3 Quarters Today

My Life, my photography, my passions

You are here: Home / Home

Starting a Small Business in the Second Half of Life

by

If you have visited my blog before you may have wondered where I’ve been the past three years. In summary, the second half of life began in a way I did NOT expect. I moved back into my rental house, renovated and remodeled to reflect MY colors and MY Style, (more on that later) and unexpectedly started an accidental business.

I Didn’t Set Out to Start a Small Business

In the fall of 2020, my home dynamics changed. I was single again in my mid-50s. But a simple quart of homemade Chai concentrate changed everything. Tea n’ More, a home small business was born.

Oh, a particularly bad day, I needed a hug in a mug. A friend sent me a gift certificate for a Dunkin Donuts Chai latte. I drove up to the drive-thru expecting a warm smooth chai, it was so bad I handed it back. Which I never do. But I still needed a hug-in-a-mug.

Make Homemade Chai = tea lattes for the win!

I went searching for a homemade chai tea recipe. Yeah, I know, Chai means “tea” so saying Chai tea is saying tea tea. I found a few chai recipes, tested them, did some modifications, and eventually came out with my own unique My Chai concentrate and the journey in starting a small business began.

Who would know that chai would be the beginning of starting a small business with

If I had to Give Advice on Starting a Small Business

I’m not an expert in small business development, but I did learn a lot when I worked at Oxbow Animal Health during their start-up phase between 2008 and 2010. So I did learn a few things.

My advice on starting a small business are the following.

  • Listen to your customers
  • Find a product they need and want.
  • Be prepared to shift directions
  • Listen to your customers
    • Yes, I said it again, this is product research
  • Don’t go into debt
  • Be patient. Slow and steady wins the race.
  • Research various suppliers to find the best price
  • Don’t underprice your products
  • Remember, listen to your customers
    • Again, a third time. This is market research.
  • Ask questions, and LISTEN to your customers.

Listening to your customers is one of the most important pieces of advice I can give you when starting a small business. This is the number one business tip that helped me grow over the past three years. For example, my customers asked the following.

  • Are you going to add iced teas during the spring and summer?
    • In my head I said to myself “I don’t like ice tea”. But I found myself saying, “SURE”
  • Is there a Chai Kit I can buy to make your concentrate
    • You see for the first 6 months, I just sold the liquid concentrate locally
  • Can you offer single bags for hot tea?
    • I had created some samples, but needed a better method of packaging.
  • It would be nice to have sample packs. Is there any way you make them?
    • My single tea bag samples then served a double-function for customer samples and tea party
  • Do you have a website? You know you need one right?

How to Support Small Businesses

    Supporting a small business is easy and it doesn’t have to be momentarily. You can visit their website

    • Visit their website: gives link juice and Google authority and potentially more traffic
    • Engage on all their social media platforms: It’s not as easy as when I first started in the 1990s
    • Comment and Share Facebook Posts: it’s so hard to get views now
    • Engage on Instagram Account: we all know algorithms are dependent on likes, comments and shares
    • Leave a review on Google: Even better, post a photo! Again Google search authority
    • Talk to your friends the old-fashioned way
    • Encourage your friend with the small business: You have NO IDEA how much this means

    Marine Corps Birthday and Veterans Day

    by

    Marine Mom Annual Letter

    This Marine Mom has written several previous letters to the Marine Corps. It’s been a couple of years since I wrote my last letter. But this year I felt compelled to write again.

    It’s late at night this year and I’m reviewing the past couple of years. Two of my Marines are veterans. My third, a son from another Mother, is finishing up his last tour after two enlistments.

    The years 2020 and 2021 have seen a lot of changes and challenges. Everyone has had their challenges and obstacles to overcome. I do have to say that my boys have gained the skills from the USMC to not only deal with the challenges but come out the other side better men.

    Dear Marine Corps,

    Thank you Marine Corps for teaching my Marines, patience, flexibility, motivation, and endurance through trials and life.

    Thank you for teaching them patience. They learned patience in many ways. Patience was needed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The lockdowns, masks, and shutdown of a career that was just getting started required not only patience but flexibility.

    Patience, from the “hurry up and wait” mantra of the Marine Corps taught them to endure this past 18 months. The inability to attend college classes, and not being able to go to the gym on base.

    A Marine stand in front of the Eagle, Globe and Anchor at MCRD San Diego.

    The constant need to adapt to the needs of the Marine Corps gave them all the flexibility to change, adapt, and create new daily goals to stay motivated and help others do the same.

    Motivate!

