Stephen changes Direction
This is a non photo post, explaining the direction Stephen is going with his business. I hope you, as a Stephen fan like to see how his business grows and changes.
I have been raising kids for a very long time, and if I know one thing about them… they have to try out a lot of things. It is all part of the growing process. When Stephen first started making and selling items, it all had to do with spray paint and a laser. Or rocks and a laser.
As he grew up around life changes, his business morphed. We actually never sold what he originally wanted to sell after the rocks. He started out wanting to sell unpaper dolls for kids. But we couldn’t work out displays in our mind at the time, so he moved on to other felt toys. Ironically he will be moving back to the unpaper dolls eventually as we working on morphing our two businesses together.
Now don’t be scared about that! Stephen will always have his own as long as he wants (and I question him about this often. Whenever he is done…then it is done. But even with long days and big orders, he has stuck to it and wants to continue to do so.) In the near future, when we set up at shows we will be blending a double booth under one tent, so he is gravitating towards product that match the “dog and doll” theme for just one side of his display. The side that is next to mine. This thought has been in our mind for two years as I have considered what I want my own shop to be.
If he has dog/ doll product next to me, then he will have his shadow boxes and his other merchandise on the other two sides of his display. This system should work out really well for us.
The reason he stepped away from kids toys is because watching adults made him frustrated at shows. He spent that whole season at WinterFest watching moms tell their kids NO that they couldnt even look at his toys. Then they would apologize to him and say, “If they even look then they will want it and we aren’t even going there.” Then the same parent would step into the booth next to his and spend tons of time and money on bath soaps for themselves. We moved booth locations eventually…and he saw the same scenario happen with a booth of earrings!
He decided right then and there, the money is not marketing to children, but rather to women. (He’s not wrong.) Stephen was going to focus on elf costumes and ornaments…but our winter venue got shut down for good so that deflated that idea.
That is when we talked about it and discussed items that will draw women’s attention. (Sorry ladies!)
So without giving out details as Stephen begins releasing new items… as you see what he starts coming up with, you will understand why. I think he’s got some great product line coming. Many of the items won’t do well in the online market but will do great at shows. His shadow boxes won’t do great at shows but do wonderful on his online platforms. He’s got it all covered.
The kid is learning marketing…that is for sure. Anyway. This is the story of why Stephen stepped away from elves, ornaments, toys and masks.
New to come!
