When It Rains It Pours...

After a couple of weeks of not having extra work on the side, I finally have new work to look forward to!  Tomorrow I will be working up my first business plan for my new company with the help of a very smart man.  I am preparing for my meeting tomorrow and am so excited to get this ball rolling!  My goal is to have my launch party by the end of January so I will be getting down to business ASAP!!  Also, I am starting to organize my first photo shoot.  I have done many shoots before but this one is going to be the way I want it, I am planning everything for it, and it will showcase my work.  I will be using the shots for my new beauty blog that I will be starting soon and also for my portfolio.  I do not know how I made it this far without having a decent portfolio and the time has come to make an Amazing portfolio!  I will be working with a fabulous photographer that is a friend of mine.  His work is beautiful and he is very creative so I know everything will look great when all is said and done.  He was also kind enough to reserve a great studio to do the shoot in.  To say the least, I will be pretty busy for the next couple of weeks and if things go my way (please!) then I will be busy for a couple of months to come. :)  I cant wait to see the end result of everything and I will keep everybody updated as always with all that is going on!!!!!!!

xoxo

New Blog!

I am going to continue this blog but I will be starting a new blog soon.  This new blog is for people that have beauty questions and concerns and I will be posting answers, tips and tricks with pictures attached with before and after shots.  I always have people coming in and asking me how to fix this and that so this is a blog that people can go to and get all of their answers.  I am asking for people to contact me with their questions and concerns and for people to volunteer to let me do their makeup for the blog. I am so excited to start it and I cant wait to get it going so I can help out all of the lovely ladies that are not getting the help they need in stores and at counters. :)
Anybody that is reading me can contact me at amandaboggs@live.com
Thanks everyone!!
xoxo

One Of Those People

Ever since I have tried to start my own company I have been looking (too far) into other companies and business owners. I am the type of person who meets a business owner(large or small) and immediately wants to know their life story.  What made them want to do this?  What gave them the idea to start their own business?  Who influenced them to go on this path?  Where did the drive come from? And lastly, where did they get the money to start it?????? 

This may seem like a very simple question (get a loan or save up your money!) but from what I have learned....a lot of people that I have talked to have had everything handed to them and don't understand the concept of "financial start up".  Now don't get me wrong, most people and large companies have had to work very, very hard to get started, established, and build themselves up.  But for those whom I am talking about...do they get a since of pride in their work knowing that they haven't really worked for it?  Let me break this down really quick:

1. Building a business from loans and savings = Good

Most people get loans or save up their money to begin a business and then budget and save to accordingly to allow the business to thrive.  This is a very good thing.  It is legitimate. 

2. Having to borrow a lot of money to keep your business afloat because you don't put in the work = Bad

Help is totally fine here and there.  Many companies have to do it. Example, Automotive companies Bailout.

It is bad,though, to have people lend you a BUNCH of money because you don't know how to run a business and you are being wasteful with your profits. Example, Automotive companies Bailout. ha!

Here is my point to all of this,

Whenever I talk to an entrepreneur, I am always thinking that I am about to hear a great Cinderella story about someone who started with nothing and with faith and guidance grew to have a beautiful company.  

Sadly, I have learned that this is not the case with many entrepreneurs that I use to look up to.  They cannot successfully run their company and they always have to have help and they do NOT put love and passion into their work.

I am not going to be "one of those people" and that is a promise.  My company will have heart, and God willing, my company with be successful.

xoxo

A Manufacturer Down and a Trademark to go...

I had a meeting yesterday with my cosmetic manufacturer and my line could be up and running in just a couple of months!!  I am SO excited and things should work out a lot smoother than I had initially thought.  This makeup is going to blow your socks off!  I will be trademarking my name in the next week or so, so stay tuned because I will be announcing it as soon as everything is squared away!  I am beyond excited and I cannot wait to get my line and my name in stores.  

I will keep everybody posted on what will be happening next!!!!!!

xoxo

Come Follow Me!

Hey there everyone! I would like my friends to come and get involved in the "making makeup" process!  Please come to makingupamanda.blogspot.com and follow my blog.  I will use my "followers" for surveys and things like that (here and there) to figure out what people want for their cosmetics.  It's a great way for me to see what everyone likes and for you to see the process that I am going through to get this line up and running!! :)  Thanks for all of your support!

You can also follow me at twitter.com/amandaboggs or linkedin.com/in/amandaboggs which is an amazing site to make great business connections.

Look forward to connecting with all of you soon :)

market research shows...

I did a huge Facebook poll yesterday for my eye shadows that I am making.  The poll asked if women liked loose powder, pressed powder or both.  I had such a huge response to this question!  Many people just replied with one word answers which is what I had expected.  What I didn't expect and really appreciated were all of the people that gave explanations as to why they wanted loose, pressed or both and what other types of eye shadows they really liked.  All of the answers will really help me in the future and allow me to create a more appealing cosmetic line.  Thank you to all of my ladies that were apart of the survey and i look forward to collecting your thoughts and ideas in the future!
much love!

Chin up, Buttercup

Things have been progressing very slowly lately but I have a feeling things are about to pick up soon.  I just booked a couple of photo shoots which will be great since I can use my prints to build my resume website.  Also, I am thinking about tweaking my makeup line and making it very simple for the time being.  My boss told me a couple of weeks ago that I shouldn't try to develop my entire line and think that it will all launch at once.  I've been thinking about it and she was very right.  It would cost me SO much money to launch everything at once....and there is so much money that goes into packaging, labels, logos, patents, trademarks, websites, etc.  It can be very discouraging but I'm trying to keep my chin up and push through.  I'll make it....it will just take time :)