Bonanzle,CADDi Coverage, and Michigania

1. Though a crooked path I've heard about Bonanzle, which is like Etsy crossed with Ebay - you can have an e-store to sell just about anything you want. This seemed like a good idea for me as I have my book and some All Dogged Up products, which don't fit the Etsy model. So, I've put up shop at Bonanzle. I still have a lot I want to add. There seems to be a nice sense of community there so far and the customer service has been great. We'll see if I can generate any sales, which is the point, after all.

2. Lisa Cocuzza at It's a Glam Thing was wildly generous and filled some print space she had in this publication with an ad for the CADDi. What a great surprise! There's a little glitch in that it reads barbco.com rather than barbo.biz, but people will see the CADDi and can google it, or talk about it, or just start to understand it, which all adds up in good ways. I'm so very grateful to Lisa!

3. Michigania, a Lansing store full of tons of Michigan products, is now carrying the CADDi. The owner got it right away, as she demonstrated how she carries her coffee by the lid with her teeth sometimes (with mixed success) when her hands are full. Buy local!

Introducing a New Product

Getting awareness of what a new product is, and how it works, is a tough hurdle to jump.

I'd heard about Animoto and thought it might provide a simple and affordable method to describe the whole CADDi concept quickly. I took photos of people using the CADDi at our Thank-you Party (ok, I was thanking the CADDi Corps for support AND taking their pictures, but we really did have fun, despite the fact that the margaritas were sadly weak) and in no time and with charming cooperation from the models, we got some dandy shots.

The photos were the final pieces I needed to build a little clip for the CADDi to post and by the next day I had them uploaded and it was done. I did forget to include this photo of texting and the domed cup, but may use it later. Today I tested the remix option to see how things would change and much preferred the new version, so posted that at barbco.biz.

Check it out HERE if you'd like.

Business Model?

I was raised on Raggedy Ann stories. As part of a business assignment for a class, I had to create a mission statement expressing my immutable laws. After long thought and introspection the statement below evolved. It's scary to think I haven't made it much past five, but then again, 5-year-olds have a wisdom you can't deny. I'm not sure yet how this translates into making a living, but somehow have faith that if I stick with this model the rest will work itself out.

Because I'm involved in such disparate ventures, the basis for the statement had to be the person who has to do the work...in this case, me. So, here goes - smarmy and naively idealistic though it may seem:

HRANILOVICH MISSION

Hranilovich is a fluid, orgainismic being operating under the following principles:

DO UNTO OTHERS = Be kind.
MAGIC WISHING PEBBLE = Leave any situation better than I found it
WIDE EYES = Pursue areas of curiosity
BUMPER CARS = Savor the ride
MOM = Share learning

The world of Hranilovich is the Deep Deep Woods with fairies 'n' everything which means:
There is a sense of community
These is a solution to any problem
There is a sense of wonder
There is love
There is beauty

Hranilovich is comprised of:
Hranilovich Illustration (I am provide a service)
Hranilovich fine art (I create)
All Dogged Up (We have products)
BARBCO (I sell the CADDi and raise money and awareness for organizations)
Hranilovich author - have this book I wrote and the SheHive Freelance articles/segments to do.

Crisis over

Ok - so it was a bad day at last blog entry. Lovely things have been happening every day since. I forget sometimes that the choices I've made to keep my business balanced with my life take me out of some models for success. No, I'm not making millions...wasn't planning to. I AM learning a ton and meeting amazing people and making steady progress toward getting a product I designed to the marketplace.

Here's timely Toilet Paper Entrepreneur blog topic today (I can give advice even when I can't always feel it - think I'm # 90).

I Tweeted my confidence slump and was charmed to get some heartfelt responses which truly did turn my day around. Genuine cream rises even in Twitter.

Got the CADDi listed at this nice blog - Steals and Deals and would like to thank them for that!

Crisis of Confidence

It comes in waves, this emotional business, and today I'm just feeling like the CADDi climb may beat me. It's partly in contrast to doing artwork, which comes easily, and to the large illustration job bid I'm waiting to hear about, for which income would come easily.

Nothing about the CADDi, other than coming up with the idea in the first place, has been easy. I KNOW I'm making progress and that I just need to keep plugging, but since I can't see more than a step ahead it feels sometimes like the climb is eternal.

I met with a woman yesterday who advises people like me. She's had several start-ups...one so successful that she could not keep up and had to fold, another is at about the same point as the CADDI. She told me that my four years with this is a very short time for launching a new product. It was so nice to hear! I'm starting to hear people talk about using the CADDi, or having the AHA moment when they wish they'd had one, which is even better. I'm selling some and have had some inquiries from people interested in selling them for me. I should feel great, but today I just feel tired.

This is a blog about the entrepreneurial experience and how I'm feeling is a part of the roller coaster ride. I want to be honest, so sharing the ups goes with sharing the downs.

I just realized it's 3:30 which is the lowest point of any day for me, and I'm fighting allergies this week...could be that simple.

Maybe I'm halfway up the vine and the golden egg has a smiley face on it.

CADDis for Causes launched

FINALLY! After over a month of tech difficulties, I've been able to get C4C up on the site.
Here are a few of the labels for the causes. See if you can match them to the correct organization on on the list below.


It works like this: get a CADDi specifically created for the cause and $1 will go to that cause. I've chosen these groups for personal reasons and hope this program can bring both visibility and dollars to them.

The final list is:
The Humane Society
American Cancer Society
East Lansing Art Festival
Lansing Art Gallery
The Nature Conservancy
Old Town Scrap Fest
National Multiple Sclerosis Society

On a side note, I had a business consultant tell me that nobody would buy a product because it would do someone else good. I hope to prove him wrong because adding this concept to BARBCO has given me a lift already. Time will tell and in the meantime I'm having more fun with it all than I have in quite some time, so it's good enough for me.

Youngest CADDi model - cutest, too.

Are these adorable, or what?!
Amanda Snook took them of her son - the first to respond to my request for CADDis in action photos. The plan is to create a short clip about how to use the CADDi. Thanks so much, Amanda!

I'm hoping I'll get more photos - CADDis with strollers, bikes and walkers - books, kids and phones.
If someone sends me a photo in the next month. I'll send them a CADDi. If I can use it in the clip, a CADDi AND a Biggby gift card.
Just send it to me at bhranilovich@earthlink.net.

Today I got an order for 200 CADDis from a college library. It made my day, since I really think CADDis are great for students and this is 200 more out there being used...one step at a time.