tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87530440292222021562011-08-02T17:36:11.889-05:00Identity of a small business in Austin, TX~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.comBlogger671100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-40159794319848313472009-09-28T14:54:00.002-05:002009-09-28T15:09:07.933-05:00

The first sale for my site, Green Cheeks, was last week... woo hoo, right? Yeah!Well, not so much a woo hoo right now. Not because it was a bad sale... on the contrary, it was for a decent amount and I haven't had any complaints. But the initial euphoria has worn off.For some (crazy) reason, I thought it would carry me to the next sale, and the next, and so on...But I haven't had a sale since

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-79230328813505420322009-09-20T16:34:00.002-05:002009-09-20T17:53:47.686-05:00

When was my last blog post? July 9th... Wow.I truly doubt anyone (but me) reads this blog. Maybe a few family members... maybe. If I had a following, they're obviously not concerned with my lack of entries. But in case you were wondering: I am doing just fine (thanks for asking).As it would appear, "no news is good news..." And actually, I've gotten a lot done since July (Yey!). Namely, I

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-88623872618748445662009-07-09T22:16:00.006-05:002009-09-20T12:56:02.114-05:00

I just skimmed over all of my blog posts, only to realize there's a visible (and negative) trend.I started writing on blogger as a way to vent and share my experiences of building a business. But as soon as I started caring what people would think about what I was writing, I lost interest in adding material. Figures, right? It became a chore. I was constantly worried about impressing readers -

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-70915677659133862472009-06-20T14:04:00.004-05:002009-06-20T14:52:35.924-05:00

I know... I've barely started to get the business going online and I am already itching to find a physical location. Call it what you will, but I figured that the sooner I find an ideal location, the better. Plus, if I start looking around Austin now... I am more likely to find a better location with a better deal, than if I were to rush into it.Part of the reason why I did not want to open a

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-53440431576023637942009-06-17T18:46:00.004-05:002009-06-17T19:01:35.134-05:00

As I continue my search for an affordable eco-friendly business card printing service, I wanted to share an interesting take on "recycled" paper business cards.I came upon this via my Google search for "recycled business cards"... courtesy of the CherryFlava, Trends and Innovations website.It's an interesting and very cool idea. Not to mention affordable. I would think that it's only a matter of

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-566475947594510212009-06-17T18:14:00.002-05:002009-06-17T18:22:57.345-05:00

The US Business Card Company has their own version of "green" business cards. They recycle old cereal boxes and stamp out your standard 2"x3.5" business cards, complete with your details on the blank side.An awesome idea, but expensive. I guess it's merely a small price to pay to be eco-friendly!

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-13561629515931113092009-06-13T18:14:00.004-05:002009-09-20T12:58:11.157-05:00

Again, it has been a while since my last update. I used to be somewhat consistent with this blog. Key term "used to be..." but considering that the first couple of months working on Green Cheeks was just researching my business, the industry, and so on - I easily could hop on here to write something. Now, not so much.An unfortunate twist to this is that I have become absorbed in Twitter. And it's

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-87666351169426751282009-06-06T15:29:00.003-05:002009-09-20T14:29:51.215-05:00

Good news! Just got back from the Dallas Market Center and very happy that I went. I've set up some orders for Green Cheeks from Eberjey and Elle Macpherson intimates.The sets that I ordered from Elle will be made of bamboo fabric and are basic cuts, but very pretty. This includes two different bra and panty sets, in addition to cute thongs. They have a nice little lace trim made from cotton. The

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-87901367645924200852009-06-04T09:58:00.002-05:002009-06-04T10:05:18.219-05:00

Very cute! Enamore (incase you aren't aware) is an Eco Brit brand that creates sultry and sexy women's lingerie and accessories. Their knickers are made of hemp, soy and silk blends (including vintage!), are oh-so pretty and make your rump green and happy!Check out their new promo video below.

