Prego

No, I have not completely fallen off the face of the planet...just working hard to tread water and keep up here in the office! These last few months have been more insane than usual around the RuffleButts household. Aside from our crazy growth, which I owe completely to our amazingly wonderful and supportive customers, we have also been hard at work planning for our new styles, big announcements, new team members, and on a personal note...an addition to the RuffleButts family due this April! Yes, we are adding to the Schaub clan, Aubrey will soon be a big sister!

Seriously, I don't know how you guys do it! Moms are just super heroes in my book and I don't know how you do it with more than one. I guess I'm soon to find out! For now, I am enjoying my big round belly and feeling those kicks and squirms all day long. We're trying to prepare for the big day, but I'm honestly so busy around here, I am admittedly a little behind in the preparations. A nursery is on my list for this weekend, after having our first little scare and ending up in the hospital for a quick one-day stay last week. Aubrey threw me for a few loops in her first 9 months, but this little one is a bit more anxious. After a lot of fluid and a few contraction halting shots, all is well and back to normal. Now stay put little one, for at least a few more weeks! A name...next on that list! So, stay tuned for more surprises - boy or girl...I can't share all of the fun news in one day ;)

So, that is our big news, our ENORMOUS blessing, and I am honored to share it with you!

Mompreneur "wannabe"

I received an email today from a sweet lady by the name of Kristina, who referred to herself as a "mompreneur wannabe". I chuckled to myself as I read her email, knowing that we all start at the "wannabe" stage at some point, but today, Kristina, I am giving you a new title..."mompreneur in-the-making"! I completely understand where she is coming from and her fun sense of humor, but I don't warmly recall the feeling of being a "wannabe" in the beginning. None of us really like being the freshman, especially coming into an industry that can be a bit old-school. I recall early on, getting unsolicited advice from "experts" in the industry, and darn it, if they weren't wrong on almost every piece of advice I decided to follow!! I specifically recall a Buyer reviewing my first sample line giving me all of her input on what people would buy, what they would "hate", and what would be my best sellers. The fabric that I was considering cancelling from the line, of course, she said would be the number #1. It become a joke in the "office" when that was the absolute worst selling fabric print from the first season! It was then that I vowed to followed my gut, to run this company using my best sense of right and my gut creativity.

This is much easier said than done, not only when you are the "freshman", but even three years in. People often told me that doing business this way won't work in this traditional world of apparel sales. DON'T LISTEN!! Do your research, be sure you have something to base your decisions on, then stick to what you know is right. Sometimes you'll succeed, sometimes you'll fall on your face, but you'll know that you followed your heart and weren't swayed by others.

Ok, so back to Kristina...she was asking what my suggestion would be to her. She is trying to get her children's clothing item off the ground, and is in the start-up phase. Her question, specifically, which comes first, the orders or the production? This is a very good question and one that has conflicting arguments for both sides. Obviously to a financial benefit, it is always great to have orders before you have the commitment of cash out of your pocket. On the other hand, I can't imagine having gone to Vegas when I launched RuffleButts without a production currently in place to fill the orders that were coming in. I'm honestly not sure how most companies do it, but from what I understand, many companies take orders for the season coming prior to placing their production orders. We don't do it this way. We almost always have stock for our customers and ship immediately, unless of course something is a huge seller and we sell out faster than we can produce. This is a risky situation for a company, but for us, it works.

I don't want to tell you to take the leap, but being completely transparent, that is exactly what I did. Kristina wrote in her email, "I'm wondering if this is risky, getting orders when I don't have product in stock, but to order all the product will probably cost around $*****, and what if nobody buys/likes it?" For me, this is exactly what I did. I dug deep, did a ton of research, a lot of prayer, got a lot of feedback from friends and family, and placed my first production order without a single customer order. Talk about some serious motivation...your family savings in little ruffled form, I knew that I had no choice but to sell it, to make it work. For me, this option paid off.

Kristina also wrote, "Any suggestions you have about starting your own business, I would greatly appreciate. It is very hard to get people to help you, everyones trying to protect their "sources"." Yes, in the beginning I found this super frustrating, but now three years in, I somewhat understand why. In this business, you must stay ahead. People will copy your products, even your business, as soon as they see that it is leading to success. Not everybody works in the most ethical of manners, so those of us that have paid the dues, cried the tears, put in the time, are hesitant to share our sources. With that said, it has always been important to me, from day one, to pay it forward and share as much as I possibly can...hence this blog!

