I know, EVERYONE is talking AI tools right now & debating the merits & potential meritlessness of AI.
I've created an account in ChatGPT & played with it ( yup, I asked it what I did, lol ).
I also used it to help me format a profile (I gave it the info I was looking to fill in ) and then rewrote it around the formatting suggestions it gave me to personalize it as well & touch on all the pertinent points.
It saved me time & I appreciated it!
I've watched some fun FB Lives where I learned about how we can "prime " ChatGPT to help us create what we want, help us develop our customer avatars ( that was SUPER FUN ) and learn ( a little more ) about how AI can work for us.
I've felt some resistance, honestly, as I am all about authenticity, loving our human imperfections & most certainly not wanting to live in a world of Stepford Wives ( for me, that is the horror movie of my lifetime! )
I've also watched friends like James Bloomfield, the CEO of Moda Match, develop innovatively ( read fabulously useful, inexpensive & timely solutions ) that quickly benefit entrepreneurs like yourself looking for solutions to help you grow your business efficiently.
Jame's team offers two areas of superb expertise:
Send them a 360 10 sec video of your apparel item & they'll send you back an incredible photo-realistic image that is AI generated, royalty-free in perpetuity & can be easily tailored to your vision of diversity and location inexpensively. ( hey, does $10-20-30 work for you instead of having to FedeEx your expensive sample garments, choose expensive models *hoping that they deliver, pay the photographer AND wait for the photos to be retouched at about $80-100 PER IMAGE ?? I've often spent 5K plus per photoshoot, and I know you know it, too!! Yes, it is fun, but with the vast amount of content that we need today, we do need to reduce costs AND still make sure that what we put out represents our brands well )
To reduce online shopping return rates, James's team created these super cool virtual fitting rooms so that the customers could choose a similar body for size & fit, go into the virtual fitting room & have FUN trying on outfits and see what they looked like before purchasing. These virtual fitting rooms also increased the overall AOV ( Average Order Value ), AND it reduced return rates ( yeah, James! )
As we traverse this AI journey, let's all keep in mind choosing AI tools that work for us and help us do what we need to do quickly. Less expensively, authentically & in alignment with our brands.
Our entrepreneurial journey is about stopping along the way to find tools that work for us, so please take a look-see at what James Bloomfield's Moda Match has to offer. I'm astonished at what they deliver, quickly & inexpensively, to support the look & feel of your brand.
Concept to Reality and everything in between :)
Cydney
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If you've been meaning to grab a call with me to discuss your precious ideas, please do! We'll explore your idea, talk about the potential & what your next steps can be to bring it to life. Grab a time here & we'll chat! Booking Link |
I've always believed that our samples/ prototypes need to be COMMERCIALLY ACCEPTABLE and be accompanied by good notes on what the revisions or final details required.
They do not have to be perfect.
Read that again.
They do not have to be perfect.
First samples are so you can "see " what you are trying to make. and they *should reflect as close as possible the assembly methods. And they are decent samples for the factory to follow.
However, sometimes:
Making your FIRST samples out of the closest fabrics, trims, prints and machines is better and faster.
A decent Style Master must accompany your samples with Technical INFO.
It can be a full-on tech pack, but it doesn't have to be.
Tech Packs can be very expensive ( $1500 each is average ) AND are often incorrect, must be updated often, and are often difficult to follow.
The factory needs to look at your sample/ prototype & see if it has the right machinery and production lines & MAY suggest changes to make it faster, less expensive & easier to make.
They make the FINAL production samples based on their factories AND your prototype. This should be free ( shipping will not be free to you, but the production samples are made against conditional PO's )
These samples will be EXACT to the types of machinery, but might not be in the final prints.
Getting all caught up in your TECH PACK, the PERFECTION of your sample will cost you time & money.
After producing over 200 styles per month & 500K units per month on average, we processed products that would meet our client's expectations, at the right price & on-time delivery.
Cheers & Happy Sunday, dear Idea-Meisters, you CAN do it, with a little grit, determination & knowledge,
Cydney
Hey Idea-Meister,
I've had SO many conversations around planning for production in the last year; I thought it would be a terrific time to recap some of the various options, costs & repercussions.
