Not a Movie Montage: What Actually Happened When I Made My First Collection

I really wish I could tell you that my first product collection magically appeared through some flash of inspiration, like in a movie. 

But nope, that’s not how it went down. It was more like a chaotic scramble of 3 AM Google searches, endless, frantic texts, vendors who vanished into thin air, and so much overthinking I thought my brain might actually melt.

Okay, so, putting together your first set of products when you're starting with absolutely nothing? It’s a totally different challenge!

Fantasy vs. Reality

Okay, so, most of the real work on this collection? It happened super late, way after midnight. Seriously, it was the only time things got quiet enough for me to even get my head straight. I'd be parked in front of my laptop, usually with like, a million tabs open. I was all over the place – flipping through what's trending, trying to match prices, looking at who I might want to buy stuff from, and trying to read articles about how to get the word out, most of which I didn't even understand back then, haha.

Some nights, I was so pumped up. I'd be planning everything out, just itching to get going. And then other nights? Forget it! I'd just stare at the screen, totally blank. I'd start wondering if I was completely screwing things up. It wasn't just dealing with the usual everyday stuff that goes wrong; it was a constant fight with my own brain telling me I couldn't do it. It felt like being in the Olympics, but for doubting yourself.

At first, I really thought the hard part would just be dreaming up the designs. Was I wrong! The biggest headache was figuring out what not to make. Every single idea felt like the coolest thing ever, like it just had to happen. Every inspiration board felt like the next big thing that would make us famous. But then reality hit – hello, budget! – and I had to wake up. I had to be super real with myself and decide what actually deserved a spot in the collection. What would be bought and used. What would make money. And what was just me throwing a bunch of stuff out there, hoping something would stick?

That meant making some seriously tough calls. Saying goodbye to a lot of that would be cool ideas, and really zeroing in on the things people would actually spend their money on, things they'd be pumped about. Not just stuff they'd say was nice to be polite. I wanted people to be excited.

Late Nights and a Noisy Brain

Okay, so a huge chunk of the work for this collection? It happened super late, basically after everyone else had gone to sleep. It was seriously the only time I could get my brain to focus! The world just felt…quieter then, you know?

I'd be camped out at my desk with my laptop, probably looking like a total mess. I always had a million tabs open – like twenty, easy! I was constantly flipping back and forth between looking at what's trending. I was trying to make sure my prices weren’t crazy. And, I would be trying to vet suppliers to make sure they were on the up and up. Plus, I was wading through all these marketing articles that, honestly, were way over my head at the time. I felt like I needed a business degree to even understand them!

Some nights, I felt amazing. I was so pumped and ready to go. I'd map out the whole collection, plan the product, and think about how to get photos of it I liked. I felt like I was flying! It was like caffeine without the jitters and anxiety. I really looked forward to getting everything handled.

But other nights? Ugh. I'd just sit there, staring blankly at the screen, feeling totally lost. I’d start second-guessing everything. Was I even on the right track? Was I making a huge mistake? It wasn’t just the everyday problems of putting a collection together. It was a constant fight against my own inner critic. It felt like I was training for the Olympics, but the sport was battling a lack of confidence. I felt overwhelmed and often asked myself if I was cut out to do this. I was constantly trying to keep negative self-talk away, and often failed to do so. So it was a mixed bag. Some late nights, I'm feeling like a wizard. Others, those nights made me felt like a dragon ate my brain.

Turning Chit-Chat into Strategy (and Free Therapy)

Okay, so I chatted with, like, everyone about this. I mean, seriously, I left no stone unturned. I talked to people who might actually buy this thing, sure. But I also dove into the Reddit rabbit hole and grilled total strangers for their thoughts. And of course, I roped in my friends, even the ones who looked at me with glazed-over eyes when I tried to explain what I was up to. Bless their hearts, they tried to brainstorm with me anyway.

And you know what? Each and every one of those talks, no matter how big or small, helped mold this whole collection into what it is now. Every single suggestion, every little nugget of insight – it all added up! It was kind of amazing, actually, to see it all come together.

Now, let me be totally honest with you for a sec. This collection wasn't born in some high-tech design studio, okay? There were no fancy gadgets or complicated programs involved. Instead, it came from a million different chats – endless texts, rambling voice notes back and forth, late-night video calls with too much background noise, and really open, genuine talks about what people are actually craving.

We dug deep. What do they really want, you know? What are they missing out on with the stuff that's already out there? What frustrates them? What makes them tick? Seriously, those conversations were the secret sauce. They were absolutely key to making this collection something real. Something that actually connects with people. It became so obvious what direction we needed to go by the end.

The Vendor Maze: The Good, The Bad, and The Vanishing Act

Okay, so let me tell you, trying to nail down the perfect vendors? It felt like wading through the absolute worst dating pool imaginable! You know how it goes – some of them seem like a dream come true during that first phone conversation, all enthusiasm and assurances, and then? Poof! They vanish into thin air. No returned calls, no emails, nothing. It's like they were never there.

Then you've got the ones who make promises so grand, so over-the-top, that you just know they can't possibly deliver. And I'm not talking about minor exaggerations here. I'm talking about promising the moon and the stars when they can barely get you to the corner shop. Like, come on, be serious!