I don't have the big answer, but I will tell you that in the beginning, you have a very life-changing decision to make. You can start small, making a few pieces here and there, trying to get orders to sell them...consider this the "mompreneur in-the-making". The other option, go for it, dive in, commit everything, and start out day one as an official "mompreneur". Don't worry, with this roller coaster of a ride, you will certainly earn the title! I don't think one is better than the other. It purely depends on what you are setting out to accomplish.

Thankful

Wow, where to begin! Blogs are kind of funny in the fact that they are just slightly like a reality show...as a reader, you almost feel as if you know the person. You have watched them through the ups and downs, successes and failures, wins and losses. The RuffleBlog has been a bit like this for me. I often just write away, thinking to myself that no one really reads these rambles, but on occasion I realize that I tell you guys more than I tell my closest friends...somehow it is just easier to type away.

So, for the most part you already know how thankful I am, not just in the simple sense, but truly grateful for the life God has given me. I am human, so yes, sometimes I forget to treasure each and every moment, but it is days like today, when I am surrounded by family, that I get to take it all in. Here are just a few on my list:

1) My family - since Mark and I work together and spend, literally, almost 24 hours a day in the same space, I guess you could say that our relationship is a bit out of the ordinary. As you can imagine with that scenario, sure there are moments I want to send him some place far away for the day, or even the week, but for the most part, I can't believe how lucky I am that we found each other. We had a crazy start (long story), but to have found someone who supports by stubbornness and entrepreneurial workaholic mind, that was one in a million! The fact that we get to share our journey, in life, with family, and in business, is such an enormous blessing. On top of that, we have family and friends that fill our life full of love. And of course Aubrey...I honestly did not know that you could feel this way about another human being. She is the light of my life and just a little miracle.

2) RuffleButts - I could go on and on here. First, I feel so blessed that God gave me my "this way" sign so early in life. I feel so incredibly blessed to do what I do, every single day. I love my job, my work-family, my customers, I just love RuffleButts! I know that I am in my right place, and that is such an incredible feeling of peace. I am grateful that RuffleButts has found enough success to spread the joy to others. I am grateful that God has given me the strength to endure the craziness that comes with starting and running a business. And I am so grateful for the support that we have received along the way. Our customers are beyond awesome!

3) Health - I do not take this for granted. As Layla Grace is still in our prayers every day, I am eternally grateful for the health of me and my family. I know this is a gift, and I do not forget this.

I hope you all had a fabulously special Thanksgiving day!

Bum day

Have you ever noticed as women, that we aren't allowed to have a bum day. This is not that others don't allow it, but we are too hard on ourselves to actually admit a plain old yucky day. Rough morning, husband pushing your buttons, kids making you crazy?? Yes, but we put on a happy face and answer with "I'm doing great!". Don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying we should all pout around when things get tough, but I do think we should be allowed to wallow in a bum day every now and then. Well, today is my day! My life is good, I love my job, but today is just my day. I kinda want to curl up and watch recorded Oprah all day. I want to get in my car and drive back to Kentucky (my home state), and have my mom be a momma for the day. I want warm soup, a pedicure, and to lay on the couch. Oh, I know, I sound so spoiled...don't read me wrong here, I'm not actually doing any of those things, but a girl can dream, right?!

So, today, if it is your day or not, I am here to tell you that we are not perfect, and today, I am not pretending to be. I'm not the CEO mom who has it all together. I'm not wonder woman, the strong leader, the super mom, the creative designer...I'm just a regular gal, a little worn down, having a little bit of a bum day.

I will tell you this though...I know how lucky I am, when I am feeling just a little down, all I have to do it go to our RuffleButts facebook page. We have the BEST customers in the world and they bring me so much joy!!