    Yes, thank you for this phrase. I hear often from my oldest Marine veteran. It was not only a challenge to stay motivated during the lockdown, but to keep his colleagues motivated during the lockdown and work shutdown.

    A US Marine who served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom 2012

    He not only endured but thrived and took the lessons he learned from the United States Marine Corps, and experience in Airwing supply logistics and applied them organizing crews unloading semi-trucks for stadium tours and Broadway shows.

    Lastly thank you for the endurance given to a specific deployed Afghanistan Marine this year. I am sure he saw more than he probably wanted to see, and will never look at freedom and home the same after the end of August.

    Honoring our Armed Forces on the Marine Corps birthday and Veterans Day.

    I haven’t had a chance to give him a hug yet and tell him how proud I am of him. He doesn’t think I thought of him often, but I did. He has grown so much during these since I first met him at age 10 and now he has the eyes of experience. Thank you for bringing him home safe and sound.

    Thank you again,

    A Thankful Marine Mom

    Marine Corps Birthday

    So on this unofficial holiday of the Marine Corps birthday, I want to remember how the Marines have helped make men out of boys.

    Local Farmers Market Booth Ideas

    by

    Successful Farmer Market Ideas

    I am so looking forward to my farmers market booth this year. In 2017 our small town started a Farmers Market. Elmwood, Nebraska is a small town of fewer than 800 people but has a supportive community.

    Learn about successful farmer market ideas that will help sell more vegetables and products.
    400

    The first year I was often the only booth set up. I sold muffins and jalapeno jelly. Sometimes four or five other people selling vegetables, baked goods, cookies also set up.

    However, in 2020 the Covid pandemic changed everything. People wanted to shop local, shop small, and support local small businesses. The number of our vendors doubled, the attendance doubled.

    Farmers Market Booth Ideas

    Local farmers’ markets in 2020 thrived. Many first-time vendors set up tables. Cute farmers’ market booth ideas and tips were traded as people helped each other.

    Each week more than twelve vendors set up. This year we are expecting the coffee truck to return, bakers, and I will be revealing my new business, Tea & More. We are expecting at least a dozen vendors each week.

    Farmers Market Display Ideas

    Paying via Venmo became very popular last year. So this year I’m going to make it really easy for my customers to scan my Venmo QR code to pay for their orders.

    Create your own Pay Here sign HERE

    This year I will also have business cards at my booth. This way they can order my products during the rest of the week.

    The business card template below also gives space on the back to list the other farm market the customers can find you during the week.

    Farmers Market Sign Ideas

    This year I decided to create custom yard signs pointing people to our farmers’ market booths. I designed these templates so other towns can easily create their own signs.

    Farmers market signs are important. These direct customers not only to the location of the market but continually remind people about the event each week.

    Farm market signs are posted at the gas station that remind people during the week about the weekly farmers market. On the morning of the community farmers, market arrow signs are posted pointing the way to the park.

    Market Tote Bag Options

    Learn about successful farmer market ideas that will help sell more vegetables and products.

    This year we will be offering customers reusable market bags. Already people are excited about the new vendors and products. If you would like to offer these custom totes in your farmers’ market booth then head over to my Zazzle store.

    If your town is thinking about starting a Farmers Market I would highly encourage it. It brings people together, it is a social event every week. It encourages people to become entrepreneurs and start their own businesses.

    Learn about successful farmer market ideas that will help sell more vegetables and products.

    If you have additional ideas for promoting a farmers’ market please comment below and share them with others.

    High School Graduation Party Ideas

    by

    High School Graduation Party Ideas

    If you are looking for high school graduation party ideas then look no further. I threw four graduation parties for my kids and probably have attended a hundred local high school celebrations.

    You can make your seniors’ party unique and special by personalizing high school celebrations.

    Photo Graduation Invitations

    The best way to make your high school graduation special is to send your guests photo graduation invitations. This is a great way to use your senior photos.

    Order graduation invitations at least two months in advance of the graduation date. This will allow you to address the invitations and get them in the mail. Mark this special time with a formal graduation invitation or announcement.

    Graduation Invitations for Boys

    Boys usually don’t like all the attention at their graduation party, so take is a little more low key.

    Don’t forget the party favors, candy and outdoor decorations. Think outside the box. Speaking of box, check out these graduation favor boxes. You can even create customized boxes from my Zazzle store with your high school name and graduation year.

    Graduation Thank You Cards

    Seniors will be getting gift cards, cash and other gifts. So don’t forget the personalized graduation thank you cards. to send your guests after your party.