And, oh, the best one? When I asked for a simple rundown of their prices, I literally got a reply with just a question mark. A question mark! Can you even believe that? I mean, is this a joke? Are you trying to waste my time?

But you know what? After a while, I actually got pretty good at spotting the warning signs. It was like I developed a sixth sense for vendor BS. I realized that just because someone is available and eager to take your call doesn't mean they're actually trustworthy or reliable. It was a hard-earned lesson, but a valuable one. And here’s a big lesson that I learned. If a vendor can't even be bothered to respect your time when you're at the early stage requesting quotes and trying to figure things out, there is absolutely no way they're going to respect your time, your project, or your sanity when you're knee-deep in the middle of production. You can take that to the bank.

Thankfully, amidst all the chaos and frustration, I did manage to find a few pretty great vendors. These were the real gems – the ones who didn't immediately panic or roll their eyes when I bombarded them with a million questions. You know, because I was trying to get everything right. These vendors actually took the time to answer everything.

The best part? These vendors treated my relatively small order of mine like it was just as important as a massive, game-changing deal. Can you imagine that? They gave it their full attention, their best work, and they made me feel like a valued customer.

Seriously, if you ever find vendors like that, the ones who are responsive, reliable, and genuinely care about your work, hold on to them for dear life. Treat them like gold, because that is exactly what they are worth. They are worth so much more than you probably even realize. Trust me on this one. A good vendor relationship can make or break you. And finding those rare gems? It’s worth all the bad dates along the way.

The Price Tag Rollercoaster (and Adjusting My Expectations)

Okay, so pricing my stuff? Man, that was a trip.

At first, I was all about using the best stuff out there. I wanted super fancy materials and every little extra detail you could imagine. Then, reality hit me like a ton of bricks. Turns out, all those upgrades and fancy additions cost a fortune! I quickly realized I needed to figure out a way to make my dream collection without going broke.

It was a balancing act, for sure. I had to learn how to make smarter choices with lower cost to production. I wanted to create a collection that still felt and looked awesome. So, I did a lot of look around and find the smart value of each material. I looked at different materials. Maybe those cost a bit more were a bit too little improvement to justify their cost. I wanted customers to feel like they are buying luxury items. So, figuring out ways to cut costs without cutting corners was key to building confidence.

Here's a little piece of advice I learned: Don't overwhelm people with choices. You don't need a crazy amount of variations. Just curate a limited number of good product. Make sure you have some really good options, and focus on making them amazing. Quality beats quantity any day! It’s better to be excellent with a few options, than be mediocre to more options and waste of money.

Listening to What People Want (Not Just My Own Ego)

Okay, so, when I first started out, I thought I knew best, you know? I was designing things that I thought were awesome, stuff that matched my own taste. Big mistake! I was so caught up in my own little world that I wasn't really seeing what was going on around me.

It wasn't until I started digging into the actual data – watching what people were clicking on, what they were saving, what they were actually asking about – that I had this major aha! moment. It hit me: This isn't about what I like. It's about what they like, what they're willing to spend their money on, and what they will keep coming back for.

Think about it this way: your first collection or product line? It's not the end-all-be-all. It’s just the very beginning, chapter one of a long, ongoing story. It's like the pilot episode of a TV show, you know? It sets the stage.

If you get too emotionally attached to that first thing, if you're too obsessed with how perfect it is in your own eyes, you stop thinking like a smart businessperson. You basically become a superfan of your own stuff. And trust me, that's not a good place to be. You lose sight of the big picture; you become unable to accept new opinions and adapt.

That change in how I thought about things, from what do I love? to what do they love? made a really big difference for me. It changed everything. It opened my eyes to see. I started thinking more clearly, making better decisions. It was like switching from black and white to full color, and I finally understood I was creating for other people, not just myself.

Would I Do It All Again Differently?

Okay, so here's the thing – it's a mixed bag, right?

On one hand, do I wish I could have skipped some of the stress? Absolutely! Better planning and being more organized would have saved me a lot of headaches, that's for sure. Like, seriously, I could have used a chill pill or two. I was uncertain.

But on the other hand, would I actually change the way things went down? Nope, not at all. The whole experience, even with the crazy moments and total screw-ups, was actually super valuable. Think of it like this: It was my own personal school of hard knocks.

Every single mistake I made. Gold. Seriously. Each of them taught me something important. Every time I messed up—and believe me, there were plenty of those times – I picked up some new knowledge. Looking back, that first collection felt like diving headfirst into the deep end.

I had to figure out everything.

• Understanding the products: What makes a product good? What makes it sell? How do you price things?
• Finding your place in the market: Like, who even are my customers? Where do they even shop? Why would they pick my stuff?
• Dealing with the day-to-day of running a business: Taxes, bookkeeping, shipping nightmares OMG, and all that not so sexy stuff nobody tells you about before you start.
• Managing my emotions: There were moments of pure exhilaration and others of complete the-world-is-ending panic. Learning to ride that wave and stay somewhat sane was an accomplishment.

You really only get one chance to make that first collection, right? It's a big deal. But here's the secret nobody tells you: It does not have to be perfect. Seriously, forget about perfection. Aim for progress, not perfection.

What matters way more is that it's genuine. It has to be real. It has to come from you. Pour your heart and soul into it, even if it's messy. People connect with realness way more than they connect with something slick and polished. 

So go for it and don't be afraid to show your true colors.