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-9740653846482114882009-05-18T10:29:00.003-05:002009-09-20T14:31:31.525-05:00

I just realized it's been a while since my last post. I've kind of fallen off the ball with keeping things fresh on here.Last week was a little crazy because I have transitioned from one part-time job to another. Yes, again... Long story short, waitressing is fun when you are in college - Not so much after you know better. Now, to pay the bills while I am getting Green Cheeks up I will be at a

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-7889587171229121822009-05-06T15:41:00.003-05:002009-05-06T15:50:31.969-05:00

How cool! I get great "Etsy Finds" emails everyday, which help me discover really neat and spiffy handmade items... like these: Pop Up Business Cards, by FAHpopups.She makes a ton of other cool pop up cards, like invitations and promotional items. If I had not already ordered a new batch of business cards, I'd try her out! They are so original and memorable - can you imagine going to a networking

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-28812509241895174532009-05-06T10:34:00.011-05:002009-09-20T14:32:20.315-05:00

This past week has been a little nerve racking. The Green Cheeks logo design that I commissioned was not going too well. I was having trouble communicating to the graphic artist what I wanted and she was having a hard time finding something that I liked. It was a big communication mess.Here is the second attempt, from last Friday. I told her that I wanted something with simpler lines and

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-48130861866279157182009-04-30T11:33:00.005-05:002009-09-20T14:32:59.186-05:00

I put out a bid on Elance.com for a logo redesign because the stock image logo just isn't cutting it anymore. When I made the first batch of business cards for Green Cheeks, I did not have a logo. So I sorted through the stock images on Vista Print and chose this one. It's actually meant for a spa business, but I thought it suited my needs too.So after reviewing the proposals that came in, I

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-19041740307055564972009-04-28T16:56:00.003-05:002009-04-28T17:14:39.317-05:00

Part of learning more about your own eCommerce website, what will work and what will not, includes analyzing other websites that provide a similar service.Granted that the eco friendly intimate apparel business is a giant experiment - but there are a few websites that I can evaluate against my own. The funny thing is that the sites that I thought were designed well, are actually not. True, they

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-77594697424055886362009-04-24T11:26:00.004-05:002009-04-24T13:19:11.612-05:00

As much as I would love to be 100% paperless... it's incredibly hard to maintain. Reason being: As a business, there are always going to be documents that you need hard copies of.So my solution was to find some eco-friendly options, such as with recycled paper products, eliminating my plastic use and reusing supplies as much as possible.Of course, there are plenty of options out there. The major

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-29370636934294528952009-04-22T11:05:00.004-05:002009-04-24T12:06:41.650-05:00

The Daily Green has put together a great little list of 11 Earth Day Discounts. Of course, my favorite is the discount on Josie Maran's Green-On-The-Go kit, found at Sephora.com.I am sure that there are plenty of other Earth Day promotions around, just check out your local retailers. I know that Whole Foods decided to run promotions for Earth Day throughout the entire month of April, called Earth

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-73354881293549781152009-04-16T11:31:00.004-05:002009-09-20T14:34:52.627-05:00

I needed to create an Operating Agreement this morning for Green Cheeks, LLC. Wells Fargo requires a copy of one for their new business checking accounts. Honestly, I did not realize that I needed to make one, but it's not that hard to create a basic agreement, especially since I am the only owner.The Operating Agreement is basically the written agreement among an LLC's members that governs the

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-33907534030967536502009-04-16T10:01:00.003-05:002009-04-16T10:12:08.237-05:00

I've added my email to my profile page. Just go to my profile and click the contact button. It should link you to my email address!It's crazy that I had not thought of it sooner! I got a frazzled phone call from a business friend this morning, saying that she wanted to email me some information last night, but she could not find my email address, even though she went through my blog and my

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-6681124769936186082009-04-14T22:12:00.003-05:002009-04-24T12:13:00.718-05:00

