Apple Festival Day 1

As usually this show is just plain uneventful. You go, you set up, you sell, and you go home. The foot traffic is primarily because of the busses of tourists that come in. This means that in the morning, you get locals who come before it gets busy, and in the afternoon you get the bus riders who didn't want to carry stuff around all day and buy just before they get on the bus to go home. It is great for me; my stuff is small and light. But I think people with larger items have trouble selling their stuff, because people can't put it on their lap, and have trouble fitting it in the bottom of the bus, or worry about it breaking, etc.

The bad thing is that for the past few years, sales are slowly declining. This year looks like it will turn out to be about the same as last year, but its still not as good as it was 3-4 years ago. I have to remember though, with so many other shows being down in sales, and hearing from some many other vendors that their sales are down, staying even is really just like going up. It's just hard to think that way sometimes.

C and I were discussing yesterday how the typical person reaches his/her earning prime in their late 40's to early 50's. That really gives me at least 10 more years before I reach my prime. Just with a small amount of growth each year, that puts me in a pretty good position in 10 years, and the last 3 years I've been doubling sales, so I think I'll be Ok in 10 years. It's just hard to think that far ahead. Heck my 5-year plan seems so far away…

I would think that many small businesses have the same problem. I want to grow and I want to grow, NOW, but I don't want to take out a huge loan to do it. I could, but then I'd be working for someone else, the bank. And I want to work for me, I want to be able to walk away if I want to or need to, without going bankrupt in the process. So instead, I grow slow, I save up, I plan, and I go stir crazy, watching others pass me by. I hate to say it, and then I watch some of them (not all) crash and burn, and then fall away, picking up the pieces. At least I know I won't be that falling star…