Create: Starting A Small Business (Or Two!)
If you subscribe to my newsletter for creatives who live to wander, then you got the official word over the weekend that I'm getting ready to finally launch my handmade travel goods business next month; RambleGood. I've been providing little teases around this site for months now and recently added the logo to my side-bar. Our website has been live for a couple of months but in the past few weeks I've overhauled it from a coming soon page to a space where we'll share stories about the vision behind RambleGood and eventually open our shop.
This entire experience has been transforming to say the least - I've learned more practical knowledge and skills in the past six months than I ever did college. From licesensing requirements to taxes and shipping - opening a small business with physical products is a steep learning curve. That being said, I don't think I've ever been more exciting about starting my work day at 5:30am.
Why A Handmade Shop?
I've always been a maker and I've always made things to use during my travels. Take that, combined with my belief in the power of handmade to connect us and an academic background in international relations/conflict resolution and you have the vision behind RambleGood. Sure it's hard work and a big commitment to produce everything by hand in-house but thats what makes it so special. We could have had our products mass produced but then, they wouldn't mean quite as much would they? I love knowing that fabric Zeke has cut and I've sewn has made it's way to Machu Picchu and Milan.
Through the power of handmade, we want RambleGood to do it's part in raising awareness both about the world and non-profit organizations doing good work in it.
I don't want to give away all the special details about RambleGood here; so hop on over to our blog and check out the very first post; Introducing RambleGood.
On Not Going the Blog Monetization Route
I've had this blog since 2010 and I've been blogging since 2007 - while I've briefly considered advertising and affiliate programs, it's just never been the right fit for me. This blog has never been about business, sure it's connected me to some amazing opportunities like writing an e-book and helped me to travel more through comped lodging - but it's purpose has never been to put money in my bank account. While I'm certainly not against extra income, I'm not interested in making this site a money making machine full of posts without a point or purpose - other than advertising for some one else.
To me, this space is where I get to do the travel writing work and photograph I enjoy reading - something I find very little of around the web. This site is also meant to be a resource for those are looking for less big city travel tips and more outdoor ideas. My travel guides aren't something I maintain only for others - I use them myself when returning to some of my favorite places!
Some days I even consider this space a portfolio of my multimedia work and I'm always hoping it helps me continue to grow my freelance travel work with words, photographs, and videos.
Wait, What's the Second Small Business?
If you follow me on Vimeo or ever step over there to pursue our trip videos - you may be wondering where user AdinaMarguerite disappeared to! Well, it's been a long time in coming but it's official now - Zeke and I have formed our own production company; Dog On A Boat Studios. Perhaps you caught a glimpse of this new title in our most recent trip video?
Well anyway, we've been filming travel videos for over a year now and even doing a bit of special event videography. It's something we both truly love to do and so we decided it was time to dive in, invest in ourselves, and get this rolling as a business. Extra plus? We both have different strengths in video production and very different eyes for light and composition. Makes us a pretty darn great pair if you ask me.
Since we're diving into this new venture at the same time as launching RambleGood, we're a bit behind on building out our new web home for Dog On A Boat Studios. So for now, you can always follow us on Vimeo and keep you're eyes here for our next travel video.