Small Business Connections                                                         August 2012 

More Polish Pottery

Rebecca Gengler, owner and founder of More Polish Pottery in Big Rock, IL, started her "love affair" with polish pottery as a military wife stationed in Germany in from 1998-2001. She collected the pottery during her travels, and dreamed of starting her own polish pottery business. She recognized that polish pottery was not just another stoneware piece - but something of high artisan quality with each piece having a story behind how it was made. With such a large polish heritage in Illinois (including her own), she couldn't wait to pursue this dream.

Fast forward to 2011, Rebecca and her husband purchased a five acre property in Big Rock, which conveniently included four greenhouses and an oversized garage from a previous business that was located on the site. Rebecca used part of the garage as a showroom and ordered an initial inventory of Ceramika Artstyczna polish pottery - over 200 shapes and sizes of bakeware, mugs, plates, bowls, and more. Her business immediately attracted a following, and she kept reinvesting into her business to keep up with demand. She now boasts the largest selection of polish pottery in the northern Midwest region at one retail setting.  

More Polish Pottery clients visit from throughout Chicagoland, as well as many repeat clients from out of state. The biggest compliment she can get is a phone call or visit from someone who was referred to her. This has allowed the business to grow quickly as referrals have been an integral part of her success. Rebecca gives private presentations both at the shop and at woman's groups, showcasing artists from Poland, product, and her stories as a small business owner getting started.    

As her business took off, Rebecca sought assistance from the IL SBDC at Waubonsee to help her develop her business plan and decide where to put her focus. She also attended SBDC round tables and presentations where she was able to connect with other small business owners. This has allowed her to learn money saving tips used during the start-up process, network with other wholesalers and retailers, learn smart inexpensive marketing techniques, and learn ways to create business wholesale packages.  

"With so many businesses that come and go, I wanted to ensure that my business plan matched my enthusiasm for sharing a product that I have believed in for so long. Our business continues to grow beyond our expectations and we look forward to continued education through the SBDC as we hire more employees, expand further into wholesale and retail markets, and stay on the cutting edge of trends in technology and marketing. We have learned so much in our first year and we are confident that we have amazing resources at our fingertips as we continue to learn for long-term growth and expansion."

Rebecca nicknamed their Big Rock property 'Field of Dreams', and More Polish Pottery is definitely becoming a dream come true. In the last few months, continued growth prompted Rebecca to hire someone to help with bookkeeping and inventory management. She is working with retailers both in Chicagoland and surrounding states in retail shops, boutiques, apple orchards, and even pumpkin farms.

More Polish Pottery is located at 8S953 Jericho Rd. in Big Rock, IL. You can also learn more about Rebecca's polish pottery and view many of the patterns and pieces on the website, or call (630) 605-2371 for more information. You may give her a 'Thumbs Up' on Facebook: More Polish Pottery  

Caution! Signs of Trouble Ahead  

I've worked with enough entrepreneurs to recognize signs of trouble. I don't like to be a pessimist - I'm truly a cheerleader for someone with a good idea and lots of passion. But the fact is - the failure rate for new businesses is high, and the road ahead for any small business is bumpy, at best.

Here are a few caution signs to help you avoid the entrepreneurial cliffs as you launch your new venture:

Secrecy - Good ideas are meant to be shared. Your idea, no matter how great, is bound to need some refinement. Good ideas are made better when you share them and get feedback. If you think you have intellectual property that needs protecting, meet with an IP attorney to find out what you can safely share about your idea without compromising a future patent. The IL SBDC can refer you to a local patent attorney for guidance. Then, talk it up!

Ignorance - There will be plenty of opportunities for legitimate mistakes as you start your business. But, there's just no excuse for plunging off the cliff because you couldn't be bothered to stop and ask for directions. Here are a few areas where you MUST do your homework:

• Numbers - create a conservative, detailed financial forecast, backed by solid assumptions. Have a backup plan if things don't go as expected.
• Competition - do thorough market research before you start. Every time someone tells me they have no competition, I know they're headed for the cliff. Everyone has competition of some type.
• Industry - understand how your industry works. If you create a model that's counterintuitive to standard industry practice, you are in danger.

Hiding - I always know when someone doesn't really want input about their business. After an initial meeting, they disappear, often popping back up when three of four wheels of the business are dangling over the cliff. Wouldn't it be better to hear about the pitfalls in time to do something about them, rather than after it's too late? Which leads me to the last caution sign...

Pride - As much as we wish it wasn't so, sometimes an idea doesn't pan out. Or we launch, survive (even thrive) for a while, and then things go south. Know when to cut your losses and call it quits. Your ego may be a bit bruised, but failure goes with the entrepreneurial territory - dust yourself off, take a break, and try again. Some of the most successful entrepreneurs have failed at least once in their endeavors. You have a better chance of turning failure into success if you don't wait too long to make the decision. And don't beat yourself up. After all, you ARE an entrepreneur.

For more on this topic, read Inc. magazine's article on the top 3 bonehead moves entrepreneurs make.

Biz Bitz

Illinois SBDC at Waubonsee Community College