Site Links










Top Posters
Dotsie 23647
chatty lady 20267
jawjaw 12025
jabber 10032
Dianne 6123
Latest Photos
car
Useable gifts!
Winter wonderland/fantasy for real
The Soap lady meets the Senator
baby chicks
Angel
Quilted Christmas Stocking
Latest Quilt
Shelter from the storm
A new life
Who's Online
0 Registered (), 180 Guests and 0 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Stats
3239 Members
63 Forums
16332 Topics
210704 Posts

Max Online: 409 @ 01/17/20 03:33 AM
Topic Options
#219259 - 07/24/13 08:33 PM Starting an Online Business
Anne Holmes Administrator Offline
Boomer in Chief

Registered: 03/12/10
Posts: 3212
Loc: Illinois
I just read a fascinating article about a farm wife in central North Dakota (she's 42 miles from the closest big town, which is Bismark) who's building a business for herself as an online bakery.

Here's the story of her online bakery.

I find this fascinating, as I have a client who is working with a chocolatier, and they are selling fancy chocolates online and doing quite well.

I've always known that I love to bake and many people have suggested I should bake professionally. but I have NOT done this for 3 reasons: (1) baking is a hobby and I don't want to turn something that is relaxation and a creative outlet for me into WORK. (2) I don't want to look into gaining access to a commercial kitchen. (3) My town is small and I wasn't sure I could make a good income as a bakery owner.

So now this article shows how Katy Kassian has overcome these very objections.

Di, I know you sell your soaps online, and we have other members selling jewelery online. What are your biggest challenges?

Has anyone else given thought to starting an online business i retirement? What would you sell?
_________________________
Boomer in Chief of Boomer Women Speak and the National Association of Baby Boomer Women.
www.nabbw.com
www.boomerwomenspeak.com
www.boomerlifestyle.com
www.boomerco.com

Top
#219308 - 08/03/13 12:37 AM Re: Starting an Online Business [Re: Anne Holmes]
orchid Offline


Registered: 01/21/07
Posts: 3675
Loc: British Columbia, Canada
I wonder how successful she is. She would have to aggressively market herself if she's not around in person with her edible product.

Unless she specialized in wedding cakes or something like that.

Didn't you say Anne, you were part Norwegian or something like that? Think....how much do people know about Norwegian cuisine?

Sometimes we take for granted what we know.

My partner's son is a chef in Toronto for a Jamie Oliver like restaurant where his workers are hard to employ folks. Part of the objective is to teach people with employable skills.

Anyway he has taken a family heirloom recipe from dearie's mom (who died at 93 several yrs. ago) on making and serving dumpfnudel as a dessert. A kind of German steamed bun with vanilla sauce. It is served regularily. smile But hardly any place in North America serves it in restaurants. A peasant German dessert.

Too bad his grandmother is not around to witness this wonderful revival of her recipe. smile


Edited by orchid (08/03/13 12:39 AM)
_________________________
http://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com/ (How cycling leads to other types of adventures, thoughts)
http://velourbansism.wordpress.com


Top
#219314 - 08/03/13 04:39 AM Re: Starting an Online Business [Re: orchid]
Anne Holmes Administrator Offline
Boomer in Chief

Registered: 03/12/10
Posts: 3212
Loc: Illinois
Hi Orchid,

How nice to hear from you this evening.

I don't know how successful that woman is. Good question.

As for me, you are right, I am part Norwegian. A quarter Norwegian, the rest German and English. But my paternal grandfather was 100% Norwegian, and his wife, my grandmother, learned how to prepare his favorite Norwegian specialties. As did my mother - and I.

So while I have a fantastic German Christmas cookie recipe that I've never need anywhere else courtesy of my mother's side of the family, I do know a lot more about Scandinavian breads, cookies, desserts -- breakfasts and salads. (Sadly, I don't know much about Scandinavian main courses and dinners.)

I love your story of how your partner's son has made so much of one special family recipe. Personally, I've always wondered if I could make something of my German cookie recipe...

One year I DID take all the ingredients to bake them to my former step-mother's Norwegian cookie-baking party -- at her request.

But once I showed her how to make these cookies, she decided they were WAAAY too much work. She told me to keep making them every Christmas, and to please always gift her with some. But she didn't want to learn the recipe.

My daughter feels the same way: She's delighted to receive a plate of them at Christmas, but she has no desire to spend a whole day making them. which is what it takes...

So I guess that unless I figure out a way to pass on the recipe, or turn it into a business, it will likely die with me.
_________________________
Boomer in Chief of Boomer Women Speak and the National Association of Baby Boomer Women.
www.nabbw.com
www.boomerwomenspeak.com
www.boomerlifestyle.com
www.boomerco.com

Top
#219316 - 08/04/13 01:44 PM Re: Starting an Online Business [Re: Anne Holmes]
Di Offline
Member

Registered: 11/15/05
Posts: 2798
Loc: NM, transplant from NJ
Being married to my webmaster means I get lots of "inside" info.

He says "What's the use of having a website if it can't be found?". You have to have a webmaster who is doing everything he/she can to know the "ropes" of the job. Making sure search engines etc are keyed into YOUR site, meta tags, bots etc.

Thankfully, much of our online business is repeat business from our local markets and events. Soap is something that really should be smelled, tried, lathered etc. first. Same with Shea Butter.

Plus, price is king. Are you competitive? Do you have good "hooks"? Is your customer service top notch? Appealing website that customers will say "WOW"?

There are millions of websites out there. Why would they want YOURS? (Ask yourself this question often.)

We are just a drop in the ocean!

Top



NABBW.com | Forum Testimonials | Newsletter Sign Up | View Our Newsletter | Advertise With Us
About the Founder | Media Room | Contact BWS
Resources for Women | Boomer Books | Recent Reads | Boomer Links | Our Voices | Home

Boomer Women Speak
9672 W US Highway 20, Galena, IL 61036 • info@boomerwomenspeak.com • 1-877-BOOMERZ

Boomer Women Speak cannot be held accountable for any personal relationships or meetings face-to-face that develop because of interaction with the forums. In addition, we cannot be held accountable for any information posted in Boomer Women Speak forums.

Boomer Women Speak does not represent or endorse the reliability of any information or offers in connection with advertisements,
articles or other information displayed on our site. Please do your own due diligence when viewing our information.

Privacy PolicyTerms of UseDisclaimer

Copyright 2002-2019 • Boomer Women SpeakBoomerCo Inc. • All rights reserved