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Mon, Dec. 5th, 2016 09:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annarti
Okay real talk. Really real.
You know my awesome hot chocolate mix with minimal sugar? I want to release it. In actual containers that people can buy and make their own awesome hot chocolate.
I've been thinking about this in various different guises for years. It started out, of course, as, 'Wouldn't it be cool if..?' A year or so ago, in making my online portfolio, I recognised all the different levels of marketing and design involved, from the stuff I already know how to do, like business cards and brochures, through the obvious website and packaging, maybe even point-of-sale stuff. I could make all that as mockup stuff as if it were a real brand for my portfolio.
Over the past few weeks, I've been going to local markets to look for Christmas tree decorations. Brick+Mortar Creative is one of my favourite places in Adelaide. It's part café, part point-of-sale for a bunch of local makers. Almost like a permanant craft market, all really high quality artisan stuff. Ceramics, jewellery, beautiful prints, workshops where I've done a few lettering/calligraphy workshops, and in the last few months, produce. 'By golly, gee whizz, I wish I had the guts to do that.' Except that my artistic talents I don't think are suited to such a place. Pencils and computer art are frigging everywhere on the Internet, and I know I'm nothing special to stand out from that, and graphic design... well, we know the stage that's at.
But last Thursday, I went to their Christmas champagne cocktail party do, which was lovely. Full of the makers who sell their stuff there, including one person selling chocolate she makes. So delicious, dark and bitter and fruity and local and awesome. So I bought a block, and shortly afterwards heard her talking to one of the proprietors. 'I just sold a block!'
And you know what? I'm starting to get the guts. I have absolutely zero idea where to start, so consider this post The Start. The Dream. With things like Patreon and Kickstarter and places like Brick+Mortar existing, it's just that little bit easier to not be scared of failure.
First step is to figure out what's involved in getting started. Legalities... other things... how do you get suppliers? I have my favourite cocoa I use, but could I get something more local? The cayenne and cloves are just Masterfoods. I don't even know where the cinnamon's from; it just came in bulk from Gaganis. What about packaging? How do you get stockists? Do you have to have a factory for this stuff? Who does that go through? Food labelling and what's required there. Start with Business SA and go from there.
Marketing I feel would be much easier, simply because I have some sort of a toe in the water of that. Start with cafés, places like Brick+Mortar. Markets? Maybe, but the face-to-face thing is still scary. But hey, if this is real talk now, really real, maybe that'll happen.
I can so totally do it. Why the hell not? What if I fail? No idea. I genuinely don't know what the consequences of failing are. But on the other side, what if I succeed? Now, that bit I can picture.
You know my awesome hot chocolate mix with minimal sugar? I want to release it. In actual containers that people can buy and make their own awesome hot chocolate.
I've been thinking about this in various different guises for years. It started out, of course, as, 'Wouldn't it be cool if..?' A year or so ago, in making my online portfolio, I recognised all the different levels of marketing and design involved, from the stuff I already know how to do, like business cards and brochures, through the obvious website and packaging, maybe even point-of-sale stuff. I could make all that as mockup stuff as if it were a real brand for my portfolio.
Over the past few weeks, I've been going to local markets to look for Christmas tree decorations. Brick+Mortar Creative is one of my favourite places in Adelaide. It's part café, part point-of-sale for a bunch of local makers. Almost like a permanant craft market, all really high quality artisan stuff. Ceramics, jewellery, beautiful prints, workshops where I've done a few lettering/calligraphy workshops, and in the last few months, produce. 'By golly, gee whizz, I wish I had the guts to do that.' Except that my artistic talents I don't think are suited to such a place. Pencils and computer art are frigging everywhere on the Internet, and I know I'm nothing special to stand out from that, and graphic design... well, we know the stage that's at.
But last Thursday, I went to their Christmas champagne cocktail party do, which was lovely. Full of the makers who sell their stuff there, including one person selling chocolate she makes. So delicious, dark and bitter and fruity and local and awesome. So I bought a block, and shortly afterwards heard her talking to one of the proprietors. 'I just sold a block!'
And you know what? I'm starting to get the guts. I have absolutely zero idea where to start, so consider this post The Start. The Dream. With things like Patreon and Kickstarter and places like Brick+Mortar existing, it's just that little bit easier to not be scared of failure.
First step is to figure out what's involved in getting started. Legalities... other things... how do you get suppliers? I have my favourite cocoa I use, but could I get something more local? The cayenne and cloves are just Masterfoods. I don't even know where the cinnamon's from; it just came in bulk from Gaganis. What about packaging? How do you get stockists? Do you have to have a factory for this stuff? Who does that go through? Food labelling and what's required there. Start with Business SA and go from there.
Marketing I feel would be much easier, simply because I have some sort of a toe in the water of that. Start with cafés, places like Brick+Mortar. Markets? Maybe, but the face-to-face thing is still scary. But hey, if this is real talk now, really real, maybe that'll happen.
I can so totally do it. Why the hell not? What if I fail? No idea. I genuinely don't know what the consequences of failing are. But on the other side, what if I succeed? Now, that bit I can picture.