Strategy Meeting

I'll provide the simulated snacks...from CRAFTzine, of course!

Anyway, I'm convening this meeting for a few reasons, and I'm hoping we can put some issues for discussion on the table and have a chance to contribute and brainstorm, follow a tangent or two, and finish before our virtual sugar high makes us all useless. So everyone go refill your coffee and let's get to business.

Where's Jeff? Did he go out to smoke? Let's just start.

Okay, I went to the Groovy Rhubarb booth and although finding it adequately filled with items for sale, it didn't "surprise and delight" me. Put down your weapons, I'll stop with the corporate jargon crap. We need to take this to the next level, and I have some ideas, tell me what you think. After doing some market research of my own, we need to branch out into furniture and higher ticket items, and find a funky garment display rack for the sweaters starting next month. Also, Etsy is choking with jewelry stores, so we need to research other made-item site stores with similar demographics to post jewelry on, perhaps more local to Portland. Or, maybe even our own Groovy Rhubarb store site. More admin effort from me, but no cuts taken by Etsy or another header seller, and we can do it with Paypal I think. Put that on my list to follow up and report on by next week's meeting. I want us to re-merch completely the GR booth this week, and clean the carpet and look at the prices of the slower moving items--mark down or switch out as necessary. Being peak summer, it's too early for the back to college hipsters yet, so we need to grab the strolling street shoppers and tourists. Tschochskes to take home that are light to carry and instant gratification, but also bigger ticket items to balance out the higher volume of low-end sales. Any imput?

Uh, yeah, how about hanging that brand-identity sign on the wall and adding some incense and more hippie stuff? Jambo store moved way down the street?

Perfect, great ideas. What else?

Art, like Portland postcard things, small scale but around $20?

Okay. And we can move these online, too. Great. I want to get moving on the funky hippie suncatchers and windchime-y things, inexpensive to make and fast, as well as bags and the pareao wraps, those sold.

What did you decide about the silk hair scrunchies, ready to make a come back?

Still thinking, although I have been really using my throwback one the last few weeks, it is so much softer on your hair than elastic ones. I need to mull that over some more.

We really need to cover that waterproof bag made from wild materials-thing. That would move, especially if it's obvious the material is recycled.

Yep, very hot, and fun, and one of a kind, and local, and around $20. Perfect, top of the list.

Cool, very productive, covered about everything, and we have a lot to get going on. Are we psyched? Ready to rumble? Hit the neighborhood yard sales running? Excellent. If it's raining this weekend, lets go to Value Village, Salvation Army and the Foster Rd shops and see what we can find. Meeting adjourned, back to work!