From Retail Buying to Toy Company

From Retail Buying to Toy Company Success Story > From: Job To: Startup From Retail Buying to Toy Company “I was expected to work 12 hours a day, and to drop everything when the business required my attention.” * From Retail Buying to Toy Company Gaynor Humphrey loved her work, but resented being at the beck and call of the business. So, she took the opportunity to set up a new venture with a partner. After some financial bumps in the road, she's created a way of working that gives her the balance she craves. Here's how she did it. What work were you doing previously? I was a retail buyer for a diverse range of retailers including Boots, Disney, and Dixons. I was responsible for choosing product ranges for stores, had a budget of millions and managed a team of people. What are you doing now? I have a small toy company specialising in knitted and crochet toys. We sell to retailers, museums, and to consumers. How did you feel in your work before you decided to make the change? I loved it! The job was challenging, interesting and fulfilling. Why did you change? I was expected to work 12 hours a day, and to drop everything as and when the business required my attention. There was only so long I could do this before my enthusiasm and creativity became swamped and tinged with a certain sullen resentment. When was the moment you decided to make the change? My boss and mentor left. He had a flexible approach to my work hours and allowed me to work from home some days. This was very rare in the company and I knew that it was time to create the working environment I needed rather than try to change the company's ethos to suit my requirements. How did you choose your new career? I met my business partner Liz when we both worked at Disney. She had moved on to a new company and had spent a couple of years in the USA. She returned to the UK at about the same time as I decided to leave corporate life. She had a detailed and authoritative knowledge of soft toys, safety requirements and suppliers, and wanted to set up on her own but was uncomfortable with the concept of selling. I was happy to sell but didn't want to go into business on my own, so we made a good pair. Are you happy with the change? Yes! I've learnt so much, and still have to acquire new skills even now in order to keep our company relevant. I've met people and visited places I would never have been to if I was still in a large company. HR would have been furious if they had seen some of the places we stayed in when meeting new fair trade suppliers, and they would definitely have 'had words' when we had to go on the back of motorbikes to reach more remote places. And I've gained the flexibility I needed to both work hard andhave a healthy family life. What do you miss and what don't you miss? I miss the guaranteed salary, the expense account and having a team of people to do things for me. I don't miss the endless meetings and the internal politics. Most of all I don't miss the corporate procedures, so that if you suddenly have a good idea in the middle of the night you have to submit it to be reviewed and potentially given to another team rather than just trying it out and seeing what happens. How did you go about making the shift? I took redundancy. It meant I had savings but it also meant that I immediately had to start generating income from the business. In hindsight this wasn't a good decision, because I could've done a lot more work on setting up the company while still salaried. What didn't go well? What wrong turns did you take? We had an almighty tumble during the recession. When we first set the business up we effectively went 'gamekeeper-turned-poacher' and just sold in to the same sort of retailers we had bought for. So we developed own-brand soft toys for people like Next, New Look and Harrods. The turnover was healthy and we thought that within five years of setting up we had a successful business. However when the recession hit all of our largest customers asked for additional discounts and longer payment terms which we were unable to give. Our customer base was so narrow that we lost 75% of our turnover in the first year and very nearlywent bust. Our other problem was that our product range was not sufficiently different to other soft toys on the market. As the recession hit and larger companies shifted production to cheaper manufacturers we were unable and unwilling to do the same, so couldn't offer the same margin to retailers. How did you handle your finances to make your shift possible? Badly. I racked up a lot of personal debt, much of it on credit cards. I was used to a certain lifestyle and didn't adapt quickly enough to the change in my circumstances. In the end I moved my kids in to a shared bedroom and sacrificed our sitting room in order to take in two lodgers to pay the bills. What was the most difficult thing about changing? Money was obviously difficult, but also working on my own. We never had an office as we both wanted to work from home, and we also didn't want the additional cost. This meant that, apart from frequent telephone calls, I worked alone all day. I only realised how much motivation and energy I got from other people when suddenly they weren't there! However, I now find being on my own an immense source of creativity, as I can both concentrate and follow my ideas without being constrained by meetings or other people requiring attention. What help did you get? When I was in my corporate job we always viewed competitors as the enemy. But as a small business our greatest resource is other companies selling in to the same retailers. They should be competitors but in fact they're an amazing source of information and encouragement. We found our warehouse, our new accounts / sales computer system and even printers by asking people whom they used. We also had a very friendly bank manager. As long as we kept him updated on what we were up to, he was very understanding about our cash flow. What resources would you recommend to others? Other small business! We also use Constant Contact for email newsletters, Brightpearl for our accounts, Onedrive as a way of sharing documents across the whole company, and Skype for free calls between our team members. If you are setting up a product-based company consult Trading Standards about the testing requirements they look for in your product â€" it's quicker and cheaper than asking a test house. What have you learnt in the process? To be different. Not different as in wild and wacky, but in creating a niche product which has become our own. Best Years have knitted dinosaurs, and we're now known to own this space. It means a continual flow of new customers and it also means we don't have to cope with discounting. Also, we've learned to check our customer base to ensure it contains different elements. We used to sell mainly to large retailers, with 25% of our business going through independent retailers. We now sell to independent retailers, personalisation companies, education, tourist destinations, garden centres, department stores and occasion-based internet retailers. If one sector is having a tough time another will be doing well, so the risk is evened out. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? When things get tough there's the temptation to do as much as you can to keep things moving. This means that some jobs get done twice and others not at all. Make sure that you all know your job roles and keep to them. If you work on your own, prioritise what you need to do and concentrate on that. And make sure that you don't work too hard! Again, when things get tough you throw everything at the problem but if you don't give yourself a break you can burn out. We called it the 'Lady Macbeth moment' â€" walking around the house at 2 a.m., wringing our hands and wailing. It doesn't help! Give yourself some head space, keep your work-life balance. To find out more about Gaynor's business, visit www.bestyears.co.uk. What lessons could you take from Gaynor's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

