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So I've been surfing around here and seeing these things about SU Meetings? I was wondering how you get involved in one? I'd really love to have a few people to bounce ideas off or just someone to stamp with.
Also, being a SU Demonstrator, for those of you who have done it, do you think it was worth it? And what is your monthly income from it if you don't mind sharing. I really want to help take over some of my college costs, money is getting tight around the house, and I'd love to be able to help out doing something I love.
Thanks!
__________________ �Genius is essentially creative; it bears the stamp of the individual who possesses it.� ~Madame de Stael
Hi! SU is a great opportunity because of the flexibility it offers. I don't have a downline (sometimes called DL), so I don't hold meetings. However, my upline (sometimes called UL) does hold monthly meetings. These are specifically for her DL members, but they are open to guests who would like to attend. There are make and takes as well as some business information presented. You might see if your demonstrator offers the same type of meetings (not all do) that you can attend.
I am a demo. I don't "work the business" like others do. I make very little (mostly because I eat up my instant income in goodies for myself!). Some months I don't make anything (or "lose" money since I'm my best customer). Other months I break even. This month I will place a minimal order, but I have sales pending at $450 right now. That will qualify me for my II (instant income) as well as a 4% volume rebate (sometimes called VR - payable by direct deposit in April). I know demos in my area who have sales exceeding $40,000 per year. That's a nice chunk of change when you figure II, VR, and downline earnings (you get a percentage of your downlines' sales, but I don't know offhand what it is since I don't have one). (Keep in mind that they work the business end a lot more than I do. I have a full time job and an in grad school full time as well.)
There is a minimum with SU, $300 per quarter. So you will need to keep that in mind in order to maintain your active participation. Other than that minimum, SU allows you to determine how to run your business (or hobby). There is a lot of support and encouragement, but there are no high-pressure tactics. Because it is against the IDA (independent demonstrator agreement) to hold inventory to sell, you don't have to consider a large initial investment of merchandise and many blooming business women (and men) start with what they have and slowly add supplies as their business grows and can afford it.
I hope I've answered your questions. Please feel free to PM me if I'm confusing or you have more questions.
you can also come over to the "get it together" thread. find one in your area.
we meet demos/non demos all over.
if by chance there isn't a current thread in your area start one.
i'm a demo of 1-me
if you become a demo. my best advise is to hold your workshops/classes during the 1st month of each quarter. this way you have more time to meet your minimums each quarter.
Thanks for the help ladies! I do have a quick question though, so if you don't meet the minimum of $300 every four months, what happens besides going inactive? Do you have to start all over to go active again or do you become active again once you hit $300 a quarter? I'm just worried that with school and everything that some quarters I won't be able to hit $300, and what the possible repercussions would be, I don't really have $1200 a year to spend on myself to make sure I stay active, though I really wish I did! Thanks again!
__________________ �Genius is essentially creative; it bears the stamp of the individual who possesses it.� ~Madame de Stael
Hi there!
If you don't make your minimum one quarter you have an extra quarter to make up the difference plus $100. That $100 DOES count toward the quarter you're in though, so it's not that you have to sell an extra $100. Is that clear as mud? LOL
It's a great opportunity, though if you don't plan to purchase your minimums yourself you'll need to make time to network, hold workshops, etc. - however you plan to make your sales. This doesn't take much time though (esp. if you already have crafty friends!) I personally work full-time, write articles freelance, have a family, and still run my business. I figure that I'm going to be stamping and scrapbooking anyway - it's not much more to demo those ideas or put them on the blog, etc.
Hi there! If you don't make your minimum one quarter you have an extra quarter to make up the difference plus $100. That $100 DOES count toward the quarter you're in though, so it's not that you have to sell an extra $100. Is that clear as mud? LOL
It's a great opportunity, though if you don't plan to purchase your minimums yourself you'll need to make time to network, hold workshops, etc. - however you plan to make your sales. This doesn't take much time though (esp. if you already have crafty friends!) I personally work full-time, write articles freelance, have a family, and still run my business. I figure that I'm going to be stamping and scrapbooking anyway - it's not much more to demo those ideas or put them on the blog, etc.
If you have any questions, just send me a PM!
~T~
It's actually an extra MONTH not an extra QUARTER.
To actually be successful at earning money in SU, you have to keep a tight control on your spending. While it's tempting to buy everything, you likely won't make any money if you do. Also, if you do become a demo, you can join the demo forums here, where they can offer you some valuable business ideas.
__________________ I'm a natural blonde. God just dyed my hair brown. -me My Blog
Thanks for the help ladies! I do have a quick question though, so if you don't meet the minimum of $300 every four months, what happens besides going inactive? Do you have to start all over to go active again or do you become active again once you hit $300 a quarter? I'm just worried that with school and everything that some quarters I won't be able to hit $300, and what the possible repercussions would be, I don't really have $1200 a year to spend on myself to make sure I stay active, though I really wish I did! Thanks again!
It sounds like you are really concerned about meeting the minimums and not being able to meet them on your own. With that in mind, I have just a couple of thoughts -
What is the economy like in your area? Will that economy support this business venture? In my area, many folks have been laid off, are unemployed or working much reduced hours so every extra penny goes to the basics, and little or nothing is going toward the extras.
Have you checked to see how many demos are in your area? Would you be the only demo in the area or would you be 1 of 20 in a 40 mile radius?