Firstly, in developing your product, one could work with someone like me, who helps develop the idea, and look at market placement, make samples, costs & research specialized materials & help you make producible products. All that helps us determine what kind of materials & costs for that magic price point.
These first samples & prototypes are great, as you can "see " if it is really what you envisioned, as getting the materials for the mock-ups, making patterns & working out " how to produce it " along the way.
First samples are as perfect as can be. Still, they often need to be tweaked for production, and we do that with production samples that the factory makes ( we need to use their machinery, their cutting tables, the actual materials for production and the actual trims. )
The factory can then also work out the best production costs based on perhaps a scale of units. I often like to ask for 500 units. 1000, 2500, 5000 etc., depending on the product category.
Typically factories will not charge for the production samples & one can ( which I often suggest ) write a PO that is contingent on the production samples being approved for production. That way, the factory is more motivated to make it right, as they have a clear goal & can cost it as well as possible. And you can cancel the PO is the samples are not approved.
I prefer to work with my trusted relationships, which will have a profit margin on the cost ( no one works for nothing ), and it also holds their feet to the fire to properly manage the production. I like it because it is quantifiable. It's a line item that is known, not variable.
There are some variables & additional costs like:
Dear Idea-Meister
It's that time of year that I always look forward to, the quiet in-between time of Christmas & The New Year when most clients stop looking for me on a daily basis and when I can take the time to reset myself.
I always try to make myself available if need be ( you know who you are! ), as the life of an entrepreneur is never truly in pause mode; things, ideas, and questions do come up.
And time IS of the essence, I know it!
Instead of waiting for the factories to open up on the 4th or the 9th, I cut patterns, cut out samples & sewed them up so that we did not miss a beat.
I also took the time to reflect on 2022, its highlights, its trials & tribulations, its successes & f**lures ( we don't like that word & I refuse to say it, lol )
I met with those of you who needed me, hopped on calls and made numerous inquiries on your behalf.
I also took the time to let it all process, letting me celebrate milestones achieved for you, for thinking through & discerning other things that I'd rather not do more of, lol ( I know you feel me! ) Sometimes in life, we need to really acknowledge our SUPER POWERS ( Let's ALL do MORE of that! ) and the things we really detest, lol ( Let's ALL do LESS of that! )
I cleaned up my lovely home office, filed, reorganized, I tossed things, shredded sensitive info & set up 2023 for success. I set goals and wrote future memories ( hey, if you don't do these, let me tell you, its a practice worth doing! I find that 95% of what I write happens exactly, on time & perfectly delivered )
I ordered & set up some new bookshelves & literally put my world in order. Ta-Da!!
Tis a thing of beauty if I don't say so myself!
So what did YOU do to tie up 2022 with a bow, to allow yourself to reflect on this past year, tally it all up & what decisions did you make to move the needle forward?
And did you take the time to celebrate what you did accomplish?
Whether it was a small accomplishment ( like getting out of bed ) to a BIG accomplishment ( being featured on a world-renowned Radio Show ), please, please, please celebrate yourself.
That's what matters, as it always takes longer than we *think, so we must celebrate along the way.
Please email me back as I'd love to hear about your year, the things you are MOST proud of, the things you'll intentionally choose to do less of & the things you KNOW are your SUPER POWERS.
I know you know; sometimes, it is really important to say it out loud :)
Much love, pride & appreciation for all of you; you are committed, persistent & precious... the world needs what you are creating; your creations are truly the answer to someone's prayers.
Never forget that what you create makes all the difference in someone's world.
Many Blessings & much love,
Cydney
I've always been a big fan of having a decent balance in both life & work, and that also means looking at your silos of business. To consider the "portfolio " of sales silos.
In Fashion, I would have Big Box Retailers, TV Shopping Channel Contracts as well as designing private label for various clients. This was a perfect balance so that if one market got soft, I could rebalance my overall sales with another.
And in product development, you are always trying to "solve a problem " ... in this case, I was annoyed at the fact that the pandemic meant we needed to wear masks & sheesh, they were ugly, badly seen & ill fitting! So I set out to "solve a problem " That created an opportunity to sell to The City, then the Federal Government AND encouraged to sign up to be a pre-approved Pro-Services Supplier.
