Saturday, December 16, 2006

Champagne & Mingle Event


Now things are taking shape, we have settled in our new home and the hitting works perfectly fine, after the 4th call out of the boiler engineers, which happened to only work just before the engineers came in and packed up whilst they were a million miles away. This happened 3 times.

We organised our very first ever WuChi Open Day Champagne & Mingle Event. This idea for us is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our products, have people come round, test the products, try the products, take samples, and most of all, buy the products and at the same time mingle with a glass of champagne and some chocolates.

Bearing in the mind we only thought about organising the event 3 weeks before and made sure Arsenal wasn’t playing on the day, we were good to go. We wanted so many things done in a short space of time, which we were aware was not possible at the time but, we gave it our all. Shin feel down at the zebra crossing whilst carrying glass shelves to the glass cutters to cut to sooth the dimension of the chimney breast for our product display for the open day, thanks to the traffic warden who came to his rescue and was actually sympathetic (he must come round for a cup of tea).

Anyway only to get to glass cutters and told we had the wrong glass after loosing one to the fall, now what! Well not good news, we want the products displayed in the living room so, he set out back to return the shelves and get suitable ones how? By train, ouch! He made it though. And we had the products displayed as we wanted. See photo.




Loads of other things happened i.e.

Like the credit card machine not turning up when it was supposed to. We still managed to take credit card payments using the vouchers included in the pack. The credit card handheld machine was delivered today. Too late to turn back, sale or no sale we have to pay the monthly rental and processing fee, this is when you say, “I think I made that decision under pressure”, so help me God.

Finding out the last minute from the carrier bag company that they ran out of bags a week after I placed my order (fantastic customer service we would say) taking my order was a problem as I was begging for them to take it I actually called them 2 many times, the new staff couldn’t use the system very well and I waited 30mins plus only to be told that someone will get back to me. Anyway it didn’t work out, I moved my order else where.

And lots

The event wouldn’t have been a complete success without the help of everyone involved we were such a team and everyone helped to make it a successful event from friends who attended to new friend who turned up to those who mingled and met a mingler we are happy it was all success.

ONE BIG BLOW: Noticed today, THAT THE LABELS RUN? Wrote this quick email to our graphic designer who lives in Canada, Don’t ask me why Canada, yes we love British designers, but you need to hear the story, she’s good and creative but, yes Britain, yeah but, no but, at the time as newbie’s this is what we know, and still believe, recommend me otherwise but be ready for my portfolio of cases.

Hi Vanessa,

How are you today? Hope the next issue of the magazine is going well. I posted your cheque payment yesterday, expect it ASAP. I included an example complimentary slip for you to see.

Existing products labels: just realised

All our existing printed labels of all our products run. They are not waterproof, once water splashes on any of the product labels, it runs like water colour or becomes marked and run, we have them displayed in our bathroom and they really run. Bearing in mind that products are displayed in bathrooms, people take baths and showers and theirs bound to be splashes of water hear and there or possibly humidity, this is definitely not good news am heart broken and embarrassed as we have them sitting in peoples bathrooms.

Any suggestions/ idea on what to do to minimise damage and save us from this existing dilemma and shame

The champagne & Mingle event went well, quite a few people turned up, and everyone who came bought something or the other and left with a bag of WuChi products (samples, testers & Leaflets. Most of all they love WuChi products and had nice things to say. All in all it was a successful event not a bad start for our first event.

We will be holding the next event in February, in time for Valentine, planning will start early for this unlike this one which was planned 3 weeks or so before, in a mad rush.( Shin said not to add this bit as we are defiantly

We are proposing that our two sided business cards, both green & grey say Natural Skincare after WuChi by maks ltd on so that when we hand out our cards people automatically know what WuChi is all about( a Natural Skincare company).any suggestions?

We got a few days off and will be using this to sort out our brochure photos and the rest of our outstanding new product labels and write up. Our aim is for WuChi products to be stocked and sold through retail outlets (apart from our website and mail order catalogue) and we want to present our selves properly. We have approached and spoken to quite a handful and would need to follow it up with everything complete i.e., introduction letter which am working on, brochure thanks to us, not ready, price list, leaflets and a box full of samples.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Its been five days since my website went live, yet no one is ordered. Ok they say "just as you read in books that it takes a while before people start to order from your site or begin to get to terms with new products that are on offer, I must confess that am really anxious. The website statistics shows mostly my IP address. Ok may be a few friends but!

There is still a lot of work to be done, but I honestly decided to lunch the site and the company with 35 products, with the rest of the ranges coming soon, to be added latter even though I have created 64 products. I don't want to take on too much at a time. It would be to much to do at the same time.
due to reasons such as

1. We are moving home in approximately a weeks time. Builders have been in there for the past three month, I wish it all went as planned we could have moved in sooner and got settled in preparation for everyying else.

