Rise Up Designs

​ It may still be hot outside, but if you’re a small business owner, somewhere in your brain it is already November. At least that’s how it feels for me. The holidays may seem far away, but this is the time I start thinking about them. Not because I want to rush the season. Not because I’m ready for Christmas music in August. But because holiday prep takes time. I’m already thinking about what products make good gifts. What can be bundled together. What inventory I need to reorder. What packaging I want to use. What signage needs to be updated. What markets I want to participate in. What sold well last year. And maybe just as important…what I do not want to repeat. That part matters. Every season teaches you something. There are products you thought would fly off the table that barely moved. There are things you almost didn’t make that customers loved. There are packaging ideas that looked cute but took way too much time. There are products that were great individual...

My very first big pop-up is almost here— October 4th —and I’m feeling  all the feelings . Excited? Absolutely. Nervous? You bet. Getting ready for something like this takes a lot of work: the hours spent creating, labeling, pricing, and planning. The mock setups in the backyard to figure out my booth layout. The bundles I’ve been building for the holiday season. Every detail matters—and when you’re a small business owner, it’s all on you. And with all that effort, it’s only natural to feel a little anxiety about the outcome. Will people show up? Will they love what I’ve created? Will all the prep be worth it? Here’s the truth I keep reminding myself:  I can only control what I can control.  The rest? That’s where I put my faith, my trust, and my positive energy into the universe. 💖 I see all the hard work that the other makers and vendors put into their businesses, too. It’s inspiring, and it reminds me that we’re all in this together—hoping for good things, showing up w...