I Built A Worldwide Business From Broke.

[JAJT]

A few folks pointed me in the direction of this thread. Wow - what a story.

I love the way you talk to everyone here - I can almost picture you picking up a pen and fresh piece of paper, thinking for a moment and writing a personal note to them. Just amazing

You have a great story and I'm so happy you're here sharing it with everyone.

 

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[Carol Jones]

G'day @itsemdub from Oz,

We had no option but to leave Sydney Australia. We had no means to support ourselves other than the tail end of an architectural project that Victor had to finish. Sydney just wasn't an option. We needed to sell our house to reduce debt. And everything to rent was just too expensive.

Leaving behind everyone we knew was a blessing. We got rid of personal excess baggage.

They were our friends. And relatives. Who had expectations as to how we would dig ourselves out of our predicament.

What were their expectations?

Get a job. They couldn't understand there were no architectural jobs on offer. The industry had just imploded. We were accused of not trying hard enough. Which was true. We didn't want jobs. We didn't want to work for someone else after working for ourselves for 12 years.

Moving away from these friends and relatives meant we could reinvent ourselves in a place where no one knew us. Or our background.

We were free to become whoever we wanted to become. Without external pressure. Or expectations.

The fact that it was also cheaper meant we had space to breathe financially. Not much. But we knew we could afford the rent. And the owner of the farmhouse was so desperate to have it rented in the midst of one of the worst droughts ever, there was no chance he was going to increase the rent.

Did it help us weather the storm? Yes. It did. We were in a new environment. And had little time to reflect on what we'd lost.

It's a pleasure to meet you @itsemdub. I hope this helps you. And welcome to the forum. You'll meet many people here who you will learn from. It's a place like no other!

What do you do now? And what do you hope to get from the forum members? ~Carol❤

 

[Carol Jones]

G'day again @pkom79

I really appreciate all your information about online advertising. You've gone to a great deal of trouble to put together facts to support your belief in its value.

But you and I will have to agree to disagree on its value for my products.

I don't make that decision lightly. I am very erudite regarding digital marketing. I've been immersed in it for many years. And spend my hard earned $$$$ to keep learning about it. More than 99.99% of other people.

I also frequently attend webinars about the virtues of online advertising. Including Facebook advertising. Wanting to be convinced. I've not yet had one convince me it was worth spending my money on.

Perhaps it's because I strongly believe that personal communication is more powerful than online anonymity. I'm a big user of the telephone. All my joint ventures have been put together over the phone. I ring customers regularly just to say G'day. And learn about them. Which helps my marketing.

The biggest waste of time is to constantly seek new customers. The best use of time is to cultivate my existing customers. So I can discover how I can create new customers. From my existing customers.

I look for opportunities to move from online. To offline. That's where I excel. And I knock the socks off people who only depend on online conversions.

I'm sure there are many people on this forum who would leap at the opportunity to get help from you. And I appreciate your offer to me. If I change my mind, I'll let you know. ~Carol❤

 

[Carol Jones]

Really amazing!

You turned adversity into prosperity.

How do you handle competition?

Generally everyone is copying idea.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good morning @Tanu1234 from Oz,

Thank you for your very kind words.

How do we handle competition?

When I key in the search term ironing board cover/s into Google Australia, I'm told there are 19 million results that answer to the search term.

I have always operated in a very intensely competitive marketplace. Anyone can make an ironing board cover. And then sell it.

I have several advantages over everyone else in my market niche.

I have a background in direct marketing. So deeply understand the value of a database.

Because I worked Saturdays as a sales assistant in a department store from the age of 13 until the age of 17, when I left for university, I also intuitively understand that the customer I have in hand. And nurture as a friend and ally. Is more valuable to me than a customer who orders once. And never hears from me again except to ask them to buy again.

From the first sales I made in 1994 for my Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover. Either from mailorder ads in newspapers and magazines. Or from the 60,000kms a year we travelled for 14 years exhibiting at shows. I collected. And saved. Addresses. And later. Email addresses.

Using Australia Post. We mailed direct to customers until 2009. Frequently. And we made so many friends with my chatty newsletters. Brochures. And just plain down home messages to them that we love you and want to stay in touch.

In 2009, I stopped mailing because of the expense. And started emailing. The same messages. With the same frequency.

I developed a loyal customer base because I had the desire. And the skills. To devote to this labour intensive activity. I am not aware of anyone else in my industry doing this to the finite degree that I do. People want to do less work. Not more. In their business.

I also am a BIG user of the telephone. I am always struck by the surprise - and delight - I receive from customers/prospects who email me questions. And telephone them with the answers. No one uses the phone anymore other than to text. But to me. There is no replacement for the human voice in consolidating relationships.

Why don't people copy us?

There are several reasons why.

People copy a product because they think they can make it cheaper. And reap bigger profits by offering a copy at a lower price.

Our ironing board cover is difficult to make. And labour intensive. It's made with love and care in rural Australia by men and women who have a disability.

