Iowa resident Tara Inghram has managed to take her love of scrapbooking and not only turn it into a business (Absolutely Tara! Scrapbooking Page Designs), but she has also provided a cyber meeting place for all Iowa scrappers (IowaScrapbooking.com).

Through her business Absolutely Tara! Scrapbooking Page Designs, Tara designs scrapbooking page kits, and sells them online and in scrapbooking stores. "Through the shows I've participated in, I have met many storeowners and consultants in the scrapbooking business in Iowa, and I have become friends with many of them," Tara explains. "The idea for the IowaScrapbooking.com Web site just came to me recently, and I thought it would be a great way to bring all types of scrapbooking businesses together to help promote this awesome hobby in Iowa.

"I contacted the scrapbooking businesses in Iowa to see if they'd like to help sponsor the new Web site, and the response was very, very positive! Absolutely Tara! is one of the businesses listed on the Web site, so I will receive some exposure for my business through the new site.

What Is IowaScrapbooking.com?
IowaScrapbooking.com is a Web site that has a comprehensive listing of Iowa Scrapbooking stores, online stores, consultants, album imprinters, scrapbooking event planners, custom album makers, and other scrapbooking businesses.  It also has an events listing, Scrapper in the spotlight (with layouts), Business in the spotlight, surveys, polls, email groups, and more.

"Many of the businesses have their own Web sites with layouts and ideas, and some sell products online as well as in stores and from their homes. It's a great resource for scrapbooking in Iowa and beyond!" Tara explains.

Memories And...Lasagna?
It was Tara's love of lasagna that first ignited her scrapbooking passion. "One of my good friends invited a bunch of friends over for a lasagna dinner, followed by a scrapbooking class taught by a consultant for a direct sales company," she remembers. "At the time, I was busy with a full-time job outside the home, and a full-time job in the home (my husband and children!).  Needless to say, I did not feel I would have time to sit around 'playing' with my pictures.

"Since I love lasagna, I decided to enjoy the dinner with friends, and to be polite and sit through the scrapbooking class. I honestly did not think it would be something I would have time to do. Of course, I fell in love with scrapbooking during the class, and I found the time to work on my scrapbooks!"

In 2001, Tara and a couple of friends were organizing a scrapbooking event in their area, because no scrapbooking conventions had ever come to Iowa before. Tara went online to search for scrapbooking businesses to request prize donations from, in return for recognition at our event, and it was then that the idea to launch Absolutely Tara! popped into her mind.

"The knowledge I had gained from my time researching on the Internet made it very easy to set up my Web site and advertise it online," she recalls.

Luckily, Tara had already gained business knowledge, through her 11 years experience in the insurance industry. In addition, she was a consultant for a scrapbooking direct sales company in 1998-1999. "I quit my job last April to spend more time with my family, so my online business was a nice fit to help me still contribute some to our income from the comfort of our home," she notes.

Finding Time For Business & Family
"The hours I put in vary from week to week," Tara says. "If I have a wholesale order for my page kits from a scrapbooking store, I will spend 2-3 hours every evening (after my kids are in bed!) working on them, and I might spend a half-hour during the day to do paperwork type duties. Orders I receive from individuals on my Web site maybe take 1-2 hours a day, a few nights a week. This is a perfect amount of time for me.

"When I first started my online business, I carried my page kits and a few other lines of scrapbooking products that I liked. I kept adding more and more products, and soon my home was becoming full of inventory and boxes. And I was spending a great deal of time filling orders and updating my Web site. It was exciting to see my business grow and be successful, but it was also taking up more time than I had wanted.  I decided to get back to the reason I originally started my business - the page kits. So I sold off the other lines of products to other scrapbooking businesses."

Web Site Wonders
Building a Web site tends to come with its own set of frustrations. "I did quite a bit of research looking for a place to host my Web site," Tara explains. "I did searches at Google.com (my favorite search engine!), and looked at other scrapbooking sites. I wanted to find a host that was inexpensive and user friendly.

"I did find a host that met that criteria, and quickly built my Web site. No sooner had I opened for business, I received notice from the host that they would be raising their prices.  Then just a few months later, they raised their prices again, without much notice.  The hosting price has become more than I want to pay for my small business, so I am in the process of moving my site to another host.  It has been a bit frustrating.

"My advice for others who wish to have an online presence is to spend the time to do the research. There are a lot of 'Free' Web site hosts out there, but you usually have to put up with their pop-up ads or banner ads on your site, and the features/space you get are pretty limited.  And just building a site will not bring customers to you.  You need to have a plan as to how you are going to advertise your site: search engines, links, ad boards, etc."

Marketing Magic
 "I have marketed my page kit business locally by participating in scrapbooking events in our area," Tara says. "Also, a newspaper did a story about a scrapbooking event I helped organize, and my business received exposure in the article.  My page kits are carried in some scrapbooking stores, so that helps too.