Also, if you only meet your minimums every quarter, have you considered that you will only make $60.00 per quarter and some of that you will reinvest into your business?
If you have friends and people around you that love to stamp and can and will help you get off the ground, this could be a fantastic opportunity for you. However, if you don't have stampers around, you may not be making money for a while.
If I understand your OP correctly, you are looking to make money doing something you love. If being a SU demo is not possible, have you considered teaching stamping classes at your local craft store as a way to earn extra money? I know my Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Pat Catans all have individuals who hold classes in both card making and scrap booking a couple of times a month.
I wish you the best of luck whatever you decide to do.
It sounds like you are really concerned about meeting the minimums and not being able to meet them on your own. With that in mind, I have just a couple of thoughts -
What is the economy like in your area? Will that economy support this business venture? In my area, many folks have been laid off, are unemployed or working much reduced hours so every extra penny goes to the basics, and little or nothing is going toward the extras.
Have you checked to see how many demos are in your area? Would you be the only demo in the area or would you be 1 of 20 in a 40 mile radius?
Also, if you only meet your minimums every quarter, have you considered that you will only make $60.00 per quarter and some of that you will reinvest into your business?
If you have friends and people around you that love to stamp and can and will help you get off the ground, this could be a fantastic opportunity for you. However, if you don't have stampers around, you may not be making money for a while.
If I understand your OP correctly, you are looking to make money doing something you love. If being a SU demo is not possible, have you considered teaching stamping classes at your local craft store as a way to earn extra money? I know my Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Pat Catans all have individuals who hold classes in both card making and scrap booking a couple of times a month.
I wish you the best of luck whatever you decide to do.
I just checked there are 10 with in a 5 mile radius, our area can support it, but I'm a little worried about the number. I think I'll wait until I can afford $1200 in losses (for the first year) to see what its like and if I can pull it off. Thanks for all the help!
__________________ �Genius is essentially creative; it bears the stamp of the individual who possesses it.� ~Madame de Stael
If it's something you really want to do, why not just sign up and see how it goes? I'm with a different company but I had your same questions when I signed up. I pretty much decided to just take it one quarter at a time, and if the time ever came that I couldn't make my minimum, I would decide then what I wanted to do (quit or buy myself a bunch of supplies). If they are running a special now, and it looks like a really good deal, and you can afford the kit, I say go for it.
Hi, there. Don't give up just yet! It's an awesome time to join with the sale-a-bration discount and bonus goodies.
I have a monthly stamping club that is super fun and they help me meet my minimums. Do I make a ton of money? No, because I use most of it buy stamps & supplies I can't live without!! Haha, but it's really a lot of fun and if you can get a group together or teach a couple of classes, it's pretty easy to meet your minimums and at least have your hobby paid for vs money coming out of your pocket.
I work full-time and travel a lot for it, plus am in grad school classes. I'm going to be stamping anyway though in my "free" time because I just love this hobby so much, so if I can have all of these goodies in exchange for my time & effort to organize some club events & classes, it's worth it to me.
Also, I should mention that if you decide to drop, there is no penalty. You don't get fined or in trouble or anything. So, don't let that part worry you... the worst that happens is you got a starter kit full of awesome supplies plus a huge free stamp set all at a good price.
I just checked there are 10 with in a 5 mile radius, our area can support it, but I'm a little worried about the number. I think I'll wait until I can afford $1200 in losses (for the first year) to see what its like and if I can pull it off. Thanks for all the help!
myself,my neighbor & her aunt are all within 2 miles of each other.
myself-i have nor go i want customers
my neighbor has 2 stamp clubs,meet mothly
1 scrapbook club,meets monthly
her aunt holds workshops in her home. but also travels. sometimes as far as 40 mins each way.
each pulls from different areas. different friends
I'm not a SU demo, but I am a consultant for another DS company. Just because there are quite a few demos in your area does not meant that you will be fighting for the same clients. I agree with the try and see idea. Honestly, I'm not super active. But, I seem to have a knack for just barely staying active. If you can get a club or 2 going monthly with at least 6 people in a club you should be golden.
Everyone has given you great ideas. Your success is dependent of how much of your time you want to invest. The more you do, the more chance of success. There are plenty of us out here who are willing to answer your questions and give you ideas that have or have not worked for us. Great sounding board at SCS.
Good luck in what ever your decision is.
__________________ BLOG RedHatStamper.net WI CURDS
I signed up so that it could pay for my hobby, and it does. I have a class and club each month and a couple of workshops here and there, I earn a couple hundred dollars every month some months more.
Basically everything I spend goes straight back into buying more supplies, and not strictly SU only.
Even if you have a lot of demos in the area you can still find your own customers. I set up tables at craft shows and flea markets with a class sign up sheet. In less than a year I have a full class every month and a club going.
The best part for me is that I earned my stamping money doing something that I love and no longer have to use our household budget.
There are lots of ways to try to meet your quota while you are building your customer base. You can hold in home workshops, and do card classes. Also doing a ribbon share or a monthly buying club is also a great way to help meet your quota. Plus you have nothing to loose. If you sign up now and get the starter kit at the 15% off you will be getting a great deal! You get to keep everything in the starter kit, even if you don't make your first quota. It is over $300 worth of product.
SU --- I have a question
