The RuffleBlog

Up and down

2008-07-25T10:01:00.004-04:00

Any mom, grandma, business owner, or really any person can relate to me here...but sometimes I am just plain worn out! As women, we sometimes have the natural tendency to look at others and wonder how in the world they hold it all together. We compare ourselves, and resurrect that nasty little emotion called guilt. I keep in touch with a few other business owners and one of them yesterday just kept telling me how she was a bit overwhelmed by this whole business thing. I can totally relate to her and told her that I understand, but she will get through this and is definitely not alone!

Well, today, I need that pep-talk of my own. Please don't get me wrong, I totally love what I do and feel enormously blessed to have this opportunity, but today, I am just tired. I have decided that our little angel-to-come is a future gymnast, or karate champ, or something else crazy active!! She has a little pattern of getting a little wild and crazy around 5:00 in the evening and it continues all night long! Last night, after a 12 hour day at the office, I was just so darn exhausted, I slept through most of it, but I can't say that for the night prior.

Okay, I am almost done with my whining, I promise!! So today, I am finalizing those big decisions that I mentioned earlier this week and dealing with more production delays (I am learning that production delays are just a requirement to be in this business!). The delays don't affect any of our customers (yet), since I planned so far in advance - learned my lesson last season, but it is still a big headache and keeps me up at night! I am so glad today is Friday, as it is a welcomed break this week. I have been so excited about the business lately, and I definitely am still on that up, but I just need a little rest to keep me going.

See, you are not alone!! We all have our days. I used to feel extremely guilty about them, but I am starting to accept the fact that I am human and just have days a little less up than others.

Have a great weekend!

Share a Smile Day!

2008-07-24T09:57:00.008-04:00

I wasn't sleeping well last night and found myself with a million thoughts...new designs for RuffleButts, conversations that I needed to have with vendors, registering for the baby, and then the thought crossed my mind...what I have I done to share a smile lately? This is always a number one priority for me personally and with this business, but sometimes I find myself so caught up in my daily life, I forget to take a minute for someone else.

So, today my goal is to share a smile. I am also going to call the local Starlight Starbright Organization to plan a day for RuffleButts to volunteer our time.

This is your little reminder to think of something small that you can do today to share a smile with someone in your world. Maybe making a call to schedule your own volunteer project. Or possibly you have a mommy friend in despirate need of a little help. Maybe a phone call to your grandmother/grandfather would totally make their day (oh, I need to add that to my list too!).

I also have to take this moment to thank those of you that take the time to comment here at the RuffleBlog. I know sometimes it can be impersonal when you type in your comment and don't receive a reply, but I want you to know that every one of your little comments, words of encouragement and input, always puts a smile on my face. It is just nice to know that someone out there cares about what I have to say....so, thank you!

No Slippy Hair Clippy

2008-07-23T09:57:00.003-04:00

You all know how I am always preaching about how much us entrepreneurs have to stick together in this crazy world? Well, I needed advice, so I turned to the owner of this fabulous company, and she totally came through! It is extremely important to me to support my fellow business owners and give advice whenever I can (not that I am the oh-so-experienced one), but if I have a lesson learned to pass along, I am always more than happy to do so. Unfortunately, I have learned in life that not everyone is on this same page, especially in business. I understand why and respect others business practices, but my philosophy will never change.

So anyway, I needed some advertising advice and decided to call Annie, the Co-Founder and President of No Slippy Hair Clippy, whom I had met at the Boom Boom Room in CA this past January. Annie was so friendly, that when I noticed her company in a publication that we were considering for marketing purposes, I decided it was worth a call. Annie was beyond friendly and supportive, giving me her opinion and feedback from her past experiences. No Slippy Hair Clippy is an adorable company that has done a fabulous job of branding themselves...something I also hope to accomplish! I highly value Annie's opinions and am so grateful to her for sharing.

We have never really done any advertising in the past, but are at a crossroads in our business where I believe it is time to take the plunge...next month marks 1 year in sales!!! We are ready to ramp up, so wish me luck, as I have some major decisions to be made this week!

Thanks Robin!