It can't be made cheaper in China. I've had people tell me they've priced it in China. And can't get a price low enough to compete with us.

We also keep our profit margins low. So it's not economically feasible to copy us. And make a bigger profit. Which is the main reason to copy a product.

When we started, we were thrown out of 3 sewing companies which employed able-bodied staff. To sum it up. The cover was a pain to make. Fiddly. We were too demanding. And no one wanted to work with us.

Why doesn't a competitor take it to another company who employs people with a disability? Because of the time it takes to train a person with a disability to do one task well. And only one task.

There are about 14 different men and women who have a disability who work on our products. Each person doing only one task. And then handing it over to the next person who's trained to do the next task.

We also have the slogan "Made with love and care in rural Australia by men and women who have a disability" locked up tight.

Our story - with our slogan - has been written about in every major publication in Australia. We've been featured on TV programs. Radio programs. In several countries. And will be featured on an international lifestyle program sometime in 2019. Filming was in September 2018.

Ironing board covers are a commodity product. No one thinks about them as anything important. You pop one into your shopping cart in the supermarket. Put it on your board. Complain about it. But go back and buy another cheapie.

We've dragged the humble ironing board cover out of the commodity bracket. And firmly placed it into the cult status bracket. For about a half a million people. All done with love. And care. For my customers.

There are roughly about 4 million ironing board covers sold every year in Australia. I don't want all those customers. I want the chosen few who appreciate quality. Are prepared to pay for it. And superb service. And who want to develop a relationship with me!

So I'm not encroaching on the territory of the cheap. I'm happy to let them have that market all to themselves. Therefore, I'm not seen as a threat to them.

To be truthful. Ironing board covers are low tech. Not glamourous. Associated with drudgery. Ironing is a hated chore. There are other market segments which are much more attractive to enter.

People still shake their heads in wonder that I can make a living out of ironing board covers.

Not many people are prepared to put in the labour of love that I do to create a thriving business out of something people hate doing.

I hope this answers your question @Tanu1234. And thank you for reading my story. And being interested in what we do.

I wish you all the best. And hope to hear from you again. ~Carol❤

 

[Carol Jones]

Hi Carol, I'm a newbie to this forum reading articles for inspiration which cause me to stumble on your story. The way your mind works is truly quite intriguing "Tissues in boxes that DON'T pull out one at a time". I don't have an exact business idea yet, I've been selling used computers on eBay for small sustenance as well as practice with ad copy. what were your thoughts at the moment you knew that iron board covers were the niche to take an educated leap in?

G'day @Vangoue from Oz,

I should have been an engineer! But it wasn't a career choice for a gal like me when I was starting out in my adult life.

My thoughts when we knew ironing board covers could be a business?

I thought: "How bizarre that people could care about something as mundane as an ironing board cover fitting on their board properly."

We were as amazed as everyone who constantly asks us in disbelief. How can we make a living out of ironing board covers?

This wasn't the market niche we had envisaged when we reinvented ourselves. We were aiming for something more glamourous. More trendy. Sexier. Something off the wall we could write home about. All the things we all hope our business will be. Because that's what attracts publicity. Word of mouth. Et al.

But. When we listened to the people who were clamouring for our ironing board cover. We realised it would be a BIG mistake to ditch this product in favour of something very pie in the sky.

We were dirt poor after losing everything in Australia's 1992 'recession we had to have'. Bills needed to be paid. And here were people throwing money at us for something they valued.

It would have been irresponsible of us not to pursue this need in the marketplace. And fill it.

This product was a true light bulb moment for us. I don't know how often it happens to other people. But the recognition that we had designed and developed something that was truly wanted by other people is truly electrifying.

Every week I have people who purchased a cover years ago ring and tell me how happy they are that we're still in business. That in itself makes what we do very rewarding.

Because of our story. And how we developed our product. And how we chose to have it made with love and care in rural Australia by men and women who have a disability. We have been able to attract the publicity every business craves.

Decisions made early in our business life centred around us being a caring company. It's how we want to be known. And all decisions made since then are influenced by that desire.

From the feedback we receive from customers. And what's written about us. We know that we're faithful to our ideology.

I hope I've answered your question @Vangoue.

Finding your niche is sometimes not easy. But perhaps you'll be lucky like us. It will just jump out in front of you.

Welcome to The Fastlane Forum. It's a privilege to meet you. And I hope you find your path sooner. Rather than later! ~Carol❤

 

[eTox]

Thank you for sharing your experience.

My key takeaway is that one small step at a time that accumulated into thousands of little milestones is what creates substantial results.

 

[Greg R]

Could this be the first GOLD intro thread???

 

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[Carol Jones]

I absolutely love the fact that despite the hardships encountered, you allowed your mind to work through the obstacles and become successful rather than falling into the safety trap! Thanks for sharing, and being an inspiration/example to us of those that are facing the hard uphill grind!

Good morning again @azsno,

Thank you so much. That's a lovely observation. Much appreciated.