I am happy. Today was 110% productive. Unfortunately though, not everything went according to plan.This morning I woke up at 6:45am to a text message from a good friend of mine (and business partner), Eric. Normally I would be peeved, but he had good news. My other business over at Twenties Money Magazine (yes, I have another business!) is going to get some positive exposure, thanks to his

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-38446879746858034622009-04-14T21:56:00.003-05:002009-09-20T14:36:39.867-05:00

I could not help but smiling when I watched this video. Reuters features a ninety-one year-old Chinese man who makes custom bras... and won't stop just because of old age! I say good for you old man! I hope that I live as long as you and have your skills when I am that old!And by the way... he does not use synthetics. It's too bad he does not sell anything on the Internet, or else I'd be trying

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-21998362055487493482009-04-13T12:54:00.001-05:002009-04-13T12:58:25.121-05:00

Have you ever had one of those days in business where everything goes wrong (or at least, it seems like it does) and you just want to scream? But you can't. But you wish you could?Yep. Today is one of those days... I need a Tylenol.

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-45396581445643146112009-04-10T11:16:00.002-05:002009-04-10T11:32:52.276-05:00

I StumbledUpon the Switchboards website this morning. It's a great website for creative minded women (like myself) who are starting a new business and need a few pointers from other like-minded women.I liked one article in particular - Getting Your Products Out There - which goes over several free (or inexpensive) ways to get publicity for your new product idea or business online. These include:

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-70435497652452521332009-04-08T15:54:00.002-05:002009-04-08T16:43:20.728-05:00

The last time that I went up to the Domain, I stopped into the Victoria's Secret to scope out (and buy) a few of their organic cotton intimates. Alas, they had been removed from the store because "they did not sell well."So I took it upon myself to dig further. I called a couple of the Victoria's Secret shops in the Austin area, hoping that at least one of them had something that I could buy

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-25964376477031057002009-04-05T10:14:00.003-05:002009-04-05T10:26:36.252-05:00

One "hot, fresh poem" from the Sunset Valley Farmers Market, by Jena Gessaman, a local poet for hire."love is in the air apparentdelicate flower petals twitching gentle breeze dress me in the sweet fragrant notionslace and silky ribbon define my curvesspeak without words precious poemstantric organic natural fabricblossom each body is beautifulbecome aware of

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-46408886788673345102009-04-05T09:41:00.004-05:002009-09-20T14:39:21.990-05:00

There's a few new things:I finally went to the Sunset Valley Farmers Market to get my "hot, fresh poem" from the lovely poet lady, Ms. Jena Gessman. I won the "free poem" while I was at the Green Expo fashion show a few weeks ago and decided that I would have her write it about Green Cheeks.I'll share her poem in a separate post in a moment, but I also wanted to mention while I was wandering

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-53164654980606051782009-03-31T10:30:00.003-05:002009-03-31T10:30:00.858-05:00

I don't know how much of this that I believe, but I had to share it because it's bizarre.I am very into the idea of being green, being healthy and aware of what we expose ourselves to. I try to implement new things into my life on a daily basis - some stick, some don't, depending on it's effectiveness. But when I came across the Brassage, I couldn't help but wonder.This bra "massages" you while

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-88347948968507416042009-03-30T14:30:00.000-05:002009-03-30T14:30:00.465-05:00

Loincloths are making a comeback in woman's intimates! Check them out, they look awesome!

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-45141985878637134952009-03-30T13:35:00.005-05:002009-03-30T15:16:23.436-05:00

Last Friday I went up to the Domain to check out a fashion show that Simon malls was hosting. Unfortunately, it was not supposed to start until the evening (and I had to work at 5pm) and would continue through Saturday (which I also had to work, lucky me).So I spent some time walking around, checking things out. There was a lot going on to prepare for the show, despite it being a relatively slow

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-6527024720789032392009-03-30T13:10:00.003-05:002009-09-20T12:35:20.227-05:00

