Well, I unveiled my fabulous line of aprons on Monday before a group of about 20 classmates and I think the overall response was positive. "Good colors", "nice patterns", "great hand made quality"...an all around "compelling presentation" which included my Process video, 3 models and me blabbering.
But...yes, there's a but...no one agreed with my "Little Viking & Bike" shop name. At all.
Hm. I pondered momentarily whether it was worth it to argue against them in an attempt to explain my branding and image.
OK, yes, yes, I know! "Little Viking & Bike" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue and when you think of vikings you really don't picture a cheery girl on a bike, but perhaps more accurately a giant red-head with a horned helmet, possibly even running at you, yelling, swinging a large weapon. Fear is not really what I wanted to instill in people's hearts as they peruse my creations of love.
Fine. I will change my "shop name". Just when I thought I was about to launch my crafting career.
No one said branding and creating a logo and coming up with a style guide, a shop name and a "look" was going to be easy. This is why you hire a team of marketing specialists, a logo designer, a webmaster and a business guru.
But alas, these "luxuries" are beyond my reach for now.
I did, however, call upon some friends for advice on how to shift away from "Little Viking & Bike" and over to a name that associates it all to me. There's no more hiding! With "Little Viking & Bike" I felt more at ease and the whole experience was somehow removed from me personally. And yet, I was able to break down, in themes what it all stood for: me! Recall my blurb:
"Little Viking & Bike" is me! Viking stands for traveler, discovery, merchant, adventure. (Uhm notice I don't mention the usual viking activities of attacking and pillaging of villages, let's just say I'm skipping that part). The bike is my main mode of daily transportation. It's fun, eco-friendly, healthy, sporty and it gets me outside, rain or shine! Little Viking & Bike represents all this (aforementioned fun, healthy, adventure, etc.) and I try to incorporate it in my designs.
"Mia Prints" "Mia Design""Mia Studio" "Made by Mia""Mia Mania""Stuff Mia Makes" "Mia Land"
"Mia the Viking" "Mia is Awesome"
Gah!
I finally went with You & Mia, which came from my good friend, Simon. I like You & Mia because of the fun play on words and it makes it almost impossible for someone to mistakenly pronounce my name Mah-ya when it is in fact Mee-ah.Who says "Mah-ya" you ask? Believe me, those three little letters have been twisted and turned to come out in all sorts of manners. Don't even get me started on my last name!
So, one step forward and three steps backwards but I continue to learn and I haven't given up yet. I do sincerely hope that all this is somewhat amusing (perhaps in a comic way) to those who follow my (mis)adventures in my new found entrepreneurial world.
Tomorrow is a new day.
I finally went with You & Mia, which came from my good friend, Simon. I like You & Mia because of the fun play on words and it makes it almost impossible for someone to mistakenly pronounce my name Mah-ya when it is in fact Mee-ah.Who says "Mah-ya" you ask? Believe me, those three little letters have been twisted and turned to come out in all sorts of manners. Don't even get me started on my last name!
So, one step forward and three steps backwards but I continue to learn and I haven't given up yet. I do sincerely hope that all this is somewhat amusing (perhaps in a comic way) to those who follow my (mis)adventures in my new found entrepreneurial world.
Tomorrow is a new day.
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