Manufacturing challenges

Have you ever noticed in life, how when one door closes (and feels like it is slamming you shut on the outside), that somehow one almost always opens? Now, three plus years in dealing with issue after issue in manufacturing, I am just now starting to get a handle on things. No, this is not the first time I have said this, and I am definitely still not completely there, but it has truly taken me this long to START to get a handle on things. Manufacturing is by far the most challenging aspect of running this business. It affects everything. And, it is the one factor that I can't directly do myself. If we have issues in the office or someone else let's me down, often I will just work longer and harder to get the job done. Manufacturing is different because it is MUCH too much for me to do. We need long-term partners that I can count on. Seems simple, right? Somehow, so many of them have let me down in so many ways.

Yesterday, I was about at my end. I found out that yet another item from our fall line has issues. Yes, I will admit that my standards are high, but my customers deserve this. So, we are facing yet another delay on one of our items. At least our factory understands my standards and is willing to remake garments that do not meet them, but all of this takes more time. I don't have any more time to give!!! Why, oh why, can't a factory just deliver our products on time??

Then, today I realized that yet again, I left my faith somewhere in the dust. Amber get yourself together! Remember, sometimes God's plan is not easy...if we didn't face challenges with one manufacturer, we may not have ever found the right manufacturer. I am a very forgiving and sometimes an easily taken advantage of kind of person. I want to give everyone a 2nd, 3rd and sometimes 4th chance. This is a BIG mistake in business, especially in manufacturing. If they do it more than once, they will do it again. Don't get me wrong, I think everyone deserves a 2nd chance, but that's it. Habits are habits and evidence to me that things will only get worse down the road.

So, today was a nice reminder that often when one door closes, there is another just waiting to be opened. Sometimes change is part of the journey, part of progress. And, delays are disappointing, mostly because I always hate to let down our customers, but sometimes they are needed as part of that progress.

I'm learning and growing, also part of the journey. It never stops.

Getting into stores

In response to this blog, I receive numerous emails from other entrepreneurs looking for input and/or guidance regarding specific situations. I would say that manufacturing seems to be the biggest challenge across the board, but once you finally have something made, the next most popular question is how to get it into stores. Yes, this is the million dollar question! Over the past few years our company has grown organically, but I have often thought, it sure would be nice if all of the stores that are just now learning about us had heard of our brand even just a year earlier! They often feel the same way, once they find that our products are typically a pretty consistent seller for them. So, how do you get your products into stores?

1. Word of mouth
Yes, the is obviously the easiest and least time-consuming, but is the non-aggresive approach of letting stores learn about your products through other avenues. I always love to hear that a store is applying to carry our products after numerous customers have requested that they carry our brand! This obviously shows us that we are on the right track, but it also shows me that we have not done a great job of letting these stores know that we exist.

2. Advertising
This is obviously the most expensive form of spreading the word. The great thing is that it most often pays for itself in the long-run, but in the start-up phase, we all know that cash is not always the easiest thing to come by.

3. Editorial
This is definitely my recommendation for those of you in the beginning phases. Truly it is wonderful at any stage, but the great thing about editorial is that it doesn't cost a thing. Okay, maybe a sample or two, but that is certainly well worth it! Editorial was a large factor in our initial growth. We were very fortunate to receive buzz from some fabulous publications that really helped to earn us credibility as we were gaining momentum. My advice here...you don't get what you don't ask for you. Get out there, you have nothing to lose!

4. Selling directly to stores
This can be a bit discouraging at first, but if you have proof and therefore confidence that your products will sell, that will relay to your wholesale customers. Don't waste their time, know who they are and why your products are a good fit. Also know that you will receive more "I don't have time" than "sure, let's take a look at that", but for every "sure" your brand is building and the ratio works itself out as stores realize that there really is something in it for them. Put yourself in their shoes...there are truly a ton of great products out there, but there are also quite a few that aren't so great. They need to know that this is going to help their business.

