LLC, Inc, CEO, IRS, IRA, M-O-U-S-E…

Let’s take a step backward…  Before the launch, a lot of other decisions had to be made!  I had something really cool here. I plan on doing something with it, I KNEW that… but HOW do I go about it, LEGALLY  and protect my ASSet’s…. 

Well to start with, I looked at our circle of friends. An old and dear friend of ours was an attorney, Mark. Another was our tax and business advisor, Brett. Another very good friend was our bank manager, Debbie then there is Steve ( more about him later!) !  We had all those bases covered.  Now we just needed to talk to all of them, get their advise and diligently follow it. They were ALL very successful business people and would steer me in the right direction. I had no doubt! ...

The 'launch' and how it happened.....

 I had been wearing one of my "Faith" Tees one day and a good friend that owns a local pharmacy.... "Day's Healthy Living Pharmacy" asked me about it.  I told her about the design and the products and she got goose bumps! She asked me if I had thought about selling them. I told her, Yes, but I wasn't sure just how I was going to go about it. She responded that she would like to carry them in her store!  The door was opened! The light bulb went on!  More planning....more preparing....& more money spent! A LOT more money spent! Inventory had to be purchased... a price point had to be worked up. Printing had to be done!!  Selling wholesale to retail is a WHOLE lot different than selling direct to the customer!  You have to allow yourself to make money and there still has to be a margin for the store to mark  product up to make money themselves!  VERY tough! Needless to say... I worked it out, but it all took time. I DO NOT "keystone' prices ( that is 2-2 1/2 x's the wholesale + any packaging material costs)  so I am NOT making what the suggested profit is.  And I DO NOT recommend  the stores "keystone" their mark up either. BUT I cannot control what they do!....

Lessons learned early ...

I was the last of 8 children born to Jean and Fred Diersing, so needless to say, my parents were 'up there in age'  My mom was one of 13! Death was something I learned about early in life.  All 4 of my grandparents died when I was 6-7 years old.  With my grandmother dying in our family room one week after my 7th birthday, the day after my communion.  Then my favorite uncle... the first time I heard the word CANCER...  My favorite aunt.. I could NOT understand this one! She was a NUN! She devoted her life to GOD! HOW could HE do this to her? AND BRAIN CANCER?....

Lot's of samples and dirty dishes!

Like I mentioned before,  we purchased a lot of different brands and styles of Tee shirts to test for quality, wear-ability and durability.  I bought clothes retail, on clearance and did research on wholesale companies. I compared prices on suppliers, shipping costs and yes... customer service! Who was willing to work with me? A SMALL start up company that needed a LOT of help and hand holding?  I found the one I was looking for and the lady that works with me is great! It so happens their prices are the best, they are about the closest so their delivery is overnight!  AND if I have an order over $150 it is FREE!  She even went tot he trouble to go back to the warehouse herself to see if they had an item that was 'out of stock' when I only needed ONE !  IT pays to have someone you can work with and is willing to work WITH you!  She will suggest items for me and gives me an extra discount on anything I try that is new or that she suggests....

Grant applications:

The following two entries are a couple of essays I had to write for a couple of grant applications.... I'll let you know later how they did! But They pretty much tell the story behind MTD!  The nuts and bolts of the biz.

More about MTD....

After having a small portrait studio for about 20 years, and using my experience and knowledge of photography, the inspiration for Moon Talk happened one beautiful fall night. It was the Harvest Moon and was so big I felt inspired to photograph it. In making those photos, i felt the need to do 'something different'   and having 'painted ' with light before ( but never trying it with the moon) i gave a few squiggles a try... impressed... i tried to make a letter... hmmm, it worked! let's try another... it worked too! after several attempts and several 'deletes' (thank goodness for digital!)  and some beautiful moments with nature, i was able to create the entire alphabet !  That following year I took time to play with various designs, learned photoshop and finally after a total of three years trial and error, the final designs were created!  Hence, Moon Talk Designs' was born! (The name even came to me in a dream! )   I felt it was more than a sign that I need to take this as far as I possibly could!   I have also designed several 'charity pink' products and donate a portion of the proceeds to various cancer agencies....

More about MTD....