No matter where you are on the path to fulfilling your dream. You never quite get there. There's always something else ahead that you want to achieve. So we are all in an uphill grind. Just at different levels.

The obstacles keep coming. But we do get better at overcoming them.

Practice does make perfect!

I love staying in touch. ~Carol❤

 

[Carol Jones]

Australia is about 770 million hectares - US is 940 million.
320 million people in the US, only 24 million in Australia.

Safe to say that with more than ten times as much land per capita, the land prices are going to be very much more affordable, especially in rural areas.

That's only about 135 acres, which sounds large but would be a really small holding by any ag. standards in the US or Australia ...

G'day @Nigel B from Oz,

You're absolutely right. The cost of rural land depends on the location. In lush dairy country, it's very expensive. But in my region, where we live on the side of a mountain. And our land is literally a rock shelf, so is hard to till. It's much cheaper. And affordable. Superfine sheep thrive here. But cattle don't. It's hard for them to put on weight. Because there just isn't enough nutrients in the paddock grass. And no one in my village grows crops. As the Department of Primary Industry told me when I enquired in 1995 about planting a garden, "you do know that no one at Ilford has a garden". They do now!

Up north. And west. Where the land is very dry and arid. One cow needs at least 100 acres to thrive. The land there is cheap. And this is where the large cattle stations are. Our largest cattle station is Anna Creek Station. Which is 1,977,000 acres. Which is also the largest cattle station in the world. In drought conditions, it only carries 1,500 head of cattle. In lush times, it carries 10,000 head of cattle.

I'm impressed at your knowledge of Australia. Most people know very little. ~Carol❤

 

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[Kerin]

Good morning @Kerin,

I do LOVE hearing from you. A fellow Aussie!!

And thank you for your lovely words about my story. And me.

Where are you moving to in Queensland? In a metropolitan area? A regional area? Is your business an online business? Can you run it from anywhere? Or bricks and mortar? What do you do?

Lots of questions.

I hope you take the time to answer them. Because I'd love to hear from you again. ~Carol❤

Hope the morning is treating you well @Carol Jones.

We are eyeing an area situated in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, still close to the beautiful beaches (our daughter loves the beach so much), and amenities such as shopping centres, hospitals, airport. We will most likely need to travel often back to Sydney for business/family so need to remain close.

Lucky for us our business allows us to work from anywhere. We started an Amazon business back in 2013 - (I have a progress thread that you can read here). We wanted to build a business that would allow us to have the freedom to choose our hours; a business that, if built correctly, would eventually require less of our time to run; and a business that would accommodate us spending as much time together as well as with our future children. We are still in the midst of our journey but I am confident we will get to where we want to be. It just takes a lot of perserverence, dedication and learning from the mistakes we've made along the way (and pivoting accordingly).

I admire you and Victor for remaining such a strong team after all these years. Having both a personal and professional relationship between two people can often break them. Congratulations on making it this far and good luck on the rest of your journey.

 

[Kerin]

Are you on target to retire in your 30's. As planned?

Where we currently stand, it's looking like I'll be pushing that number out to 40s. But, I do still have a few years to go so time will tell. We have a few new projects that we're working on that may bring retirement closer.. but I have to admit I've lost a lot of focus since having a baby. I hope to get back on track soon.

I admire anyone who has the wherewithal to tangle with the 'me too' products on eBay and Amazon.

We actually started selling products that are unique to our brands (we have a number of different brands, each with products from different niches) - we differentiate through design and use premium quality materials in our products. I, too, don't like to cut corners when it comes to quality. I also don't like the idea of 'racing to the bottom' when it comes to price and competing with our competitors. The only way we can differentiate ourselves (and charge a premium) is through quality and design. We have a lot of loyal customers who have happily written great reviews for us which helps a lot too.

I think you could potentially also benefit from opening your sales channel up to Amazon (USA, Europe, Canada). You would simply leverage their fulfillment and distribution network whilst maintaining the integrity of your brand (via managing the seller account yourself, or appointing just one authorized distributor). You'd have to crunch the numbers re the logistics of it all (being in a rural town will impact transport costs to the Amazon warehouse) etc. Anyway, if you are interested in going down this route, just shoot me a message and I'd be happy to help out however I can.

 

[Carol Jones]

Hey, Carol, really appreciate your sharing your experience.

A few things stand out:

• Focus on quality: Going upmarket means less competition & fewer high-maintenance customers.
• Long-term focus: You mentioned "We're very patient"--basically that when the time is right & pain crossed a threshold, people become your customers, and then stick with you, refer you, etc.
• Helping others: Not just here on the forum, but with your products & your choice for who manufactures them. Brilliant way to create value from end to end.
• Non-obvious niche: Ironing board covers--who'd a thought? While everyone else is chasing fads, you're off the radar, plugging along, executing, and succeeding. Reminds me of a recent podcast episode about a quilting business that became the economic engine of a formerly-dying rural town: Lesson 1: Stitching It All Together Business Schooled podcast

G'day @NMdad from rural Australia,

My apologies for such a tardy reply. This move from one state to another is all consuming. Add in the complexities of purchasing a new rural property. Designing a home to put on it. Restarting my business. And life becomes very busy.