    Personalized Graduation Banners

    Take the budget you would spend and create an amazing small graduation party. Pull out all the stops and go ALL out with graduation yard flags, large personalized graduation banners and extra special gift bags.

    Ideas for a High School Graduation Party

    High school graduation party ideas can be very creative. Graduation favor bags can be filled with candy and even a gift card to their favorite restaurant. Parent-teacher associations can create fundraisers to provide each student with a graduation Amazon gift card.

    Graduation Personalized Banner

    Hang a graduation banner on your fence or garage door for everyone to see that drives by

    You can even personalize banners with senior photos, names, and school name. Find more graduation banners and signs in this collection.

    HIgh school seniors have worked hard for four years and deserve to be recognized. Make this a graduation season, not a day, or even a senior week. But, a senior summer!

    High School Graduation Signs

    Post high school graduation signs in your yard for the whole month. Afterward hang them on your fence, patio, or deck.

    Give each student an opportunity to custom order by creating an online order form at school. Encourage all the students to bring their graduation banners to the ceremony. Then post them on the fences and the front lawn of the high school.

    High School Graduation Gifts

    Graduation gifts are being equally creative. It may not feel like it now, but seniors will want to remember this year. They made history whether they want to admit it or not.

    Frame this Then & Now print in a frame and give as a graduation gift to a Mom, Dad or Grandparent who has watched their child or grandchild grow up and mature into a young lady or young man.

    This gift pack of a scented candle, caramels, and a cute little succulent plant is a perfect graduation gift for a girl going off to college. She can create a little piece of serenity in her college dorm room as she remembers her friends.

    High school graduation party ideas and gifts for girls and boys. #graduation #graduationparty

    How I Became a Face Mask Designer

    by

    How did being furloughed during the Coronavirus epidemic made me a face mask designer?

    Well, the world has changed. The Covid-19 crisis has turned our lives upside down. People seem to be hiding behind cloth face masks, avoiding people by keeping a 6-foot distance, and staying at home.

    Reusable Cloth Face Masks

    Many have lost their jobs, including myself. This reminds me of 2009 during the H1N1 or Swine Flu epidemic. I lost my job then also. I was an executive for a swine equipment company and pork sales plummeted, swine producers went bankrupt. At that time Smithfoods couldn’t even give away hams because people were afraid of eating pork. (now they have even different problems)

    But I am an eternal optimist. Some call me obnoxiously optimistic. When one door closes another opens. I feel incredibly blessed right now.

    In 2010 I started taking my photography and graphic design more seriously. I opened online stores on various platforms including Zazzle, FineArt America, and even Amazon.

    I have a strong faith in God and the scripture verse from Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.”

    Social distancing is now the norm for now. Wearing a cloth face mask doesn't have to be boring. Add some personality to your face with a custom designed face mask cover.

    Reusable Cloth Face Mask Designer

    The same week I was furloughed due to Coronavirus Zazzle offered reusable cloth face masks to their designers. I was accepted into their Promoter Progam the next day.

    One of my companies, Zazzle, started manufacturing blank masks in California when the Washington State coronavirus cluster broke.

    This has been a blessing and I spent almost every hour that week creating designer face masks. How this works is I create the graphic design and then send it to the printing company who then prints and ships the masks directly to the customer.

    I first started with dog-themed face masks for my “Boxer Dog Life” Facebook Community.

    Then I started taking special face masks requests.

    The traditional face mask suppliers were out of stock. People were asking how to make COVID-19 mask at home. People were in search of the best cloth mask pattern. Quilting groups could no way make enough for the nationwide demand.

    Coronavirus Face Mask Design

    You can now buy face masks online on my Zazzle store. I started with dog-themed face masks for my Boxer Dog Life community. I then started taking requests for customized

    Social Distancing Face Mask

    Social distancing has become the norm during the Coronavirus epidemic. Some states are now requiring everyone to wear a mask in public to lower the curve.

    Cloth Face Mask Cover

    Not all face masks are created equal. Zazzle is offering a two-layer polyester washable face mask with a microfiber backing and an insert pocket to place a carbon filter insert for even more protection.

    Now you can find first responder cloth face masks for police officers, firefighters, EMTS, EMS rescue, and even correctional officers. These help extend the life of PPE equiment. Honor the people who wawlk the thin blue line, thin red line and thin grey line.

    Since I started I have earned enough to cover the wage gap in being furloughed. I don’t know how long this will last, but until now I will keep adding new products and personalized gifts on Zazzle.

    Check out all my custom products and if you need anything send me a chat on my Zazzle store.