THANK YOU and business stress

I have been crunching numbers all night and preparing for my first official encounter with taxes as a business and I am telling you it is has been so scary. After going through all the receipts I have crunched up in draws that are half faded, collecting scattered material receipts via various email accounts, and calculating my profits via paypal and etsy I feel a bit of relief. I am still scared because I have no clue how all this will crunch when it comes to taxes but I feel a lot better after finally seeing what the numbers actually come to when I minus expenses. You see I am actually really good at math and I have no issues when it comes to calculating things but this tax thing is something I am trying to wrap my head around. I am slowly getting there but tomorrow I will know a lot more when I meet with my new cpa. Basically I know I am making money because I can easily calculate the cost of a project and price accordingly but it worried me that when I finally sat down and actually crunched the numbers I might find a different story.

When you become an entrepreneur and your broke and your doing it alone you encounter a ton of weight in the beginning. It's exciting when you make that first sale and you think oh that was easy but when you start relying on this for your living that measly 20 dollars you thought was profit has to be poured back into more material. You spend crazy amounts of hours working toward this dream without knowing if you will get reimbursed for that time and so much of that time will not be profitable money wise. You have to constantly take risks and you have to deprive yourself from living a life of excess because every penny has to go back in for growth. I alone take care of product design, photography, advertising, social media, production, inventory, accounting, shipping and a ton of other jobs that should have a team to complete them. I want to grow and I know that to do this I have to share the work load but I also want to be sure that the team I create for Run 2 the Wild is as dedicated as me. The reason I am saying this is for you all to understand that this is everything to me. This is my dream. I have no other things going on in my head besides this and my family. I love it no matter how hard I have to work and I love to watch it grow.

So now here is the reason for writing this post and that is to tell every single one of you who have purchased from Run 2 the Wild... THANK YOU.... from the very bottom of my heart. I sit here and think it wouln't be possible with out you all. It makes me want to cry. Your support and your decision to buy from my little business means that I can keep at this dream. It means that I can take that money and use it to keep growing my business and to make it into something great. I only wish I had a way to send each of you something special (this will happen one day). It takes a lot to go out of your way and spend your hard earned cash for small business because you ultimately don't know what your getting into. So THANK YOU for remembering my business and sharing it with your friends. I love you guys sooo much and I want you to know that you are special and you make my world go round.

Love,
Courtney

What I am up to... business and life

I said I would start blogging more this year and so far it's been a bit challenging for me. Those of you who blog know the time it takes to put a quality post together with exceptional photography and interesting content. Then after all the work to post it to an audience they may not even give a rats... you know. Either way I have to remind myself that this blog is for me personally, to release some inner thoughts and to go over things brewing in my head to see if I am really thinking what I'm thinking... ya know... lol. Ok enough of the nonsense. I thought I would share with you today. What's been going on in my life.


My business has been my #1 concern right now as I am looking for things to switch it up, ways to be more creative and productive. One major thing I have decided to do is to start saying no to other money making opportunities that don't relate to my business. Things I always said yes to to get the chunk of cash I needed to get through the slower months of sales. Instead of draining my creative mind with those types of things I am using that to push myself to increase sales and come up with new ideas. It is a very tough choice but I can see that creating more focus does increase sales... maybe not as much as I was making with the other opportunities but I can see that it will improve.

Another thing I am working on with my business is more behind the scenes. The things that no one sees but overall can effect your business greatly. Things like keeping records, tracking sales, expenses, figuring out routines and creating a expenditure plan. I am all official now and I am excited to see tax time end so I can see how everything works out and figure out how to keep better records for the future. The other thing I am working on is a website which I am excited about. The website will be your go to for all Run 2 the Wild things as well as inspiration, a blog with a group of inspiring writers to motivate you and a shop which will carry not only jewels but limited edition work from some of my favorite artists.

I am also working on upping my wholesale game but this isn't any game for me. I want to be sure that any boutique that carries Run 2 the Wild has specific instructions on displays and up keep of the product. We won't be selling small quantities to boutiques anymore but rather they will be required to purchase packages to show off our brand's unique and professional qualities if they wish to carry our brand. We will be offering a catalog in the future so stay tuned.

