The Grass is Green...
hey friends. So. I decided to put this post back up. I think it shows my journey. I received a really nice phone call after I put this up (and then I pulled it down) telling me that they appreciated the post, appreciated me, and that the person's small business was in the same boat. I was angry when I wrote this post. I thought my business was going to close. But then two things happened: one-I realized that I don't share this part of my business...that I sell products too. And two-I put out the call on instagram for some help. I asked for people to share my products or share one of my posts. And boy did that happen! But then people started buying stuff. WHOA! So, I'll talk about the follow up journey in a blog post, but you can read some of it here. I know some of you might have some things to say about the post below, and that's okay. But I am appreciate of each and every one of you. More later. For now, here you go:
I've got something to say. It ain't going to be pretty and I'm pretty much preaching to the choir, but I've got to say it. I've wanted to say it for a long time but 'being proper and professional' has made me stop from saying it. After yesterday I now know I have to say it. So listen up. Chicken Librarian is a business. Yep, you heard that correctly. It's a legit business. I'm incorporated. I have a business checking account. I pay quarterly taxes. I work on it full time. To me, it's a full time (and then some) job. The whole shebang. I don't make a ton of money from selling my products (we'll get to that in a minute) but I do make money from teaching classes. That's right. I actually get paid to teach all these things that I've been showing you how to do, for free, for forever. But especially since the pandemic hit. My last paid class was March 11th. Before that? December 2019. If you look at my 2020 events page, you'll see how many classes have been canceled due to the pandemic. I canceled the free live events (which I'll get to in a minute). Canceled equals no income. My two part time jobs that I work to support my business? Gone. Both shut down due to the pandemic. The Mister? He's in the service industry that can't open due to the pandemic. But our grass is green (more on that in a minute). We're doing okay. There are people in a lot worse shape than we are. We have a free place to live. That is huge. We have some income coming in. But when I posted on social media that we ran out of coffee and we weren't purchasing more? It wasn't because we didn't want to go out. It was because we literally don't have the extra income for it. But we're doing fine. This post isn't about that. I just want to paint a very clear picture for you before I jump into what I really want to say. I don't normally talk about this stuff here. It's private. It doesn't have anything to do with my homesteading business. But what does have to do with my homesteading business is the way people expect things from you. What do they expect? They want me to teach them how to do things. For free. The things that I produce? They want it for free. You see, I'm not growing something and selling it to them. I'm actually trying to teach them how to grow it themselves. But that's not something they're willing to pay for. Nor are they willing to throw me a bone and share my stuff on their social media, with their friends, or online. I've been watching this for a while now and getting upset about it but yesterday just took the cake. I offered a free beeswax food covers class (that costs me a lot of money to produce. And that I get paid to teach at various locations, but I offered it for free due to the pandemic. It's the least I could do. See above about not having any extra money). I had sooo many people who were sooo interested. I had 9 people sign up. It was literally free. All they had to do? Show up online at the designated time on the designated day. I had one person purchase something from me. Guess how many people showed up? 1. That's right. The person who purchased something from me showed up. It was fun. It's actually someone I know. So we took an hour and made food covers together. And then crickets. No sharing on social. Nothing. But yesterday I logged onto social media and lo and behold, there she was sharing other people's stuff for making your own tincture. I lost my shit. Not one social share to talk about what a quality, homemade product she purchased. Or how she ended up with a private class for her and her son. Nope. Crickets.
But that's not all. No folks. It's not all. Do you know what my most popular products have been in April? Let me tell you. The FREE stuff. That's right. 9 people 'purchased' the free food covers class. I've had some movement on my free garden plan. In fact, since January, I've actually sold 4 things. That's right-4! No, wait. Make that 3. I refunded one because the person couldn't make it to a class. But everyone LOVES my free tutorials I'm doing online. And I appreciate that. I really enjoy doing them. And after watching several live videos where people were asking for donations, I thought I should address that in one of my videos. Other people are hurting and need your money. Give it to them. So I thought, let me address it here and on social media in general. You see, I don't want your donations. I really don't. I want to keep doing what I'm doing--providing a service, for free, until my paying gigs return (more on that in a minute). All I asked, and I was VERY specific in asking for it, was for your love. Show me some love. Share my stuff. Comment on a blog post. Read my blog! All that helps in the long run. You never know who will see it and then come over and purchase something. Or it could lead to a collaboration of some sort. I just did a class (again, for free) for the Cooperative extension. I was so grateful for that opportunity. What a great opportunity! To be able to do a class, or at least help out with a class, for the cooperative extension! So thankful. And it did lead to some new followers and interactions. That's what it's all about right now. Just keeping on keeping on. BUT. Let me break this right down for you. I have over 1200 followers on instagram. I have 160 people who 'follow' me on FB. My google stats tell me I have about 400 people reading my blog each month (it doesn't tell me if they're the same people or what, so I can't make any assumptions there. and that number is likely to drop after this, I'm sure...but more on that in a minute). So, we can reasonably say that I have the potential to reach close to 2000 people at any given moment. And I asked, oh so nicely, in a video, in a blog post, in a post on instagram, AND a post on facebook, for you all to show me some love. Guess how many people did? 2. That's right. Out of 2000 potential people, 2 people shared, commented, or took any action. Oh. I got lots of private messages thanking me for doing these free videos. It helps them feel connected in a trying time. It gives them something to do. But they sure as hell aren't buying anything nor can they be bothered to say it publicly.
