When we first started RiOak we had no idea our business would grow so fast. We have had ups and downs but never the less our business continues to grow everyday. I can't help but wonder where it will be in five years from now. I was talking to my husband last night about our business and we laughed. We have signs all over our basement drying and lining our walls and I told him, "Remember when we first started I said, I just want to make enough money to cover two weeks of daycare?" This was my goal. My goal has obviously changed since then but I have to remember I started this with a small goal of just having a little extra money in our pockets.
(This is where it all started, cluttered in a 1,000 square foot home, on a little 4 ft table and my Kitchen table, signs lined everywhere among the toys, against the furniture, EVERYWHERE)
You see I am a VERY competitive person. I grew up in a very competitive household. I was a barrel racer for years and of course you go to the rodeo to win. In being competitive you also have to learn to be a gracious loser,,, I became good at this as well!! BUT it is my opinion if you are going to do something then strive to be the best, not like the rest. With this being said with my competitive nature I feel like I have to keep up, continue to create and basically wear myself so thin that I FORGET WHY I STARTED this business. I did this for my family not to compete with ANYONE. Before I entered into this competitive business I had no Idea there were so many business doing the exact same thing I am doing. Also many businesses I was connected with are no longer in business. I can't help but wonder why? Sometimes it was due to stress, family and other times it was burnout. Many new businesses have started as well, so I have learned some will come and some will go. I can't worry about what others are doing, I can only worry about what I am doing. Do you know I work only from Facebook and referrals? I have not ventured into many other markets, BUT we are in a few stores now.
(My Very FIRST craft show,,,,lol this was a learning experience)
The first year I started this I decided I was going to do shows. Well I have become so busy with custom work I don't have time to do shows. I love doing them but why lug all of my product around when I can promote and sell from the comforts of my own home?? I have participated in some really good shows and really bad shows. I have chose for now to only do a couple a year. I do enjoy the atmosphere of the shows. It is neat seeing people come into your booth and buy the things you have created! I get a high from this, but I also enjoy creating one of kind custom orders that our customers come to us with. Maybe one day I will have time to both.
I have become so busy I now have a month waiting list. I feared this at first. Many businesses promote and brag about how fast they can pump out product. This is great for them, but we take our time in creating. We make sure each sign has our undivided attention. You cannot create a handmade product that is quality in a matter of minutes, at least not what we do. We get our material from the local lumber yard. We cut, sand, detail, make hand made stencils to the customers liking and hand paint our signs. Each sign has a protective coat, a hanger and our stamp on the back. Sometimes this can take hours. When you get a sign from RiOak know that it has been created with two little girls running around laughing (or screaming), music is playing, a pot of coffee is ALWAYS on, a couple has talked over your sign, and discussed your sign at least 10 times. We take pride in what we do and take pride in providing a good quality product for you, your sign can already tell some stories by the time it leaves our home and goes to yours!
We are venturing into furniture making soon. If anyone knows my husband, he will not do anything unless it is done right. I make fun of him and tell him he is going to have to pump out product a little quicker than a table or a bed every three months....lol. He just smiles and says, "Well it will be done right when I get done with it." Of course with this comes all of the tools. We have spent countless hours on ebay, taking a road trip to Kansas and shopping around for the "RIGHT" tools we need. We should be having a biscuit joiner join our family of tools tomorrow!! Clint will biscuit joint all of our tables. This will create a more sturdy table that our customers will be able to use for many years and hopefully pass down to their kids.
We don't just create things to pump out product as quickly as we can to try to compete with other businesses....we are remembering why we got started! We want to build our company, make it grow, and have a great reputation with our customers. I am proud to say we have several repeat customers. This is the best compliment we receive on a monthly basis.
(Here is the kitchen table! This was taken in our old house, but eat and paint from this table nightly)
Another day in the LIFE of RiOak!
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