What Are the Most Important Parts of Graduate School Resume Writing?

What Are the Most Important Parts of Graduate School Resume Writing?Graduate school resume writing is an essential part of the application process. It can help with the selection process as well. In this article, we will cover the most important parts of this important form.The first and most important point to remember is that you should begin with an objective. It is best to write this as your first paragraph. Once you have a good beginning, you will want to then put yourself in the shoes of an employer and get to the point of explaining what you hope to accomplish by going to graduate school. Let the employer know what you hope to achieve with your degree.It is best to use professional resume writing software. It is a necessary purchase that not only helps you to write your resumes but also helps you to make your letters and cover letters more effective. Using your own software can be challenging, so why not take advantage of the software available for free? There are many types o f software available that will help you create a professional resume.Next is your personal statement, which is an important point in this type of writing. It should address the employer in some way. You will want to use this section to touch on some of your strengths as well as your weaknesses. Take the time to show how you are unique from other applicants.The third and most important point is the area where your work history is concerned. This section should be designed to show what you have accomplished throughout your professional career. Be sure to mention some of your greatest achievements and the jobs you held in between.Finally, you will want to cover the following points: Why do you want to go to graduate school? What kind of situation are you looking for? What kind of degree would you like to get?In addition to this, you will want to highlight your academic achievements as well as any training or professional or even athletic or community involvement that you have had. As a student, you will want to list every course you have taken and any experience that you may have had. You will also want to list any volunteer work you have done as well as leadership roles that you have taken part in.The best way to go about a professional resume is to do it by yourself. With all of the free resources available, it is time to get organized and take your career to the next level.

Dont Forget These Considerations When Making Your Small Business Global

Don’t Forget These Considerations When Making Your Small Business Global At some point in the timeline of running your small company, you will face the question of whether or not to take your business offshore and take advantage of international business activity. Certainly, there are a lot of factors that make stretching your business boundaries beyond the shining seas all the more attractive. Your small business may be offering a product or service that is unavailable in other countries but is high in demand. By expanding your operations and tapping into these markets, you can create a new base of customers without immediate competition Also, global expansion is a great way to increase the exposure to your business, which helps you achieve greater brand recognition throughout the world. A larger global footprint can facilitate even more expansion in the future, while customers and domestic firms start viewing you as a bigger player in the industry, even if you’re operating on a small scale. Regardless of the decision you teeter toward, remember that making a small business global can’t be an immediate thing. There are some important considerations you need to make when making your small business global, including the following: A financial plan All small business expansion plans should include separate sales and marketing plans that deal with customers and competitors, as well as operation and product plans. Such plans are going to help you understand what changes will occur in terms of expenses and revenues on your profit and loss statement when you start operations in another country. Is it the case that you want to set aside $5,000 for advertising? A year later, you may need to invest twice that amount, so put the expected investment against your revenues in the profit and loss statement to forecast your expected profits. You need a plan that tells you what are you going to do, and when. An organized logistics strategy When you’re expanding a small business internationally, you need to create a strategy for getting your goods overseas. This transport may become more expensive because moving goods to foreign countries is more complicated and costly than domestic transportation. Logistics may take more to plan the further you transport items. Therefore, careful planning is important when relocating a business internationally. It gives you an idea of what to expect in advance of a business expansion and to plan your finances towards this section accordingly. an  international moving company  and other logistics firms assist small businesses with goods departure date, custom and packing requirements, and destination receivers that can support a seamless transition. Understanding of laws and regulations Business regulations vary in different countries. Be sure to scrutinize the business landscape of the country you’re planning to expand the business to, and get touch with relevant departments (Chamber of Commerce, etc.) to find out what you’re up against. For example, you might be prohibited to sell bakery items made from a certain type of ingredient. There are several rules like this, so it is your responsibility as a business owner to understand the rules and regulations if you want to do business on a global scale. Other things you’ll need to take into account legal and ethical issues as well as labor laws, foreign currency rates, custom duties and tax regulations.