But that's not all folks. Nope. Let me tell you about some other things. And I get this is all about having a business, starting a business, growing a business. I really do get that. But I need to say it here. I'm only going to say this one time. I need to get it off my chest. I have literally knocked on doors. I've jumped up and down. I've asked questions. I've attended meetings. In fact, the last meeting I attended was talking about...you guessed it...the <em>growers</em>. Not the artisans. Not the makers. It's all about the growers right now. Because they're providing a service (a much needed service at that. And one I don't begrudge them for) but what about those of us who are actually making products with our hands? And I'm not talking about the shops that sell the made in china crap. Everyone's up in arms about the small businesses, the small businesses that sell the made in china crap, while those of us who are making products with our hands from sustainable materials. Well I guess we can just go take a flying leap. Did I mention that not only do I sell products, but I teach you how to make them too? But more on that in a minute. Let's get back to knocking on doors and giving products away. So I've knocked on literally every door in the county across the river. I actually had one person ask me if I could teach one of my classes for $10 (or less) per person because she just doesn't think people will pay more than that. Umm. It costs me more than $10 per person to produce a class.You know why? Because I use quality products and ingredients. And that cost per person? Doesn't even include my time. You know what else? I give away a TON of products. I've probably given away more stuff than what I've ever sold. And do you know that most people don't ever say thank you nor share about it? I'm dead serious. Let me give you a really clear example. I have a 'friend' on insta that has over 10,000 followers and she wanted to purchase a kit but wanted to share it with her followers. And for that she asked for some stuff for free. That's right folks. I would never have the balls to ask for anything for free from a business unless it was a donation to a worthy cause. But nope. This chick didn't mind. I mean, after all she has a lot of followers so she's earned it right? So sure, I'll throw some stuff in for free. So I did. And I sent it to her. In OCTOBER. Have I heard one word about it? Nope. That's right friends. There are so many stories like that. I do giveaways and never hear boo from the winners. Oh, they're 'so thankful' but then crickets.
But folks, my grass is green. I just had someone comment on my insta post about the coffee situation saying the grass is always greener. He's a health care professional who wants to be at home with his homestead and aren't we just lucky to be able to do that? Yep. I'm damn lucky mister. And I'm saying that with all sincerity. You know how lucky I am? I get to live on 400 acres and have chickens and a garden. And teach homesteading classes. You see, this has long been a dream of mine. When I lost my job a few years ago, I knew it was someone telling me to take the risk. Sacrifice for what you want. Go do it. So I am. And I have the love and support of my Mister. He helps me out. But let's make no mistake here. I run Chicken Librarian solely by myself. And I run the homestead by myself. This is my dream and the Mister is happy to help me fulfill that dream, but the homesteading is mine. I do it alone. With the support of some wonderful people who help out behind the scenes (the Mister with the heavy lifting, talking out ideas, building stuff, etc. And I have a wonderful behind-the-scenes tech person who pretty much works for free. I don't pay her. She does this out of her generosity. And I couldn't do it without her). That's it. That's my support team. They aren't paid, but then again, neither I am at the moment. But my grass is green.
So I'm taking some time away. And I'll show you why in just a few. I've deactivated social media. I'm stepping away from here. I'm gonna be spending time with my Mister, getting my chickens and my garden ready. You see, I have the ability to do all this and I really wanted to share it with everyone, for free, because of the pandemic. And all I asked in return was for a little love. But I don't think people take Chicken Librarian seriously as a serious business. So I'm just going to be over here lovin' on my two good boy kitties and taking my good girl Anna Lee for walks. I'm going to play with chickens and get my hands dirty in the garden. And in between all that I'm going to make stuff. Do stuff. And then when the pandemic slows down and my venues are able to open up again (I know how they've been suffering but they're all trying to do good things for their local communities the best they can), I'm going to get on the phone and we're going to go back to doing what we do-teaching, helping, doing. And then maybe I'll be ready to come back to this space. And social media. But for now, here's an example of how my grass is green. And I'll end with just asking you to not forget about the little people. The actual makers. The artisans. Please, please, please don't ask them to do things for free. They work hard to produce a good quality product. So. Let's wrap this up. I'm going to give you some pictures below. I know some of you will say 'forget her. She's so unprofessional'. Or you'll say 'we're all in the same boat, quit your bellyaching'. And maybe I'll lose a venue or two because I am speaking my truth. But I have a feeling that my venues stand behind people who speak their truth. And folks, let me just say I haven't told you everything. But it's part of being a business owner. So I'm going to regroup and as the Mister said 'come back leaner and meaner' when I can get out and about and teach my classes and peddle my wares. Until then, here's how my grass is green:
