Embracing Change - Being your own change agent: Adriane's story

Our inaugural post in the Embracing Change series focuses on being a change agent in your own life.  Today’s post features Adriane, a successful financial industry professional who decided to open The Goose and the Hound, an online shop specializing in vintage wrapping paper, greeting cards and other paper goods.  

 

 

Adriane spoke with me about the process of initiating this change in her life, and what she’s found to be the challenges and rewards.  Here’s what she had to say:

 

MF: Welcome Adriane!  I love your shop.  Tell us a little bit about what this change has been like for you.

I opened The Goose and The Hound in September 2012.  I work a full time job in finance – my work day starts at 6:45am and ends at 7pm.  Since the shop has opened, I’m getting even less sleep than before - I stay up 2 hours later than I normally would just to work on the shop - but I feel great, and filled with accomplishment the next day.  It’s shown me that even if you have a busy schedule, you can make time for the things you really want to do.

I've so enjoyed this experience that I’m expanding my storefront!  In the next few months I will be opening a second shop selling decorative vintage book sets.

MF:  Good for you! You have a busy life – why did you add this challenge?  What drove you to open The Goose and The Hound?

I needed a hobby!  I grew up pouring my heart and soul into horseback riding but after college that part of my life ended due to constraints on time and money, as well as a very sick horse.  Since horses are not in the cards anytime soon I needed to find something to occupy my time. My husband and I love sporting clays and skeet shooting but that can become an expensive sport if you are trying to do it every weekend.

I also wanted to increase my general level of happiness.  It’s that not that I was unhappy, I just needed to remind myself that I couldn’t rely on others to provide me with fun and entertainment all the time.  I had to respect my husband’s desire to have some of his own time to unwind.  On the weekends most of my time is spent photographing and looking for inventory. The best photos are taken outside in natural light so I can’t really do the shooting during the week. During the week in the evenings I spend time listing each item I’ve photographed as well as packing up orders. I go to the post office before work each day but will soon buy my postage and pre made shipping labels online which will be a time saver.

 

Some of G&H’s inventory - pretty vintage paper. From top: Petite Red and Gold Christmas Poinsettia by Gibson; Monochrome Green Bells By Lady Clair; A Snowy Christmas Hamlet.

MF:  Was there a key moment when you decided to open The Goose and The Hound, or was it a more gradual decision? 

The idea for the shop popped into my head one day as I was browsing online. I realized that I could run a profitable shop after enough of my own online shopping… err…”research.”  I am intrigued by people’s buying habits and really owe a lot to my mom who has a great knack for knowing what people love and what would sell.  She has a vast knowledge of art, fine jewelry, glass and china, and general vintage/antique collectible items, so she’s been a great inspiration!

It took about a week for the shop to go from being a thought to a reality.  It happened rapidly because it was something I was excited about and I had help from a supportive husband.  I have a quick trigger when it comes to shopping so buying inventory for the shop was easy.

 MF: What challenges did you face in making this exciting change, and how did you deal with them?

My biggest challenge, quite literally, was storage space. Our apartment has been turned upside down with my inventory but I am confident I can get it under control! 

I faced a bit of fear in general before I actually went live with the shop. I had questions like: What if I don’t succeed financially? What if I am stuck with inventory? What if customers aren’t satisfied?  However, I didn’t let these fears stop me - I reminded myself that I would never get the answers to these questions unless I tried. 

 
A little bit of planning helped to calm my fears - I did enough research to know that the shop would be profitable.  If I end up with inventory that doesn’t sell it’s all useful stuff I like, so it won’t be the end of the world!   I’ve also had the experience of selling on Ebay, and have a firm philosophy of treating customers the way I want to be treated.  Overall, I have confidence in my abilities to provide excellent customer service and make The Goose and The Hound successful.

A glimpse into the life of a shop owner. From top:  a work station – under the free return address labels are custom forms – G&H ships worldwide!; a selection of stock being processed; and business is good as evidenced by the packages coming in and out of G&H.

 

MF: Did anything surprise you in this process?

 

A nice surprise was how supportive and encouraging friends and family were!  So many people said they admired my entrepreneurial spirit and commended me on the commitment of opening my own shop.

 

Processing and filling orders the way I feel they should be completed, with freebies and hand written notes, takes a lot more time that I expected.  I manage that challenge by setting expectations for myself and giving myself nights off to relax and recharge.

 

I also think there are challenges to come. I didn’t plan on opening right around the holiday season but sales have been great because of it. I think they will drop off in a big way after the major holiday rush, especially in the summer. I will have to think of ways to re-brand and evolve then if I want to keep the profits flowing.

 

MF:  Looking back on these past few months, is there anything would you have done differently?

 

I would have done a bit more financial planning.  Off the cuff research told me I could make a profit but it took me 3 weeks to put together inventory and profit tracking systems.

 

I also realized that I needed to set budgets and policies for acquiring inventory. Those guidelines have to be set or you could end up in trouble by overspending or just constantly buying any potential inventory you come across.

G&H’s retro-fabulous cards.  From Top: Trim a Tree with Santa; Wrapping it Up with Kitty; Belle of the Ball.  All cards by Colortone Originals, Inc.

 

  MF: What advice do you have for people considering making a change?

 

If you are making a voluntary change, make it for something you love doing, because you will always make time for things you love.  And if you love what you’re doing, it will make all the challenges - like the time commitment, the unexpected obstacles, and the fear of failure – bearable.

 

Some people have told me that when I have kids I won’t have the time for the shop, especially if I am still working full time.  But, I think I will still be doing this in some form, even if it’s on a smaller scale.  If I still love running this shop, I will still be plugging along.

You also have to be sure that you’re making the change for yourself.  While my husband has been very supportive of this change, I would have done it even without his support, because I opened The Goose and The Hound for myself. 

You also have to be willing to be steadfast and flexible if the change you’ve made doesn’t go your way or as expected. It’s good to have goals, but be realistic in your expectations, and consider setting the bar low at first. You'll feel so much better in the long run when you exceed your own expectations!

 

MF:  Thanks for taking the time to speak with us Adriane!  We wish you continued success with The Goose and The Hound, and look forward to seeing your new venture in the coming months!
 

Thank you!

 

Anyone who wants to learn more about Adriane and her shop can find more information in the "About" on her shop's page.  I’m also excited to announce that Modern Femme readers can use the code MFCOUPON for 15% off any purchase at The Goose and The Hound!!

 

xoxo,

MF