2008-07-22T10:34:00.004-04:00

I must say that it totally made my morning when I checked our google analytics (by the way, if you are a website owner, this program is a must-have) to find a larger than usual amount of traffic coming from iVillage.com. Turns out that this sweet lady who saw our RuffleButts in babytalk Magazine, shared her find with other moms on the message board...

" I saw this ad in a magazine I was reading at the doctor's today, I just thought they were too cute! I'm sure there's places to buy the same thing other than this website, I just haven't found it yet. Just thought I'd share!!!
http://www.rufflebutts.com
~Robin"

I know it sounds silly, but it is always such validation when I receive feedback from others who appreciate my work! Of course, I have faith in what I am doing, but it is so tremendously rewarding and makes it so exciting to keep plugging away, when others agree!

If you are a fan of RuffleButts, I am so grateful when you take the time to share your opinions about our products...on blogs, message boards, and recommendations to tv shows, magazines & websites. You would be amazed what a little posting like this can do for a small business. Back when Kari Way took a few minutes out of her day to recommend RuffleButts to lilsugar.com, we received more website hits in one day than we had ever received before! It really takes a ton of time and even more work to share our creations with the world, and I am so touched, as always, so have the support of so many amazing women out there behind us!

PoshMama

2008-07-21T16:28:00.003-04:00

Looking for a hip mom networking site. This is one I have really enjoyed as a social networking site for the business as well as an advertising forum...

Posh Mama Online Magazine and Social Network is a positive and upbeat community made up of women from around the world. You will feel immediately welcomed as it is the sweetest spot on the 'net. Come hang out, network and make some great friends at www.poshmama.com.

Mommy question

2008-07-18T14:34:00.002-04:00

Okay, I am calling on our mommies for some design input here...

On the little summer tops with the thin straps, do you prefer that they tie, so they are adjustable, or do the ties make you insane?? We have a new style for Spring 09 and I am debating as to whether or not we make the ties adjustable, or we sew them in place with a bow, so they have that look, but don't come untied.

Thank you in advance for your time and help!!

Now That's Progress!

2008-07-18T11:54:00.005-04:00

Ruffle Intern: V

This week has taken me in a million different directions...

I feel as though everything that needed/needs to be done was sort of shoved into this one week. I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing but it has certainly been kicking my butt to get on top of everything on my agenda, both work-wise and in a personal sense.

Coming home from school for an extended period of time usually means playing catch-up on taking care of myself and making sure I'm healthy and doing what I need to be doing. In other words, doctor appointments...lots and lots of doctor appointments. Unfortunately I had to schedule one of them during the work day so between that and Amber being out of town earlier this week, I haven't had much in-office time.

And yet! I feel like I have learned and progressed a lot this particular week! I took on many tasks including graphic design, web design, and customer service. I really enjoy the creative aspects of this field, and I especially love designing graphics for various projects. This week I worked on creating a couple of banners for different apparel sets for the RuffleButts website. I've never done graphics for a website before and it was interesting to work within a different structure.

I also handled a lot of customer/retailer phone calls, which was great for me because as you may know (and as I have mentioned a couple times before :P), phone skills are not my strong point. But it was no problem! I tell ya, it is so important to push yourself out of your comfort zone and get acquainted with something new. It's a great feeling to tackle something that previously made me uncomfortable.

I appreciate everything that comes my way here at RuffleButts and am going to make the most of my last week and a half!

-V

P.S. The "Make Your Mark" shirts finally came in! They look great! I am so anxious to hear what you all think about them :)

Keep your head up

2008-07-17T09:57:00.002-04:00

Since starting this business over a year ago, I have had good days, rough days, days when I am walking in the clouds, days when I want to hide in my bed, days when I want to strangle someone, and days when I just can't believe how lucky I am to be pursuing a dream and running my very own business! This job is like any other in many ways, it is not perfect, it requires a TON of work, and it definitely keeps me on my toes. The major difference is that it is very personal. They are my creations that I am sharing with the world, my customers, my sales goals, my successes, and my failures. As much as you say business is business, it is still very personal.