LOVE the podcast. How wonderful of you to send me the link. I love stories like this.

Age. Experience. And the wisdom that comes with age. Allows me to travel under the radar. And know that it's the best route for me.

I can't remember a time when I've been attracted to fads. And have always avoided them. Even in high school and university. When peer pressure is very strong to follow the pack. I've learned that I'm often on the outside. And many times, when looking inside, I've observed the mistakes people make in trying to be in synch with the current trends. Which are often very short lived.

My innate intuition to travel the road less travelled has always served me well. The downside is many people try to point out what a mistake that is. I've learned that I'm not obligated to anyone to defend my position.

Quote
Long-term focus: You mentioned "We're very patient"--basically that when the time is right & pain crossed a threshold, people become your customers, and then stick with you, refer you, etc.
/Quote

Regarding the above. In 2016, I sent a brochure to a friend of a customer. At the request of my customer. Part of my Thank You Note is a page called 'The Referral Tree'. Where customers can send me names of family and friends to send brochures to.

They stay on my database. For future reference.

Two weeks ago, I received an order from that friend. For 6 Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover packages. That's AUD$448.05. With an accompanying note telling me that in 2016, she was shocked/horrified/astounded (her words) at how expensive a Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover package was. But. After burning through $$$$ in cheap covers over 3 years. And the attendant irritation that comes with these poorly fitting covers. She crossed the threshold where quality matters. She made a purchase for her children. Her mother. Her mother-in-law. And of course, herself.

Not everyone believes in being patient. But it's an unsung virtue. It's a given that time and experience changes opinions.

If ever I can help you, please let me know. I'd love to hear from you again. ~Carol❤

 

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[Carol Jones]

great read! when you first started how did you find some customers? locally or international. thanks

G'day @trafalgar_law from Oz,

Thank you so much for reading this thread.

Our first customers came from word of mouth. From the Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover we made for Victor's mother.

After that. When we realised this was going to be a business. We hit the road. We drove 60,000kms. Every year. For 14 years. Exhibiting at any event where we could spruik our wares.

It's hard work. But it's how most people start. At markets. Face to face events.

It's how you learn to talk to your potential customers. Ask them why they're interested in your products. What they currently use. Why they want to change.

You then learn how to sell to them!

This is also how we created a mailing list. Starting with 250 names. It grew into the tens of thousands.

We just asked people at events. Whether they made a purchase or not. If they would like to go onto our mailing list. So many said yes.

By the time we started our online business, we had such a good feel for what customers wanted to hear. Today. We have close to 500,000 customers. In 30 countries. Gained ~ One. Customer. At. A. Time.

I don't depend on Google. Or social media. I just nurture my customers. Who tell their friends.

Although. I am still on page one of Google. For my best search term. And have been there for 18 years. Without paying a cent. This is because I post something to my website almost every day. That's helpful. And interesting. For my potential customers

I hope this helps you. If I can give you more information, please let me know. ~Carol❤

 

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[Carol Jones]

I deeply impressed by your resistance against "dark tunnel", and thank you to share your great experience with us.

G'day @Amaravil l from Oz,

Thank you! It's a privilege to share my experiences with you.

Dark tunnels are a part of being in business. Everyone travels down at least one. Probably more. During their business life.

The trick is this.

Accept that it's a given.

And.

Make sure you arm yourself with enough knowledge to know how to reach the light. And then take whatever steps are necessary to get to the light at the end of the tunnel.

The light does shine. So long as. You keep travelling through the tunnel. Instead of getting bogged down. And giving up.

This is when we're all at our most vulnerable. When we think we're making no progress.

During these dark times, I always made a promise to myself every day.

Do one thing today that will take me one step closer to where I want to be. No matter how small or insignificant that step might seem.

Also. Draw on your experience.

What have you accomplished that was so hard to do. You didn't think you'd ever reach your goal? But by always trying. You got to where you wanted to be.

My inspiration was always these two stories from my life.

In junior high school, when I was 12 years old. I flunked sewing. Not quite. I got a D. Instead of an F. I was an honour roll student. So my pride was at stake here.

But no matter how much I tried, my sewing class completely stumped me. I just couldn't figure it out.

Add to that, the knowledge that my mother was a couture dressmaker in New York City before she married my father.

I just assumed that I would inherit her skills. But I didn't.

Annoyed. I decided I would teach myself how to sew. And warned my mother that I needed to figure this out by myself. If I asked for help, it was appreciated. But please don't take over my journey by telling me what to do. Without my asking!

By the time I was 13 years old, I was making all my own clothes. And became the 'Go-To' gal at school for anything to do with sewing.

I went on to teach myself tailoring techniques. I made suits. Overcoats. Everything except my lingerie.

