So Suzy Podcast

Latest Episodes:

AFCI - Importance for a Mid-Year Buying Event Jun 07, 2017

Show notes

On last week's podcast, we talked about the importance of planning for the holiday's. Today, we have Keli Bell-Cole from AFCI talking about their mid-year buying event! AFCI and SPC have put together an amazing event for those retailers who need to get ready for the 3rd and 4th quarters. Hear about the Mixed Media Event, how to attend and the benefits of going from Keli. Find out how I epically failed the first year our shop opened for the holidays. (It wasn't pretty!) The Mixed Media Event is an intimate buying opportunity for retailers ONLY. This is your time to build those relationship with your vendors and distributors.

Show Notes

What is the Mixed Media Event?

Mid-year buying event for retailers to order their 3rd & 4th quarter supplies for their shops.

When is the Mixed Media Event?

July 17th - Education

July 18th - 20th - Show Floor

Salt Palace Convention Center

Salt Lake City, UT

How do I register?

Head on over to AFCI.global and click the registration button.

Mixed Media Event is free for all SPC and AFCI members and $35 for non-members

Can your business afford to not be ready for the holidays?

Benefits from a Mid-Year Buying Event

Keli explains how a mid-year buying event helps retailers with planning and the mindset of getting ready for the the last half of the year.

Third and fourth quarter sales can make or break a business.

Keli Bell-Cole, AFCI

This is an intimate and exclusive buying event for retailers. Not only can shop owners purchase inventory for the holiday season, but you can take advantage of the education program and build relationships with your vendors and distributors.

Important Links Referenced

Hotel Registration - Deadline June 16th!

Education Program

Become a Member

AFCI

Contact Information

For questions regarding the Mixed Media Event call Keli Bell-Cole - (201) 835-1202 or email her at kbell-cole (at) afci (dot) global

Call AFCI directly - (201) 835-1200

When Should Your Business Start Planning for the Holidays Jun 02, 2017

Show notes

Depending on your needs and motivation, starting your holiday planning now could be instrumental to your success. It doesn't matter if you are planning your holiday cards, classes, getting items ready for craft fairs, designing stamps for holiday releases or purchasing inventory for your shop. Proper planning is critical for you, your business and your customers. In today's show, we go over the critical timelines for stamp companies, shop owners and crafters when it comes to putting together your holiday plan.

Show Notes

Stamp Companies

Contact your manufacturer now to find out about lead times for manufacturing
Submit your Christmas designs to your manufacturer now!
Get the stamps to your Design Team and industry influencers no later than the last week of July
Release Christmas/Holiday stamps beginning to mid September

Shop Owners

Attend AFCI's mid-year buying event in July
Order your holiday inventory ASAP
Create Christmas cards for Christmas Card Classes in September
Consider hosting a Craft Fair 101 Class in September
Order more MISTI's
Post cards for the Christmas Card Class on October 1st
Schedule your classes for beginning of November

Crafters

Work on your plan for the craft fair season; how many cards, the styles and how many fairs you want to attend
Start working on your themed cards now
Put together a timeline for working on the cards
Have all themed cards finished by September
Work on Christmas Cards starting in September and October
Have all cards finished by mid-October
Put finishing touches on booth design

Regardless if you are a stamp company, shop owner or card maker, your success boils down to planning.

Links Referenced

MISTI

AFCI Mixed Media Event

Price. Market. Sell. Your Handmade Cards Class

Need our help?

Our podcast is sponsored by My Sweet Petunia and the MISTI.

Planners - Why the Hype? Jun 01, 2017

Show notes

Welcome to the first of our new podcast series! Every Thursday, we are going to be bringing you a new episode featuring the current month's focus topic and talking to key influencers in the industry. Plus, as an added bonus, we launched our new members only "Focus" Group on Facebook! We are quite excited about the changes and we hope you enjoy this month's Planner Series!

Show Notes

Throughout the month, we are going to be discussing the different types of planners and helping you determine which one is best for you and your needs. Planner styles include:

Bullet Journal
Decorating Your Planner
Printable and Custom Planners
Traditional Planners

While you listen to each week's episode, answer these 3 questions:

What do you need your planner to track for you?
How big do you want it?
How much time do you have to invest in planning?

Planner Giveaways

We can't launch our first series without some prizes and our amazing sponsors have been extremely generous in what they are giving away!

(3) - Rhodia Black Webnotebook Dot Grid (bullet journals)

(3) - Quo Vadis 2017-2018 Scholar Weekly Planners

(3) - $15 Gift Certificates to Paper Clip Planet

All you need to do is leave a comment in the show notes for our Planner Series on which style of planner works best for you. Our winners will be announced on our podcast blog, Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter accounts on Saturday, July 1st.

Featured Guests

Helen Colebrook - Journal with Purpose

Audra Bolster - Kindred Stamps

Jessica Marie - Jessica Marie Design

Laurie Huff - Quo Vadis

Sponsors

A huge thanks to our sponsors for helping us put the series together! Be sure and check out their sites and all they have to offer for your personal planning needs!

MIHM with Sally Harris from 100 Creatives May 29, 2017

Show notes

Sally Harris from 100 Creatives is participating in #the100dayproject on Instagram and for her 100 days, she decided to create a podcast so she could interview 100 creatives in 100 days. For someone who has never produced a podcast before, this is an incredible feat and she is ROCKING IT! Hear about her 100 Day Creative Journey, what she plans on doing after her 100 days are up and what she likes most about her new endeavor.

