Taking Stock

Know the process Holidays seem to come earlier and earlier every year Braden Todd with GS2 Awards is a seasoned pro at preparing for the holidays with over 14 years of experience in the laser industry “Heading into the holidays, we like to tell everyone to assess what materials they plan to use and start watching sales now

When we get closer to rush season, there may be some lead times and the carriers can get bogged down with all the packages We definitely recommend planning orders ahead of time whenever possible ”

Now - Make Lists – Now Pull up a notepad on your screen or a sheet of paper, or print this quick guide You’ll be making 3 quick brain dump lists – if you forget something, that’s ok because you’ll do this again. 1. What materials do I have on hand? 2. What do I enjoy making or what will make $$, 3. What do I need to order? (I recommend doing this method daily or weekly and keeping them for after the holiday craze is over where you’ll debrief - What went well? What went poorly? At that point, you can create a production calendar for 2023 and be even more prepared )

Next up - Plan Pick 4-5 items to focus on If you need some ideas, safe bets are ornaments, pets, firsts, memorials, kitchen items, and stocking stuffers (Firsts can be marriage, first pet, first baby, first house, etc ) Match up what you think you have with what you think you need Now, take a look at your actual inventory of supplies –what do you need to order? Some supplies were running low as early as September for the 2021 Holidays Plan differently for anything that requires Baltic birch plywood Some suppliers still have some in stock and some have been aggressively looking for alternatives

Order - ASAP Every supplier will tell you, don’t wait until the last minute. Thornton shares, “Most of our clients have already started on Halloween and Christmas So that means any order coming in after August is truly a lastminute deal ” Cruise echoes this advice “The best advice I have is don’t wait till the last minute, and any projections and predictions shared early help us to prepare ”

A good supplier is navigating all the logistical processes to bring goods together for you. We love helping you Make! The more you plan, the more that helps us help you!

For a PDF for planning please click here!

Shishona Turner runs Making Blank Laser Supply Cooperative. Making Blank Business Page; Making Blank Group Page; To message her directly: m.me/100810301467948 or shishona@pauseibilities.life