Once I set up my own apartment, I made slipcovers. Actually, just about everything for my new home. Including lamp shades. And Roman blinds.

My sewing machine was my best friend. And people admired my skills.

My mother was a champion crepe maker. We had crepes every Friday night. And she made hers in a battered old aluminium frying pan. That was older than she was.

When I left university. And set up my own apartment. I attempted to make crepes. At that time, I could barely boil water. So when I failed, I wasn't surprised.

But I kept failing. Every time I tried to make crepes.

I became so annoyed, I was determined to make at least one perfect crepe.

300 dozen eggs - 3,600 eggs! - later. I made my first perfect crepe.

I now make only perfect crepes.

That took me years to master.

If I'd given up on sewing and crepe making, the world wouldn't have come to an end. But. I would never know the exhilaration of triumphing over failure.

When in those dark tunnels at the beginning of our business, just simply knowing that I had jumped over obstacles impeding my progress before. And succeeded. Gave me the impetus I needed to forge ahead. And come out the other end stronger. And more confident.

You have done something in your life that gave you the confidence to go forward. Don't trivialise the accomplishment. Draw on it to get you through the tough times.

I hope this helps @Amaravil.

And welcome to The Fastlane Forum. I know you'll love it here. ~Carol❤

 

[Carol Jones]

I focus on the things that I lost

Hi Carol,
Thanks for your incredible post and inspirational story! When I read your story, it reminded me a bit of what happened to me. But the difference is, that I focus on the things that I lost. Here's my situation: I used live in the US, I had everything I dreamed of. I had my bachelor and masters degrees in design. When I finished everything, I wanted to work on my own, but the immigration laws are super strict. Even worse my depressed father was literally destroying our family business and my mother's life. So I had to return and leave behind what I have built for 16 years. My two brothers did the same thing, in order to save a sinking ship. Also, we were extremely worried about our mother's well being. For 4 years we fought our dad and saved the company from bankruptcy. Also, we were happy to see our mom finally healthy and become independent from our father. But we wasted so much time trying to fix something that my dad was never going to let go. So my two brothers left the country one after the other. Even, If I wanted to go with them, I couldn't. We did everything in phases. My older brother already had a job, so he could go. My younger brother had to go, he was getting depressed (he has a sensitive health history) by my father behavior. So I made sure to push him out the door, before me. As I was the last one on the ship, I had the time to think on what I wanted to do with my future. I quickly knew, that I had to get back to my love for vintage design and hand painted items. I started to post on my instagram again and reopened my Etsy shop. Things started to move forward, but it was a slow process. My problem is to stay focused on my work. My father is till around being mean and that bothers me. I don't see him much, but when I do...I get really angry. I hope one day, I can t be bothered by him anymore. Do you have any advice on how to stay more focused? and stay motivated when the sales aren't as good as last month?
Sorry for the long paragraph, I feel that if I shared my story I could help someone else too.

Thanks,

Mac

I focus on the things that I lost. My problem is to stay focused on my work.

G'day @Mackenzie from Oz,

It's a privilege to hear from you.

What a story.

Family relationships are the most complicated relationships of all. Especially when some of the relationships become toxic. They affect your welfare. And your well-being.

Your father is part of your life. His depression affects how he responds to those around him. That doesn't make him your responsibility.

How we respond to external pressures decides how we will progress in life.

We can't control. Or change. Many circumstances.

But we can control how we respond.

And that takes self-discipline.

How self-disciplined we are is determined by how badly we want to seek peace in our life.

We all run into turbulence. No one is immune. But if we don't want that turbulence to cause havoc. We have to remove ourselves from it.

Or. If that's not possible.

Change the way we respond to it.

My goals are very clear.

I want to be happy. I want to keep loving the way I run my business. I want to have meaningful relationships with selected people.

My partner, Victor, lost his father in 1998. His father was a very charismatic man. His mother was totally dependent on his father.

When it was obvious that she couldn't live on her own. We invited her to live with us on our rural property. In her own house. That Victor, an architect, designed for her.

She accepted.

But it was clear from the day she moved in, that she expected to be treated like a Russian princess. That we were to drop everything. To cater to her every whim.

Which was a dilemma for us.

We invited her to be part of our life. Without having set boundaries before she agreed to uproot herself. And make the move to our rural property.

It was an oversight. It never occurred to us that her expectations would be so onerous.

She lived on our property with us for 14 years. And we never shirked our obligation to look after her.

We made significant changes to the way we ran our business. And to the way we lived. To accommodate her.

But. In the last 7 years of her life with us. I had to remove myself from the picture. She became so negative. So demanding. So gloomy. That it affected me in a very personal way.

And. She also made me very angry about the waste of time she became in our life.

Although she only lived 400 metres away from our home. I made the decision to only visit her three times a year.

On her birthday. Christmas Day. And the Russian Easter.

Victor was very adept at keeping his mother at bay. So she wasn't the problem to him that she was to me.

I couldn't control her. Or change her. But I could control my response to her.