Office Rules that Drive Employees Away - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Office Rules that Drive Employees Away - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Every company has its own rules but unfortunately, some of them cross the line. Let’s look at some ridiculous company rules below which will make you appreciate your own employer. Internet Restrictions: Companies do not want their employees to kill time on social media or on video sites. However, sometimes using social media or watching a video on Youtube may be necessary for doing a job. For example; if you are going to meet with a client, you need to do your research and look up this person on Internet and gather as much information as you can about him/her. Therefore, if your employer blocks the use of LinkedIn or Facebook, then, it limits your ability to do your job. Likewise, let’s assume you are working on a spreadsheet and don’t know about macros, then it is best for you to watch tutorials about this topic on Youtube. If Youtube is banned in your company, then you are going to waste more time for finding alternative ways about learning macros. Therefore, rather than blocking certain websites, the company needs to have a policy which lets you to use your own judgment. Strict office and lunch hours: Obviously, it is not ethical to show up work late everyday but unfortunately, some companies even make 5 minutes a problem. People are not programmed robots; they are human beings and can sometimes have problems. Therefore, if this employee does a good job, stays late or put in extra hours on weekends, then the company should not make 5-10 minutes a problem. Similarly, some companies have strict lunch hours which require you to eat your lunch at the designated time frame. However, this is not very practical due to globalization and different time frames used throughout the US and the world. Maybe, the only available time frame for a global webinar is your lunch hour so what are you going to do? Go eat your lunch or do your meeting and snack for the rest of the day? Most people choose the second option but unfortunately, doing this many times can ruin your health and may cause you problems in the future. Timed Bathroom Breaks: This is probably one of the worst office rules that limit people’s personal freedoms. This rule is mostly used for employees working in call centers so that they can answer as many calls as possible and don’t waste much time going to the bathroom. What if you are not feeling well that day and you need more in the bathroom? Probably, you need to bring in a note from a doctor so you can get extra minutes to stay in the bathroom. In my opinion, this rule is a breach to human rights and I am not sure how companies are allowed to have such a rule.

MyPerfectResume - What is MyPerfectResume?

MyPerfectResume - What is MyPerfectResume?MyPerfectResume has earned a place in the organization of the top resumes. It has designed a resume that can stand up against all of the other resumes. The best thing about this resume template is that it will not only help you to impress your employer but will also help you stand out among the rest of the resumes.In fact, there are numerous templates that are available on the internet and you can easily find one which suits your need and requirements. The key for you to go for this particular template is that you have to follow certain guidelines and tips. If you wish to hire a professional resume writer then he/she will guide you in the right path of creating a perfect resume.There are two things that you need to consider before you decide to go for MyPerfectResume as a resume template. The first is that you need to follow the structure of the resume. The first paragraph should be followed by the objective statement and the rest of the resu me will follow on with the necessary information.The second point is that you should think about how many candidates will be submitting their resumes in one day. The structure of the resume is important because the most important thing that is added in your resume is the previous employment history. You can't ignore this can ruin your chances of getting hired.Once you have decided to go for MyPerfectResume as a resume template then you should now try to create a template that is similar to it. It is important to follow the instructions on how to go about doing this as well. Following the guideline will help you in creating the perfect resume that will stand the test of time.You can also get MyPerfectResume as a resume template at places like Amazon. You will find many user reviews about this particular template and you can choose the best that fits your requirements. Many of the professional writers are also offering this particular template as well and they offer a money back guara ntee if you are not satisfied with the resume.These are some of the best tools that can be used to help you in enhancing your resume but it is still a great help to consult the professional writers who are expert in this area. You should make sure that you do not make any mistake in this. You should check out the previous work and the feedback of the previous clients of the writer you are hiring.The writers have different packages and you should make sure that you are choosing the best package. They will guide you about the format of the resume and they will also give you some ideas to enhance your resume. They will even write the cover letter for you so that you can use this as a stepping stone towards the interview.

