In the sage words of the ever wise Ms. Janet Jackson, many wonder, "What have you done for me lately?"
Years ago, when the whole Nikki's Magic Wand thing was just getting started, our business advisors asked, I believe before we even launched, "What do you have planned next? What will you create/release/sell after you launch Nikki's Magic Wand?" I was a bit taken aback, like, "Hold up. Let me figure out how to get this off the ground first." Well, now I know that they were right to ask. Yes, there have been some successful "one trick ponies" but it seems the real winners are the ones who are bringing more to the table.
If I'm totally honest, I didn't know that I'd have time to bring anything else to the table because really, most days I feel like I just want to put my head down ON the table, not add more stuff to it. BUT, I was missing something major in this process! The excitement attached to giving the world something they haven't had before. Now THAT will lift that head off the table QUICK and inject you with an energy that you thought was gone.
We are gearing up for the BIG REVEAL very soon. Gotta cross those t's and dot those i's but we're VERY close.
I am SO excited (and jazzed, I might add) to share our new "baby". I've been testing it and showing it off and I promise you, you're going to LOVE IT!
A few folks know my little secret so to those folks, mums the word!
Stay tuned for the fabulosity!
As always, thanks for reading!
Nikki
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Sunday, February 1, 2015
From Nikki to Nikki's Magic Wand....
Back to Basis for this post...
Like most, I'd started to hear about blogging a few years ago. Having always been an avid journaler, it seemed like a fit for me. More importantly, I had started to get questions about starting a business and inventing a product. I was really just learning myself but I figured it might be helpful to share real time experiences. Why should people have to make their own mistakes if I could help prevent that? So, on 10/22/2012, exactly two months before launching Nikki's Magic Wand, I wrote my first post. It was fun and it was exhilarating. Even now, more than two years later, it's still fun, even when I have a mean case of writer's block.
The experts tell you to change it up, stop talking about yourself so much in your blog but my most "successful" post was also my most personal. So, experts, schexperts. I'm just going to be me. And being me is to do my best to be helpful, to share what I have or know.
In that vein, I want to share some things I've learned since launching the biz on 12/22/2012.
1. You'll need money and lots of it. Start saving. Income tax refund time is around the corner. Do you dream of those new boots or do you dream of building a legacy? To hell with the boots.
2. Ask for help. It's crazy how eager people are to help you, but if you don't ask, you'll never know. Now, let me clear. I'm talking about knowledge. Don't go asking for money because you're going to run folks off. Don't be THAT person.
3. You're going to make a few (hopefully not a lot) bad choices in the business. You'll spend money on something dumb and there will be absolutely ZERO return on investment. But guess what? You HAVE to do this (on a small level). Otherwise, how will you really know what works?
4. Be legit, get a biz attorney and establish a real business, like tax id real. And don't forget to do your taxes. Orange is ok, but I have no interest in wearing it every day, all day.
5. Pay people for what they do. Stop being so damn cheap. You know you aren't any kind of webmaster, nor do you work at VistaPrint and those flimsy business cards you have been giving out prove it. If you want people to trust you and your product or service, you can't look like you are doing this out of your garage, even if you are. On this same topic, PLEASE run the spellcheck.
6. For heavens sake get a real e-mail address.
7. Get a person to bounce things off of and not your mom. She thinks everything you do is smart and cute. Find someone who will tell you the truth.
8. Shout out other businesses every chance you get. It's just the right thing to do and there's enough money out here for everyone.
9. Get a massage and eat a cupcake (or whatever is your thing). If all you do is work, you'll quickly turn into a stressed out meanie that absolutely no one wants to be around. Chill.
10. Finally (and trust me there are a million more but you might stop reading) GIVE BACK! You can certainly share some of that profit. Yes, you are in business to make money but you can't lose your soul in the process. The joy that comes from giving back makes you want to sell harder, just so there's more money for you and for them.
I'll revisit this list theme in the future but these are the main things I wanted to share.
Have a GREAT week and make some moves!
As always, thanks for reading!
Nikki
Like most, I'd started to hear about blogging a few years ago. Having always been an avid journaler, it seemed like a fit for me. More importantly, I had started to get questions about starting a business and inventing a product. I was really just learning myself but I figured it might be helpful to share real time experiences. Why should people have to make their own mistakes if I could help prevent that? So, on 10/22/2012, exactly two months before launching Nikki's Magic Wand, I wrote my first post. It was fun and it was exhilarating. Even now, more than two years later, it's still fun, even when I have a mean case of writer's block.
The experts tell you to change it up, stop talking about yourself so much in your blog but my most "successful" post was also my most personal. So, experts, schexperts. I'm just going to be me. And being me is to do my best to be helpful, to share what I have or know.
In that vein, I want to share some things I've learned since launching the biz on 12/22/2012.
1. You'll need money and lots of it. Start saving. Income tax refund time is around the corner. Do you dream of those new boots or do you dream of building a legacy? To hell with the boots.
2. Ask for help. It's crazy how eager people are to help you, but if you don't ask, you'll never know. Now, let me clear. I'm talking about knowledge. Don't go asking for money because you're going to run folks off. Don't be THAT person.
3. You're going to make a few (hopefully not a lot) bad choices in the business. You'll spend money on something dumb and there will be absolutely ZERO return on investment. But guess what? You HAVE to do this (on a small level). Otherwise, how will you really know what works?
4. Be legit, get a biz attorney and establish a real business, like tax id real. And don't forget to do your taxes. Orange is ok, but I have no interest in wearing it every day, all day.
5. Pay people for what they do. Stop being so damn cheap. You know you aren't any kind of webmaster, nor do you work at VistaPrint and those flimsy business cards you have been giving out prove it. If you want people to trust you and your product or service, you can't look like you are doing this out of your garage, even if you are. On this same topic, PLEASE run the spellcheck.
6. For heavens sake get a real e-mail address.
7. Get a person to bounce things off of and not your mom. She thinks everything you do is smart and cute. Find someone who will tell you the truth.
8. Shout out other businesses every chance you get. It's just the right thing to do and there's enough money out here for everyone.
9. Get a massage and eat a cupcake (or whatever is your thing). If all you do is work, you'll quickly turn into a stressed out meanie that absolutely no one wants to be around. Chill.
10. Finally (and trust me there are a million more but you might stop reading) GIVE BACK! You can certainly share some of that profit. Yes, you are in business to make money but you can't lose your soul in the process. The joy that comes from giving back makes you want to sell harder, just so there's more money for you and for them.
I'll revisit this list theme in the future but these are the main things I wanted to share.
Have a GREAT week and make some moves!
As always, thanks for reading!
Nikki
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