Through this experience I have been so fortunate to "meet" some amazing people on this same roller coaster. Women that have launched their own businesses, pursuing their own dreams. Over the past week, I have spoken with three incredible women, Lina of Mia Belle Baby, Rachel of Comfort Matters Inc., and Maria of MamaOm, all on a very similar path. Yesterday, I spoke with Lina on the phone after receiving an email from her that reminded me so much of myself in the early stages of launching www.RuffleButts.com. Lina is a super talented designer, but also, so importantly, she is a hard-working business person. As she is launching her line, which she has been developing for the past year, she is facing the same obstacles that so many of us face, not only in the beginning, but many days along this journey.

Lina went on a few sales calls last week and although she received orders for her brand new products within the first few sales calls, which says a ton about her line, she heard her first negative reactions. This is always so tough to swallow because any negative feedback makes you second guess your own decisions. This conversation with Lina took me immediately back to my very first trade show, where IF someone actually stopped to talk to me, half of them had their own opinions to contribute..."you should have used a different color button", "this print is awful and won't sell well", "oh, this will be your best seller". Funny things is, they were all wrong!! I took their opinions so seriously the first time around, but as I slowly figured out that they were just that, the opinions of a few, I realized that I should trust my gut. I won't always be right, but so far, so good. I also quickly learned that your products will not be liked by everyone...there is not a single product on this planet that is.

So many of us will have these days where we second guess ourselves...our design choices, fabric selections, advertising options, do we or don't we hire help, do you take on PR on your own or work with a specialist, who do you trust to manufacture your products...this list goes on and on. Sometimes I second guess the way I handle challenging situations. Sometimes I come down hard on myself when our sales slow down for a few weeks. But I guarantee you, no matter how little or how long you have been in this business, or any business for that matter, you are not alone. We are all on this insane roller coaster of a ride with loops, hills, twists and turns. Have faith in yourself, push through to tomorrow, and take time to reward yourself for little victories. To be honest, one of the things that gets me through my really rough weeks is to pull up my old emails from customers praising our products and my business. I am blessed to have the most supportive, considerate, amazing customers in the world and they make what I do worth it.

Keep your head up and your sights set forward, don't compare your business and/or products to others, turn to mentors when you can, and share your knowledge with those behind you.

The End Is Near!

2008-07-11T10:43:00.005-04:00

Ruffle Intern: V

I tell ya, this week it really hit me that summer is beginning to wind down.
I sat down with Amber at the beginning of the week to discuss how my internship has gone thus far. We discussed my progress as well as things I still need to work on (Phone skills! It's just not my thing!). My internship will be over come the end of this month and I can't believe how soon that is--the days are creeping past me. There are still so many things I am looking forward to this summer before I head back to New York for school, but then there is also the ever-looming summer projects for my senior thesis that I am working on. Unfortunately, those deadlines are creeping up too.

Over the summer I am suppose to design three major apparel collections. Of those three collections, I will have to choose one next semester and create it for my senior thesis. I am so nervous! This is it...the final push, the final year of college before I'm out. I hope I can create something that I am proud of and that shows off all the hard work and effort I've put into the previous three years.
We shall see...

What are you waiting for??

2008-07-10T12:29:00.006-04:00

Nike says it best, and I know it is a bit over-used, but it is just so true! I found this picture on another website, and it hits home. I must say, Nike got it right!

So, you know if I am talking to you here...do you have a drive to do something different, something bigger? Do you have a business idea that you think and/or talk about all the time, but just can't seem to get through the fear of failure? I know we all have different reasons and different factors in our lives. I know we all can't just pick-up, quit our jobs, and go after a long lost dream, but this is just a little reminder that time is ticking by. If there is going to come a day in your life when you look back and think that you let this opportunity slip by, I am telling you to get to work!!! You don't have to dive in completely, but start with a little research, take your idea to the next level.

I have told my story many times before, but that is exactly where I was when I made the major decision to go for my "RuffleButt" dream. I had worked in multiple careers - pharmaceuticals & real estate, but something was missing. I always knew that I wanted to start my own business, but it wasn't until that "light bulb moment" outside of the shopping center when I knew in my heart that I had to give it a shot. I am just your everyday girl, went to an everyday college, lived an everyday life. I didn't have any fancy background or money flooding my bank account, but I was determined to make this work. I knew with faith, determination, and the support of the wonderful people in my life, that I could make this something big.

