Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Letting Go, or How to Build an Empire

Good Morning!





The photograph above was an outtake from my photo shoot for a TRIBEZA article about moi.  I was flattered and thrilled to be included, and it resulted in three sales on my website, which is better than a kick in the head.

Yes, and it is the step in the right direction of taking August Morgan to a different level.  But first a brief history of August Morgan.

I began by re purposing vintage needle points into one of a kind pillows. I did the New York International Gift Show and was fortunate enough that Barneys picked me up my first market.

I sold my vintage pillows for years to amazing boutiques and decorators.  I now only sell my vintage collection through One Kings Lane Vintage and Market Finds.

I then started designing my own line of pillows that were hand stitched by fair trade artisans in India and sewn into pillows in Austin.
Pinatas : Before and After
These pillows, while quite clever, were rather expensive due to the labor involved.  Lesson learned.

 Next came the August Morgan Cocktail Napkin.  These have been very successful and so much fun to create.  They are sold in shops around the US and even in Tokyo and Germany!  They are also currently available on Anthropologie's website.

But what next?  How do I become the next Tory Burch?  I asked my husband to be my Chris Burch and write my business plan.  He replied that they eventually divorced.

I have hired an assistant to help me with the more tedious tasks.  But it is hard to let go.  I spend hours sifting through napkins, making sure they are perfect.  While doing this, the TV is usually on.  When Law and Order is not on the one channel I get in the kitchen, NCIS is on.  Question : Why are there so many murders in the Navy?  I never knew.   And on US soil to boot.

But I have to let go of napkin sorting.  Tory Burch would never do that.  Or Tori Spelling, probably.

I am also in the process of getting a big girl office.  More on that later.

So yes, slowly but surely, August Morgan will grow.  I will let go of the tedious tasks so I have more time to be creative and dream up new napkins, such as the soon to be famous.....

Wouldn't these be a great hostess gift for Thanksgiving?  You should buy them.  Thank you in advance for expanding my empire.

xoxo,

Kate