Knowing when to make the shift
There are times in our lives we have an idea, a perspective, or an expectation of ourselves or of others that we hold so true that departing from it does not even come to mind. Being so fixed in our thinking can sometimes work to our detriment; we may miss out on an opportunity that may arise from doing something different, taking a chance, and making a shift.
But how do you know when it’s time to make a shift?
When I decided to re-launch The Glass Room last year, my original idea was to stick with the same business model that worked when we originally launched in 2007.
We figured: Why not? When The Glass Room was first created, offering creative services and custom made art glass was appealing to the demographic and perfectly hit the sweet spot of our wheelhouse. If it weren't for the economic downturn in 2008, this model may have prevailed or evolved into something else.
When we re-launched, the services remained the same and our spirit and passion was greater than ever — the main difference was the location one hour away. Who knew this seemingly small difference would have such a big impact?
We quickly realized that in eight years the demand for creative services and custom work shifted, and that a suburban based business offers different opportunities than a commercial property in an urban area. It became clear that we needed to modify our original vision and make a shift to meet a new demand.
What came to mind was offering unique hand made, one-of-a-kind products, employing the new techniques available in the glass world, without sacrificing our values and the quality of our work. And instead of creative services in the form of longer classes, shorter workshops would fit in with today’s hurried lifestyle.
We also realized that we had potential to tap one of the most discerning and unique markets available: brides. We create glass art that brides can give as gifts to their bridal party and groomsmen, as well as unique ways for them to celebrate milestones and preserve memories.
From there, partnering with The Knot, the largest bridal website in the country, was a natural next step. It gives us a virtual marketplace where location and demographic is no longer a factor.
Revamping our website with our new bridal store displaying our new products and couples “Make your own bridal gift workshops”, sealed the deal. And marketing on social media outlets will help us connect with even more people who want unique and beautiful pieces of glass art or perhaps want to indulge their creative side for an afternoon.
It wasn’t easy realizing we needed to make the shift — adjusting our sails "from our original course" in favor of a new and unknown path is never easy. But we are excited about the new possibilities, ones that would not have presented themselves had we stayed the course.
Join us in making your own shift in direction and trying something new.