Last but not least this time of the year I am working hard building inventory back up which is an insane amount of work after the holidays as well as stocking all our packing supplies back up. We have to prepare for spring festivals that will be here soon as well. Also I am super excited to have one of our most exciting spring collections yet that I am working hard on currently. Last but not least I am looking forward to our first intern that will join us in spring and we are hopeful that when fall rolls around we will be hiring help! Craziness right? Yeah it's got me all fluttered inside but that's a good thing.

I also want to say Thank you to all of the lovelies that write me messages and purchase from the shop. Every single purchase helps my business grow. I can't tell you the last time I bought myself a wardrobe... hense the reason for no wild style posts but it's because lately I have been pouring everything into this. So you all mean everything to me and I consider you all part of this.

Now for life... To be honest I couldn't be happier with my very simple life. Not sure if many of you know but we have 1 vehicle, a Volkswagen yellow bug with daisy rims that we share, we live in a small duplex that we own beside my sister and we have been trying to pinch every penny to save for another vehicle. We both have experienced what it is like to have debt and how it is when you have too many bills coming out and not enough cash coming in. So since moving into our home we decided that we would keep it simple and stay away from debt. It's hard sometimes to be stuck at the house when Justin has to work.  A baby who wants to go somewhere and an energetic husky who cries to get out as well but it is nice to not have to worry if the bills will be paid or if we can afford what we need for Juniper.

I couldn't be more thankful for what we have and everyday it makes me happy to have a safe warm place that I can decorate how I please. Once we get through tax time and we see how it effects me and my business we will hopefully be getting another vehicle that we will pay for in cash. I really need a bigger vehicle to carry around my dog and juniper as well as to carry my huge tent and displays for festivals. So this is really my only life dream at the moment besides getting out and meeting new people.

Tonight I get to spend some time with a group of ladies I don't know, book binding, thanks to a good fairly new friend who invited me. I have been praying for god to bring more people into my life that show me new things and give rather than take. I also just want to keep pushing myself out there to meet new people who are creative.

So that will have to wrap it up for now... since my little one just woke up from her nap. :) I would love to hear what you have been up to... leave me a line or two or 3 or whatever... I'll read it all lol

Thoughts: Being a Introvert at heart and an Extrovert in spirit

I don't get the chance to socialize much since many of my days are spent at home working and taking care of my 1 1/2 year old. So when I do get a chance to get out to setup for a festival or for something social I always talk the entire time to anyone who comes near me. I love it so much that I skip out on eating just to keep talking. I want to say I am a social butterfly which is how it seems but to be honest I am not.

The funny thing is that professors I had in college and even people who worked right next to me in class don't even know who I am at social events or things where I see them because I was always quiet and working unless there was something about you that intrigued me. I always felt like I wasn't as good as anyone else or that my professor might not think of me like an artist because I was an art education major. It really kept me from discovering a lot more about me.

Recently this past year after having the baby I felt like I needed that connection with people so I have been pushing myself to say "hey" and reintroduce myself if I have to with a smile. I am way more confident than I was before I had the baby not sure why but it just happened. I guess squeezing a baby out of you makes you feel like you can do anything. Either way the point is that I went from being introverted when I had a public job/life to extroverted when my life no longer included interacting with other people. I have to say it is strange but I love this shift in my personality and identity.

I am no longer worried about if someone has certain ideas of me. I no longer judge people by their first interaction with me. I have realized that people change constantly. Sometimes it takes a few hellos to get a response and for the 1% of people who just hate happy people I still make sure that they know they can't change my happy nature.

I have found that dropping the preconceived ideas I had about people and genuinely connecting with them by pushing myself out of my comfort zone ends up making the best connections and connections are really what make your life so much more magical.

I think when your constantly interacting with the public whether it's your job or your life it can keep you from appreciating the process of interacting. It can lead some to think that everyone is wanting something from you rather than I might learn something from them. It might lead you to think that you can judge someone within minutes of meeting them when you have no clue that individuals back story. Sometimes it gets to the point where we start judging people through the social media connections they have and from my own life and experiences this doesn't even begin to describe a person. Even if it seems like they live online. You don't know me until you have spent some time with me.

