Hi Everyone!
It has been awhile since my last Kickstarter update because there has been lots going on! I apologize for the delay - while trying to stay on top of the workflow it has been difficult me to write the full posts I've been wanting to do. Moving forward, I will try to post more frequently on any updates!
First, the bags have gone into production! :D I've been communicating with my manufacturer to make sure everything is being taken care of and the plan is to have both the Jessica bag and the Tom bag completed by April 10th. They are working off that schedule and currently there are no delays. However, I have also been researching importer/exporter companies to hire for my shipment and the average time from manufacturer to my door is 23 days via ocean. So the Jessica and Tom bags are most likely to arrive in May.
Second, pre-ordering is now available here on the homepage and "Shop" page! The pre-order prices are over 20% off retail so although they are not as discounted as they were on Kickstarter, it is still specially priced! After completing my Kickstarter campaign and learning how much all the expenses add up to, I've learned that I'm unable to price as low as I would've liked. So, everyone who purchased through my campaign in January and February received the best deal! :)
Lastly, on March 16-March 18th I participated in LA's first athleisure trade show called SHAPE and it was a great learning experience. The traffic at the show was quite slow since it was brand new, so in my opinion I probably won't do trade shows anymore (due to time and cost). But, I made friends with a bunch of local designers and there might be opportunities to come out of the show if I decide to pursue them. I will keep you posted!
Besides the SHAPE trade show, I also entered a business competition yesterday! I have been working on my business concept model and pitch for the past month and I'm crossing my fingers I make the first cut but I won't find out until April 1st, so I will let you know what happens!
My current full-time job in marketing is also going through quite a busy time so I have been traveling (New York) and working on that as well. As I continue to work on Persu, I will try to post more frequent updates, as mentioned before!
I really appreciate everyone's support through it all! Thank you again for everything! :)
Xoxo,
Steph