Registered a few domains at GoDaddy.com!gcheeks.comgreencheeksboutique.comgreencheekslingerie.comThey're "parked" for now, so you won't see much except the goDaddy advertisements. I have to find a host and redirect them.Other updates:I've been playing around with Shopify and SnapPages. They're pretty easy to use, but I don't know how to link them together on one page. I want to have the business

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-72656099638590083462009-03-27T14:34:00.002-05:002009-03-27T14:58:30.933-05:00

Interested in participating in a world-wide light show (or lack thereof)?Then turn off your lights for an hour on Saturday at 8:30. Earth Hour created this initiative to vote for Earth and against global warming. Sounds like a good idea to me!I plan on going out on Saturday night to take some before and after photos of Austin!Question is, what can you do for an hour in the dark? Well, besides

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-37780126564741585822009-03-26T10:29:00.003-05:002009-03-26T10:56:41.078-05:00

I get the Daily Green updates in my email everyday. When I saw the link for this article - Want to Save $1,400 this Year? Here's How - I pounced on it! I thought, YEAH! I'm going to save a ton!!Then I realized that I stopped buying bottled water ages ago (hint: that's what the article is about). Instead, I have been using a metal (not plastic) thermos and a water filter. It's an eco-friendly

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-36294492405709148752009-03-24T13:15:00.004-05:002009-03-24T13:17:59.204-05:00

A great news video about the worlds first green factory. And as luck would have it, it's for lingerie production...Enjoy.

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-39042031660906309862009-03-19T20:16:00.005-05:002009-03-19T21:20:38.037-05:00

I went down to South Congress (SoCo) today around lunch time to check out all the boutiques in the area, hopefully find a designer or two and sneak in some shopping... don't tell my bf about the last one!SoCo is a great little area that is filled with eclectic and unique shops. The first time I went down there I felt like a kid in a candy shop. I wanted to run into each, drool over the goodies

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-77926944368479276922009-03-19T10:48:00.002-05:002009-03-19T11:01:13.953-05:00

I've been poking around on the internet, researching suppliers and designers for the past couple of weeks. In the process, I've decided that I need to find local designers and the only way to really do that is to go downtown and explore.I have reached out to the few people that I know around here to find designers, but so far that has not worked out the way I had hoped.The only fruitful inquiries

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-35593022037368941252009-03-18T15:05:00.003-05:002009-03-18T15:09:48.222-05:00

I am very big on using social networks to promote my new business... it has been helpful to me on so many levels!So when I came across this article about the Top 10 Social Networks for Entrepreneurs, I got excited. There are a couple featured in the article that I had not known about... so I will check them out and follow up later.

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-26358810712205930112009-03-18T13:26:00.002-05:002009-03-18T13:39:36.091-05:00

This morning while I was checking out CNBC, I came across an article about an Iraq vet who is building a business.Make Love, Not WarI wanted to share it mainly because it's a great story and I sympathize with him. People think that I am crazy for starting my business during the recession too... but hey, at least I'm not the only one!Additionally, the article mentioned DocStoc, which is an online

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-40788115956240190302009-03-16T14:35:00.005-05:002009-03-19T11:08:28.749-05:00

Since I started filing taxes, I have always used my father's accountant. But since I've moved out of the state, I can no longer use him.I knew that this day would come - especially since I thought that my previous accountant was an average guy and I wanted to find my own (boy, was I wrong). But I had no idea how to find a good CPA. Ideally, I would ask for a referral from the people that I work

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-10618349405827670842009-03-14T16:21:00.004-05:002009-09-20T12:36:59.336-05:00

As I mentioned before, I picked up a waitressing job at a local Italian place. Well, today was my first day. The manager had me start with a morning shift so I had time to train (a bit) before I worked on my own. I was a waitress while I was in college, so I know 90% of the job - the remaining 10% is learning the menu and opening/closing duties.It was really slow though, so I made all of $8. My

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-29388701401409683912009-03-13T11:32:00.005-05:002009-09-20T12:37:40.328-05:00

