let us go forth.

I'm a perfectionist. I freely admit it. I will tweak and tweak on a project until the very last moment. My brother and I have hard launched our website today. It has been out there for a while, but we didn't tell anyone about it. We tweaked and tweaked it. We have spent countless hours coding, organizing, coding, implementing, coding, designing, coding, testing, and yes more coding. We are over-achievers too. So instead of launching one or two companies, we pick about 15. Instead of a few hundred products, we pick 20,000. We jumped heads first into the deep end.

Today, we let our friends and families know that we want everyone to know about us. We started phase 1 of our media launch. With some apprehension, we sent out the word that we are good to go. Yes, there are still a few things that we will still be tweaking on into the wee hours of the night. It has a been a big lesson in letting go the perfectionist thing for a while. I see the flaws and what needs to be changed, but I know others will see something different. Hopefully, something creative, successful, and eventually profitable.

We have been greatly encouraged over the last few weeks with sales coming in and we hadn't hard launched yet. People were finding us through all of our SEO work (which is really, really boring if you don't know anything about it.) Basically, we were starting to be indexed by Google, Yahoo, and Bing and we were pushing our pages up the index ladder so searchers can actually find us and hopefully buy something from us.

We are excited about this new chapter in our lives and hope if you see this blog post that you will check us out at yourhomeoutlet.com!

Other links:
Visit our See Spot Find blog. We will post decorating tips and designing trends, as well as the latest promotions and updates about our company. Also, it will have a more relaxed atmosphere and reflect our unique personalities.

If you use Facebook, check on our page and click the "Like" button. Then, share Your Home Outlet Fan page with your friends.

If you use Twitter, visit our Twitter Page @yourhomeoutlet. Click "Follow" and you will get updates, promo codes, fun little anecdotes here and there.

Snail Mail Google

I'm working on my Christmas Cards. If you know me, I make my cards by hand every year. I enjoy this time of year. Kris shrugs a "why-bother" when I start the card-making process, but I love it. We should celebrate and take time to share with others, even if it is through a simple piece of mail. However, this year we are moving during the holidays. So, when I saw this link from Google I have to admit I did give it all a second thought, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't do my cards. 

The Wanderer

I have been floating from one project to another these days, since being freed from my gilded cage... I mean my job. I have been working on my new business venture with my brother (more to come about that in the coming weeks). If someone asks me to help with something, my mind wanders in another direction while completing their project. My mom asked me to design our Pinson Family Christmas invitation (still haven't done it yet), BUT I did update my mom's blog header. She's asleep right now and doesn't even know it yet. Hope she likes it, oh well back to invitation.

I also side-tracked again and helped my cousin-in-law with her start-up company. I got to help with naming it and the logo. When I finish, I will post the logo on here. Her company will be a consignment fine furniture and home decor store. I named it "Then & Again" and it stuck.

If you know my family at all, we can have one conversation and start a company. Whitney started hers last week. Colby and I formed ours a month ago. We come from a long line of entrepreneurs. One of my favorite family business ventures was my parents' disco club. Yes, you read correctly - a DISCO, a discotheque to be more accurate. It was called the "Nite Lite" and I can only imagine the decor it was rocking back then. My aunt and uncle also started a Pretzel store in the mall on a whim too. Since then, we have had lighting and furniture stores/companies, electronic and appliance stores, corrugated packaging company, mattress store, restaurants, jewelry stores, construction companies, real estate, etc. One thing can be said about my family, if there is a dollar to be made we don't waste time or ideas.

I can trace this back to my childhood. I had the rite of passage Lemonade stand. Who didn't? However, did you recycle your cups to increase your profits? Did you market your stand on two of the busiest corners of the neighborhood? Did you offer a free cookie to the consumer who spent $2 on a 8 oz cup of watered-down lemonade? I can honestly say I did all of these and took my money all the way to the piggy bank. I love business, in any format. During my childhood, I had a Friendship Bracelet business that home-delivered (that was the key!) Way before Slater, Jessie, and Kelly had Buddy Bands (see below if you lived under a rock in the 90's), I had franchised a Ramblewood neighborhood empire of selling various bracelet styles to all of the kids and indirectly to their parents. I deployed my siblings and their friends on bikes to deliver these precious gems. They had walkie-talkies to ensure prompt delivery and customer service. The key was to get kids to do all of the work. By all accounts they were ADHD, so in order to get them to help me with my deliveries one had to make it into a game. I called it the CHiPs Game. So, in essence, Colby was one of my Erik Estrada delivery boys. Everyone wins!

Well, I guess I will design the family invitation tomorrow or maybe...