I'm on a mission to help entrepreneurs create their product lines, to build solid businesses & of course there is a very special place in my heart for encouraging Indigenous entrepreneurs. May we all support & inspire each other!!
Cydney
Here is where you can read the full interview on the Canadian Government Website ~ https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/apropos-about/histoires-stories/galerie-gallery/aiderautochtones-helpingindigenous-eng.html
Then I thought about the upcoming Juneteenth on the 20th and wondered what I'd like to reflect on to honour that day, to learn, to remember.
More food for thought is that June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day, a day that the Canadian Government chose to celebrate the Indigenous culture, heritage and traditions of our First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples.
As an Nlaka'pamux woman of mixed descent, I do my best to attend our Elder's Story Telling events each week, learn our language, and traditions and listen to the wisdom in our ancestral stories.
I think it's a great time of reflection to think about where we came from, where we are going and what legacy we want to leave behind. Whatever our backgrounds are, whatever ancestral gifts we've been given, we are here for a purpose.
What gifts we have been given!
And what wonderful ideas we have to offer the world, to leave the world a better place, to share our stories, our why and our purpose.
That is why we do what we do ~
Many Blessings, lovelies, happy week of reflection,
Cydney
Hey Idea-Meisters!!
As I sit & listen to so many entrepreneurs excitedly tell me about their ideas, I always ask them questions about what situations they envision their customers using & incorporating their products into their lives.
We are often asked to think of products to " solve " a problem.
And we think, and think, and think... A light bulb finally goes off & we do the hallelujahs!!
We have a problem, we have a solution, we HAVE a PRODUCT IDEA!!
Hold your horses, Idea-Meisters, hold your horses...
Let's play the envisioning game, let's envision the various situations in which they will use it, will it be daily, once in a while, and does it match their lifestyle?
Do they even know they have a problem that needs to be solved? If not, how do we let them know there MIGHT be a problem to resolve? How do we mitigate the product development risk along the way?
As many of you know, I love Gretta Van Riel's super smart approach to building a warm audience WHILE you are creating & developing your product ( and goodness knows, it takes time! )
Building an audience, engaging with them, sharing what you are developing & tweaking your product ideas along the way so it is a super easy "shoe-in ". It will help you mitigate your risks :)
Meet your customers where they are by engaging with them, having conversations & finding out what they Like-Love & Hate. Tweak your ideas, yet stay true to who you are & what you are meant to do. It will help you broaden your view on what they love, what they need & how they need it in their life.
I believe in you & your ideas!
Cydney
Hey, Idea-Meister's!
It is the Memorial Weekend in the USA kicking off the Summer, reminding us all to take a moment to mourn those in the military who have given their lives to protect us.
It gives us pause to reflect upon one's legacy, the meaning and purpose of our lives.
I believe we are all born with gifts and that our purpose is to develop them, whatever they may be.
I've been blessed to create products, ship them worldwide & have them loved. People actually sought out my products, bought them & loved them, yeah!
At QVC, we were always reminded that we have to tell our customers who it is for, what it is AND what it is not or what it doesn't do... this was a terrific reminder that whenever we are creating products, we have to ask ourselves those questions:
These are great questions to ask to make sure you are making the right product AND selling it to the right customer. And that when they order it & get it home that their expectations are met = happy customers!
Now that I am in my legacy years, I feel it is my purpose to help all everyone develop their ideas. I want to make sure that I don't show up at the Pearly Gates & have to say to St Peter " Oops, I didn't do what I came to earth to do ". That's why I do what I do :)
Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend,
Cydney
Hey Idea-Meisters!
It's the Victoria Day Long Weekend here in Montreal & we've ALL been waiting & waiting to get our flowers planted for the season.
Our winters can be harsh here & it is as if the ground has all this pent-up energy to burst forth, leaves on trees seem to grow before our eyes, the grass is growing, and we wait until this weekend to plant as the risk of ground frost is over.
I always love getting my flower pots going, and edibles mini containers of pansies, herbs like basil, sage, mint & chives. This year, I added sweet 1/2 moon wrought iron baskets to the outside of my balcony so that I could have cheerful coral begonias & trailing greenery like the lovely yellowy-green Lysimachia.