After having a small portrait studio for about 20 years, and using my experience and knowledge of photography, the inspiration for Moon Talk happened one beautiful fall night. It was the Harvest Moon and was so big I felt inspired to photograph it. In making those photos, i felt the need to do 'something different'   and having 'painted ' with light before ( but never trying it with the moon) i gave a few squiggles a try... impressed... i tried to make a letter... hmmm, it worked! let's try another... it worked too! after several attempts and several 'deletes' (thank goodness for digital!)  and some beautiful moments with nature, i was able to create the entire alphabet !  That following year I took time to play with various designs, learned photoshop and finally after a total of three years trial and error, the final designs were created!  Hence, Moon Talk Designs' was born! (The name even came to me in a dream! )   I felt it was more than a sign that I need to take this as far as I possibly could!   I have also designed several 'charity pink' products and donate a portion of the proceeds to various cancer agencies.....

the who and the why....

I am Bobbie J Sutton. A 'retired' Mom, a 'housewife and mom' all my 'married life'.  Other than a few part time jobs and a self run
photography/framing business, about to start a new phase of my life! I am MADLY in love with my husband of nearly 40 years,
and ready for him to retire so I can 'bring home the bacon'.  I have been a photographer/artist all my life. I married young and started raising our family young. At this time in my life our children are all grown and raising their own children. NOW it is time for ME to find out who I AM. Moon Talk is going to help me do this!...

The beginning it was Moon Phrases....

In the beginning... I was just making neat things for family members and friends. Individual names framed, then Tee shirts. We got so many compliments on these items and people asked where we got them that we just kind of fell into the market. Bob was sold when we made a trip out West one time and the flight attendant stopped me and asked me where I got my Tee shirt ! That sold him! It was a go after that! We did a lot of market research. Purchased different brands of clothing trying to see what we liked. We were looking for the best yet affordable. In children's wear 100% cotton and organic was a MUST! MADE in USA was a must in ALL categories! We found local printers for almost all our work. And refined processes and designs. We stuck with positive and affirmative words for the adult products and wholesome words for the children's products. Jewelry was our biggest ( and still is) stumbling stone... we want to do so much more with the designs. but are limited as to what we can design on our own! There is room for growth in that dept! We are still testing the waters in the home decor dept. Since we have to pay high premium to have it printed our prices are still rather high. But as we hone in on our products and our market... we'll figure it out!

The beginning of Moon Talk.....

In the beginning... I was just making neat things for family members and friends. Individual names framed, then Tee shirts. We got so many compliments on these items and people asked where we got them that we just kind of fell into the market. Bob was sold when we made a trip out West one time and the flight attendant stopped me and asked me where I got my Tee shirt ! That sold him! It was a go after that! We did a lot of market research. Purchased different brands of clothing trying to see what we liked. We were looking for the best yet affordable. In children's wear 100% cotton and organic was a MUST! MADE in USA was a must in ALL categories! We found local printers for almost all our work. And refined processes and designs. We stuck with positive and affirmative words for the adult products and wholesome words for the children's products. Jewelry was our biggest ( and still is) stumbling stone... we want to do so much more with the designs. but are limited as to what we can design on our own! There is room for growth in that dept! We are still testing the waters in the home decor dept. Since we have to pay high premium to have it printed our prices are still rather high. But as we hone in on our products and our market... we'll figure it out!

In the beginning... I was just making neat things for family members and friends. Names framed, then Tee shirts. We got so many compliments on these items and people asked where we got them that we just kind of fell into the market. Bob was sold when we made a trip out West one time and the flight attendant stopped me and asked me where I got my Tee shirt ! That sold him! It was a go after that! We did a lot of market research. Purchased different brands of clothing trying to see what we liked. We were looking for the best yet affordable. In children's wear 100% cotton and organic was a MUST! MADE in USA was a must in ALL categories! We found local printers for almost all our work. And refined processes and designs. We stuck with positive and affirmative words for the adult products and wholesome words for the children's products. Jewelry was our biggest ( and still is) stumbling stone... we want to do so much more with the designs. but are limited as to what we can design on our own! There is room for growth in that dept! We are still testing the waters in the home decor dept. Since we have to pay high premium to have it printed our prices are still rather high. But as we hone in on our products and our market... we'll figure it out!