2025 Business Plan
I’m not going to lie. What I’m about to do kind of scares me. It leaves me vulnerable and open to more then just myself and the few people I choose to share this with. It leaves me bare for all of you. But,at the same time, I’m proud of what I’ve done here. And, I don’t think that it’s a bad thing to allow those who want access to it the opportunity to read through it themselves.
Every year, as an online centered business, December is a very slow month for us. That’s why I decided that, instead of waiting around, watching my inbox for adoptions that wouldn’t come (especially in the later part of the month when shipped items will not make it before the holidays), I decided to do something meaningful and productive with that time. While this practice is good for business, I do it for me. I do it to allow myself to take a look at what the last year has looked like, our successes and our failures and plan ways to be better in the upcoming year. I allow myself to be honest with myself and address my weaknesses, because I do, in fact have a number of them. And then, I look forward and think about all the ways this new knowledge can be used for what’s next. I plan out sales and events. I schedule vacation time for me. I push aside all of the guilt and the rejection sensitivity and allow myself to dream again. And, with that energy, I move forward.
In years past, I’ve shown a few people my business plan and asked them to help keep me accountable. We talked about the awesome things included in my plan and the things I could work on even more. I’d make adjustments, discuss those with them and then run head first into the new year. And, every year, I found myself so proud of what I’m building here, so proud of what we already do and I sit there wishing that somehow, I could let you see all these amazing things without showing my weaknesses, becuase we never want to show the less than shiny side of our business. Well, this year, I’m throwing that out of the window. This year, I’m allowing anyone who wants to see what pushes me to do what I do or just wants an honest view of who we are to take a look at this. This is personal. This is my heart. When I started writing this, I had no intention of making it public. Then I thought that maybe I would post it. Then, I spent more time mentally debating if I actually should or not and wondering what kind of a business move that would be. Was it really in my best interest? And then, when I finished it, I decided that, like in many cases, sometimes you have to stop worrying about what’s “normal” and what they say is what’s best and you have to do what feels right and what is the move that truly moves you down the path you want to go down. And so, here it is. My 2025 business plan. Well, minus the super detailed budget and the monthly plans as those are liable to change.
2025 Business Plan
P.G’s storybook Emporium
Business Statement
We strive to share a love of stories and books with families and individuals while providing inclusive and meaningful stories to families and individuals and embracing diversity of race, ethnicities, religions, identities and communities with a variety of genres, creating a community in which to celebrate stories and experiences via a range of price points.
Goal Declaration
The year of 2025 will follow in the footsteps of 2024 in intention. While last year proved to be filled with more bumps and roadblocks than we had planned for, this year we will carry forward with our plans for 2024 and intentions while continuing to learn and grow from our experiences of the past. This is the first step in making 2025 a better year as we declare our intentions and goals for all wizards and patrons to live in their best way.
The year 2025 will be about improving business practices in a way that will benefit and strengthen ;the Emporium while focusing on self improvements to further enhance the results of our business practices. We will also continue to focus on basics and the vary beliefs and values that the Emporium was founded on. We intend to improve means of execution while displaying the very values and purposes the Emporium was founded on while embracing and implementing the knowledge, understanding and inspiration found through ourselves and the world around us in the past few years of operation.
To achieve our goals, we will continue to embrace where we are and what are reasonable expectations as a store as well as individuals, adjust mindset organization, planning and consistency and follow through in order to improve as a store that is as unique as the community it serve, the customers who shop and the people who run it. We will continue to focus inward, strengthening and improving what is already there, changing what does not work and strengthening and improving what is already set in place, strengthening our foundation into a strong, centered and supportive foundation we can be proud of.
