I have made no secret of the fact that I love this made up job! I love the glitter, the bows, the bears, the reactions and making busy moms into heroes. I’d like to share how I started selling homecoming mums.
In 2010, I made my first mum. I have said before, it’s a good thing there are no photos. However, there are a few pics of mums that I made in subsequent years that are not much better. In 2014 I changed my approach in mum making. Instead of making something “unique,” I made mums that would make the recipients happy and proud to wear them. And they were still unique because no one else in the school had anything like them. I spent a long time pouring over photos of mums and shopping for elements that would be cute and that the girls would actually like. By homecoming, the mums were ready, they were fabulous and they got a ton of praise. At the last minute, I decided to whip up a couple of mums out of the spare supplies I had and posted them on Facebook, they sold in a matter of minutes! By the end of the year, I decided that I wanted to give this little business a try.
Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures
I contacted the owner of a blog that I frequented for mum-spiration and asked her where I could go to learn about making mums. This is desperate thinking! Who contacts a business owner and asks how to break into that business?! I was thinking a floral show, instead, she sent me to a private Facebook group called Mums, Inc. I filled out the questionnaire and they let me join, even though I wasn’t actually selling mums, at the time.
#BetterTogether
To say that Mums, Inc has changed my life is an understatement. I know that sounds dramatic. It’s homecoming mums, for crying out loud! It is an incredibly small, seasonal market. The group’s motto is “Better Together.” Our fearless leader believes that instead of competing against one another, we are all better when we work together. And it’s true. The fist year that I was in business, I expected to sell 5 mums, locally. I sold 25 and I sold mums to schools that I didn’t even try to sell mums to. The second year, I sold twice as many and I shipped to displaced Texans in Michigan and Kansas. Last year, I set a goal to sell 100 mums. On November 12, I sold 99 and 100. I even had people on Facebook and Craigslist stealing my mum photos to sell their janky mums! This is the true measure of success, amiright?
Through Mums, Inc, I have been inspired and encouraged. I have learned valuable techniques and skills. I have poured every bit of spare time that I had into learning about running a small business. At this point in time, I am actually writing small business tip posts for Mums, Inc to give back to the tribe that has given me confidence and a new identity.
I cannot wait to create your dream mum! Feel free to contact me with your special requests and or questions.
Take a look through the gallery to see what is possible.
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