I am just in the beginning steps at this point. After almost a year of sales, I have been so tremendously blessed by strong sales and such a warm response from our customers, but I am only getting started! I want to turn this into something big, a brand that everyone knows and loves, a company that touches lives around the world, and a charitable giving budget that allows our customers to make an impact on the lives of others through their purchases!

Your dream does not have to be anything like mine, but I want you to know that it is possible, whatever it may be. As long as you have thoroughly done your research and know that it is a viable business opportunity, all it takes is a LOT of hard work, an incredible amount of determination, and heart.

Be sure to keep in touch, post your updates in the comments section - I would love to hear your stories and goals!!

It's a RuffleButt Girl!!

2008-07-08T11:22:00.007-04:00

Well, we were just hoping for healthy and happy, but I must admit that it's an extra treat to find out that IT IS A GIRL!! I really wasn't ready to start a line for boys, and now I just can't wait to decorate our own little RuffleButt with little fun & frilly booty ruffles! I am so appreciative of your thoughts, prayers & support. I truly could not ask for more amazing customers and friends!

By the way, aren't those ultrasounds just mind-blowing?!! We had our 21 week ultrasound this morning and our little angel decided to go extra cute for the picture, sucking her thumb! As a first-time mom, every little thing just amazes me!

It is also so nice to start my day with such a grounding reminder about what is important in life. I am back at my office now and I just have such a positive outlook this morning, it is quite refreshing. Life is a miracle, and we just can't forget that!

Happy 4th of July!!

2008-07-04T18:06:00.003-04:00

I have to say that I just love holidays!! For the many reasons that come to mind, but also for the oh so peaceful opportunity that exists to work on my business in a quiet office with no phone ringing, no meetings, just a clear mind and the chance to actually think ahead.

When running a business, you can get so caught up in the daily activities, and I have found myself quite guilty of this lately. I come in with really great intentions and some creative ideas, and then I look down at the clock to find that it is 10 minutes till 7:00pm and rush out the door to get our last minute shipments to the post office. I find that sometimes I actually have to plan to plan. Sounds funny, right? Well, I learned this one from my dad - yes Dad, you do have some great advice at times! - as a business owner, he actually puts planning weeks on his calendar, where he takes time out of his office to plan for the business. It is super difficult to take time out of the office for any business owner, but especially the small business owner. As many of us know, if you're not there doing it, then no one is, but in the long run, this can be extremely beneficial and ultimately profitable! My goal this week is to do major planning for the rest of the year and also put some time into some creative, out-of-the-box press and sales. I can't afford to take time out of the office this week, but this 4th of July holiday has given me that needed extra time to start on this goal. I can't wait to share the positive results with you very soon =)

I hope you all are enjoying this wonderful weekend!! Happy 4th of July!

No more back-orders!!

2008-07-01T11:20:00.003-04:00

I am very happy to share that our replacement stock has finally arrived from our factory, and it looks great! I have learned that no matter how proactive I try to be, there will always be delays and everything takes longer than expected. If you are starting your own apparel business, my advice would be to add about 4-6 weeks into your planning schedule for unexpected delays, especially in the beginning. We are still missing just a few sizes and styles here and there, but we are about 90% there and should be at 100% by mid-July. My biggest concern was and is my customers. I hate to have anyone, mom or store, waiting on stock to arrive. But, I am happy to say that almost all of our moms have now received their back-ordered items and our stores are shortly behind.

I have to give Veronica a ton of credit here, as she has spent a good portion of her days filling orders for the past few weeks, and has done a heck of a job! We hope to get our retailer orders filled and shipped by next week at the latest, so we should be back on track at that time.

Although stock can be a really tough thing for a business to balance financially, I believe that it is hugely beneficial to have our products available year-round to our stores. This allows them to place re-orders anytime they are needed and have them in a matter of weeks! In the beginning, I was afraid to order too much, but with our strong growth and sales, I now feel so much more comfortable having a good amount of product on-hand and in production for replacements. I must admit, that is a good feeling that I am very grateful to have achieved.