Once you change. In a positive way. How you respond to your father. Your anger towards him. And what you feel that you've lost.

Your focus in life will change too.

Victor's mother is only one instance of annoyance in my life.

As with all of us. There are many. And I always choose to remove myself from the source.

If I can't do that. I then teach myself to ignore my anger. And replace it with something more positive.

This is all self-discipline, Mac. And how good you become at it depends on how badly you want peace in your life.

And on how badly you really do want to focus on your business. And to get it moving forward.

I'm very good at distracting myself.

I love music. And when I'm really feeling hemmed in by people who are irritating me, I listen to music that I love. While I'm working.

Or I'll listen to a podcast from someone I admire.

Or watch an inspiring video from someone who is teaching me something.

The internet gives us many avenues for escape. I'm sure you'll find something that will lift your mood when you're really feeling like you've hit a wall with your father. Or with your progress.

Sometimes. I just sit in the sunshine. By myself. And enjoy being quiet.

In the beginning of a business. Sales are up. Then down. For several years. Not just months.

It's just the way most businesses start.

Very few businesses are handed clients/customers on a silver platter. They have to be earned. One client/customer. At. A. Time.

The secret is this. Do something EVERY day. That moves you one step closer to your goal. If you don't feel like taking one particular step. Find a step that you like that day that will move you closer. No matter how small. Even if it's just writing down the telephone number of someone you want to ring to discuss your business with.

Writing your post to me is a step closer to your goal.

I'm a great believer in baby steps. We first learn to crawl. Then we learn to walk. With baby steps. As our legs grow. We take bigger steps. When we reach adulthood. We can take giant leaps.

Big bangs. Come from an accumulation of little bangs.

This is how most businesses grow.

I'm also addicted to my 'Morning Pages'.

A concept developed by artist Julia Cameron. There are pages of information about this concept on Google.

It's a simple concept.

Every morning. Before you read the news. Or get started in your business. Before your brain becomes cluttered with the trivia of the day.

You do a brain dump.

On paper.

Some people do it in longhand.

I do it on my computer. On a tab in Microsoft OneNote.

I use it to have a dialogue with myself.

Whatever is bothering me. I discuss it on OneNote. With myself. In detail.

I've solved more problems using my Morning Pages than I've ever solved talking to another person.

I have a business friend who's written two books from her Morning Pages.

It's also a form of self-discipline.

As well as a form of getting things off your chest. Without dragging in another person.

If you're not someone who has good keyboard or handwritten skills. Or is friends with the written word. It may not be for you. But perhaps you could try doing it in voice mode.

I refer back to my Morning Pages often. And when I've gathered more information that will help me solve a problem. I add it to the page.

And voila! I have a solution.

Always.

It just takes self-discipline. And patience. And the knowledge that there is always a solution. You just need to identify the problem. And then go looking for alternatives.

More proof. That. Big bangs. Come from an accumulation of little bangs.

But one point though. The operative word is writing your Morning Pages. EVERY. Morning.

I hope this helps you, Mac. If I can help you further, please let know. And do keep me in the loop of your progress. ~Carol❤

 

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[Carol Jones]

This thread really is the thread which keeps giving! There are so many inspiring aspects to it, and the clarity is amazing. I have enjoyed following this over it's life.

@Carol Jones Few people take the time that you do to provide feedback - to each and every post, and the value is huge, for those who ask and those who just read more depth to your story.

The "a recession we have to have" phrase is interesting as it is playing out in almost every market globally right now.

So few have the humility to respond in the way that you did to overwhelming debt, and your (then) current income streams to go away. If ever I face a similarly extreme situation, this thread will be my North Star.

Thanks for continuing to post. This, message needs no reply - it's simply a thank you.

G'day @Nigel B from Oz,

How can I not reply to someone who has read this thread in full! That is an amazing feat in itself.

"The "a recession we have to have" phrase is interesting as it is playing out in almost every market globally right now."

In December 2018, Victor and I sold our beautiful rural property in the picturesque Central Tablelands of NSW. Where we lived for 26 years. And relocated to a hard to believe even more beautiful landscape. The foothills of the Victorian Alps. We purchased a very steep 100 acres in Swifts Creek, Victoria. And are building a house designed by Victor, an architect, on top of this mountain we now own. The house is 37 stories above road level. With to die for views of the farming valley below. And the surrounding alps.

In November of 2019, the fires in Oz started. And kept burning until the end of February 2020. We were evacuated twice because the fires came to the edge of our village.

On 13th March 2020, Australia went into lockdown with C0VlD-19.

Victoria. The state I now live in. Cannot shake the virus. So Melbourne. The capital. Is now in Stage 4 lockdown. No one can leave their homes for any reason other than to go shopping for food and supplies. The doctor. And one hour only of outdoor exercise. Mask wearing is mandatory at all times outdoors.

My little village of a few hundred people is in Stage 3 lockdown. Mandatory mask wearing. But more freedom to move about.

