Gethsememerose interview

Day115
Today’s interview is with gethsemenerose. He used to be in the navy. Even though my husband went to West Point and Navy beat us this year – I like this site!

http://www.cafepress.com/gethsemenerose?pid=4370506

1.What drew you to opening an online store? Were you in a related field?
Well I was talking to some of the guys in my life group and I mentioned a purity wear line of clothing that had recently made the news. We discussed if we thought the idea had merit I said it did but when I went to the site I found their designs were limited (this was not a CP shop) I found myself thinking "I could do better." It turns out I am a terrible artist but great DESIGNER and IDEA MAN.

2.When did you open your store?
I opened my account last week (April 15th) and quickly built this store with the help of reading all the forums and posting a lot of stupid questions (and getting yelled at by some of the CP Cops) and generally not sleeping for 4 days. All the designs were created this week and one day I might hire a graphics designer to help me with some bigger and more involved projects than these.

3.What is harder about doing this then you thought it would be?
The art. I used to love drawing when I was in the Navy. I would spend hours drawing when I was out to sea, but the problem is one drawing took a week or so. The whole exercise was to pass time during long tours under the polar icecap, (I was in submarines) but now I have felt pressure to do 3 sometimes 4 designs a day and drawing with a mouse is not as easy as a pencil and pens. Also JASC Photoshop is not something I have ever used before (I bought my computer a year ago and I had a free 60 day trial version installed. I had never activated it until this week) I may buy an easier program and an art tablet later if this makes any money.

4.What do you like best about being an online shopkeeper?
Freedom to do my own thing. The ability to get my message out in a fun way. (Purity is Cool)

5. During the very first month, what do you wish you had known then that you do now?
Well it is still my first week I do not know anything but I sold something my first day to someone who I do not know.(It came through an affiliate and they got $0.60 and I got $2.40) Kinda wish I had understood price points better because that was 3 shirts sold.

6. Could you share some of the marketing you’ve tried so far (on or off line) and what has worked and what hasn’t?
I was in real estate for a year so I understand drip e-mail marketing. I had a decent size list of email addresses (over 150) that I painstakingly entered into the newsletter database then I sent out a newsletter. I advertised a sale immediately. I have also taken that list of 300 sites that have free listings and have been working my way through it about 5 or six a day. (Many are not free anymore but I have been annotating it and when I have finished I will repost it.)

7. What other sites, blogs, etc. do you have if any?
I had never thought of a site before (although I helped my old broker set up her real estate site at www.888grantct.com ) I have set up a blog this week because I read in the forums it would be good to do but I haven't had time to write in it because I have been making art and setting up the site. http://www.cafepress.com/gethsemenerose?pid=4370506

8. The unasked question. Do I think there is a place for a site like this in today’s world? Well I can only hope so. Purity is Cool and it is a possibility. Just try it you might like it.

Nancy’s comment – It’s hard to believe this site is only about 10 days old. He’s a talented guy and obviously working hard at this!