On the Road Again

Well, after almost 2 months of very little travel, I am back on the road this week. Traveling to Brainerd, MN; twice. Tuesday night I am presenting a workshop at the Community College and then on Saturday I will be a vendor and also present a workshop for the Providers Choice Conference in Baxter (right outside of Brainerd). I love to travel for my business, but the first time back is always like coming back after a vacation. Groan, moan,...
I suppose I should give some background on my business. I was a licensed child care provider for 6 years, and about 4 years into it, I started my business, calling it Back to Basics. At first I thought I would sell dried beans, oatmeal, granola and oh ya, a few craft kits I put together. The craft kits went, the dried beans didn't, and so I realized I needed to focus on just one of these aspects. I still remember my very first sale held at our local Community Center on April 15, 1997. I sold about $65 that first day and I was ecstatic. Beside myself with joy. I was on my way. People liked my stuff. I remember the date because, though we live about 75 miles away, that was the day that the Red River overflowed its banks in Grand Forks, ND, and East Grand Forks, MN. It was called a HUNDRED YEAR flood because no one had seen a flood that bad in 100 years. No lives were lost in Grand Forks (I believe I read that a young pregnant mother and child froze to death near Fargo, ND because of flooding there), but many people lost their homes, businesses, and really their way of life for a very long time. I think it took the area more than 5 years to really recover. In May or June of that year, my husband gave/lent me $1000 to send out 1000 letters with price lists to area child care providers. A few orders came in, I started taking over the basement with my inventory, and started dreaming about traveling to child care conferences to sell my craft kits. This is getting too long, so I will continue another time.

Back 2 Basics 4 Kids