Goal
Break even financially
Be purposeful
Continue to cultivate an inventory of love
Continue to create an accepting and inviting environment
Bring in community voices with volunteer work
Use what’s available to me
Provide a variety of price points
Be more educational and informative
BE CONSISTENT
Improve organization and planning
Provide personalized and good customer service
Reexamine, evaluate, unlearn and learn from the past, present and future projects and experiences
Trust my instincts
Don’t lead with fear
Work with my brain as opposed to against
Let it be personal-because it is
Be transparent
Get out of my own way
Create stability and live there comfortably before actively growing
Better infuse the podcast into the everyday workings of the store
Have fun
Make myself proud
Goal Details and Plans to achieve
Break Even- This is the longest standing goal on our business plan to date. We define “breaking even” as the act of making the same amount of profit (or more) then the amount of money going out to pay for bills and means of operation, leaving us with a balance of $0 at the end of each month. In order to achieve this, we need to make a minimum of $117 a month in profit to cover monthly bills such as website, pic monkey, supplies (including shipping), our ABA membership and increase inventory. In addition, selling fees charged by other platforms such as ebay will be rolled into the price of the item up for adoption to cover that cost.In order to reach this goal, it is estimated that we will need to fill 24 adoptions a month with a profit of $5 each to reach the goal of $117 for outgoing costs.
In order to achieve said goal, we will implement a number of strategies, many of which will be further discussed in other sections of this plan. Strategies will include:
Providing products and links for adoption on a number of platforms including:
Facebook
Instagram
Ebay
Biblio
Website
Blue Sky
Saturday Night In
newsletters
We will also use our resources as affiliates with such organizations as bookshop.org and Libro.fm to further provide adoption opportunities for our customers.
Provide product highlights, sharing our love and excitement over bookish and fun items
Share what we are reading
Write a minimum of 2 book reviews a month, including links and means of adoptions, always being honest about our thoughts
Make book recommendations via posts, blogs, conversation, pod cast episodes and on our website
Add at least 1 new item a week to our website
Continue to give high level customer service that makes us proud
Provide accurate and honest images of our inventory on our website with flaws and perfections visible for customers to see upon choosing their adoption.
Provide sales and deals to help clean out inventory to make room for new inventory at least once a year.
Improve consistency on social media and elsewhere (which is one of our biggest struggles)
Be Purposeful- The Emporium was built upon a set of values and dreams. The collection of those values and dreams are unique. In order to honor those ideas, I must act purposefully in everything that I do, every dollar we spend, every donation we take, every post that we post and every topic we cover in blogs, posts and Saturday Night In. By being purposeful and mindful, we can better succeed in our mission to continue to grow until, one day, we will no longer be a garden, but a farm! This means being loyal and purposeful to who supports us and who we strive to be, not who we think we should be.
To do this, I will ask myself a series of questions which include:
What am I attempting to achieve?
What value does this represent?
What goal does this reach?
Is this the best/most effective way available to succeed in achieving what we are aiming for?
Is it worth waiting for another/better option?
What has our past history taught us about choices like this?
How will I market this?
Does this make me proud of what I’m doing?
By asking and answering these questions, my actions will be less out of impulse and with a greater understanding, planning and purpose to carry out what we seek to achieve. This will also provide more space and attention for the items that are new, popular and that fit in with our standards and values while also leaving space for new inventory.
Reminder: It’s okay to say “no”. It’s okay to not do things that others do. Embrace who we are and our uniqueness. That’s where we will find who we are.
Continue to Cultivate an inventory of love- Our space is limited and we strive to sprinkle attention and love on as many items as we have available. It also requires that we use our available space purposefully to provide access to as many titles and items as we can. In order to do this, we must be purposeful o and selective while choosing which items we will have on our physical shelves and which we will only have on our digital shelves (through personal orders, bookshop.org and libro.fm). To achieve this, inventory will be chosen in accordance to the interest and recommendations of the wizards of the Emporium first and foremost. Inventory will not be filled due to a feeling of obligations or to fill a “niche” we think we should fill. Inventory will be filled with books and gift items we have personally read and used, want to or find value in even if it isn’t for us. It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality and we strive to build an inventory filled with gifts and books we see value and are in good condition. In accordance, we will be mindful of our values and reading habits as well as those of our customers in order to fill the store with items that support our values and beliefs and spread joy and positivity. If we find ourselves wishing to expand in an area we are not well versed in, we will reach out to others, especially those who are a part of said community for recommendations and information as well as actively work on expanding our personal reading material to become better informed.
