Signing on Faith and a New Manufacturer in Small Business Startup Journal - The Journey To Starting My Own Brand of Travel Clothing and Handbags

So, last night I made my first official business move that wasn’t just within myself to manage.

I signed on for an exhibition in August.

Nope, not the expo in Melbourne at the reed gift fair I was hoping to attend, this one is different.

It is for the Made in Australia Expo at Sydney Olympic park in August.
I saw an ad for it on Facebook and enquired about costing. Not only is it only 2 days (half the amount of time than the Melbourne Reed Gift Fair) and half the cost for a little more space, but it backs on to another major exhibition happening at the same time - the Fashion Exposed fair.

I managed to snag a great space after the lovely account manager talked me through and said she would put me in a prime location that would be near the flow of the Fashion Exposed traffic (as both buildings are attached on to one another). There were about 2 or 3 spaces she highlighted and explained I was one of the first few new account enquiries that she was speaking with (apart from return exhibitors). The first booth I liked and wanted ended up being taken while I was in the process of asking questions.

The account manager said that they could not find any information on my brand or collection, as I have not published any images or collection information online other than an announcement about the fact I am making anti-theft handbags.

As a result the account manager said that I would have to provide some further information before I could secure a spot, so that they would know it was in keeping with the minimum standard of what is required for the expo - which is fair enough. I ask her if my teck pack sketches would suffice and she said yes.

So I stayed up until midnight using the brochure template I had created only a week ago and edited that to create a kind of ‘coming soon’ brochure with sniping’s of my Teck packs and the features such as the anti-theft buckles and straps.

I edited it in one night, saved it as a PDF and sent it off to the account a manger explaining that it was only a rough draft copy and not the final polished version, hoping that it would be enough to allow me to secure a spot without technically any product yet.

I received the email and after holding my breathe for the first line - read that I was in!

There was one problem, I had to make a 50% deposit payment within 7 days of securing my spot. I emailed and asked as this is only January and some of my supplies might be affected with the delays of covid and this may affect my prototypes and collection production timeline. I asked would it be possible to have a refund if I could not make it to the date of the event.

The account manger explained to me that although they could not do a refund, they could keep my deposit and use it towards next years exhibition - and they are exhibit in Sydney and Melbourne.

Being a risk averse person, I would not have signed if there was no deposit, but I can accept having my deposit pushed out for another 12 months.

I have also found a manufacturer for my scarfs, two technically. Not only do I have someone who says they can make the bags, but I have someone else who is dedicated to putting on some important snap buttons.
Just to think this time a month ago I had just been ghosted by my contact who I thought was going to manufacture my scarfs, and now a month alter I have a whole new contact and have decided on my fabrics too.

I have ordered a 100 colour swatch card from China to match my fabrics and ordered some emergency invisible zippers so that I can at least get started on the pattern and rough prototype stage, as the colour swatch card will come in February because of CNY.

I am also waiting on my bag manufacturer, as I have confirmed with her the first bag I wash to have made and have sent her all my buckles so that the process can start. She received them last Thursday but I have not heard back from her yet, I can’t help wonder if she ahs gotten covid or is just incredibly busy at the moment.

I am aware that I would love to be able to have my Kickstarter launch of my scarf and 2 bags done before my August expo, but I am also practical that I may only be able to launch 2 products this year.

I will see where I am a month from now.