Radio 702 MoneyShow Challenge Update: Week 4

I can feel the heat in this Radio 702 "R1000 Business Start Up Challenge". Fortunately I am one of those persons who thrives under stress. I actually enjoy it! On the positive side, the method and operations are beginning to reach an established pattern and the areas requiring serious focus are very clear. Growth has been steady, and improving week-on-week This is important. Although this Business was started on a whim (read the background if you haven't already), I fully intend to grow the business and continue to use it once the Business Challenge ends, to help people find meaning in life via the employment opportunities it creates, especially the Women of the Scarlet Thread organisation.

1. Beautiful Bracelets had its first Press Release published in the Women of Acts Newsletter! (This Newsletter reaches at least 3500 people in the Midrand area).
2. Sales were good but could improve.
3. Overseas visitors go crazy over Beautiful Bracelets and buy up the entire stock available at any point of purchase!
4. Production of Beautiful Bracelets in Week 4 exceeded all previous "per week" levels.
5. Beautiful Bracelets was accepted by "Gossip" Fashion & Accessories Store as a product they will sell. (Shop 16, Carlswald Lifestyle Centre, New Road, Midrand). This is a watershed moment since it is the first retailer to sell "Beautiful Bracelets".
6. Maintained Staff wages payments on time. This is one of the most important attributes since one of the objectives of the business is to create employment.
7. Once again, Twitter Followers have doubled this week which is very gratifying. I am aware there are other ways to increase Followers, and these will be addressed at some point. If you're reading this, and you're not yet a "Follower" on Twitter, please click on the link top right of this page, it will help us grow the business. Much appreciated.
8. Beautiful Bracelets will be signing a contract with the best National Courier Company who fortuitously decided in the past week to offer phenomenal preferential rates to start up e-commerce businesses in South Africa. Since it is a courier company with international affiliations this is a fantastic opportunity. To be announced once all signatures are done!

Low Point: A few customers who were unaware that the price had changed on the Beautiful Bracelets website (to R95 from R70, see last Week's Update), walked out of the "Gossip" Fashion & Accessories Store, saying they will buy the Bracelets off the website, not from the store. I would like an opportunity to apologise in person, if you are one of those people and just happen to be reading this, please contact me via the website? It is not easy to maintain price control once one has many outlets (you just have to go to PriceCheck to find the same product, at different prices in different stores). But regardless of this, I don't want unhappy customers or unhappy retailers and as far as possible am attempting to at least for the purposes of this Challenge, maintain a uniform price at all outlets whether online, in stores, or at flea markets.

High Points: 

1. Cappuccino's Midrand has become a friend of "Beautiful Bracelets". People who meet me there for business comment on the fact that they seem to love me. Well, Cappuccino's Midrand looks after their business customers very well. No surprise they are busy all the time, no matter what day of the week it is.
2. My Business Banker bought the Beautiful Bracelet off my wrist. This just has to be the best thing ever! I never thought I would be making money off my Bank. Usually it is the other way around!

Objective for Week 5: Creating more markets/outlets for sales and maximising each of those selling opportunities.