Getting started (for real) and sponsoring on Patreon
This past weekend was one of great work here at The Factory. I got the shopify store up and running, loaded on a bunch of product and content and even started working on some new pages for the site. The store is going to be going through changes for awhile, until I'm happy with how it looks and the information we are presenting, so don't be surprised if you show up one day and are like, wait, is this the right site?
I've done quite a bit of admin type stuff for The Factory, more than I ever did for Spirit Level (for those who may not know, my first business and day job is Spirit Level Detailing and Design, where I do structural and miscellaneous metals detailing along with the occasional home reno or addition design). I've got a custom font for the logo and trademark, some of that is already here but the main logo is still getting cleaned up and dialed in. I'm learning more and more about operating an ecommerce site every day and will be debuting a QR code for the store soon as well.
I'm not doing all this alone, well not all of it anyway. The kids are helping out as well, Spence is going to be helping me with the behind the scenes website stuff and Caroline will be heading up our social media accounts. Now, I can almost hear some of you out there, screaming at me through your monitors 'Willow! She's only 13! She can't handle that responsibility!' and I'm gonna need you to take a breath and calm down a minute. If I was running a big company with a hundred million in sales a year and a whole bunch of staff, well then you'd be spot on. But this is a fledgling cottage industry printing company, and for a company this size, I ask you, who do you think is a better choice for social media work? Me, a woman in her forties who can hardly keep on top of Facebook and BlueSky; or a 13 year old girl? My money's on her, every time. And too, she's maybe working three or four hours a week at most. two or three posts on some of the key socials and that's it. Maybe do some monitoring of comments and interacting with followers, but that's it, and I'm always right there if she gets jammed up.
Another thing I did this week was sign up on Patreon for a commercial license to sell a whole catalog of designs by MalcTheOracle, the fellow who designed the hexagon fidget spinners some of you have enjoyed already. He has a pretty wide array of spinners as well as some useful household stuff and a few games. I added about a dozen of his designs to the site tonight, really cool stuff, so check that out. I want to mostly sell my own designs, but if I come across one that I (or you folks, I'm open to suggestions, this can be a two way street) really like, then I'll consider signing up to support them.
Wrapping up, I've added a PRIDE section to the store that will be loaded with a bunch of stuff before long, and that will be up all year long, not just June. I'll probably add a FAQ page tomorrow night with some of the main questions and talking points about 3D printing, if not tomorrow then Thursday for sure.
So keep checking on the store, sign up for the emails so you'll be the first in your neighborhood to know when we drop new stuff. Take it easy out there folks, I'll see you soon!