After a lot of conversation with my husband, some contemplative walks on the coast, a bit of market research and recent sales...My Friend Matilda will be moving its focus to our Wall Decals.
I felt it was important to explain what was going on to you guys, the customers/fans otherwise it may seem quite sudden. Good news is...your bound to grab yourself a bargain in the near future!
There are quite a few factors behind this move but mostly it is based around what is best for my family.
Our Wall Decals are by far our biggest sellers these days, we are continually amazed by our expanding global customer base and our relationships with the designers mean that the level of physical hands on work and stock levels for us in our little house is significantly less than the remainder of our stores products!
As most of you know My Friend Matilda began its journey back in mid May. And wow did it take off! We have watched our sales sky rocket, our customer base grow and our Facebook page explode!
At this same time I was still adjusting to being a new mum to my beautiful, patient and chilled out little bub Kayden (8 months at the time). I was also working two jobs and planning a wedding. I was trying very hard to keep my head above water and was gaining confidence in not only My Friend Matilda but myself - I was starting to be proud of the business I was creating from my home and office (also known as the spare room!).
I began to see some of my regular customers as friends and loved hearing what they thought of my product as well as how excited they were to pass My Friend Matilda's details onto their friends and family.
Towards the end of the year I was notified by one of my employers that they would not be needing me this year in 2011, I therefore needed to find another job to help support my family (Kayden was a surprise baby and a half to say the least.. and we are still recovering from the lack of savings and non existent maternity leave when he was born!). Darn mortgage!!
I have now found a new job working with Weight Watchers. I lead and manage four meetings a week in Perth and am enjoying the challenge! With this job comes a lot of stock...this stock on top of the My Friend Matilda stock means we are starting to get very crammed in our tiny home!
Mike and I will shortly be starting to try and have a second baby and we will need to reclaim the office/stock room back in order to make room for another baby. More importantly once a second baby comes along I will struggle to find time to focus on two children, two jobs and all that comes with selling our vast array of products on My Friend Matilda. This is where the dilemma with space reared its head!
It is also starting to get harder to find time to wrap, pack and post out all of the orders that come flooding in each day. With a baby famous for wonderful night sleeping yet also as famous for his 40 minute power naps - I am struggling to spread my time fairly for young Kayden who seems to be going everywhere and getting into everything (and he isn't even walking yet!!) - not long ago I could just plop him down in the playpen and he would be happy as Larry! The workload is impacting on how I feel as a mother I am spreading myself too thin and running out of steam fast!
I guess some people will say why don't you take My Friend Matilda on full time - and the answer really is - I didn't want to work full time with a baby and that was actually the reason I started MFM, I thought it could be a hobby that brought in pocket money that I could grow over the years! I just had no idea how well the business would do! We will endeavour to go full time at some stage in the future!
Someone brought it to my attention that I was working a 36 hour week...this is when it hit home that I needed to make changes to lead a happier life. Anyone else with an at home business will understand how hard it is to "Switch off". The changes we are implementing will mean that I should be able to work less, relax more and prepare for a growing family and future.
So as I said - with great regret, I have decided to pull back on majority of my stock and products sold on the website. We have plenty of stock to keep us going a couple of months but if there was something you were after! Order now before it sells out!
I wanted to take the time to thank everyone for the AMAZING support and friendship you all have provided me so far! We hope you keep us in mind for future wall decals for yourselves, your friends and your family!! With that we ask that you please join our Facebook Page dedicated to our decals to increase the awareness! Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Wall-Decals-by-My-Friend-Matilda/144639338915925
I hope to one day expand the business back again when Kayden and Kayden Junior are older and at school. It has been a ball! It has been successful and that is thanks to a wonderful customer and fan base!
With all my love and Happy New Year,
Bek, Mike and Kayden
My Friend Matilda - Wall Decals