Fun and Fancy on the Fourth

2008-06-30T10:04:00.004-04:00

Ruffle Intern: V

It's been pretty exciting around the office lately. New merchandise seems to be shipping in constantly and I received the first sample of my t-shirt design last week. Amber officially announced that her and her husband Mark are having a baby and I couldn't be more excited! Having a baby is a complete blessing and I can only imagine the joy having one brings. My mom to this day when she sees a baby gets this very particular look where her eyes get all big and she has this huge smile run across her face--then she'll turn to me and say, "I just love little babies". It makes me laugh every time. My mother is a wonderful woman and just so happens to be the greatest mother anyone could ever ask for :).

Something that I am looking forward to this week is the fourth of July! Every year my boyfriend's extended family has a BBQ pool party and it is always a blast. There is always a ton of delicious food and a whole house full of wonderful people. This will be my third year in attendance and I am excited to go. I hope everyone has a fun fourth of July spent with plenty of family and friends.

*Both of my sisters are in New York right now--my older sister lives there and my younger sister is there for a pre-college summer program. I miss them and I hope they have fun together on the fourth in the big city. I am so proud of my little sis for doing her thing. Love you guys!*

Gram's good sayings live on...

2008-06-29T21:30:00.005-04:00

I am definitely one of those lucky ones with absolutely fabulous in-laws. My mother-in-law is a total doll and is full of these fabulous sayings, most of which were passed down from her mother, known by the family as "Gram". I found this saying hanging on one of her walls (along side of about 100 others, no joke!!), but this one always stands out to me, so I wanted to share. It is a saying that applies to all areas of life, but especially business. It reminds me what is truly important and why I started this business (and blog) in the first place. Thanks Gram!

We're having a RuffleButt Baby!!!

2008-06-26T11:15:00.005-04:00

For those of you who have so sweetly followed my crazy writings over the past year or so, I am very excited to tell you that I have an update to my Goals posting from this past December...

My husband, Mark & I are expecting our very own RuffleButt Baby!! Through faith and prayer, we were hoping for a little angel of our own one of these days soon, but trusted God to give us this miraculous gift when we were/are good and ready. I am thrilled to say that it is finally our time, we are expecting our little angel this November and we couldn't be happier!

I must admit that the first trimester was a bit of a tester for me, as I had no idea what morning sickness was all about. I was so in over my head trying to balance work and taking care of my body. As all of you entrepreneurs know, if you aren't doing it, no one is...we don't get "sick days" and I thought I was going to loose it. But, as we all do, I got through it, and am now feeling great! I still can't imagine how expecting moms with little ones already at home make it through this time, but I guess we all find it deep within ourselves to do what we gotta do.

My husband has been beyond supportive helping me in every way...he has packed orders (for those of you with a personal note from Mark at the bottom of your invoices), spends countless hours on accounting, and completely manages our myspace page, all while managing his own career in the mortgage business! I am one blessed little lady!!

I apologize for keeping you in the dark up to this point, but we wanted to get through those first few months and into the safe zone, which I am so happy to say that we finally are! We have our big 21 week ultrasound on the 8th, so I'll be sure to keep you updated. Patience is not a character strength of either one of us, so we will definitely be finding out the sex on that date (if the little one cooperates).

I am so very grateful for your support, thoughts and prayers over the past 6 months and the next 6 to come! I truly could not be more blessed with the business, my family, and now a little RuffleButt of my own! Life has a way of coming at you in all directions, and sometimes it is so difficult to understand, but from my experience, if you have faith, work hard, love life, and live by the golden rule, it all works itself out.

Universal Studios

2008-06-22T09:15:00.003-04:00

Ruffle Intern: V

Short week again! Amber is out of town for a couple days so the first half of the week was a rush to make sure we filled all our responsibilities to our customers and shipped out as many orders we could. The backordered t-shirts came back from the screen printer on tuesday. I was able to finally pull/package/ship all the orders that had been waiting on these items and it felt so good! I love being able to cross things off my mental list and accomplish whatever tasks are ahead of me.