Green Cheeks is officially an LLC. Watch out!The Texas Secretary of State approved my certificate of formation this morning. I am so excited! It's such a relief because I thought that it was not going to be approved, but now I can move forward with a few other things, like registering with the IRS and getting an EIN (Employer ID Number)!Ok, so dealing with the IRS and getting an EIN is not that

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-84155081622647261522009-03-11T19:02:00.004-05:002009-09-20T12:38:13.396-05:00

I am playing the waiting game with the Secretary of State (SOS) office. In order to file an articles of formation online, you have to do a preliminary name/ entity search. Well, I did. And someone out there has a company called Green Chicks Land Creations, Inc.I know that Green Cheeks is not the same as Green Chicks Land Creations, but the state goes into the "deceptively similar" and "similar"

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-6277014785667880232009-03-11T15:22:00.004-05:002009-09-20T12:41:07.865-05:00

For the past week it's been really nice out. The birds were happily chirping outside (some really loudly). Some of the trees have even started to bloom.I've been able to sleep with the windows open because it has not gotten too cold at night. But at some point last night a cold front blew in and it started raining. Needless to say, it was cold and hard to get up this morning.It's been raining on

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-91525197435280426572009-03-10T13:00:00.002-05:002009-03-13T12:40:53.639-05:00

I’ve only been actively building my business for a few of weeks, but I think that I have an insight of why most small businesses fail: Procrastination and lack of a plan. It’s funny. While I was in college, and even up until a week ago, I thought that my teachers and mentors were wasting time by trying to preach the importance of having a business plan. Why should I spend hours working on a

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-6468118087339691082009-03-09T10:53:00.003-05:002009-09-20T12:42:17.989-05:00

I have to admit. I spent most of my morning moping around because I did not get the job at Third Base. I think that all I accomplished was checking my email. Despite that however, I had a good day. Slightly embarrassing, but good day. Teresa, the woman from the YourLocalCity meetings, came by with her daughter. I wanted to check out her Shaklee products because they’re all natural “green”

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-7701822932265183752009-03-08T10:49:00.002-05:002009-09-20T12:43:03.974-05:00

I just got back from a second interview for a waitressing job. Who knew they did second interviews for a job like that?? Anyway, I worked as a waitress for about a year while I was in college. It was (usually) good money for easy work, in a short period of time. It works out for many college students that they benefit from being a waiter or waitress because the hours work well with their

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-31502394255628741682009-03-07T10:52:00.002-06:002009-03-11T15:19:58.988-05:00

I am all pumped up. I just got back from an open house for the Art Institute of Austin and I am armed with a lot of good vibes about going back to school. I was probably the only girl there who had a bachelor’s degree already, but I’m ok with that. My degree in Finance and Investments has served me well, but I think now I need to develop my creative side a bit more. Plus it will be an

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-34742313097886307282009-03-06T10:44:00.001-06:002009-03-11T15:19:35.317-05:00

At the Austin SBDP Startup Orientation on Tuesday, I met a young loan officer. I told her what I was trying to do with my business and she lit up. She scheduled me to come in to speak with her about my business plan, my estimates and what my options might be for financing. She works for BCL of Texas, which is a non-profit lender that works directly with the SBDP to help get money for small

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-6066430556956571632009-03-05T12:30:00.002-06:002009-09-20T12:47:24.664-05:00

Part of the reason why I joined YourLocalCity was because of the Green Networking group the have. It’s just like the other networking meetings, but only for green business owners. And this morning was my first Green meeting. I felt kind of embarrassed because when I arrived (on time) my networking buddy, Teresa, was not there. I didn’t know anyone… And I think I was the youngest one there! So I

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-22056370145825117002009-03-04T10:47:00.001-06:002009-03-11T15:15:36.073-05:00

I have mentioned before that I am web design inept and that I have consulted someone about what program to use for a retail website. The two websites that were suggested were SnapPages and Shopify. They’re supposed to be uber user friendly and cheap to maintain. Well, I started my Shopify account. I know that this website is going to make having a online retail shop 10x easier, but it is going