When selling to stores, what do you need (this was a question that I just received this week, specifically inquiring about the items below)? Hope this is helpful Kristi!
1. Brochures / line sheets
We started out with basic line sheets, but have found them to be a bit old school in some ways. Obviously they are neccessary, but my advice is to keep them simple. Let stores know what you are offering and at what price. We now use a simple brochure for our basic products to convey the line in general and then we assist them in selecting the items best for their store.
2. Swatches / samples
If you are meeting with a store in-person, they will likely want to see some samples and swatches. They are just like any shopper, and if possible, would like to see what they are purchasing. I wouldn't advise taking in your entire apparel line on the first appointment, but be prepared to give them a good feel for your product. This is also where websites can be super helpful. If you have great lifestyle pictures on your website, this can often eliminate the need for samples, saving everyone the hassle.
3. Sales order form
Yes, once they give you their order, you will need to write it on something (unless you have an online ordering system). Honestly, I ordered a ton of carbon copies of a RuffleButts order form when we first started, and I still have them sitting in our office today. We RARELY use these since most of our ordering is through our website, but you better have something that looks professional to take orders in the beginning. Here is a link to a sale order that I found online. It is pretty basic, but a good guideline for getting started.

So, this is all just my personal opinion, but I hope it helps =)

My little RuffleButt

It is not often I talk about my little RuffleButt here on the RuffleBlog, but today, I had a little revelation. I started RuffleButts with the intention of doing a handful of things, one of which was making people smile. Seems simple, and almost a little corny, right? Well, after living the fast-paced life of million dollar real estate in Dallas, I was ready to sell to moms instead of millionaires. Ok, maybe a few millionaire moms included, but to people who just wanted to dote on their baby girls and enjoy life. It is so fun to see people repeat our brand name, or just to see their reactions to our little ruffles...9.9 times out of 10 it is a big grin, a HUGE reward for what I do every day.

I started RuffleButts before I was a mom myself. I always knew I wanted to be a mom, but God decided his plan was a little later than I had anticipated. I put everything I had into this business and it really became my baby pre-baby. It gave me such joy, such reward, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

Then came my Aubrey! I had no idea what these little people do to your life. So, this morning as Aubrey and I stood in the kitchen ready to head out the door to school, I looked at her and that great big grin and realized that I now get to do two things that are all about the smiles...share RuffleButts and be a mom. Life doesn't get much better!

Ok, I'm certainly not pretending that I don't struggle like every other woman in this world...that I wasn't in a battle of the wills with my toddler just last night. Yes, she is a strong-willed little lady, and absolutely HATES brushing her teeth! Yes, I am like every other mom, but it is smiles like these that remind me how blessed I truly am!

Acorn

I came across a quote by Ralph Emerson. "The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn". How true is this?

I often think back to that moment when I made the decision to go after my dream. To put everything I had into this business...our savings, my pride, every ounce of my time, and my heart. It was all or nothing. I stood there on the cliff, of course super nervous about that step that was in front of me. I prayed about it, thought about it, and knew that I would never forgive myself if I didn't at least try. But what about failure? I was a business school graduate, and if I learned anything about entrepreneurship, it was that most businesses fail. What I also learned, that most successful entrepreneurs had failed at least once in their lives before they hit the jackpot. Ok, if I fail, I suck it up, learn from it, and move on. So much easier said than done! If I don't fail, well, my life would change forever!!

I have always been a little stubborn...well at least that's what my husband tells me =) So, I could take that stubbornness and turn it into something useful! I was new, naive, and completely in over my head. Bring it on!

That's easy for me to say today, right? Well, I am writing this for you. If you are at that step. If you have thought about your idea for years now. If you know what it is that you want in your life, but are afraid to fail, I am here to give you that little nudge. It doesn't matter if is a business idea or a personal dream. Want to write a book? Or make a life change? See, I've learned over recent years that life goes by really, really fast. But the cool thing about that, when you are steering the ship, it's an awesome ride!! And it's never too late!

Last week, I wrote about an Oprah episode that helped me to find my path. Ever since I started this company, I wanted to find a way to help other women in the way that Oprah and Sara inspired me. I obviously don't have quite the reach of Oprah =) but, this is my attempt at paying that forward. If I could give this gift that I have found to just one of you out there, that would be my true success. I'm not telling you to follow me, or even Sara, but follow your own dream, your own heart. You may feel like a little acorn out here with little impact, but Emerson was right, just one little acorn can create an entire forest.

Spanx for the inspiration

This post was inspired by a phone call I received this morning. I believe there are small moments in your life that truly change everything. Often we are unaware of their impact until months later, sometimes even years later, but they are moments that are ingrained in us forever. Over the years, I have shared many of my moments with you, specifically my "light-bulb moment" in the parking lot. Well, one moment that I don't think I have shared was a simple episode of Oprah. Quite honestly, I can't remember if they were one combined episode or if it was two separate episodes that aired very close together.

