| You've Made It On The Internet, Now What? | | | | between the two. In today's competitive |
| It was a long lonely journey. You may have started | | | | environment, smelling the roses for too long can put |
| with nearly zero funds using technology as your | | | | one in a vulnerable position. |
| leverage. You may have been a "trust fund baby" or | | | | I noticed other cartoonists were trying unique |
| backed by venture capitalists and sped things up | | | | ventures, some almost copies of mine, one so close |
| quite a bit and it didn't take so long to "make it". | | | | we even had to call in an attorney to take it down |
| If you were like me, you started with a beat up | | | | which he reluctantly did. Not something I like to do. |
| computer, and a lot of confused friends around you. | | | | In some ways, I'm glad all that happened, as |
| Some of them dropped by the wayside, thinking you | | | | McDonald's and Wal-mart learned early on, business is |
| had lost your mind. Maybe you were like me, had left | | | | not done in a vacuum. They are watching you and |
| corporate America to fulfill a vague dream, or maybe | | | | you are watching them. Treating your customers and |
| you had a your vision was already crystallized as to | | | | vendors and others with the same kind of respect |
| what people would see and buy from you on the | | | | you want back, may sound simple, but it is a major |
| Internet, and how much you would have sold, once | | | | key to success. I may have unusual copyrighted |
| you "had arrived". | | | | products that nobody else has or can have because |
| My vision started in 1997. It was still very vague and | | | | they are based on my cartoons, my intellectual |
| I did not have a business plan. I had written | | | | property, but buyers are savvy and feel a sense of |
| thousands of cartoons, but could not draw well. My | | | | entitlement today, and they should. They want |
| vague vision was that i would find a risk-taking | | | | customer service and a real person with which to talk |
| entrepreneurial artist who would work with me for | | | | if there is a question or concern. Doesn't matter how |
| years until this vision was completed. The vision was | | | | talented or wonderful we think we are. |
| to have at least 5000 single-panel offbeat cartoons | | | | So I started researching to find a niche and noticed a |
| completed, be world famous, and be in "the spirit of | | | | lot of cartoonists were making big money in the |
| The Far Side" by Gary Larson who was a major | | | | t-shirt business. I didn't want to get lost in that |
| influence. | | | | crowd, but I did step in the waters of that industry |
| I was naive. My first artist lasted about 4 months | | | | and was quite surprised to find there is money there. |
| and his wife made him "get a real job". I was single. I | | | | But I had to find something different, something that |
| probably went through thirty artists after that over | | | | nobody else was doing. And eureka! Nobody was |
| the next few years until I built a team that stayed | | | | doing a line of designer cartoon casual wear. |
| with me. By the year 2000, we had almost 2000 | | | | So I gave it a shot, and, again to my surprise, people |
| cartoons finished and posted. | | | | were buying and buying big. They continue to. |
| My other vague dream was that once these | | | | I decided not to use cheap silkscreen and half |
| cartoons were on the Internet, newspaper | | | | polyester products but all cotton and the new much |
| syndicates would come running to us begging for | | | | higher quality digital imprinting which makes the image |
| syndication. I might as well have been buying lottery | | | | appear to be a part of the product. People were |
| tickets. | | | | willing to pay a few dollars more for it, as my |
| Fortunately, I had the skill of barter, which I still use, | | | | instincts told me they would, because I would. I |
| and discovered that many companies indeed beg for | | | | never buy a cheap silkscreen t-shirt or any silkscreen |
| the cartoons to use in newsletters, on their websites, | | | | anymore because I know within a few washings, |
| and many needed custom graphics which my team | | | | even in cold water, the image is half gone, and often |
| provided. Many paid and many bartered, but we did | | | | the fabric is already beginning to show wear. So I |
| enough business to keep the lights on. | | | | took the chance on quality and it was the right |
| In 2001, I fell ill with heart trouble and sort of let the | | | | move. I added useful gifts like mousepads, cutting |
| project glide for several months, even thinking of | | | | boards, tote bags, coasters, aprons and such and low |
| selling it or closing it. | | | | and behold, people bought. |
| Then I was contacted by a manufacturer in New | | | | The success mix? Funny cartoon (nice artwork), |
| Jersey who made everything from t-shirts to wall | | | | quality product, excellent customer service, and |
| clocks to Christmas ornaments with artwork on | | | | worldwide shipping (almost 20% of my sales come |
| them. He wanted to do business. | | | | from other countries). |
| The amount he wanted to pay us was not close to | | | | Today, I am smelling the roses. The way I smell the |
| what I had in mind. We settled on doubling it and he | | | | roses, often is to take a long walk, play with my |
| agreed. That business has been profitable since the | | | | very old dog (age 20) who used to walk with me |
| third month and didn't cost me a penny. He not only | | | | but now cannot, and write an article that might be of |
| creates on demand, but drop ships worldwide, buys | | | | help to someone else struggling with issues of |
| all the ppc, pays for all kinds of other advertising, has | | | | launching and running a successful Internet business. |
| over 30,000 of my products on Shop.com, (which | | | | One caveat. My way is not the only way. In fact, if |
| has created affiliates also selling them), Ebay, and | | | | someone asked me if they could copy my business |
| more. Within a year, I was receiving monthly checks | | | | model, I would say "Sure, but you'll save yourself a |
| that blew my mind, and still do. | | | | lot of headaches and pain by developing a business |
| In other words, "the vision" or dream, if you will, | | | | plan and taking it to investors". But that might not be |
| took a life of its own and showed me I was limiting | | | | their style. It was not mine. I don't consider myself a |
| myself with my own narrow vision of what it could | | | | control freak, but I did want control over this project. |
| be. | | | | Selling stock, bringing in investors etc. from the start, |
| So I took a few more chances. Now I had a little | | | | dilutes that control. |
| money to play with. | | | | Now that I've "made it on the Internet", my |
| I started the world's first cartoon gourmet coffee | | | | accountant says maybe it is time to incorporate and |
| gift basket and it took off. I sell it at my mainstore. | | | | see what the people think of owning stock. I may do |
| Human nature, I believe, is to sit back and enjoy the | | | | that, I may not. I have the luxury of not making that |
| fruits of one's labor. And I do try to stop and smell | | | | decision at this time, and so will you if you will simply |
| the roses when I can. I believe that is important; | | | | plod along, work hard, keep your eyes on the prize, |
| otherwise, where's the fun? | | | | and never, ever let the naysayers (there will be |
| But there is a difference between smelling the roses | | | | plenty) deter you from their dream. |
| and resting on one's laurels and there is a fine line | | | | |