The strict lockdown has decimated the business community. Many businesses will not survive this. And Australia is back into recession after 28 years.

I am acutely aware of how different my today is. To my today of 1992. I have an established business that is successful. And being online. With an enviable reputation. I get orders every day.

Our house will be finished by the end of October. And we are mortgage free. We own it! Our cars are paid for. So essentially. We are debt free.

But where we were in 1992 seems like only yesterday. So I can fully commiserate with everyone who is going through hard and stressful times. Where the climb uphill will be tortuous.

My stomach tightens every time I think of what so many people are experiencing right now.

Been there! For too many years.

But Nigel. Everything has a silver lining. The strong and resourceful will be like us. They'll seek out a light at the end of the tunnel. And they'll be in a different place. And most probably a better place. And this capsule in time will be the making of them.

We always have choices in difficult times. We can dig a hole and bury ourselves. Or put ourselves out there. And grab a brass ring that will make a difference to our lives.

I'm forever in awe of what Victor and I have been through. And what we've achieved. We're now in a place we never dreamed we could ever be in 1992.

All. Because. We decided. To . . . 'Have a go'!

'Have a go'. It's a quintessential Australian expression. That needs no explanation.

It's a privilege to meet you, Nigel. And I hope you never have to search for your North Star!

Drop in to say G'day any time!! ~Carol❤

 

[Carol Jones]

Nice job!

Thank you Interesting Life. I hope I hear from you again. ~Carol❤

 

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[maiko]

Hi Carol,

Great story to read, both the story itself and how you tell it.
You seem to me the entrepreneur who could inspire college students on deciding which directing they will head to.
Maybe some rural Australian schools would be happy to have you as a guest speaker? ;-)

Good luck with your product too.
We stopped ironing some years ago (except for the shirts and so) but still have a moving cover :-(
Haven't noticed your brand out here in Belgium yet but will keep my eyes open.

Michael

 

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[OmarLopez]

Welcome to the forum Carol!

Thank you for the amazing vibes and inspiring words.

As Almantas said, you really do get pump up just by reading them.

G'day Limitless4Life,

What a lovely compliment. Thank you.

I can remember when I was 23 years old. And I would tell you. And everyone else that age. And older.

That there are two things we need to address.

The first is that there are no limits to what you can do. Or achieve.

We put limits on ourselves. And hold ourselves back.

No one else holds us back. Just ourselves. Lack of belief in what we're capable of doing. That's the big hurdle to jump over. Especially if other people are telling you it can't be done.

I always tell people that to change yourself, you have to change the story in your head that you tell yourself. It takes practice. But it does happen. Tony Robbins is an expert at that.

And.

The second thing is to simply take action.

Stop thinking. And start doing. Be prepared to make mistakes. Victor and I have made so many mistakes. But we learned from every one of them. And we have a better business because of them.

Failure is NOT making mistakes. Failure is NOT DOING!

Setbacks are part of the process. Victor and I just experienced one this week. While Victor was in a state of despair. I told him that every time we have a setback, we find a better way to do something. And we come out the other side so much better off.

And we did. The setback this week. Although crucial. Made us make a change. And that change has made our business better.

Have belief in yourself, Limitless4Life. Setbacks. Mistakes. They're part of the process that takes you further along the road to wealth.

Life is to be lived. And it's never perfect. I hope this helps. Never hesitate to ask me for help. I love giving back. ~Carol❤

Can we nominate a post to be featured?

G'day Against All Odds.

We hung up the car keys in 2008. And the wheels of our car did a little jig in celebration.

Made me smile, thank you.


PS: I love your profile picture.

 

[Greg R]

Rep+. Do you teach your disabled employees how to sew or do send them to a local instructor?

 

[Carol Jones]

Hi Carol,

Great story to read, both the story itself and how you tell it.
You seem to me the entrepreneur who could inspire college students on deciding which directing they will head to.
Maybe some rural Australian schools would be happy to have you as a guest speaker? ;-)

Good luck with your product too.
We stopped ironing some years ago (except for the shirts and so) but still have a moving cover :-(
Haven't noticed your brand out here in Belgium yet but will keep my eyes open.

Michael

Thank you, Michael. That's lovely feedback.

We have no retail representation anywhere in the world. International customers find us online. And we despatch parcels overseas every week. And we do have customers in Belgium! I just checked. ~Carol❤

 

[c_morris]

I am so delighted to be here. And hope I get many opportunities to exchange stories and ideas with members about overcoming the depths of despair that are part of 'the process'.

I'm looking forward to reading all that you have to share. Judging by your 1st 2 days on the forum, you will be a "Legendary Contributor" in no time.

rep++

 

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[Carol Jones]

Hey Carol,

Thank you for such a great answer!

When you talk about the disbelief of others, I know exactly what you're talking about. And I feel that when the disbelief is greater, the greater my motivation and drive is, to prove them wrong. I very welcome that.

The reason I asked you these questions is because of the same reason you asked me this question: WHY?

I want to know why people do certain things. What their motivation is.