2. I resume uni on Monday (Final year mother of 2, mature student's Hons Business law & Marketing) . How time flies, unbelievable that I have been on holiday since June, I spent it in front of the computer working to get my company running and website go live, and am ending it in front of a computer working, But with my site live and no bucks, but with loads of achievement and focused thought to the beginning of better things to come.

3. My son is back to nusery on Monday since I caged him at home with me, he was allowed to only play in the garden, watch telly, play in our local park after we pick his sister from school for 5 min which last like 30 after I remember how am depriving the children of play and spending my time working and working and working, am I a workaholic?
Sometimes, i belive this is part what you must do if you want to see things happen you have to make sacrifices only that I make sure its balanced.

4. My daughter starts a new after school club on monday, she has to be picked up by 6pm, ok people am alive and i will be stocking up on ginseng for energy

what will be the point running round like a hampster to pick two children from different places everyday, before finally settling down to make dinner for the family. Is this what everyone else does or? well i will be back running round like a h

Finally website gone live

Its been five days since my website went live, yet no one is ordered. Ok they say "just as you read in books that it takes a while before people start to order from your site or begin to get to terms with new products that are on offer, I must confess that am really anxious. The website statistics shows mostly my IP address. Ok may be a few friends but!

There is still a lot of work to be done, but I honestly decided to lunch the site and the company with 35 products, with the rest of the ranges coming soon, to be added latter even though I have created 64 products. I don't want to take on too much at a time. It would be to much to do at the same time.
due to reasons such as

1. We are moving home in approximately a weeks time. Builders have been in there for the past three month, I wish it all went as planned we could have moved in sooner and got settled in preparation for everyying else.

2. I resume uni on Monday (Final year mother of 2, mature student's Hons Business law & Marketing) . How time flies, unbelievable that I have been on holiday since June, I spent it in front of the computer working to get my company running and website go live, and am ending it in front of a computer working, But with my site live and no bucks, but with loads of achievement and focused thought to the beginning of better things to come.

3. My son is back to nusery on Monday since I caged him at home with me, he was allowed to only play in the garden, watch telly, play in our local park after we pick his sister from school for 5 min which last like 30 after I remember how am depriving the children of play and spending my time working and working and working, am I a workaholic?
Sometimes, I believe this is part what you must do if you want to see things happen you have to make sacrifices only that I make sure its balanced.

4. My daughter starts a new after school club on Monday, she has to be picked up by 6pm, ok people am alive and i will be stocking up on ginseng for energy

what will be the point running round like a hamster to pick two children from different places everyday, before finally settling down to make dinner for the family. Is this what everyone else does or? well I will be back running round like a hamster as usual picking 2 children from 2 different places before finally settling down to make dinner and resume to the front of the computer to work.

Family, work , School life Balance we will be just fine as always

Monday, May 22, 2006

The beginning

This is the most challenging thing I ever done for now, apart from getting married  and having children.

Ok! I hear you say, yeah right another one of those start up stories, the same thing I say after reading another inspirational start up book and "how they made it" yet I still have Richard Branson's book (Losing my virginity on the shelf) which I haven't  finished reading .

However, there are quiet a few books that I read and enjoyed very much;
  • when I read Goodbye jimmy choo by Ann Sanders recommended by Tina in an Italian restaurant on Green lanes London. I loved every part and almost felt I was in the village with them setting up their skincare company
  • Then I read White ladder diaries by Ros Jay I was so inspired  and was on the internet straight away checking out her website and web designers.
Then other books followed like "Anyone can do it" by Sahar and Bobby Hashemi
i was out looking to buy coffee in the nearest coffe republic shop except that i could't find any, don't blame me i only just moved here.
and other books and other books followed. But one thing I felt whilst reading the coffee republic story was, i felt they were playing safe with words and especially the availability of finance.
no one seems to tell the real story of how hard it really is setting up a business and how realistic projections seem to become unrealistic.

The good and bad days, physically, emotionally, shouting match days, PMS days (blessed are those who are absolutely normal) and all the "who sent me days" and " why am i even doing this" days.
prepare yourself for the real start-up story that will change your life and inspire you to empower yourself regardless of what dreams you dare.

Welcome to WuChi by Maks

Welcome to WuChi by Maks!

The luxury skincare company blog where all our products are handmade with you in mind.
We make gorgeous indulgent products with quality natural and organic ingredients sourced fairly and ethically by us.

Meaning, we know exactly what is in every product and can tell you what's in it and why it is good for you; and that's not all, we are so passionate about our products this is why they are handmade in small batches to ensure they are kept as fresh as possible to enhance the benefits you get from using them.

Even better our products are cruelty free, no parabens or any harmful nasties or surprises.

We use them on our selves, our children, our family and friends, and we want to share them with you.