OSEB

So it's been a while since I've written anything really susbstantial, but I do have an excuse! You may remember back in April I was applying for the Ontario Self-Employment Benefits Program, which is a government funded program to help people become self employed, through financial assistance and business training.

Good news! I was accepted and it's been a crazy couple of weeks. I actually missed the whole first week of seminars (I was having a grand ole time in Niagara Falls with my family - a related post to follow shortly!) so I've been catching up on them in addition to the regularly scheduled courses this past week. After being home with my daughter for the last 16.5 months, being in class all day is a bit of an adjustment!

The courses are great - marketing, taxation, business plan, time management, financial templates, etc. to name a few. While the material is a little dry in some cases, the information is invaluable for a new entrepreneur! What a great opportunity!

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know where I've been hiding the last few weeks, and I'll try to update more regularly!

Thanks for your patience!

We Now Resume Our Regularly Scheduled Programming...

Hi Everyone!

Well, I'm back from two weeks of stress, hard work and not enough sleep. My application to the OSEB (Ontario Self Employment Benefits) program is complete. The program is basically in place to help people who have been on EI (in my case, Mat leave with my DD) to start their own business with funding and business coaching.

I had to write a mini business plan, complete with financial projections (blech), a marketing plan, etc. all within a week, which is why I was not writing anything here. Then I had to present my business with prototypes during a half hour interview. Nerve-wracking! Not really sure how it went, but fingers crossed!

So here's the idea - instead of just being a regular interior decorating service, I'd like to become more of a consultancy - in that after a detailed interview with a client (either in person or over the internet), I would do all the sourcing (paints, fabrics, yardages needed, furniture, etc.), draw a floor plan and create a board. I would then mail the package to the client so that they could implement the design as their budget and timeframe allows, but have a completed plan to refer to. That way they're not struggling with purchases, not know whether they will fit or match existing pieces and are also not committed to completing a whole room or house all at once.

Since I didn't actually have a client to work with (and very limited time to complete my "package"for the interview) I used my own bedroom and redesigned it for the most part the way I would like it (though I've already changed my mind...it's hard designing for myself!).

Here's the board and display I created for the interview:

A close up of the board:

A close up of the bed perspective:

A close up of the floor plan (done in my DS's Crayola markers and pencil crayons - my Pantone markers are still missing...grrr):

A close up of the drapery fabric - LOVE IT!