In retail it’s tough to appeal to all of your customers, and some say you’ll go bankrupt if you try. Well since I launched Stick Me Designs, it’s been a goal to at least ‘try’ to accommodate many tastes and preferences.  This is why I’m always launching new diabetes bags, and new collections that might appeal to many likes. From over the top with colors, to busy prints, to colors that appeal to a younger crowd.  If you don’t like what you see this season stick around cause my diabetes bags will change…and you never know you may fall head over heels in love with the next collection.

So here are 2 new designs that I’m considering launching.  Comments feedback and questions are most welcome.

Wilderness Girl

Outdoorsey Type

Time for another post about what is going on behind the scenes at Stick Me Designs. I asked the facebook fans earlier last week if they could go and find my designs at a brick and mortar location where would they likely go?

Some said Wally-World aka Walmart, some said Tarjay aka Target and some said at their Endo’s office…& that struck me as interesting.

While I would be lush with excitement to see my designs on the shelves at Target I’m not quite large enough to handle such an undertaking. Sooo the Endo’s office really hit the spot for feasibility and the promise of actually making that happen this year.

Here’s my theory:

–> I’d like to start by networking with local Endo office diabetes nurses and staff. Ask if I can have permission to leave my postcards in their lobbies or to leave for support groups they’re a part of.  Next I’ll ask if it would be ok to display a bag at the reception area or checkout window. This way the bag is right there for them to see first hand and get a feel for what my designs look like up close and in person.

While I don’t think I can get them to offer them for sale to their patients ( although this would certainly be Cream!) I can ask if they’ll display them for their patients to see and then come visit the site and grab one for themselves. Sounds simple enough.

I’ll be getting help from a Sales Specialist(SS) who will be working for me assisting me with the New York  upstate area and the City, so we’ll see how the pilot will go until the end of the year.

I’m excited because my SS has tons of fabulous ideas and is super ambitious and has had made headway for other small companies and I’m hoping to see the similar results.

As I said before going at this thing called entrepreneurship is not easy…top on my ‘other’ life as a mom, a Navy spouse and employee (for now), it takes perseverance and restraint not to go above and beyond what my budget can allow.

But one thing I now I’ll have till I get where my goals are is belief in what I’m doing and what it is doing for my now friends and new customers.

It’s not saving the world but it is saving them from boring black nylon tragedies!

As my company grows into its toddler years I thought it may be beneficial to chronicle what happens behind the scenes of a mom-run small business.  In the midst of being a busy mom to two boys ages almost 5 and almost 3, in addition to working full time, and being a Navy spouse things can get so out of hand and so extremely busy I wonder how I find time to breath. Does anyone out there ever feel like that?  Oh and did I mention I’m completing my Bachelor’s degree too…yup 4 classes to go! Phew exhausted just going over it all.

So my company Stick Me Designs produces and designs stylish, functional and moder diabetes accessories. I design each and every piece that makes its way to the web shop. I have found contractors in China, New York and Colorado to assist us with production costs, and I’m currently in talks to have a  new collection possibly made with a contractor in Pakistan.

So my goal is to not only bring fresh, modern stylish accessories to people living with diabetes, but to also provide a sole outlet for me to spread my creative wings and take my company to the next level.  So how does a one-woman show go about this?

Good question… While I love the price breaks with having our bags made abroad, sometimes it’s difficult to make those minimum requirements.  So I’ll go with our US manufacturer, but then our order are smaller which run the risk of selling out pretty quickly.  Arrgh.

But at the end of the day, when I get an email that says, ” I was just diagnosed last week with diabetes and my endocrinologist recommended you” I gush with pride and rainbows.

What does it all mean? It means that:

Being a mom is hard work
Running a business is hard work
Being a Navy Wife is hard work

and in the end my goal is that all the sacrifice and hard work is totally worth it in the end…I have no doubt it will be!

I’m happy to hear your comments

Starting and running a business that is growing every quarter while: working full time, going back to school, being a mother to 4 and 2 year old boys and being a Navy Chief wife isn’t easy. In fact it’s downright life-changing in more ways than I’m sure I know right at this moment.

But what I do know is that what I’m doing is something that people feel good about.  Living with diabetes is a big pain in the hiney and millions of people are doing it everyday.  With my functional and stylish diabetes accessories I’m able to do a few things quite nicely.

I get to one, be creative which is a huge + for me. I get to two, do something that makes living with diabetes just a little bit sweeter, and colorful.

While my company may not be the largest establishment on the block, we’re doing big things and making a difference to many people everyday.  I am a creative team that designs, creates and distributes to diabetes educators retailers and customers.  They like my designs because in addition to their functionality they’re modern, colorful designs are a welcome “Hello” to their daily routines.

Apparently I missed the segment you did on your show about the growing epidemic on diabetes in America, but it’s no surprise to me because I’m aware of the shocking statistics.  My mom told me about the episode so I decided to go to your website and see what all you had said on your segment.

I’m pretty confident that with the right know-how and guidance my business will become an enterprise and I can share my collections with millions of people around the world.  I’d love to chat about how we can make this possible.

Sincerely,

Rickina Velte

Founder|Designer  - Stick Me Designs

Yup that’s what I’d say to Ms. Winfrey should she or any of her assistants, producers, or executives come knocking on my office door…it could happen

This just in…a spy shot of one of the next collections that will be available for the Spring ‘09 collection.

**Hibiscus Poppy** – you can almost smell that warm tropical ocean breeze…
Well we can imagine anyway

We’ve been hard at work designing and putting the finishing touches on our latest addtion to our stylish diabetes accessory lineup. You all asked and we took diligent notes to you bring you a stylish, versatile and functional ‘for all’ diabetes carry all. So we’d like to preview our new upcoming messenger bag, The Switch Me Collection.

We’re still in the prototype phase, but we think sneaking a peek is always fun, so here ya go:

Like ‘em? Join our Sentinel so you can grab yours first*

**Trippy Nite ‘Switch Me’ Messenger with designer flap removed**

**Diabetes-Mate Insert Prototype**

**Front of Switch Me Messenger Diabetes Bag**

After two weeks of voting we have our winners for the new Fall/Winter Deluxe fabric choices.  Our customers were given the opportunity to cast their votes for their favorites, and we were happy to give them the reigns to do so. 

What’s that, you didn’t know we were letting you vote, and you’d like to know about our other cool ‘you choose’ opportunities?  Well ya gotta join our Sentinel, by going to our home page, and sharing your email with us.  We won’t stalk you or come by your house, but we will let you vote on upcoming fabrics, win fabulous prizes, and be a part of the coolest stylish diabetes accessory line around…not too shabby*  

Our customers made their favorites quite clear and we are happy to showcase them here.  So below you’ll find the upcoming Fall and Winter Deluxe fabric choices for our newest stylish and functional glucose meter carrying cases.    ~Enjoy

So we’re winding summer down and getting into the goodness that is called late Summer early Fall.  That also means that it’s time for new collections and fabrics in our collection of Deluxe carrying cases *yay*.  So this season I decided to do things a bit differently.  Because as much as I love picking fabrics out and selecting that perfect look, I thought it would be more customer-driven if you all picked the fabrics this season. 

The response has been so well this far that I may just leave that up to you guys from now on.  You guys like to choose and I like to give you that sense of choice.  So we’ll post the top 4 choices here just so you can see and if you’d like you can vote too. Just click HERE and tell us what you think. So you too can make your voice heard!

~Happy Voting~