Sometimes I like to think of my life as an experiment in which I like to test things out. I like to observe and listen to people and react in ways that maybe I wouldn't normally do. It's not me being fake it's me discovering different parts of who I could be or who I really am. I don't ever feel or think like I am better than anyone but that could be the pieces in me. While that was what kept me from socializing before now I see it as an asset because I can make people comfortable enough to talk to me genuinely. This builds relationships and connections that can take you further than you ever imagined.

I have to say I love being alone. I love having me time. I love working in my own quiet space. I love that I don't physically have to deal with peoples issues on a daily basis. I see though how filled up I get after forcing myself out there and saying hello, not judging and just let the conversation steer what happens. I learned to appreciate the power of interaction and communication. So am I an introvert or an extrovert or does life just try to balance itself out?

10 Ways to beat the Winter Blues

Hello lovelies today I want to share with you some ways to shed those winter blues that everyone seems to be experiencing right now. I know I am... Tonight I took a couple hours to do the 1st one which is what inspired this post because after I did it I felt a sense of happiness come over me. I am hoping to do a few more before the week is over and I will let you know how they go.

1. Send a care package or two to a loved one, distant family member, friend or a stranger.
Not only will this make you feel good about yourself but you will make someone else feel great too!

2. Print some photos you love and create a scrapbook or project that you can display and share proudly. Looking back and remembering the good times helps you to see what's really important.

3. Find a place to walk, stretch and observe nature.
Fresh air even if it's cold will break your winter blues and make you feel alive.

4. Collect healthy ingredients to make a meal from scratch.
Focusing on 1 thing and knowing it is good for you will change how you feel from the inside out.

5. Go to a friends or family members house for the day.
Socializing and pushing yourself out of your shell can motivate you to change your thoughts into happyones!

6. Take a drive in a direction you have never been.
Concentration and the thrill of getting lost will help you feel alive while enjoying some fresh air and new sights.

7. Build a fort in your living room, pop some popcorn and have a movie night.
Just Relax and enjoy this moment of being able to snuggle with the ones you love, make it fun!

8. Get out and explore a thrift/ secondhand store.
Seeing things of the past can bring back memories of the past that made you happy. It can inspire you to think in new ways.

9. Go plant shopping or just buy yourself some flowers. Plants put off positive energy and the color green will change your mood instantly. Just the smell of fresh flowers will lift your spirits.

10. Journal your feelings and thoughts. Writing it all out will allow you to release negative thoughts and inspire positive ones.

I hope you enjoyed this post... if you did leave me a comment below!

love and light
Courtney

Recap of Blog Posts from 2014

Hello strangers it's been a little over a month since I posted on the blog mainly because running my shop keeps me super busy during the holidays not to mention trying to find the time to actually enjoy them too! I have been debating on doing a recap because I felt like I hadn't posted much but once I got into it I actually posted pretty regularly during the year and totally forgot a lot of the fun family things I did. I have also been debating on whether or not to keep blogging, sharing my thoughts and feelings with whoever is reading this along with my family moments.

 I recently separated my instagram into two accounts... well more like made a new private one just for pictures of my baby and family and kept the run2thewild account strictly business but then again family occasionally collides with my business from time to time so there is still a bit of it in my biz feed. However I am sooo glad I did it because as my business grows I don't want strangers getting personal information or pictures of my baby. Plus I have been experiencing a couple crazies lately which comes with sharing your life with the world so it works well to have a private account and I enjoy it.

So this leads into the blogging dilemma... I share my candid thoughts on here and I can see where that could lead into problems with my business but then again I feel like my personality/style is what makes my brand and without it I don't think it would be successful. Also looking back for the past hour at my posts from the year has made me tear up and smile. I forgot how great, fun, exciting it is to record, journal and capture my life. I forgot all the wonderful moments and being reminded of them has made me feel much better about the last year. I had been feeling like it was just a waste but it really wasn't!

I actually miss posting style posts it really helped me come out of my shell, explore my wardrobe, and get creative. I also miss the mommy and me posts because I mean those are memories and at the same time reminders of all the little fun things in life. I can't believe how many shows I did this year and how my booth setup progressed as well as my professionalism and my quality of product. I met a lot of creative people this year now I just want to start collaborating. I feel so much more confident with my business and I took it to the next step and made it all official. I moved from my moms into my first home after many tears, headaches and feeling sorry for myself. Last but not least I got to enjoy watching my baby grow and learn a ton of new things which has been the best gift 2014 has given me.

