Evolving

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151338454538764154.post-83497028586576222942007-07-06T12:58:00.000-07:002007-07-06T11:26:35.156-07:00EvolvingBusiness side of things Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since my last blog. Yikes, time is flying by. We got the 6000 bookmarks, now it's just a matter of distributing them. We've given a batch of them to a few bookstores to distribute for us and I dropped some at a local market for people to pick up if they want. I also played post woman for one day and it took me 4 hours to deliver 200 bookmarks. I am going to have to figure out a more efficient way of distributing the bookmarks for sure! We've decided we're going to add a whole new dimension (new products, services) to our website so we have delayed our bookmark distribution until our website is up to date. I've also been exploring the whole networking thing. I went to Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE) gathering. It was very fancy and everyone was dressed to the nines. I felt a bit out of place there as I'm most comfortable in a pair of hiking pants.I also went to the SWAN (Successful Women Always Network) meeting in North Vancouver. I felt more at ease in this group, though again.. I wonder if going to networking functions is really "me". It felt like everyone was trying to sell you something. Though, I did meet some interesting people I'll admit. I went mainly to meet new people who are in the same boat as me (learning the ropes of starting a business) or those who have been around for awhile who might give me some advice being that I'm new at this whole thing. I think I might do better finding a mentoring program. So might start exploring that. I think there are definitely pros and cons to going to networking gathering. The main pro is you never know who you are going to meet, and you just might get some great advice and even some business!! The main con as I mentioned earlier is that you feel like everyone is talking to you because they want to sell you their product or their service. It sometimes feels like watching and listening to endless advertising. I commend the people who do this, as it is probably important to "sell yourself" when networking but I guess I was naive going into these networking events - I thought it was more a place where people support one another with suggestions, advice, good business tips, a way to connect with other people trying to make a go of it in the business world and far less a place where you get bombarded with endless products and services you should spend your money on to make your business a success. I like the networking concept.. and I'm definitely not going to give up on it, but I am less naive going into it now. It's quite interesting, because a great opportunity has since come of the SWAN gathering. I have become assistant to one of the women who I met there. Its in a photography studio so the experience I'm gaining is invaluable. So far I've assisted in a family photo session and been learning how to laminate photographs and prepare them for customers. I have to admit I absolutely loved the family photo shoot. It was a blast, even though it was raining. I love people and enjoy interacting with them so I definitely want to try out the service part of the photography industry. I posted on craigslist that Shawn and I were willing to do a free photo session. We did this for the experience. We heard from Chelsea who wanted photos of her and her brother, so we set up a meeting and met down by Kitsilano beach. I have to say we had the best time. I definitely want to do this again. Here are some of the photos from that:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro6C5H1SkXI/AAAAAAAAAHo/md5a2JEx2Fk/s1600-h/chelsea+and+bro+blog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 163px; height: 128px;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro6C5H1SkXI/AAAAAAAAAHo/md5a2JEx2Fk/s200/chelsea+and+bro+blog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084144947214586226" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro6C0n1SkWI/AAAAAAAAAHg/4Yf1wWvea1Q/s1600-h/chelsea+and+bro+blog+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 123px; height: 157px;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro6C0n1SkWI/AAAAAAAAAHg/4Yf1wWvea1Q/s200/chelsea+and+bro+blog+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084144869905174882" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro6CpH1SkVI/AAAAAAAAAHY/dcYhVSe66kQ/s1600-h/chelsea+for+blog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 108px; height: 161px;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro6CpH1SkVI/AAAAAAAAAHY/dcYhVSe66kQ/s200/chelsea+for+blog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084144672336679250" border="0" /></a> We have our first wedding photography gig coming up at the end of July, which we are really looking forward to. If we like it, we'll definitely be open to doing some wedding photography. In other "business happenings", Shawn and I have been working on creating new products. We've created 4 products: 4 bookmarks with themes (birds, flowers, landscapes and miscellaneous), 6 miniature easels, fridge magnets, blank greeting cards. We plan to have these up on our website shortly. We're also going to add some services as well, e.g. people, event, pet photography. All this will be updated on our website shortly, we have a web developer working on this. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro6F5n1SkaI/AAAAAAAAAIA/G4uaIetiJAk/s1600-h/DSC_0085+-+indesign.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 99px; height: 137px;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro6F5n1SkaI/AAAAAAAAAIA/G4uaIetiJAk/s200/DSC_0085+-+indesign.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084148254339404194" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro6EEn1SkYI/AAAAAAAAAHw/TB1gkhS8ql8/s1600-h/DSC_0093+-+for+indesign.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 105px; height: 135px;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro6EEn1SkYI/AAAAAAAAAHw/TB1gkhS8ql8/s200/DSC_0093+-+for+indesign.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084146244294709634" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro5-AX1SkRI/AAAAAAAAAG4/u7Yx5qdbdLI/s1600-h/blog+image.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 106px; height: 136px;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro5-AX1SkRI/AAAAAAAAAG4/u7Yx5qdbdLI/s200/blog+image.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084139574210498834" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro590X1SkPI/AAAAAAAAAGo/uveRpCLPK3w/s1600-h/Fridge+magnet+indesign.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 117px; height: 89px;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro590X1SkPI/AAAAAAAAAGo/uveRpCLPK3w/s200/Fridge+magnet+indesign.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084139368052068594" border="0" /></a> Picture Taking Been having fun taking photos around False Creek, Kitsilano and Boundary Bay. I do have to admit, I think its time that Shawn and I started heading up the mountains (been waiting for it to be safer with less ice) and going on a few road trips. Talking of road trips.. we went on a very short one to Princeton BC, the road through Manning Park was very cool!! We saw: a coyote, a mother bear and 2 cubs, mountain goat, and a marmot. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro5_1H1SkUI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/W7_2_x_BTKI/s1600-h/DSC_0135+-+small+for+mom.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro5_1H1SkUI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/W7_2_x_BTKI/s200/DSC_0135+-+small+for+mom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084141579960226114" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro5_on1SkTI/AAAAAAAAAHI/n6h_ftLmy54/s1600-h/goat+blog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro5_on1SkTI/AAAAAAAAAHI/n6h_ftLmy54/s200/goat+blog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084141365211861298" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro57731SkMI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/6fu-EYtrmvQ/s1600-h/bear+blog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_VS-Hg0xFz68/Ro57731SkMI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/6fu-EYtrmvQ/s200/bear+blog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084137297877831874" border="0" /></a> We're heading to Manning Park this weekend to take loads of photographs! Hiking season is here and its time to go hiking regularly. I can't wait to smell the mountain air and take in the spectacular views this season!! Social Side I'm co-organizing a big Green bbq at a local park here in Vancouver. There has been so much work to do. We're hoping to give out enviro goodies to attendees (anyone who cares about the environment is welcome to attend) to encourage them to act environmentally friendlier at home. We're also going to have free veggie food and a drumming workshop! It should be a blast. I'm really looking forward to it!!! Been playing soccer once a week. Watching plenty of movies, saw an old 80s one the other day called "The Goonies" which reminded me of when I was growing up. Also saw Rocky V was actually quite good, very nostalgic, it was good to see an old timer come up to bat again. Had an author come to a book club meeting a couple of book club meetings ago (Heather Burt - author of Adam's Peak) and it was quite a lot of fun. Lots of discussion about the character's search for their authentic selves. The next book is Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, its over 1000 pages long and wow.. what an intense book. It's main premise is that man should be self-interested and that making money is the main goal in life. She hates incompetence and weak people. Even her biography page in the book quotes her as saying that she has never expected anyone to help her in life and that all the success she gained in life she achieved on her own merit. Competence is a good thing, but money making and doing everything for self-interest the main goals in life?Lydahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05953599066576704361noreply@blogger.com