On a less intense note, I used the day off on Friday to take a trip to Universal Studios with my family; it was so much fun!!! My boyfriend comes with us on all our family trips (and vice versa with me and his family) and there is nothing I love more than when all the people I love are together and having a great time. The weather was a little iffy with on and off showers, but we packed our ponchos (yes, we wear ponchos at theme parks) and got to do all the rides and shows we wanted to get in.

Anyway, I'll be back in the office Wednesday. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

-V

PoshMama.com marketing

2008-06-19T13:59:00.003-04:00

I just began writing as a contributor on http://poshtidbits.blogspot.com/. This is a great spot for us female business owners to share any new and exciting information about our business. What a fantastic idea from the creators of PoshMama.com (a great blog and social networking site) to think of something like this for its readers! The best part for us...its free!! I also find it a wonderful tool as a fellow female shopper myself to read up on great sale opportunities as well as product announcements. If you haven't heard of it before, be sure to check it out!

And don't forget...As a celebration of summer and a sincere thank you to all of our incredibly supportive customers, RuffleButts is offering FREE SHIPPING on all US orders over $75 and 15% ALL DRESSES (making absolutely everything in the collection under $40!!) through the month of June.

To do the "right thing"

2008-06-17T10:02:00.002-04:00

In business, I have found myself challenged at times dealing with various companies and people. From my life experiences in general, I have always found that "doing the right thing" usually gets the "right results". My challenge with this is that it is not always black and white, and sometimes when I try so hard to do the right thing, I don't seem to get the right results right off the bat. I am also a people pleaser by nature, and sometimes find it challenging to find balance between keeping everyone happy while not being a pushover. I pride myself in our incredible relationships with our business partners, from our vendors to our customers, and this will continue to be of the utmost importance to me.

I don't know about you, but I hate confrontation and whenever it comes about in business, I try to learn from the experience. The trouble being that I play the events over and over in my head, trying to figure out if I could have or should have handled something differently. I bring this all up because I spent my day yesterday in confrontation with one of our business relationships. I was shocked that there was even a problem being that I have always had a wonderful relationship with this person, but when I found myself attacked and accused, I had to dig deep to hold strong to my core beliefs. I will always run my business in an ethical manner and will do everything in my power to "do the right thing", but I find myself truly shocked by the choices of others. I know that this is not uncommon in the world of business, but I must say it is definitely not one of my favorite parts of running my own business!

With all of that said, I have received various emails from business owners recently inquiring about my opinions and experiences with various vendors and sales reps. My best advice is to do your research, get references, and read contracts very carefully. I am very trusting and want to keep things as upfront and open-book as possible, but I am learning that not everyone operates in this manner. When someone asks to you sign a contract, there is a reason. Contracts should outline the agreement and protect both parties, so don't hesitate to alter a contract prior to signing to be sure this is the case. If they are hesitant to allow this, it is your first red flag. As "nice" as people may seem when you start to do business with them, just know that they do not always turn out to be the same person when things get a little rocky. Choose to do business with companies that operate with similar philosophies. This may take time to find these companies, and unfortunately may require a few rough trials to weed through those that aren't a great fit, but when you do find them, it makes all the difference in the world for your business. I am very fortunate to work with some incredible people, and count my blessings that a year into this business we are building our dream team.

If you are a business owner looking for referrals, please do not hesitate to contact me. For things as small as labels, hangtags, tissue paper, packaging, elastic, buttons, zippers - these items all take working with various vendors and it can be a time consuming process weeding through the companies. Finding the right sales rep or manufacturer is a much bigger decision, but again this is where referrals are priceless. I am always more than happy to pass along our positive experiences, and help my fellow entrepreneurs!

Happy Father's Day :)

2008-06-15T21:20:00.003-04:00

Ruffle Intern: V

Happy Father's Day!

I hope everyone has been able to enjoy today with their families. Today was absolutely beautiful and I was lucky enough to spend it with my mom and dad, my younger sister, and my boyfriend. We shared a Father's Day brunch together at a place right on the beach and it was lovely. Spending time with my family is the main reason I come back home to Florida during the summers (the fantastic weather is a bonus---it's hot, but I'm a tank top and sandals kinda gal!).