Have you ever been still - Jane Jackson Career

Have you ever been still - Jane Jackson Career Have you ever been still?To be still is the essence and the spirit of confidence. How you ever been still?Is your life filled with activities, work, socialising, more work, family, friends, responsibilities, hopes, desires, wants and more wants?   I guess mine has been too.I have been thinking about the pure pleasure of doing nothing.   Just being.   Feeling the ecstasy of simply being able to breathe.   A feeling of being enough.   I mean enough in my own eyes, not simply in the eyes of my husband, my children, my friends, extended family, my colleages and the list can go on.   I am enough for me.One of the wonderful things about being a coach is that I am able to take a step back and be objective for others.   I am so grateful to have learned to take a step back and simply be me for myself and it feels good.Id like to share this from Eckhart Tolles Stillness Speaks : What a miserable day.He didnt have the decency to return my call.She let me down.Little stories we tell ourselves and others, often in the form of complaints.   They are unconsciously designed to enhance our always deficient sense of self through being right and making something or someone wrong.   Being right places us in a position of imagined superiority and so strengthens our false sense of self, the ego.   This also creates some kind of enemy:   yes, the ego needs enemies to define its boundary, and even the weather can serve that function.Through habitual mental judgment and emotional contraction, you have a personalised, reactive relationship to people and events in your life.   These are all forms of self-created suffering, but they are not recognised as such because to the ego they are satisfying.   The ego enhances itself through reactivity and conflict.How simple life would be without those stories.It is raining.He did not call.  I was there.   She was not .Be present, accept every situation for what it is, not what you interpret it to be.   Be still. Click this link for 10 minutes o f peace Positive Affirmations to Change Your Life.

Sure-Fire Signs that it is Time for a Career Change - CareerAlley

Sure-Fire Signs that it is Time for a Career Change - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. If you are not happy with the career that you have right now or if you feel as though there are things that you want to change then you have come to the right place. Here you can find out if the career you have is right for you. Exhaustion Sure, you may have mornings that drag when you are going to work, and you may not be amazed by every little task either. This is normal, but if it is happening more often than not then this is a sign that you need to make a change. You may find that little tasks start to get on your nerves and that you have zero energy left at the end of the day. Have you ever had one of those days when your heart just isnt into it anymore? If you feel as though this doesnt work, then you may want to explore the possibility of a new career. Tweet This At some point,you might even feel as though you dont care if you arrive to work on time or not, and if this is the case then it is certainly worth looking into a new career. Before you do this, you need to work out why your job is draining your energy so much. From there, you can then make sure that your new job is a step in the right direction. source Apathy Have you ever had one of those days when your heart just isnt into it anymore? This can happen to the best of people, and sometimes a good nights sleep is all that you need to get yourself back on track. If you feel as though this doesnt work, then you may want to explore the possibility of a new career. It may be that you need to find a company who values what you do more, or that you need to take the time to try and focus on what you want to do with your life. https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-white-blazer-holding-tablet-computer-789822/ Jealousy Jealousy is not a nice emotion at all. If you find that you feel jealous of the people who you work with or if you find that you just feel bitter about those around you, then you may need to make a serious change in your life. There is a high chance that what you really want is what other people have. This could include a higher-paying career or even more freedom. Do you love your job? Or, is it sucking out your soul? If you are unhappy at work, you are not the only one. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), approximately 42% of the labor force will leave the jobs during the current year. This is supported by a recent survey which indicated that 34% of the workforce are actively looking for a new job, presenting a real possibility that the 60% of us unhappy in our work will make a change in the coming year. 10 Signs You Need a Career Change Either way, you have to take note that it is more than possible for you to take control of your life and that it is also possible for you to get out there and make yourself happier. Sure, changing your career can involve a lot of risks and at times, it may not always pay off, but you never know unless you try. Check out this article from UC Riverside to find out more about choosing the right career. https://www.pexels.com/photo/photography-of-a-person-pointing-on-something-684387/ There are plenty of ways for you to try and find out if a new career is the right choice for you, and by following the above tips, you can be sure to explore options that you would never have thought of normally. Change can be scary, but sometimes its necessary in order to make yourself a better person. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to identify and land your dream job. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search