion! He or she does not have to look like you, nor do you all have to share experiences. However, your mentor needs to be someone that you can trust, someone who will hold you accountable and someone who is invested in your success. In simple terms, "Someone who has been there--done that--and willing to guide you as you go through."

Again, there are several factors that contribute to an individual's success. My hope is that you read something that will assist you on your quest to a better you! If I can be of assistance, please let me know. Remember, you are the ONLY person responsible for your success.

For more information on leaderSTATE, please visit http://leaderstate.msstate.edu/.

xo,
NaToya Rae