Back to business--

I have been extra excited about our work over here at RuffleButts these past couple days. We just got a shipment of our merchandise in and the new t-shirts that I have designed for the following spring season have just arrived in with the bunch! Right now they are just the basic tee's but pretty soon they'll be my very own creation! They're waiting to be screen printed and I am waiting anxiously to see the final results. I'm so proud and I hope that you all will enjoy them for your little ones when the season comes around.

...

The weekend has been pleasant and now it's back to the work week to get things done!

-V

I love our customers!!

2008-06-10T14:08:00.003-04:00

Well, first I have to sadly say that I am under the weather with an icky cold today. I can't remember the last time I used the word "icky", but it totally describes how I am feeling at this moment! Poor Veronica was stuck with me and my "icky" germs all afternoon yesterday as we ran all over creation, picking up new stock that arrived from the factory and dropping off our t-shirts for their final touches. I am so happy to say that we will FINALLY be sending out all of our back-ordered "So Blessed" t-shirts next week to our very patient and supportive customers. That makes me feel so good, a huge relief. I feel horrible that our customers have had to wait on these tees, but are so relieved that they will be receiving them just in time for this crazy, hot summer!

On that note, I just got off the phone with one of our customers, Rosalind Lara. Rosalind is the grandmother to a precious little angel and had placed an order with us back in early May. She called after placing her second order yesterday to tell me how happy they are with their new RuffleButts, and how her daugher gets so many compliments everytime she takes her little angel out in her new ruffles. I just have to say, yet again, that we have the BEST customers in the entire world!! I know I am a little bias, but I just feel so blessed to receive such uplifting phone calls from such loving and considerate women! I have worked in other industries in the past, I just can't say the same thing for my experience in pharmaceuticals & real estate! Thank you, sincerely, to all of our incredible customers that take the time out of your day to share the most adorable pictures and kind words about your new RuffleButts! It truly makes my day!

I have decided now that we have such an adorable collection of little angels in their RuffleButts that I must share them with the world. I am working on a full page of our "RuffleFans" to post on the website, so this is a little sneak preview: http://www.rufflebutts.com/pages/fans.php. I am still working on the final touches and double checking all of the spellings. Really, does it get any cuter?? If you are a customer, be sure to send me pictures of your little angels to feedback@rufflebutts.com and I will be sure to add your little one to our page of stars!

Getting Into The Groove

2008-06-06T11:24:00.009-04:00

Ruffle Intern V

What a crazy week! Between organizing our office, filling our entire order history, working on designs for the next season, PR ideas, and getting together a volunteer project on the side, we have been a busy bunch!

This is all very exciting and new for me. Being a design student, I mainly work in an isolated state of mind, focusing only on the creative task at hand. I have never really been exposed to the responsibilities of promotive/customer interaction in the work world before and I must say--it's pretty thrilling. Although very hesitant at first (I'm not what you would call a 'phone person'), I quickly got into the groove of contacting people during our PR week and now, after working on various promotional ideas and press contacts, am feeling the joy of responses.

I love be able to spend my time here. I feel like I am accomplishing so much more than I would at a typical design job where, more often than not, one is required to work within one very specific field of task without seeing an end to one's means. Working at RuffleButts has allowed me to work first hand with every aspect of running a business in the world of apparel and design. I've really gotten into the swing of our daily routine and its been such a great experience so far. Thanks to everyone who's been keeping up with my time here with me :)
Enjoy your weekend!
-V

PR Project week

2008-06-04T10:49:00.004-04:00

This has been a very busy and exciting week here at the RuffleButts office. Our goal for last week was to launch our official office "PR Project". This included a brainstorming meeting and then a lot of time staring at the computer working on our list of contacts. I have learned in this business that PR is so very important - you can have the most creative, adorable product in the world, but if no one knows about it, you really don't have much of a business.

We were so fortunate to be recognized by babytalk Magazine last month, but as those issues are starting to disappear from the racks, we need to make sure that our next project is lined up and ready to go. There are so many fabulous outlets out there to share our creations, now we are just facing the challenge of how to let them know about us in a pleasant manner. I know these people are bombarded with companies trying to get free PR on a daily basis, so I just try to be as genuine as possible. I truly believe in what we are doing, which helps me tremendously as I weed through the "no's" to get to those amazingly encouraging "yes's".