I remember vividly the passion in her voice, the excitement that consumed her, the fulfillment that seemed to radiate as she sat there with Oprah sharing her story. I knew that would be me someday. Ok, I REALLY, REALLY hoped that would be me one day! Her name is Sara Blakely, her big idea...SPANX! She went on to tell her story of flying all the way to Dallas to convince Neiman Marcus to sell her products. There was that fire that I longed for. She was young, ambitious and not too terribly different from me. I could do that, I could be that excited...please God, give me my idea!!

Then, it happened again. It was another episode of Oprah, Million Dollar Moms. Well, I was not a mom at that time, but again these women had done it. It was the story of Sherri Schmelzer that stood out to me this time. She had taken a simple idea and made millions. She worked hard, had found her niche and found financial success for her family. What made these women so different from me?? I could do this, I just knew it!!

Literally, it wasn't maybe 2 weeks later that my "light-bulb" moment occurred in that parking lot. Was this God's big flashing arrow sign for me? This way Amber, do it...go for it! It was in March of 2007 that I formed RuffleButts, Inc. Over the years, those moments have come and gone in my memory as I have trudged my own journey, but the phone call this morning reminded me how truly important those moments have turned out to be. I started this blog in hopes of inspiring other women to pursue their dreams, but I realized today that I owe a very large thank you to all three of these women, Sara, Sherri, and of course Oprah. All three of them had a hand in my destiny, little me, just a twenty-something at the time, searching for my own journey. You never really know who you are going to touch, who is begging, praying for their own light-bulb moment. I hope that someday I am able to pay that forward!

Trade shows and events

I am often emailed with specific business questions, and although I would love to answer them all, I sometimes fall a little behind. In attempt to help anyone and everyone finding this type of info helpful, I am going to try to give you my 2 cents here:

For national trade shows...
I am truly not the expert on this one. The only trade show that I have personally attended was KIDShow Las Vegas when I first launched the company in 2007. Ever since, I have been torn on the decision to attend these events. The cost is extremely high when factoring in travel and all of the additional costs on top of the booth. Although, with that said, it is all about ROI. If you write enough sales to cover your cost, it is a no-brainer, especially with re-orders down the road. If you don't write enough sales to cover the cost, is the exposure worth it? The trouble is you never know how much you're gonna write until the money has been spent and the show is over.

Another interesting piece of this puzzle for us is that we have been extremely blessed by the fact that 95% of our wholesale customers have come to us. In the past 3 years, we really haven't participated in trade shows or trade advertising. Fortunately, we have incredibly supportive fans who often recommend our products to their favorite stores. We also have two super sweet sales reps at their local markets who have introduced their clients to our brand. As our business grows, we continue to expand and explore other opportunities, but so far this is where we stand with trade shows.

Here is a list of the children's trade shows that I seem to hear about most often over the years (just in case it is helpful):
KIDShow Las Vegas
ABC Kids Expo
Bubble New York
ENK Childrens Club

Other events (specifically the Boom Boom Room):
Ok, I get this question often, and I totally understand why, but it is a tough one to answer. Here's why...I truly believe that most events are what you make of them and 90% of the time, they are a lot of expense for an ROI that rarely justifies it. For me personally, I am glad that we did the Boom Boom Room and am grateful that Jayneoni extended the invite. With that said, I feel like, over the years, it seems as though almost all children's product companies have received the same invite, and the reviews are quite mixed. For me, it is all about expectations. If you expect to walk into some event, to be surrounded by glamorous celebrities and for your line to become a Hollywood hit overnight, then this is not the place for you. If you are going into this as a possible press opportunity and fun experience, then I think it could be worth the cost. For me, I'm glad we went when we did, but don't have plans to return in the near future.

I find that so much in this business is hit or miss, trial and error. You truly have to find what works for you. I would say that most of our business friends do participate in these trade shows and some attend the Boom Boom event year after year. I find that I often stray from the norm in the business and do what works for us. With that said, this may not necessarily be what works for you.