As I head into 2015 I think about how I want to keep succeeding in my business. Own a studio/ shop space, hire help and increase inventory I also think about how much I have enjoyed being at home with my baby girl, enjoying all her precious moments. It's hard thinking about it my eyes are tearing up to think what will change with her and me in 2015. I know it will be good but man 2014 you were good to me even though I thought you were not. You helped me reconnect with my mom, enjoy the last moments I will probably ever have living with my little sister and seeing them care for my Juniper. Watching my dad go from my worst enemy to my new best friend and a pap to my baby. Watching Justin become the best father I could have ever imagined. My hair changed a ton of colors and so did my attitude. All in all I will keep blogging (pst it's one of my resolutions) and I will continue to grow, change, and enjoy the moment. So here's a recap of my blog posts from 2014! Cheers!

Howard's Trail with my little Family

exploring the abandoned with my lover and puppa

gypsy dreams collection and a new friend!

Arts Gala Gatsby Set up and Tour of Old Elmwood Mansion

Recap Walk with the Arts

Recap Spoonbread Festival

project mini album of June's first year

process working in the wild

My 1st Cleanse

Wild Style Ultra Violence

Sweet Summertime Collection

it's her 1st birthday and she can cry if she wants to

insta evolution of Juniper's 1st Year!

celebrating a year of collections

our first home!

baby punk

Clingmans Dome

Mommy and Me Strawberry Patch

Berea First Friday Show

playing quiet mouse

Mommy and Me Hiking the Pinnacles

Recap of Mushroom Festival

9 months oh my!

Recipe Fruit Pizza

Mommy and Me Let's go fly a kite!

wild style sailing winds

wild style dark horse

Juniper's 1st Hike

50 reasons I love my mother


best birthday ever!

pop that wild style with purple hair!

exploring frozen falls


baby book progress!

The Valentine Collection and my 1st time creating the popular Heart Peace Catcher!

mommy and me: sledding for the first time!

6 months of motherhood

baby blizzard wild style

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY SALE / PEEK AT WINTER COLLECTION

We encourage you to shop small this holiday season and if you can shop local. When you shop small with Run 2 the Wild you get an experience and product that is unlike any other one you will get this holiday season. We currently have two people including myself who put together your product by hand to make sure that each one is well crafted and unique to that makers touch. We also take pride in wrapping and including a special note both free of charge to make sure that each gift is as special as the person receiving it. Instead of running around the malls and stores to find a gift that has been mass produced and shipped overseas shop small with us and we will deliver something so special to your door at the same price. We pride ourselves on making memories. Happy Holidays and thank you for your support this holiday season!

SAVE 20% OFF YOUR PURCHASE IN THE SHOP WITH COUPON CODE SHOPSMALL CLICK HERE TO SHOP

Busy busy... after my 3rd year experiencing the realness of christmas rush sometimes I wish I had a real job that allowed me a break. The balance between life and a small business is tough but I can't complain this is what makes me excited about my business. As for the winter collection I am proud that we have several very special well planned pieces that have been slowly rolling into the shop along with a few more tomorrow. Putting a new piece together involves coming up with the idea, investing some cash and then a whole lot of trial and error especially when it comes to wear ability. It looks simple when I roll out a new collection but the behind the scenes are much more complicated. This month and for the past few months I have set higher goals for Run 2 the Wild than I normally do. For me everything must continue to grow or boredom sets in and I am not very good at settling for less.

I am soo happy that tonight I checked my stats and saw that the goal for today's sales was reached and even surpassed. This was a much needed lift of excitement after a early almost meltdown. Why a meltdown? Because I wanted it that bad and it was scary if all my work didn't equal my expectations. Sometimes they don't and sometimes I take that and turn it into more wheel power but it's scary when you don't have the security of knowing that you will get paid for the hours you put in. I can guarantee that I work a lot of overtime without pay but this is my dream. This is what I want. Just wanted to say that. Each and everyone of you who helps supports this dream becomes part of my dream. I am thankful for you! 

here is just a bit of the pictures I have taken for the winter collection...