If you are a young business on a similar path, here are just a few of the ideas that have worked for us:
- find the contact info for editorial at local and national parenting magazines & email them directly informing them of your company and most importantly your product
- email or call your local TV stations letting them know about your up and coming company. try to take an angle, such as work-at-home-mom, young business owner, encouraging other female business owners...something that they can work with for a story
- check out the many opportunites that you have to promote your business through FREE press releases online. These are just a few that I found online:
http://www.prlog.org/
http://www.free-press-release.com/
http://www.1888pressrelease.com/
http://www.i-newswire.com/
http://www.pr.com/promote-your-business

Hope this helps a bit. I know it can be discouraging, but what it really takes to get the word out there is time - much time spent plugging away at every opportunity you can think of. Because for all of those emails that go out unreplied, it just takes one big break to get those order rolling in!

CELEBRATE SUMMER SALE!!!
For the month of June, RuffleButts will be offering our customers FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $75 and 15% OFF ALL DRESSES! This is just our way of saying thank you for all of your support and welcome to summer!

*Picture to the left is the adorable Anya of Celebrity Baby Blog in her RuffleButts Swiss Dot Sundress!

To work or not to work...

2008-05-29T14:40:00.004-04:00

This week I had conversations with two separate women, for whom I have so much respect. One is a wonderfully supportive friend, in a similar stage in life. She has been working in a career she likes, but does not love (as I was just a few years ago). She has a passion for animals, but is not quite sure how to pursue that while also bringing in an income. She has been married for a while now and plans to add to her family soon. We got into the discussion that so many woman have at least once in their lives...to work or not too work. So, we both want children, we both have a natural ambition and drive that would classify us in the "Type A personality" class, but we are both a little torn when it comes to the big debate about working as a mother. I, obviously, am planning to work as a mother, as this business is such a huge part of my life, but know that when that day comes I will find myself torn between spending hours at the office or time with my little angel playing on the floor. I have always believed that there has to be a way to have both, as many of the working moms around the world have proven, but I can't imagine how difficult that will be. I can also completely understand the decision to become a stay-at-home-mom, as the older I get, the more I understand what very little time we have with the most important "job" of our life!

My second conversation was with someone I consider to be a new friend, a complete sweetheart, a new mom, who openly shared her experiences with me. This fabulously talented lady has spent years in the industry making her mark. She worked her way through multiple successful careers that many us women would majorly envy - lets just say she spent years writing fabulous fashion stories for a very well known website and has her own TV show about shopping! Okay, now that we are all dying of jealousy...she is just like many of you new mommies out there, facing those same decisions. As we were discussing her new mommy status, she made such a good point, that motherhood is like this secret society where you all have this one major thing in common, your precious little creations that are now the center of your universe.

I realized that no matter who you are, or where you are in your career that motherhood changes everything. I also realized that although I already had so much respect for moms, it is really so much bigger than I can imagine. The balance, the responsibility, the physical demands, the mental exhaustion, the incredible rewards - I don't think anyone can comprehend the true depth of this role until they official become a member! I know 100% that I can not wait until the day comes that I will have a little RuffleButt of my own and officially join this club, but in the meantime, I will continue to have an indescribable amount of respect for the mothers of this world!

Working With Ruffles

2008-05-28T10:31:00.003-04:00

Ruffle Intern: V

Hey Everyone!

This is Veronica, the new intern over at RuffleButts! Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend spent with family and friends. I am thrilled to be joining this business and I wanted to share with you all a little bit about me: I am a children's wear designer entering my senior year at Parson's School of Design (ever seen 'Project Runway'? That's filmed at my school!). I am currently back home in South Florida for the summer and working with Amber and the RuffleButts team. I have already learned so much about what it takes to run a business and working within the apparel industry. I am grateful for Amber and all the one-on-one time she spends with me as well as anxious to see where we can go with this exciting brand over the next couple months.

One of the many wonderful aspects of working in children's wear, and specifically at RuffleButts, is how pleasant and caring everyone is--both workers and customers alike!
Thank you for your continued support and I hope to be in close contact with you all for the duration of my experience here.