An Interview with Scrapbook Entrepreneur Phoebe Owenby, the Starving Scrapper
On Saturdays in my St. Louis suburb, signs pop up announcing SCRAPBOOK SUPPLY SALE at a local hotel. Intrigued, I discovered an unconventional scrapbook entrepreneur, Phoebe Owenby. Her business goes by the name the Starving Scrapper and for the past year and a half, she has been selling scrapbook related products and hosting crops once a month at a local hotel. Occasionally, she also teaches classes at the same time her crops and sales are running.
Phoebe doesn't have any employees, but two of her friends help her out. She got into the business because she saw the need for lower prices on scrapbook supplies.
Her road to being a scrapbook entrepreneur wasn't without challenges. She began by applying for a license and contacting suppliers found in magazines and on the internet. Then she hit a stumbling block: Lots of companies won't sell to "home-based" businesses and their minimum requirements on paper, stickers, etc... make it hard to get rid of items before "the next new thing" comes out!
Typically, Phoebe puts in 10 hours a week on her business. The sale is only once a month at a local hotel so she doesn't have a "typical" day. She explains, "The set-up of the sale is done the night before if the meeting room is available and is a 'lot' of work. Sale is held on Saturday and tear-down is down the next day--again "if" the room is not booked for that day."
When you see Phoebe in action, you can tell she loves what she is doing. She loves the products and tells me that she keeps more than she sells. She loves meeting other scrappers, and loves sharing new ideas and techniques. But she hates hauling the items back-and-forth and the set-up-well, I watched her run from room to room and I broke out in a sweat just standing by. As she says, "I WISH I could open a store!"
She shares misconceptions she often hears about her business. One, that it's a "cash-cow!" The cost of shipping takes a 'big' chunk out of profit. Add that to costs such as a lease, insurance, etc., and the profit is gone quickly! Two, that stores can carry every piece of new stuff the minute they see it in a catalog; new items are put on the market almost every day and people think stores should have it "immediately." What about the roll of 50 stickers that were 'new' last week and haven't sold out yet?
If you want to learn more about starting your own scrapbooking business, Phoebe suggests that you "find stores out of state that know you are not a competitor and ask them to share info with you regarding their 'ups and downs' and how they run it.
How about that other big misconception? The one I know I hear and I bet most other scrapbooking entrepreneurs have heard? The one that goes, "You are so lucky to get to scrapbook every day and get paid for it. I bet you are so caught up-" Well, Phoebe says it and I agree, "It DOES take away from your personal scrapping - so if you think you're behind now - just wait!" When you scrapbook for your day job, you don't get to spend the time you hope to spend, that's one sure thing.
So I asked her, "Are you rich yet?"
"I'm 'rich' with new friends that I've met thru the business ...but my check-book shows otherwise!" she says.
For more about the Starving Scrapper, check out Phoebe and her business at www.starvingscrapper.com
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