Monday, April 30, 2012

Monday Motivation

Whew! What a busy past couple of weeks! Thanks for keeping me busy in the Beth Hart Designs studio! It's definitely Graduation, Wedding, Baby, Mothers Day, Birthday and Celebration season! I love this time of the year! Can you believe tomorrow is May 1st? Time is flying by... but I'm trying so hard to take advantage of every second. Each day is a precious gift!

I have many exciting things on the to-do list for May... both professional and personal. I'm thrilled to be sharing some of these goals with you along the way! Here is a sneak peek at my to-do list:

• Begin "Monday Motivation" posts on the blog
• Publish my new Biography and professional headshots from the talented Molly of SimplyMPhotography
• Lose 10 more pounds... 20 down & only 10 more to go! (Bathing Suit Season is quickly approaching - eeek!)
• Edit, Tweak & Launch my new BHD Wholesale Line
• Get more products and designs loaded onto the BHD website
• Begin my new role on the Board of the Next Generation Heritage Foundation in Franklin, TN!
• Visit some sweet friends with new babies!
• Get back into the habit of running
• Play in the Sunshine!

So the first item on the list is to begin "Monday Motivation" posts... and here is the first one! Each Monday, I will aim to provide you (and myself) with motivational thoughts to get our weeks off to a great start! Who doesn't need a little added pep in their step on Monday mornings? So grab your cup of coffee and remember the following statement this week... Go be amazing!



Friday, April 13, 2012

Digging Deep

The world of stationery and invitations has changed dramatically since I began my little business in April of 2008 (I can't believe it's already been 4 years)! The internet has brought about so many possibilities for designers to expose their work and reach people that normally would have never known about them. We have all the social media of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc... and Etsy is stocked full of amazing designers who are able to sell their work to a world-wide market. It seems overwhelming to me to even begin to tap into this expansive world and somehow set Beth Hart Designs apart...

So I'm digging deep! My friend, Molly of SimplyMPhotography, is a talented photographer and fellow business owner with whom I love "talking business" and sharing ideas. We both struggle to find ways to creatively market ourselves and set our work apart from the rest. It's especially challenging with limited budgets and only one employee - ourselves! But it's so nice to work through it together, and we are equally encouraged when a customer loves our work!

I'm learning that most customers today desire a somewhat personal relationship with the people with whom they do business... they want to connect with that designer, photographer, caterer, etc. on a level where they feel comfortable and feel as though they are being treated not only as a customer but as a friend. I strive to do this on a daily basis, but I've also been confused with thoughts that I need to become a "big business enterprise." But is that really what I desire? Of course I'm planning to continue building my business to new heights, but I don't want to lose that personal connection with my customers. That's what makes me thrive!

So I'm digging deep! I'm working hard to develop my brand into something that makes me proud, thrills my customers, and sets me apart from the other thousands of stationery designers out there. I'm so excited to launch my new biography and headshots (to be taken by Molly on Monday! Yay!) which will allow you to know a little more about me and the desires I have as a Southern girl just trying to live life to the fullest and run a stationery business.

I'm working hard to bring you new products and designs. I offer so many things that only a fraction of you know about because my website is in need of some major TLC! I'm so thankful for and blessed by my faithful customers who trust that I can provide just what they need even though they don't see it on my website. Thank you!

And so, I'll leave you with another print (yes, I offer frameable prints!) that pretty much sums up what I desire to be said about me and the way I live life and run my business... don't we all want to feel this way?



Monday, April 9, 2012

Stop Talking. Start Doing!

It was one of my New Year's Resolutions... Start a blog. Well here we are already into April (where has the time gone?), and I've been making plenty of excuses for not starting a blog for my little business called Beth Hart Designs. But today, I decided to Stop Talking and Start Doing! I am so blessed to be following my dreams, and hopefully I can use this blog to share more of my dreams, provide inspiration, and introduce new designs & products to you.

I am both excited and nervous about this blogging adventure... only because it's new and different. But I promise, if you'll hang in there with me, that I will do my best to show you honest little "snapshots" of my Southern life and style.


I'm so honored to be sharing this journey with you... thanks for reading!


I'll leave you with a challenge: What do you need to stop talking about and start doing?