Reminder: It is easier and much more fun to recommend and find homes for books, items and stories that you have experienced and enjoyed, then for those you feel like you should recommend without experience or affection for it.
Bring in other voices from the community- As a one woman show, sometimes I just need a little help. Also, there are so many other voices out there besides my own. My thoughts and opinions are not the only ones that matter! In an attempt of helping other voices be heard and take a little of the load off of me, I’ll invite others to write book reviews as well as other blog posts in their own voice to provide variety, other view points and thoughts and to provide more and enjoyable content. Guest writers will be involved in the process of choosing their topics and style of writing with me to be submitted on a volunteer status. Works will be reviewed and possibly adjusted to fit our format on our own reviews (aesthetically) and then published if we feel it is a good fit for our website and community. Guest writers may include podcast hosts (Mike), friends, family, or even customers that wish to try their hand or share their thoughts. We will strive to include 4 such posts in the year of 2025 as a trial program to launch now.
Note: Any piece promoting violence or hate in any form will not be eligible for publication on our website.
Use what is available to me- I am surrounded by a number of resources that will work with me and for me if I use them well. Most of these resources are free to use or have low costs. By using these resources I will be able to expand my reach, make more sales, create stronger and more active community and expand our options and reach. These resources include:
Make use of Fb groups with #selfpromotionalsaturday
Participate in FB groups for booksellers
Seek out social media pages for bookstores I like and respect
Pass out business cards/bookmarks while out and about
Use community social media groups more often
Share positive customer feedback
Send out newsletters and promotional emails
Post consistently on social media platforms such as:
Facebook
Instagram
Bluesky
Spotify
Create consistent podcast episodes
Post more about Saturday Night In
Offer sales and discounts
Utilize damaged books and items to create bookmarks, art, ect from them
Use bookshop.org and libro.fm and their links to discuss and recommend books we do not have on our shelves
ASK for help from those around me when needed. I may be a one woman show, but I’m still waiting on my cape that’s on backorder. I’m not Wonder Woman.
Save and reuse shipping materials when possible
Use technology already at hand for printing, designing, ect when possible, especially for trial runs.
Use ABA resources and files for education and posts
Provide a variety of price points- This is one of the most important goals for us. Reading should be accessible to everyone, not just those with a big budget! WHile we know that this is not entirely in our control we will do what we can by:
Price our previously loved items on the low end of the “reasonable” spectrum taking into account the time’s worth, condition and what we paid for the item to put it on our shelves.
Create crafts such as bookmarks from donated supplies.
Offer services like “pick up” and “delivery” for local readers to combat shipping costs.
Recycle what we can to pass the savings on to you.
Offer, recommend and provide items from previously loved to new, common to not so common, vintage to current and produced to hand crafted.
Reminder: Our goal is to help reading be more accessible to all and stay afloat, not lose money. We are still a business.
Be more educational and informative- We will use our resources (internet, books, people, experts, experience, ect) to share not just fun and product centered content, but also informative and current information as well. This may be in the form of podcast episodes, blog posts or social media posts .
BE MORE CONSISTENT- This might be the one that’s hardest for me to achieve. This is one of our biggest weaknesses! Without practicing consistency, we will not be able to move forward. Our community needs to know what to expect without being too predictable, thus boring. They also need to know who we are.
To achieve this, we will:
Schedule and plan time to prepare for promotions/events/ ect
Take time in December and January to plan for the upcoming year
Provide 2 reviews or more a month and 2 or more other blog posts a month
Send out a monthly newsletter at the beginning of each month
Post on each social media platform at least once a day
Update lists on social media
Post two or more podcast episodes a month
Post one story or reel a day
Create images, photos, ect and stock pile the for future use (especially of myself)
Record videos for a month or more of time at once
Record videos/make images for the next month, the month before
Schedule posts the month before they are to go up
Add at least one new piece into inventory every week
Use provided images from place like ABA
Reschedule posts not posted when intended
Use Pinterest again
Post reviews on goodreads and the storygraph
Use affiliate links
Post at least four books I’m reading a month
Post podcast links weekly with links
Improve organization and planning- This is another big struggle, as time management is a weakness. But, by failing to do this, I also fail to be consistent, which damages my whole business. To improve planning and time management, I will also be better able to follow through with plans and ideas I’d like to see come to light as well as consistency.