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-90488817554990165222009-03-03T13:30:00.003-06:002009-03-11T15:15:12.936-05:00

After the multiple embarrassments and becoming tired of explaining why I don’t have business cards, I caved in ordered some. VistaPrint offers a good deal for premium business cards, but their shipping rates are killer. Good thing though was that since I did not have a solid logo design (yet), I found a clip art on their custom logo designer for a woman posing in a green bra and panty set. It’s

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-5320677474282872482009-03-03T10:42:00.003-06:002009-03-11T15:14:59.881-05:00

Last week I took a small business financing class with BiGAustin. But I also signed up for a small business startup orientation with the City of Austin Small Business Development Program (SBDP). As with the last seminar, I walked into the class thinking that I already knew everything that they were going to tell me. Fortunately for me, I was wrong… again! I am so glad that I went to this seminar.

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-7708884097692264502009-03-02T10:32:00.001-06:002009-03-11T14:24:48.099-05:00

During the Green Living show over the weekend, I also met a bubbly group of women for an Internet-based commerce group called YourLocalCity. They had a lot of information strewn across their table, so I asked what they were about. Basically they get together for networking meetings with other small business owners, exchange information, refer business and help each other out. The group also has

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-72926844149048540242009-03-01T12:25:00.004-06:002009-03-01T13:05:22.682-06:00

I am trying (very hard) to fold social websites into my life. I really don't know how people keep up with all of it! I know friends and family who regularly use all of these social tools and they're addicted to them... always ticking away on their cell phone keyboards, updating on the go and all the while keeping track of their friends activities!There are a lot of useful social sites out there.

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-73789932031767460252009-03-01T10:30:00.002-06:002009-03-11T14:19:13.551-05:00

On February 28th, I went to the Austin Green Living Expo. I had seen a billboard for it about a month ago and checked out the website. As it turns out, it was not just about making your home green, but also included exhibits for green fashion and personal products. So I dragged my boyfriend to the expo with me – he was so good about it too! He hung in there while I wandered around and sat

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-18826823868069376422009-02-28T17:00:00.000-06:002009-03-11T15:07:25.555-05:00

I was introduced to the Small Business Administration back in high school. At the time, the information was tucked away in a remote corner of my brain. Who cared about all that when you had no idea what you wanted to do the following week, never mind years from now? Not the teenage me. Over the years however, I have revisited that information. And luckily for me, the 99% that I forgot is

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-19490212338504879542009-02-28T10:28:00.002-06:002009-03-11T15:10:03.414-05:00

What’s the importance of choosing the right business structure? The first time that I had register a business, I thought that it was something that you have to do when your business gets bigger, or maybe when you have to do your taxes… but there’s more to it. If you just started a business, how are you supposed to know which is right (or whether you should even care)? Last year I started a

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-53929065078679384502009-02-27T19:35:00.002-06:002009-02-27T20:05:30.977-06:00

This week has been crazy for me. I've been working on the small business planning and research phase non-stop for the past few days. I cannot get it out of my head!I guess that it's not such a bad thing. I am unbelievably excited about doing work for once. Working for myself has become very rewarding, in terms of happiness and personal enrichment, but not so much in monetary terms. I'll get there

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-43732854924910150642009-02-25T10:25:00.000-06:002009-03-11T14:56:36.132-05:00

If you thought the IRS website was all about “file your taxes on time, or else,” think again. There is more to their website than avoiding an audit! When I Googled “information for small businesses” I was surprised to get the IRS website. When I started poking around, I actually found a lot of information about the differences in business structure, methods of accounting and of course, taxes! I

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-32778308967241972372009-02-24T17:18:00.003-06:002009-09-20T12:31:43.357-05:00

