Our First Failure...And Why It Won't Be Our Last

Let's clear up one thing before we get going...it was all our fault. This failure it really was all down to us (aka me). Although I will caveat everything I am about to say with I really think it's only a failure if you don't learn something, and I definitely learned a lot! So, what happened?

We attended a market and made 0 sales. And I wish I could blame it on a lack of attendance, a poorly advertised event, or even a rainy day, but sadly, everything was set up for me to succeed, except, well, me!

It wasn't that I hadn't prepared for the market, I had been making new earring styles, I had been organising my supplies, and I was launching my new scrunchie tags. What I hadn't done, though, was any market research. I hadn't considered what everything would look like on my actual stand, and I had been so focused on making new styles, I hadn't really considered the market itself.

I arrived at that market with over 40 different earring styles, scrunchies in more than 30 fabrics, and postcards that alone would have filled a 4-foot table. A recipe for success, I thought...Sadly not. I had so much with me that once it was all on display, absolutely nothing stood out. Just a sea of colour and pattern that ultimately took away from the designs. What I'm saying is, in prepping for the market, I wasn't really considering the market, and I missed the mark.

Pretty early doors, I realised what I'd done and unfortunately, just to double down on the failure, I really let it dictate my day. I barely said hi to any passersby at the market, I took no product or display photos, I essentially just sat and essentially felt sorry for myself for five hours - not proud of it, but I just couldn't shake the disappointment. Thankfully, after some reflection, I was able to really consider why it hadn't been a success and what I could do differently next time. So, I thought I'd share those learnings with you and who knows, maybe it'll help you succeed (or at least not be so hard on yourself if you don't always!)

• Just having a good product isn't always enough.

• Quantity doesn't always mean quality.

• Be prepared to make changes during a market.

• Your display really does make a difference.

• Don't let it get you down.

• Remember it's not a reflection of your ability, just something you have to learn from.

...And learn from it, we did. However, it's likely this won't be the last time we make a mistake, but it will be the last time we make this one!