Because when I see people like you helping others and reaching out to others, that inspires me.

If I know your why, I can achieve the same results.

G'day again @MarekvBeek from rural Australia,

What a fantastic comment! Thank you.

Not everyone. Some people just don't want to be touched.

But most people want others to reach out to them and let them know we care.

That we care about them buying from us.

That we care about what they think.

Caring about other people is such an easy option. And one of the most rewarding.

But it seems to be the one option most avoided in business.

I hope we stay in touch. And keep connecting. ~Carol❤

 

[Carol Jones]

Carol,

Thank you. Loved your post and your story.
Greetings from Greece.

xx,
Deppy

Good morning Deppy @DeppyJ from Oz,

Thank you! Very much appreciated.

Greece. The cradle of Western civilisation. Where would the western world be without you?!

Where in Greece do you live? On one of those gorgeous islands? Or on the mainland?

Tell me more about you! What's your story?

Especially as I so LOVE your avatar. What made you choose that one? ~Carol❤

 

[Carol Jones]

How in the world did I miss this thread? 400K global customers? Sick.

Also, MJ, can we increase the rep transfer limit or remove the cap?

Good morning @RHL from Oz,

Thank you. I've read your threads, RHL. Am so impressed with what you've achieved. And now a new baby to add to the spice of life.

It's a pleasure to meet you. And I hope we stay connected. ~Carol❤

 

[DeppyJ]

Good morning Deppy @DeppyJ from Oz,

That's a very insightful post, Deppy. You know yourself better than most people do. Congratulations!

Several things.

Many people at 65 still don't know what their purpose is in life.

And for those of us who do, the goal posts change quite a bit as you travel down your Yellow Brick Road.

But you're spot on about one thing. The more you engage, the more you'll understand what your purpose is. Especially as you're prepared to leave your comfort zone and experiment. Don't rush this. It will come. And when it does, it will be like a lightning bolt. You won't miss it.

Like you, I have never been motivated by money. Other than as a teenager. Wanting more than the allowance my father gave me. So at 13 years of age, I got my Saturday job.

But working just for money has never been a priority for me.

Helping other people has always been the focus of my life. And striving to be the best ever. At whatever I do. Has enabled me to be successful. It's more a back door approach to success.

There's no one path to fulfilling your dream. We're all unique. With our own brain pattern. And individual way of thinking. Your path will be like no one else's path. But I've no doubt that you will find your path. And nail it!

I've never been to Greece. A good friend spent a year living and working on the islands. She never stops talking about it. I'm always enthralled by her stories.

I am very optimistic about you, Deppy. You must promise to stay in touch. Keep me in the loop. And if I can ever help you, please let me know. ~Carol❤

Dear Carol.

Thank you for your advice, but mostly thank you for the time you're devoting to reply to each and every one of us who responded to your story. I agree with all the people here and through my eyes, you inspire me.

I will "use" your story, message, advice and kindness to continue experiencing life to the fullest.

P.S.1 Greece is a beautiful country as well as Australia I might guess. You should definitely make time to visit. Heck, send me a message if you ever decide to come, I can be your guide! Not to Patras, though. Lucky me, I have family to several islands.

P.S.2 We need to thank MJ again for this Forum and for bringing all those souls together.

Carol, hope we'll be in touch! Take care and thank you again :*

x, Deppy

 

[c_morris]

I have 35 years of business experience to share. And love sharing what I've learned. And observed.

Forums are about giving to others. And learning from others. The perfect give. And take. And this forum is exceptional in that respect.

If ever I can help you, please let me know. ~Carol❤

You are amazing.

 

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[Guest06196]

Another person to watch is Mel Robbins. Especially her talk with Tony Bilyeu. 'Why Motivation Is Garbage'. She also talks about the negative chatter in our brains that can destroy us. This is the link.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCHPSo79rB4

Greetings from Metropolitan Sydney.

This video is 50-minute long, a significant investment. Because of Carol, I watched it and I'm very happy that I did. Guys if you haven't heard of 5 Second Rule before, watch it. It's going to be worth your time. A simple technique that will help you in many areas of life, not just your business.

 

[SazzleB]

Hi Carol

This post really struck a chord with me and honestly made me well up. I love your advice, your caring nature and how you run your business alongside a social aim. I am a helper and want to give to the world by making an impact/leaving a legacy and you are doing exactly that. So thank you for being my muse and bringing value into your posts and into the world

 

[MTF]

@Carol Jones, you said that you bought a 54-hectare rural property and that you turned it into a wildlife sanctuary. I absolutely love the idea and actually have something similar on my list of goals.

I'm curious about one thing, though: how did you manage to buy 54 hectares of land? I mean, 54 hectares is almost like a small town. It must have been either incredibly expensive or it's located very far away from the civilization.

I understand if you don't want to answer - just shocked that you have such a huge property and am a bit puzzled about it (perhaps it's normal in Australia that such big plots of land exist and I'm just not aware of it).

 

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