Six months down the track

Six months in this rollercoaster called ‘being the boss’ and I am proud to report that I have just had my last day in my corporate job and dare to take the plunge to look after Concrete Homewares full time. 

Some big mile stones have been achieved: we have extended our range of products to now 20 different items, all offered in various colours. And as always, we dedicate each and every piece to someone important in our life: there is “Alfredo” named after my dear uncle who has a passion for food & beer - hence a rather round belly, “Kathi” named after my beloved aunty who adores flowers & plants of every shape and colour, “Philipp” named after one of my dearest friends who always has a special spot in everyone's heart and then “Jane”, our fantastic photography and marketing girl who is probably the most organised person in the world.

We had our biggest job to date: a gift order by Belle Property Mosman who gave 50 of our “Max" trays combined with a beautiful scented candle to their clients. It caused a few hectic days to get all items ready and wrap them individually - you should have seen the living room! But it was a big success.

Hubby Marc and I also spent an exciting weekend at this years ‘Life & Style’ trade show in Sydney. The annual four-day event gave us the chance to showcase our products and connect with wholesalers across Australia. Working with other distributers, shop owners and partners is what I will be focusing on moving forward. There is so much in the works already - stay tuned! 

I am a bit nervous to leave the safety net behind, but I do hope to take Concrete Homewares to the next level now. It’s one exciting journey. 

Speak soon. 

Charlotte x

Our pretty little settlement gifts for Belle Property

At the Life In Style Event in Sydney, Feb 2017

A close up of our stand at the Life In Style in Sydney, Feb 2017

The humble beginnings.

An own business – the dream of so many people, including me. Being brave enough to get started is an incredibly tough hurdle to overcome. What kind of business? Am I even qualified? Should I really risk it? These are just some of the questions that crossed my mind every single day for the past few months.

… but after all, I am glad to have made the step into the unknown and exciting world of setting up an own company. My husband Marc always encouraged me. Having an own business himself, he knew what was involved with the set up, the hard work & long hours but also the great advantages you get with being your own boss.

And here we are. Online. On concretehomewares.com.au. Representing the little idea I had for so long: my own collection of handcrafted homewares, all made of concrete. 
 
Yes, handcrafted. Getting down & dirty and creative & colourful. It is quiet remarkable how just a few months can turn someone who has never really used any kind of tools into a confident crafts(wo)man. 

But all of this now defines my life - long weekends in our workshop in Marrickville, producing plates, bowls, vases, trays and so much more. Playing around with shapes and colours and patterns.
 
Creating a collection and defining our own signature style was one of the most difficult parts. Finding ways to build a mold that can be used as a prototype was the next big step. And then? Playing around. Testing. Trialling. Too much water – damn it. Too little water – damn it. Not fast enough – damn it. Wrong mix of colours – geez!!! But eventually, a whole lot of beautiful little pieces started to fill the tiny shelf we first used. A shelf that we had to multiply not long after to be able to fit the many pieces we have made.
 
We are ready! And now? How do we sell those? I guess we were rather optimistic about it all at first, then realizing that creating all of those beautiful pieces was not even half of the job. We were exhausted, desperate and nearly gave up without having really started.
 
Sitting down with a few good friends from different industries helped putting together a plan to get sales started. A website. A logo. Photography. Finding local shops and local markets. Exploring options for packing and shipping. Oh and let’s not forget all the administrative stuff that is so very far from being creative at all. 
 
So here we are, six months later: welcome to Concrete Homewares. A Sydney based business, designing and producing wonderful little pieces to decorate your home or to surprise a loved one with a special gift.
 
We are aiming to provide a wide range of homewares all made of concrete, perfect to decorate every room in your house: trays for your candles, vases for your flowers, bowls for your jewellery. Big plates used as stunning centre pieces. Pots adorned with succulents and cactuses. Tiny bowls for salt and pepper or bigger ones holding all your fruit.
 
And the best part: if you have an idea for that one piece that you want for your home but you can not find anywhere: let me know! And together, we can work on it!
 
I am excited to be on this journey, and to take you along. I truly hope that all my pieces find a wonderful new home.
 
Happy shopping.
Charlotte x