Earlier this week, I was speaking to a friend of mine & we talked about why we do what we do. And it always circles back to having ideas that we feel are so exciting to develop, serve a purpose AND we are able to create a life that is full for ourselves, our families & our friends.
Never forget that we do what we do for our loved ones, and don't ever feel guilty taking the time for them. After all, it is the reason we do what we do 💞
Happy Victoria Day Weekend! I'll be out puttering with my flowers with Princess Shilo on the balcony with me, perhaps having a glass of wine admiring my handiwork, lol.
Enjoy YOUR weekend!
Cydney
XOX
And we talked about our Super Powers.
The question that came up was, HOW do you know your Super Powers?
And the answer came easily... it is hidden inside ALL the things that your dear friends come to you for advice...
In my case, it was " Cydney, I am feeling tired, what vitamins would you recommend? " or " I'm thinking about XYZ & I wondered what you thought about THAT ", or Gee, Cyd, if you were to XYZ, what would YOU do?
So when we are all pondering our IDEAS, what are the questions that our friends & colleagues are asking us often & consistently? THESE are the questions that lead us to our own superpowers.
Sit with this, dear Idea-Meisters, as the answer is often right in front of us...
Many Blessings dear hearts,
Cydney
]]>Today is Earth Day & it's a great reminder to all of us to care for Mother Earth.
We are being alerted to climate change daily; in my home province of BC where my family & so many friends live suffered brutal and devastating fires which razed the entire town of Lytton, flooded Merrit and landslides washed out massive sections of highway. It's terrible, just terrible.
I try my best to be mindful of single-use plastics, pick up trash outside on walks with Princess Shilo & thinking about what I can do to be a better steward of the land.
I know so many of you are also living a more mindful life as it's in the daily news.
In many of the conversations, I am having with so many of you in developing your product lines, there is much focus on what we can do to create product lines that are using sustainable goods, and recycled materials, encouraging people to make better choices in what they do buy.
I see people looking at choosing to buy from companies that offer refillables, less ink, less packaging, and recycling renewable options.
It does make it more expensive, no question. Conscious consumerism, creating products that do/wear/live many lives is a way of thinking that we can all embrace and stretch our ways of thinking to create better products & a better world.
Customers are looking to you to innovate, to be creative & to be mindful; they will pay you back in loyalty.
So keep in mind that caring for Mother Earth ends up being good for business & you get to show up in a way that is in alignment with your values.
Happy Earth Day!!
Cydney
PS I'm off to renew myself & rest up, as we are all better creatives when we are rested :)
Hey, Darling Idea-Meister's!
2022 has been incredible so far this year, and now that we are in the second quarter, I am coming up for air.
When I thought about what I wanted 2022 to be & thought about how I'd accomplish my goals, I realized that my Beloved TO-DO List needed to become the Celebrated TA-DA List!
My TO-DO list has always been by my side, like a bit of a cozy security blanket, something that I could hang on to. I realized I needed to attach deadlines & make sure it was prioritized just the way, I set up everyone's Action Plan. Ha, I had to take my own advice.
And in doing so, I really put my blinders on and FOCUSSED. I took that list & SCHEDULED everything on that list in blocks of time. I scheduled the 1st quarter to within an inch of its life ( even my personal time to make sure I slept, ate, took care of my pets & loved ones )
TA-DA!!
It IS the end of 2021 ( Phew, phew, phew ) and I am DELIGHTED ~
How about you? Are you satisfied with what you accomplished in 2021?
Even if you aren’t fully satisfied, I’d like you to take a moment & celebrate ALL that you did.
You made it, and that is a reason to celebrate YOU. 2021 was a tough slog for many & the fact that we all got through it is a miracle.
For me, it was TOTALLY different than what I imagined it might be.
Today, I want to help MORE people than ever, to bring their ideas and dreams to life. I have made myself a commitment for an incredible 2022 for ALL of us. I’ve streamlined my schedules and expanded my support. Together we will make sure you accomplish your 2022 dreams.
I’ve decided to offer 2021 prices for my 6-month program at a massive discount, so that you have more time, and we can really accomplish all that needs to be tackled to help you bring your ideas to life. ( 2022 prices going up )
This will give us breathing space & a launchpad for your greatness.
