The Trouble With Too Many Choices

 Those of you that may know me are probably aware how overwhelmed I become when too many choices are put in front of me. Yes, I'm one of those people that goes to an all-you-can-eat carvery and has a bit of every meat and one of every vegetable and then wonders why I feel fit to burst after eating it all.

 You could blame my indecisiveness on my star sign or even my parents (Mum, Dad, no one's blaming you, it's just an example) but the truth of the matter is I'm mortally afraid of missing out on trying something. Serious missed opportunities are a terrible thing and can haunt you for life but I sometimes think I take it to extremes. If I have the pork and the beef is actually much nicer how will I know anyway if I haven't had it (well, that's assuming one's dining partner doesn't keep telling you how very incredibly nice the beef is)?

 You're wondering how this relates to setting up a jewellery business aren't you? Don't deny it, I can see it in your confused face. Unfurrow that brow, dear reader, and I will attempt to guide you to the point I am trying to make within the murky depths of my ramblings about beef.

 Something I wish I had been told when I first started making jewellery for the website I am setting up next month (quick plug there, couldn't avoid it, keep posted for more details of that another day), is that I need to make jewellery in 'collections'. It's a rather obvious thing really. It was staring me in the face during all of the market research I performed yet I remained largely and merrily oblivious.

 Designers generally make pieces following the same theme in order to create a brand. So simple, so effective, but for me, given my difficulty with choices, it is a hugely challenging concept for me. I naturally want to try a bit of everything. I want to use copper and bronze and steel and silver (least of all silver, there's a LOT of silver jewellery out there). I want to make moulds of all differents textures and incorporate them (I spent one morning pressing silicone molding compound into the bark of all the trees in my garden, made some lovely jewellery but properly confused the neighbours). I want to make necklaces, earring, rings, bracelets, codpieces...well, ok, not the last one but you get the idea.

 After a lot of experimentation I've decided to keep things simple for my first collection. I'm going to stick largely to white bronze which is a metal I've recently fallen in love with (gushy but true). It's a similar colour to silver but doesn't tarnish as easily and is a pleasure to use. I'm going to keep the actual designs nice and uncomplicated too. I won't lie, it's killing me. The moulding putty is looking at me and I in turn am looking at the woodchip wallpaper and marvelling at what a fantastic texture it is and wouldn't it just make the most darling pair of earrings?

 So there is a light at the end of the tunnel for Little Miss Indecisive. I'm not really missing out, I'm just focusing. One major consolation to me is I can change my collections every season if I want to. Yippee! Autumn/Winter is all about woodchip!

My Worst Enemy

 Well, here we are, my first ever blog post. I'm here to document the trials and tribulations of trying to set up my first ever business. Not just any business mind you, but a creative business. I'm toiling away making handmade jewellery from base metals (I'm well into steel at the moment but perhaps I'll go into that more on a later blog). I thought I would kick off, hopefully on not too much of a negative note, with something that is a big obstacle for any person looking to set up their own business, particularly selling something they have created with their own hands.
 This thing of which I speak  is my worst enemy. A huge grey presence that lurks over my shoulder, just out of sight but very much there. This terrible and dreadful monster is my own self-doubt. Let's call him Kevin, I find naming things helps. Kevin doesn't tell me that I'm unable to do things or that I'm not good enough. Oh no, he's much cleverer than that.  He just asks question after question until my certainty dissolves. For example, I've just made something I'm really pleased with, let's say it's a necklace, here's the conversation I have with Kevin:

Me: Wow, that's a really lovely piece, I'm so happy with it, I bet somebody will snap this up!

Kevin: Is it that good though, really?

Me: Of course it is, I love the shape.

Kevin: Do you? Do you think it's a straight as it should be?

Me: It's supposed to look a bit rustic you know.

Kevin: Is it? Are you sure it doesn't look a bit messy?

Me: Of course not, it's really nice.

Kevin: Really? Are you sure?

Me: Ok, you're right, I'll start again...

 You see? Terrible. He is both insidious and persistent.

 When I first started looking into setting up my own business I attended an excellent Prince's Trust Exploring Enterprise course. It caused three very conflicting reactions in me:

1. "I have learnt so much, I now know what I need to do in order to get the ball rolling".
2. "These other people in the room are so very inspirational and so very together, I'm a long way off being as organised and ready as they are" (that was, in case you haven't gathered, the Kevin response). 
3. "Free lunches are great but in future avoid unlabelled quiches". 

 It has since become clear to me that these other brilliant young people in the room, with their upcycling businesses and mountain bike wheel making businesses and garages and boutiques and immersive film-screening (I know, how good does that sound?), have found a way to suppress their Kevins.
 Now I know it is possible I am determined to do the same with my own self-doubt. I'm launching my own Slap Down Kevin Campaign and am looking for hints and tips from anyone who has managed this. As long as it doesn't involve looking at myself in a mirror and repeating "I am a strong, confident woman", I'll give it a go.

 As I said, I hope this isn't too much of a negative topic for my first blog, next time I'll write about setting up a website from the point of view of someone who misses Windows 3.1 and dot matrix printers and can't understand when technology got so complicated. Am I old before my time? Am I too young to be nostalgic? Will I ever figure out hosting and domains, not to mention online payment gateways? Find out soon!