Nothing To Brag About, Grant Update.

[David8386]

Hey Cheryl everybody needs to step back and evaluate things every once in a while, so you are normal in that respect. Keep your head up and listen to what your customers need/ want. Even the ones that don't buy. Find the need and fill it. Worry about things you can control and not worry about what you don't have control of. Of course it easier to say it than do it sometimes.

David

[LNLeather]

Just some of my rambling thoughts here......

If money is an issue, then maybe you should concentrate on doing what you do the Best for right now.

After Christmas - sales slow down for about 2-3 months for a lot of folks, so that might be a good time to hone your leather skills,

and also work on making sure your Photography is showing what you are making in The Best Light -- so to speak...

If spending is an issue right now - Where are you the most successful? Maybe you should concentrate on

Making what you do the Best and work on How to Best show that off...

Now might be a good time to tidy up your Etsy site - remove the things that are not selling and put up more of what is...

And - Make Sure your Photography is showing what you have in the Best and Clearest Pictures...

I am Sooo Impressed with your Eye of the Horse items - they are Your Original Creations

and you should be Very Very Proud of those. I see your Etsy sales have been mostly of them - soooo Maybe you should

make sure you have a good supply of those for sale, and then work on your other ideas.

just some ideas...

Very Best Regards

[shtoink]

Whatever the outcome, you already have a toehold. If you get the grant, you can push forward full throttle. If you don't, you can push forward incrementally as your budget allows. From the sounds of it, you have gotten to where you are on your own and there is nothing that says you can't keep it as a "hobby" that pays for itself and build on it until it becomes more.

Yes, it'd be a bummer to not get the grant as it would really give you some breathing room, but, regardless, you still have your skills, tools, supplies, and drive to do something creative with them.

Grant or no, I'm just not seeing a downside. Say you get it, you breathe a sigh of relief and push forward with your plans. Say you don't get it, you breathe a sigh of relief that the pressure of not knowing is gone and you pursue the very same plans at your own pace as your time and budget allows. Same results, just different paths.

Maybe I am not seeing the whole picture, but it looks to me as though all the stress is related to the song and dance and hoop jumping the VA makes you do before they give you anything. It's the not knowing if they will or will not release the funds to you after performing all the tricks ask you to that makes this whole thing scary. Try not focusing on "will they, won't they" aspect, but rather how either outcome will be a relief because you'll know what you need to do next no matter what happens.

[DoubleC]

David I have decided it's not really going to change anything about the way I do business. And Cheryl, thank you so much. I haven't spent a day on just them in a long time so maybe I should work on something I love just one day and get my photo situation straightened out and get some more up. And Keenan, I think you are right, I think the stress is com ing from simply not knowing, so that goes on the back plate for now, and I am going to get down to the business of the business. Thank all of you so much. Cheryl