It's Been One Heck of a Year!
Happy Black History Month!
On February 20 of 2021, I created a planner. When I began creating that planner, the only thing I knew was I wanted to see someone like me on the cover. I knew I wanted to make myself a planner, but I didn’t quite know how. I watched so many YouTube videos, but I didn’t quite understand the magnitude of what I was doing.
When I shared my planner on Facebook, I had no idea the love and support that would come with that planner. When people started commenting that they wanted a planner too, I was shocked. I wanted every order to be captured in a way that would keep me organized and on task. That day, I came up with Clarencia’s Custom Books and I created the website.
When I opened the site to take orders, I did not expect many orders. I ended up getting more orders on my first release than I could handle. I was not prepared to take that many orders. I was overwhelmed. I kept telling myself, this is such a great opportunity. However, if I had to do it all over again, I would have been waited until I was more prepared. I would have taken a little more time to research and invest in better equipment. I took orders thinking I had everything I needed, but I did not. I did not make any money off my first or second release because I was not fully prepared. It’s so important to take your time when you are getting started with something new.
I made mistakes with the production and release of my first pIanner. When those mistakes were found by someone else, I was devastated, discouraged, and simply embarrassed. I probably cried for an entire week, and I felt discouraged for weeks. My husband, my mom, and two of my good friends kept me motivated to keep going. After a few weeks of having a pity party, I felt that I had something to prove. I knew I could provide better products.
Thank you for supporting Clarencia’s Custom Books! I hope you continue shopping with me so that you can also see the growth and the love that I have put into each and every one of my products. I hope you see how I invested everything you have invested in me back into the products you now see! If you ordered my first planner and have also ordered our 2022 planner, I hope you see the growth in our products. I started with one planner and now I have an inventory of over 100 items on the website. I opened a store on Etsy and we will continue to add items there.
Over the last year, I have invested in better material, software, and equipment to make better quality products. I have learned to limit my total inventory to what I can handle at any given time. I have learned to say no when I feel like something will put too much on myself. I am working on balancing family, full-time work, and Clarencia’s Custom Books. I am taking it one design at a time! I am taking it one order at a time. I am taking it one day at a time! Every time I get a tad frustrated, my sister reminds of the scripture, To whom much is given, much will be required (Luke 12:48)” I encourage you to be patient with yourself and love on yourself a little more today!
Happy 1 year anniversary to Clarencia’s Custom Books!!