What's the deal?

I created this blog to use specifically as a business diary. We obtained our business license for Befitting Service on June 20, 2006. It is my intention to write about the lessons we learn and the mistakes we make along the way as we build our company from nothing to something—from the ground up.

 

Right now we operate Befitting Service from our home—from the computer desk in our bedroom, to be precise. This week marks the one year anniversary of my hire with the City of Imperial Beach, which means I am eligible for the computer loan purchase program. I ordered a desktop package for Milan, and a slick laptop for myself. Gaidi and I are always trying to work on the computer during the same periods of time, and we’re starting to get frustrated! Fortunately, thanks to the computer loan program, we’ll be able to afford working independently—plus, we can write off the computer purchase for the business!

 

Working for the City has been a good transition for me, even if it pays less money. I love being close to home (I can go home for lunch or run my local errands), and I am learning a lot about my community.

 

The harder business task right now is finding clients! Because we designed our business model to cater to affluent clientele, we can’t work with just anybody—we don’t do anything with a budget under $10,000, and our fee is 15% (so anything we do nets us at least $1500—our rent for the house is $1400, so we know we only need ONE CLIENT every month to make ends meet). That’s my goal—to make at least one rent payment this year using someone else’s money.

 

So how do we get that one client??

 

I’m starting with high-end bridal shows and working backwards.

1.      Find the bridal show, look for vendors lists

2.      Inquire about advertising or vendor registration

3.      Review the available list of vendors for business (of our goal caliber) that might network with us, or does not offer the same services as we do, or if they have the same services, maybe they outsource when their schedules are full

4.      Send a friendly introductory email and see who responds!

 

I just started this process on Monday (today’s Friday), and of the 15 or so emails I’ve sent, I’ve received 2 responses—actually, it’s 3, but one of them was an auto-response, so that doesn’t count. One asked for a list of services (she might outsource) and the other is interested in a brief meeting to discuss possibly working together—wooo hooooo! ALL WE NEED IS ONE!

Befitting Service | It’s what you deserve.
Naima Finnie, Director
*   naima@befittingservice.com
þ   www.befittingservice.com