May and Belle

I'd like to welcome a new contributor on board, Sherry from May and Belle. May and Belle is a Facebook store specialising in gorgeous prints for the home. Many include fabulous quotes that will make you smile every time you look at them. Today we are going to get to know Sherry a little better...

Love is Patient

Tell us about yourself... My name is Sherry, I am a qualified Graphic Designer, stay-at-home Mum to my daughter Zoey who is 2 1/2 years and wife of a hubby who works away from home.

Enjoy the little things

Do you have help at home to support your business...  May & Belle was created in May 2011 and when I started there wasn't that much of a need for help as I was just starting out. Since the business has grown Zoey has started going into day and my hubby helps out with the packaging, picking up prints from the printers and even doing post office runs for me, when he is home.

How does your family fit in with your business - do you have dedicated work days... It used to be whenever I could fit it in, but since it has grown dramatically in recent months I felt like I was working constantly just to keep up. Since Zoey has started going to day care two days a week I now try and process my orders on the days that she is in daycare, that way I get to spend more quality time with her on the days that she doesn't go and we are both much happier because of it. Hubby.. well he just fits in around us when he'd home from work!

Things grow better

Tell us a little about your business... May & Belle came about when I started designing wall prints for my own home, because I wanted something different and unique to what was already on offer. I then started giving them to my friends as gifts and now I am sharing my unique designs with you. My prints are quickly transforming from a 'hobby' into a successful small business, which is quite daunting but very exciting as well.

What do you find to be the hardest part of running your own small business... The thing that I a finding the hardest so far is the administration side of things, I have never been good at this and find it totally boring. Would much rather be doing the creative and fun part of my job. I am currently trying to get some processes into place to make my life a little easier in regards to this. I am also trying to get my website up at the moment as well, but it keeps getting put back onto the back burner - hopefully soon.

Family Forever

Do you have a support network to keep you motivated... My support network are my Facebook fans and customers. They are very supportive of my work, always offering great ideas and keep my extremely motivated to make sure they are happy. I love sharing my new prints with them as it's not just me that is excited, they are also!

What makes your business stand out from the rest... I think my customer service and personal presence on Facebook is definitely a winner with many people. My fans and customers love to feel the personal connection that I have with them and they love having input to ideas and thoughts that I have as well. My prints are also very unique in the way that they are simple and bold, yet stylish and artistic.

Homely Home

Do you have any specials or best sellers... A few of my favourites and best sellers are 'Enjoy the Little Things', 'Our Happy Home -Tram scroll' and the newly released 'Personalised Prints for the Family.'

Do you have a top tip to other small businesses starting out... Do what you LOVE and LOVE what you do