No Pressure?

To start off with, I am improving in accuracy with my American Idol predictions. I had 3 out of the 4 nailed, with one of my alternative choices also being voted out. But the most important part? No more Brenna! Finally! And I loved Carrie’s performance – that song is just so great.

Anyway, tomorrow will be an interesting day for me. The Webmaster is going to watch the kids while I go to a Stampin’ Up gathering of demonstrators in Bellevue. To translate for the uninitiated: Stampin’ Up is the rubber stamping company that I have purchased most of my stamps and ink (and recently, paper) to support my card-making habit (which is BAD). A “demonstrator” is someone who sells the stamps. Stampin’ Up does not sell in stores; it offers people the opportunity to basically build their own small business (if they choose) with their products. Think Mary Kay.

The demonstrator that I usually buy from, T., has been telling me for at least a year and a half now that I should be a demonstrator. The funny thing is, no one seems to think that it would be a stretch for me. The Webmaster is even for it. At the very least, I would get a discount to support my habit. Yes, I would have to meet sales goals for every quarter, but my own purchases would count toward that, and I think I could possibly make this work. Tomorrow’s get-together will be a test of sorts to see if I am really cut out for this line of work.

There are pluses. Among them are:
– a chance, if I’m willing to put in the time, to actually have my own business and make a little money
– discounts on things I would buy anyway
– stamping would now be my job, sort of
– I would get to promote something that I really do love to do

However, there are minuses:
– possibly giving up weekend time with the kids and the Webmaster to do “stamp camps”
– my kids are little and finding time to do my own stamping is extremely difficult
– my extended family life is in major flux at the moment, so trying to make a decision right now is hard
– this would be a long-term commitment, and I can’t think past potty-training the Munchkin

T. has made it work, but she has resources that I don’t (like an au pair who can watch her two girls and her own craft room in her house), and the other demonstrator that I’ve bought from, L., doesn’t have children. So, I’m not quite sure how I could do this. The kids are only little once, and I don’t want to shortchange my time with them. I already spend too much time at the computer as it is, lurking on other people’s blogs. I can’t just declare myself “out” and work on cards – being a SAHM means that you are at home to be a mom, and maybe you can find time around that to do something else. At least, that’s what it means to me.

So, we’ll see how things go. And if it will be, as T. said, a “no pressure” environment. I can’t make a final decision without consulting the Webmaster, and we never have had that “final decision” discussion yet. He is supportive about the whole idea, but I think he would be supportive even if I wanted to sell Longaberger baskets instead. Hey, I’d already have my mother as a built-in customer.

Anyone out there got any pearls of wisdom to share? I’ll gladly listen. In the meantime, I have cards to make.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 3rd, 2006 at 1:43 am and is filed under General.
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