"For the new IowaScrapbooking.com site, I plan to send press releases to Iowa newspapers to help make scrapbookers in Iowa aware of the site.
 
"I market my page kit business online through an email newsletter that people can sign up to receive. The newsletter contains announcements of new products, sales, upcoming events, and other news. I also have exchanged links with many different scrapbooking businesses. In addition, there are some scrapbooking boards that accept ads, and I advertise there on a regular basis.

"For the IowaScrapbooking.com Web site, there are a couple of email groups people can join to receive updated information about the site.  Many items will change weekly on IowaScrapbooking.com, so people will have to visit often to see the new information!
 
"I'm lucky because most of the ways I've chosen to advertise my business have brought results. However, I did purchase a link on a general crafts Web site, and I don't think that has brought me any business at all."

Competition
 "There is a tremendous amount of competition online for scrapbooking businesses," Tara notes. "It seems like a new online store pops up every day.  I just keep advertising on a regular basis, and keep building a good reputation for my products and service.  I do plan to come out with some new items soon - it always helps to have something new!"

Online/Retail/Wholesalers Controversy
"I do visit quite a few scrapbooking message boards, and I have seen messages posted where individuals are getting a group of scrapbookers together for the purpose of buying items at wholesale prices. These are not people in the business of scrapbooking - just someone who has a retail sales tax license of some sort.

"This type of situation does bother me, because it does hurt the legitimate scrapbooking businesses. And I know that it can be easy to put up a site to look like a legitimate scrapbooking business, and a scrapbooking manufacturer could be fooled into thinking they are selling to a legitimate scrapbooking business.
 
"However, it just doesn't seem fair when a manufacturer decides not to sell to any online businesses, without doing any research to see if they are legitimate or not. Or to sell to the online stores at a higher wholesale price. There are many scrapbookers who live in remote areas without a scrapbooking store, or who do not want to patronize the scrapbooking store they do have because of poor service. They buy most of their items online. I think the manufacturers are missing out on business by not selling to online stores. 
 
"On the other hand, I realize the concerns of scrapbooking storeowners. Their overhead is usually much more than an online store. Therefore, an online store can sell things for less and still make the same or better profit margin. This hurts the storeowners, and I do understand why they've complained to the manufacturers of scrapbooking products.
 
"There was one company I dealt with in the past who raised their prices for online businesses. I wrote them a note explaining why I thought  their policy was flawed, and did not carry their product any longer.
 
"I don't know what the solution to this problem is, and I imagine the problem will be around for a while to come."

Advice For Future Business Owners
"My advice to anyone launching a scrapbooking business is research, research, research! And a business plan is a must. If you are planning to open a scrapbooking store, you really need to research your area thoroughly. Just because there is only one scrapbooking store in your area, doesn't mean that there is enough business to support two. We had a situation within our state where two stores were in the same smaller-sized town. One store just recently closed their doors. And the time commitment to get a store off the ground and keep it going is huge, so you have to decide if you really have the time and desire to commit to it.
 
"If you are wanting to launch an online store, you also need to research the market and come up with a business plan. There are hundreds and hundreds of online scrapbooking stores. You will need to find a way to make your store stand out. In my case, no one else carries my page kits online, although there are lots of online stores that carry page kits.

"I think an online store needs to find a niche.One of my favorite new online stores in PaperAddict.com. The focus of that business is scrapbooking paper, and they carry a ton! They also carry other scrapbooking items, but the paper is their niche. The owner of that business also sets herself apart by giving excellent service, and she puts a little something special in each package she sends out. It's just a small gesture, but it really adds a nice touch."
 
Cha Ching! The Profit Factor
 "I did invest a little bit to get started," Tara says. "I needed paper, packaging and the tools to make my kits. My biggest investment was time! I had to design all of my page kits, figure out how to package them, make them, set up a Web site, advertise, etc."

Tara turned a profit this year, something not many small business owners can claim in the beginning. "It's not a huge amount, but it makes me feel good that I helped contribute to our family income," she says. "I was also able to get some scrapbooking items for my business that I can also use in my personal scrapbooks, so that's a nice perk too. I expect to make more of a profit next year because many of my initial expenses are out of the way."

Family Support
"My husband thought the page kits were a good idea.  However, there was some tension when my business grew to a point where I was spending more time than I wanted filling orders and updating my site.  \But that helped me know that I wanted to cut back, and that's when I sold off my other products to scrapbooking businesses.  My kids love my business because they love to play with my paper scraps and tools!"

The Future
"I plan to introduce more page kits early next year," Tara says. "I also have a concept for a new idea book I would love to be able to sell to scrapbooking stores."

Contact Info:
Tara Inghram
Email:  dandting@home.com
 
Absolutely Tara! Scrapbooking Page Designs
www.AbsolutelyTara.com
 
IowaScrapbooking.com
www.iowascrapbooking.com