To do this I will:
Put together a tentative schedule/plan for the entire year, broken down by month including
Highlight focus
Book club prompts
sales/events happening that month
Days off and holidays
Goals for the month
Create images and videos ahead of time
Reschedule posts not posted when intended
Schedule posts the month before and adjust as relevant at the time
Create newsletter and have prepared at the end of the prior month
Create last months financial records during the first week of the month
Schedule time to create (write, craft, images)
Schedule book club posts
Keep lists of ideas to use and topics to conquer for reference
Continue to provide high level and personalized customer service- We are a people centered business and we can’t be that without the interactions we have with others.We pride ourselves on celebrating each of our community members and customers as individuals and acknowledging that they made the choice to allow us to be part of their journey and that’s an honor! We will continue to show our appreciation by:
Including handwritten thank you cards with adoptions
Slipping extra goodies in with their packages as we see fit
Leaving fun post-it notes inside books to be found and make someone smile
Respond to comments and messages on social media
Say thank you (in those words)
Treat everyone with the respect and acceptance they’ve earned
Listen and learn from feedback shared from those who have worked with us in any capacity
Practice being transparent in everything, including being honest about imperfections on previously loved items and return policies (all posted on the website and sometimes shared on our social media pages as well)
Re-Examine, evaluate and unlearn our past, current and future projects- Basically, never stop learning and collecting information from our experiences and the experiences of others. We must be able to gather information from a variety of sources, including our own experiences and convert that knowledge into something productive. We must be willing to be willing to cast aside myths and lies we’ve been told over the years about how to have a “successful” business and how to run your own business, and replace it with new, current and supported information.
To do this, we will:
Collect our own data as needed
Ask questions of others including other bookstore owners, booksellers and customers
Read books
Ask the community
Explore other bookstores and businesses for inspiration, ideas and what works vs. what doesn’t work…and for fun
Put aside our ideas as to what we “should be” and what we “should do” and do what we feel is right for us. Embrace not being like everyone else.
Be aware that our store data to learn what works for us and what doesn't without obsessing or becoming dependent on such information.
Trust my instincts and don’t let fear lead the way- Confidence! In the past I’ve learned that I don’t have horrible business instincts, but that means nothing if I can’t incorporate them and use them in my business without doubting myself constantly, being skittish and failing to commit due to a fear failure or early perceived failure. Fear of failure is always going to be a thing if I care at all, but by ignoring my instincts, I am furthering my chances of failure. When I explain what they tell me, think through how to execute plans and trust the process as well as let things play out, I find more success. Nothing works instantly and never wanes. It’s part of the process. And nothing is a failure if I learn from it.
Work with my brain instead of against it- I need to continue to refrain from fighting against my brain rather than trying to force my brain to work and be what it isn’t. That’s not to say that there’s something wrong with my brain, but it works differently then the typical person and that’s ok. It’s an asset, even, if I allow it to be. I need to acknowledge and address that I have different struggles then some other people, including time blindness, shut down/mental exhaustion, getting distracted, becoming over whelmed and multitasking, especially when working on one big project and trying to maintain the status quo.
In order to account for those things I will:
Adjust for shutdown and take action when I feel it coming on, not when I’m drowning in it.