This gives us thinking time, research & time to triple check that it is EXACTLY what we wanted to create, together.
BONUS: I will include The Action Plan ( Value $1500 USD ) to make sure it's all perfectly mapped out.
Join in the ranks of my entrepreneurs who have successfully created & launched products.
If you are ready to make 2022 your Best. Year. Yet.
Let’s hop on a call to explore the options.
Let’s work together to make your 2022 a massive WIN ~
I've had almost all of my dreams come to life, now let me help you,
Cydney
*Offer Ends December 31st, so we can start 2022 right *
Have you ever had an idea...
That you thought was a perfect solution and that you had not been able to buy?
Idea-meister, was this an idea that you thought about making?
And then a few months or a few years later, found almost the exact same thing, designed, produced and on the shelves selling like hotcakes? Seeing the maker being interviewed on TV, featured in magazines, seeing it worn by celebrities or simply seeing it in action in the neighbourhood?
That has happened to me, too & that's when I am super annoyed that I did not hop on it, get the idea off the ground & developed. What's kept me back sometimes are worries about time, money, focus & also sometimes, I sometimes have ideas about products that I have NO IDEA HOW TO MAKE.
I have developed MOST of my ideas, from my first couture collections in the early '80s ( hey, I was a competitive figure skater before that, so what did I KNOW about designing, producing & selling my own fashion line? ) I've been mentored & guided and with my own chutzpah, I did it anyway. And I succeeded more times than I failed.
Yes, I can turn your ideas into reality, I've gone through the process time & again with different product categories, with so many different requirements.
It's my kind of FUN!!
I recall being ridiculed by my buyers in London, because I had the audacity to suggest that it was time to bring leggings back, lol.
But I pushed back & added them in my own way to my Cydney Mar Fashion Collections ( in 2001 ) I ended up selling them in ALL my collections for over 10 years running, sold versions to Walmart, Reitmans, Winners and many, many other stores. The rest is history and today, you are probably sitting in a pair of leggings right now, reading this email. ( Gotcha! )
What has come up for you, that's been holding you back?
What is keeping you from developing your ideas... Is it time, money, worries about ridicule or simply not knowing where to start?
Let's chat about your ideas and turn your dreams into a reality.
Cydney
AKA Your Fairy God Mum of Products
Have you ever wondered why you feel a certain way when you enter a room, see a flower or a person dressed in a color that attracted your eye?
Why RED cars get more tickets, white is seen as angelic or pure, blue is seen as stable, robins eggs blue as hopeful and green as relaxing?
I was reminded about the psychology of color this week when I read a fun article about the newest paint colours that EVERYONE will be reaching for in 2022 ~
When I read the article, read the lovely names of the colors, saw the color images and I sighed a breath of relief... And thought yup, we need more space, more gentleness, more softness in our lives.
I saw a natural softness, a more nature-inspired palette, a gentleness that felt like a soft fall into a pile of leaves or mossy forest. I heard a burbling brook & looked up to the skies for the blueness I hoped to see.
Color has always been indicative of what is going on around us, it reflects what we feel, how we instinctively reach for one item, rather than another.
I studied the Psychology of Color by Faber Biren, studied The Principles of Harmony and Contrast of Colors, by M.E.Chevreul, unquestionably one of the greatest books ever written on color, played with seasonal color and learned the ropes... how to "see " color " in different lights, working with lightboxes, settings from daytime, fluorescent to night-time & more...
Think about how you want your customers to feel, how their pulse changes & breathe slows when they see your products ~
I'd love to hear about colors that you gravitate to & what makes you choose one colour over another.
Many Blessings, Much love & Many Colors!
Cydney
I've been thinking a lot about what I want to accomplish in this time of my life ( hey, I'm 63 ! )
It's our Thanksgiving Weekend here in Canada & I'm deeply grateful for so much, for deep friendships, connections, great opportunities to express my creativity & to make an excellent living at it.
I have been busy winterizing my home, as I live in Montreal, where we must check for cold drafts and seal up any areas that might make it chilly. Cozy is more of what I am looking for this Winter! I love creating cozy nooks and vignettes that speak to the stories of my life, connecting the past to the present. I am content.