Show Notes

I can't believe that I got to interview:

Elise Blaha Cripe - @elisejoy on Instagram

Some of my favourite guests so far:

Augusta of Felt Happens (Episode 10)

Jen Blanco (Episode 16)

These ones are upcoming:

- Crystal Moody (Episode 25)

- Mary Purdie (Episode 30) and Deandre Purdie (Episode 31)

(Coming Soon - June 5 and 6)

I'm really enjoying these podcasts at the moment:

Happier with Gretchen Rubin

Side Hustle School with Chris Guillebeau

Young House Love Has a Podcast

Sorta Awesome

How to Find Sally and Her 100 Creatives Podcast

100 Creatives website

Instagram @100.creatives

Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone May 26, 2017

Show notes

There is a happy little place in all our hearts that makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. We feel safe. Possibly mildly confident in our complacency. No fears of failure. Just happy contentment. This is also referred to as stagnant or perhaps you would prefer comfort zone, because it sounds happier. And truly, finding and having a happy place or comfort zone, can be quite wonderful. However, if you never leave that place of safety, will you ever grow? Will you ever find true excitement or happiness?

By challenging yourself or taking risks, you push yourself to learn, grow, become more successful and more confident. Sure, you may find failure along the way, but without failure, do you ever really learn how to become a better you?

Show Notes

Sometimes our lowliest times bring about our greatest achievements.

Stories of Inspiration Referenced

Rags to Riches Story of JK Rowling from Business Insider

And yes, it is pronounced "Rolling"...I did do my homework. Check it out here.

The story of how the MISTI received her Patent.

Teresa DeWitt-Pierce reflection on what she learned from the Mother's Day Blog Hop

Links Referenced

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

MISTI by My Sweet Petunia

How to Be On a Design Team Online Class

*Your Creative Focus Podcast is sponsored by My Sweet Petunia and the home of the Most Incredible Stamping Tool Invented (MISTI)

A New Focus May 23, 2017

Show notes

Yesterday, we announced the launch of our new company, Your Creative Focus. With the selling of So Suzy Stamps, we realized that we had even more to offer the creative industry. On today's podcast, we talk about what led us to Your Creative Focus, the plans for the future and where we go from here.

Show Notes

So Suzy Podcast is now Your Creative Focus

It was becoming quite confusing for our followers to find us online and on social media. With the sale of So Suzy Stamps, it made sense for us to re-brand our So Suzy entities.

This new change will allow us to get back into public speaking, hosting seminars, consulting and webinars.

The flow will still stay the same for our podcast, but we will be adding to the lineup:

Made it Happen Monday
Special Guest Wednesday - For those of you who want to promote a special, release, exciting news or opening of a new business
Thursday Monthly Series - Starts in June with our Planner Series!
Traditional Friday Show

Where to Find Us

Social Media

Subscribe to Listen

More Information

If you would like more information regarding our new focus, read more on our blog post and on the BigCommerce blog.

MIHM with Denise Nichols from Simply Charming Bags May 22, 2017

Show notes

Welcome to Made It Happen Monday with Denise Nichols from Simply Charming Everyday!

Before we get to our interview, you may be noticing a few changes to our site and brand. You haven't entered the Twilight Zone, Your Creative Focus is the new So Suzy Podcast and a whole lot more! Tomorrow, we will be rolling out a special podcast episode explaining all of our changes and the why behind them. (Which is truly EXCITING, if I do say so myself.) In the interim, feel free to check out the new site, wander through our pages, see some of the cool features we are going to be rolling out and follow us on our new social media sites.

As for right now, what do you say we dive into our latest guest and her story on how she Made It Happen!

Meet Denise Nichols

Denise is the owner, maker and designer for Simply Charming Bags. These hand sewn beauties hold everything from your latest crafting project, to your MISTI collection and so much more. Since the age of 10, she has been sewing doll clothes, dresses, quilts, Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, Prom dresses and most recently her famous Bunkie Bags and MISTI Zip Pouches. Hear about how she got her start, the bags she designs and the new products she has lined up for 2017.

How a Jar of Spaghetti Sauce Can Inspire a Bunkie Business

It has happened to all of us at one time or another, our hands are full, the plastic bags are overloaded with heavy cans and jars and at the worst possible moment, the bottom gives out and your food scatters, rolls and shatters. Personally, my focus would have been on the fact I had red sauce all of the side of my brand new white car. However, Denise focused on HOW to make sure it would never happen again.

Hear how a spaghetti sauce parking lot massacre inspired the Bunkie Bag!

Denise's Favorites

Favorite Child...it wasn't my brother, Jake. =)

Favorite Fabric - Cats in a Garden

Favorite Bunkie Use - Back porch living

Simply Charming Bag Styles

Bunkie Bag

Junkie Bunkie - Made Exclusively for Stamp Junkies Facebook Group. Designed by Kim Gausman ZumMallen-Pietruszewki

Where to Find Simply Charming Everyday

Preparing Your Go Bag May 19, 2017

Show notes

Being prepared for an emergency situation is so important, especially when that emergency is an impromptu card class or a last minute girls get-a-way weekend. Which is why having your crafty "go" bag always prepared is essential for your well being!

On today's podcast, we discuss what a "go" bag is, what to use for your "go" bag and items to include. Plus, we discuss the key elements to take into consideration when you are either planning or attending a class or retreat.

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