So I don't know about you, but I associate February with things like ice, snow, below-zero weather, and lots and lots of layers of clothing. Apparently February weather does not apply to Texas- or at least Austin.Oh, we get our occasional hail storm and blustery cold winds out of the north, but February has been a relatively mild, warm and... well, let's just say that they don't have to close the

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-64592900440165755152009-02-23T11:26:00.003-06:002009-02-23T11:48:29.031-06:00

I went through my finances over the weekend to see how long I could last without getting another job to supplement my income. I want to use my time to completely focus on the business. Unfortunately, my savings is not going to get me far (two months, maybe) so I am forced to a "Plan B".Honestly, I knew this was going to happen before I quit my last job. I also knew that the economy here has

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-43288997005772782712009-02-22T13:39:00.004-06:002009-09-20T12:33:03.995-05:00

When I started this blog, I adjusted my Google Analytics account so that I could see if I was talking to myself on here or not. Well, there's a wee-bit of activity... I am not bantering to myself! Woo hoo!Anyway, I woke up the other morning with a business name idea: Green CheeksIt's like the expression "sweet cheeks" but with a eco-retail twinkle to it. Hey, it's better than some of the other

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-46321413913253913102009-02-20T16:59:00.003-06:002009-02-20T17:22:26.750-06:00

It's an interesting experience trying to operate and build a small business online when your apartment does not have internet service. For the past few months, I've been walking up to the clubhouse to get connected to the outside world.Well, the setup is nice - we get free WiFi in the clubhouse (free lattes too), but I cannot keep going back and forth every time I need to look something up or be

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-43803055676454305772009-02-18T17:31:00.003-06:002009-02-18T17:55:12.617-06:00

Or is it hardly working?Actually, it's a little of both. I've been consulting with a couple of people about the business structure and how to set up a website.I have a college friend in NY who I've continually emailed over the years. He's a mini genius. A jack of all trades, master of a few. And he's a brilliant insight into business finance, law and operations. So the last short novel he emailed

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-16774745811373240132009-02-16T10:37:00.003-06:002009-02-16T11:19:45.797-06:00

I've been brainstorming about how to hold myself accountable. I've been in a position of working for myself before, but with limited success because I would wake up and know that I no longer had a boss, nobody to answer to except for myself, and had no "list of things to do" besides whatever I wanted to do for business.I don't want it to be that way this time. I need a way to hold myself

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-86788077207584947382009-02-13T17:58:00.002-06:002009-02-18T18:04:40.529-06:00

I quit. Today was my last day.I gave a week notice after the whole fiasco last week when the business owner basically told me and the other two women that he allows my bosses behavior because "people work with us because of the way he is..." and "he's the rainmaker."I cannot work for a company that condones certain distasteful and offending behavior because they make a lot of money for the

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-23604728623706158212009-02-08T18:29:00.002-06:002009-02-08T19:01:24.491-06:00

The past few days have been a bloody mess. Long story short: My boss is a perv and the owner of the business is defending him (which happens to be his long-time friend). It's ridiculous.Top it off: We called a lawyer about the situation, about the owner not doing anything about it, and what we should do to prepare for a suit... and he says "Well, you do not have enough employees in your small

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-1262857481323022402009-02-05T12:36:00.002-06:002009-02-05T13:02:46.823-06:00

I've done the college thing already. I graduated with what I thought was a "practical" degree in something that I thought that I'd be good at - Finance and Investments. Woopdi do. The people that I went to college with followed the cookie-cutter education, did their intern time and now are rather "successful." Or by most standards, they are. They've got a job (if they weren't laid off because of

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753044029222202156.post-85413012579274526242009-02-04T16:15:00.000-06:002009-02-04T16:21:10.603-06:00

Honestly, I don't know what this website is going to focus on or how I am going to organize it. It's not my first attempt at blogging. I have a terrible habit of being inconsistent, which is bad for readership, but I don't really care.However, I intend to post a lot of random stuff. Mostly about my experiences leading up to developing my next business. What does that have to do with "green" and "

~Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11740314893071736504noreply@blogger.com0