I also love being involved in my Nlaka'pamux community, attending Storytelling Gatherings, listening to the Elders, learning to practice my self-introductions in Nlaka'pamux. The Elders patiently listen & chuckle. I am Thompson River Salish, an Nlaka'pamux speaking peoples.
And now, I've realized ( and gently prodded by my favourite mentee, lol ) that I would like to develop an apparel & accessory collection around my Aboriginal heritage. There is an upcoming Indigenous Fashion Week which I'd like to participate in ( either this or the next as I am ready! ) which will help me craft the storyline of my journey home. Showpieces that establish the brand ID, expressing how I feel about my Indigenous roots in garments, in the choices of material, the details, the craftsmanship.
It is a full-circle moment for me, a profound raison d'être.
As I work on "My Journey Home " journal, which will be full of sketches, tear sheets, memories, swatches & ideas, I am secretly excited about the foundation of this idea.
And to create more space for my passions, I will be streamlining my websites to rebrand cohesively to make more space for this passion of mine.
Ideas & Creation are like Conception & Birth they take time & space & care.
I'm carving out time & space for my passions.
Are you doing the same?
Much love to you, deep gratitude & appreciation,
Cydney
Yom Kippur was just a few days ago & I usually take the time to reflect on Yom Kippur as it is the day that the good Dr. Deckelbaum stayed after sundown to operate & save my life.
I was 5 days in the emergency, as they were trying to figure out how a seemingly perfectly healthy 54-year old woman was dying before their eyes.
I was in and out of consciousness, delirious and only brought back enough to lucidly sign the waivers in case I died on the operating table. As I looked at the Dr, I asked him a favour, I said "Dr. if I survive, please promise me that you won't cut me up like a pumpkin as this tummy is bikini ready ".
( Yes, my vanity also woke up, lol )
As the OR doors swung open, I made a silent promise to God that if I survived, I'd do whatever God wanted me to do.
This was nine years ago, and the struggle back to radiant health was long, but I survived. It's taken years to unwind some things, to listen to my spirit & to be guided from above.
These are my daily "conversations" with Spirit, I ask to be guided, to help prioritize, to do the things that will actually make a difference, and I make every effort to be guided and to surrender to the process.
A life of creation, of commerce, of connection, keeps me going, I focus on doing things that matter most. I set aside that niggly piggly voice in my head & stay connected to Source for the best direction.
I think this is why, even though I take exceptional care of myself ( good sleep, hobbies, great food, exercise & brain space! hanging out with my loved pets, friends & family ) I am able to accomplish so much.
And just in this past week alone, I was reminded that the time is now, I have a friend whose father is in his transition, a dear friend who lost her sibling, another friend whose son was brutally attacked last night, another friend who is just finishing chemo.
The time is now, dear hearts, to do what you came here for, perhaps not all at once, but in a way that allows you to live the life you were meant to live here on Earth.
We all come with gifts in the form of ideas, talents & inspirations and it is my deep belief that we are to make every effort to develop those gifts before we go see Saint Peter at the pearly gates.
My commitment is to be able to say to Saint Peter, hey! I did it, I kept my promises, I'm good. If I have any fears, it is to think that I might arrive at the Pearly Gates & have to say, darn, I failed to keep my promises...I am committed to leaving my legacy.
What commitments are you making to yourself?
Those are the ones that are the most important to keep.
Many Blessings oh creative ones, you are divine,
Cydney
Psst And the peanut gallery of Princess Shilo, Chuk Mar & Lady Henrietta
It. Is. Possible.
I remember as a kid going to school AND skating 6 days a week, for 6-8 hours a day. I loved it, we had schedules, we organized ourselves & we got cracking!
It was all about deciding each season, what amount of skating time we could fit around our school hours & time commitments.
Ultimately, if we wanted to do it, we could figure it out.
And that's part of my job, is to help you re-organize your time, figure out what you need to do & prioritize everything so you can pretty much have it all.
Being happy, making sure you have all your bases covered, with wiggle room & time to tinker away at your ideas is a happy, happy place to be.
So if you are all worried that it can't be done, worried it'll all be too much, let's at least chat & figure it out together.
Much Love & Encouragement!!
Cydney
Xoxox