Be gentle with myself, no one is perfect,
Schedule creative outlets
Find ways to delegate some of the work load to others appropriately (guest writers of blogs and reviews and post creation)
Create a plan for the day and week including tasks to be completed for work
Schedule days off and out of the office regularly (at least one time a day)
Break big tasks into smaller steps with deadlines and plans
schedule/plan ahead to know what to expect
Use alarms and reminders for tasks like posting content
Let it be personal (because it is personal)- They say business and personal should be separate. We disagree. Passion is personal. Doing what you love is personal. The very act of reading is personal. We all have our own tastes and take aways from what we read. That’s personal. We are fueled by passion and, as started, passion is supremely personal. The store was created and built on dreams and ideals and values we hold dear. What could be more personal than that? So, to help present a more personal front, I will:
Post about what I’m reading
Write blogs and use them as social media content, including book reviews
Be better about posting pictures of myself and videos
Share our stories
Share our thoughts, opinions via blogs and social media content within reason
Use my face more in content
Share my goals and struggles that pertain to the store and reading
Be transparent in an authentic way- While this ties in to making it personal, it goes a little beyond that. We’re told to only show the best sides of our business to the world, but that’s not always what things look like. We have hard months. Sales are not always great. Money is tight. Decisions have to be made daily and we should be able to talk about those and share them with those supporting us, even when it’s not the most pretty. The same goes with our goals. Sure, we recycle and, while we’re not master crafters, we use discarded and donated materials to create something new. We sometimes even find low cost supplies when we need to to help in those projects. The more honest and transparent we are, the better we will feel, and the better the relationship we will have with our supporters.
To do that, we will:
Share our goals and ou weaknesses
Own it when we didn’t live up to our own expectations
Share our journeys and struggles about reading, mental health, physical health, ect. Within reason
Share our business plan
Ask for help when needed
Talk about the ways we work to save customers and ourselves money and why we felt that that was an acceptable way to go
Share more of behind the scenes
Get out of my own way- I am a professional at getting in my own way and letting the fear, doubt and shame of failure take hold of me (perceived and real both). As a result of working towards these goals, I will need to overcome those debilitating moments and get out of my own ways in all of the ways I build seemingly unmovable obstacles in my way and allow myself to feel defeated before the battle is over. I need to remind myself that, while rejection sensitivity is a very real thing, it can not rule me. It is a part of life. It’s a part of success and, even when it hurts, I will survive getting a “no” or a “I don’t like this” no and then. Perfection is over rated and we are all just works in progress. Enjoy the process. It’s a beautiful journey.
To achieve this, I will:
Get out of my comfort zone, even when I’m scared to do it
Ask for help with things that I struggle with or need help with
Not allowing myself to pull back and not do something planned because of fear
Take a breath. Acting out of feeling desperate has never yielded the results desired and has only fed further into those feelings of failure. Ride it out. Think it through. Allow myself to learn and accept that things take time. It’s not magic.
Let go of what doesn’t work, even if I love the idea and it works for others. I’m not others.
Regularly learn something new
Allow three months or more for a system or idea play out before deciding if it’s a good fit for us or not
Create stability and live there comfortably before actively growing- This does not mean not to grow. In the past, I have had an issue with moving too fast. One thing seems to work or I have a good month, and I start adding more to my plate to try to make everything better. It always ends with me drowning and ending up behind and over whelmed. I need to slow down and get to know where I am before I try moving forward even more. Slow and steady isn’t a bad thing.
To do this I will:
Reach goals in the area in discussion including consistency, quality, time management, ect before adding to it
Allowing an appropriate amount of time (an average of three months) for something to be a success before adding to what is already being done. After 3 months, we can re-evaluate and determine what should be added to and what should be adjusted or removed.
Take time to celebrate successes! On success does not mean I need to do more. What I was doing worked, duh! Accept it!
Better infuse the podcast into our daily workings- The podcast is a new addition this year. The podcast was started for a number of reasons including collaborating with Mike, expanding reach, talking about something I’m passionate about, a way to let supports know me, who I am and know I’m a real person. However, marketing a podcast is not something I’ve ever had to do before and could gain some more skills to do so well. To do this, I will:
Regularly post about our podcast
Post episodes and links on the website
Have Mike create some podcast social media posts as well as me
Research and look into how other podcasts use social media and their resources to market their podcasts
Have a podcast cover image created for use
Create more images, including faces for podcast discussions on social medias
