The wedding day is a special moment in any couples life and it is one that can be quite costly. Put that together with the millions of people that are getting married each year and that makes this a very profitable industry to be in.
This is something Patricia Ottoni, the owner of The Goodie Bar, knows a lot about. Besides the profit value of an industry like this, Patricia also realizes how specific–and sometimes quite unique–the demands can be for wedding accessories. That is why Patricia offers “countless products” on her website, each selectively chosen from a variety of vendors. If the bride and groom cannot find what they are looking for or they want something different, it only takes a quick look through her catalog where it will most likely be found.
Tell us a little about The Goodie Bar.
The Goodie Bar is an on-line retail store specializing in wedding favors, accessories and invitations. We have something for every style and every budget, and cater to a clientele that wants to be original, fun, and hip…although we do offer more traditional items as well. We also recently opened our door to the local market in our area, servicing brides in Montreal, QC.
What inspired you to launch your business?
I am, by nature, a very creative person. I have a fine arts degree as well as a degree in interior design. I was working for a major office furniture manufacturer before I went on maternity leave. My friend and I joked around a few times about how we should start our own favor business, because we had done so many custom favors for our own personal events. After realizing how hard it would be for me to leave my daughter and return to work, I turned the idea into a reality.
What are your top selling items?
Right now, wine toppers are a hot item. They are small and convenient for guests to transport, and can easily be custom wrapped. Also, a wine stopper is something anyone can and will use after the wedding. It won’t sit on a shelf collecting dust, and people are attracted to that idea, to giving something useful.
What is the most unusual/unique request you’ve ever received from a customer?
Recently someone inquired about “duck” place card holders. This bride’s fiancée was an avid duck hunter, and she decided to center her wedding theme on that. I’ve heard of many different themes before… but never ducks and hunting!
Have you always been entrepreneurial? What lead you to start a business within this industry?
Ever since I finished school and joined the professional work force, I knew I could never work for someone else my entire life. I am too independent; I have my own ideas, and tend to be more of a free spirit. My husband has been successfully running his own business for many years now, and he is the one who pushed me to start it up. He knows how creative I am, how much I love details, and that I strive to make people happy. We just pooled everything together and came up with The Goodie Bar. The wedding industry has proven to be a very lucrative market. No matter what the state of the economy, people get married. I cater to brides on a budget, and brides with no budget!
What are some of the goals that you still hope to accomplish?
I would essentially like to have a large enough clientele that I can begin importing products from overseas directly, instead of working through wholesale suppliers. I would love to have the creative freedom to design my own products with my own ideas, which can be manufactured and then sold exclusively through The Goodie Bar here in the United States and Canada.
What are some of the lessons your business has taught you?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far is that success doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s something you have to struggle for and to work extremely hard at. I’ve also learned that sometimes no matter hard you work at something; you just have to trust yourself and leave the rest up to fate.
Do you have any advice that you’d like to offer others that are hoping to launch their own internet-based business?
Besides offering products and services that are in demand, you have to understand that marketing and advertising are the single most important things to the success of an internet based business. There is no store front and no fancy window or sign that will attract people to come in. You have to get creative and be on top of things every minute of the day, like networking, posting articles, and you need to make sure you have proper search engine optimization. You also have to be extremely disciplined to work from home. It’s hard to stay on your computer plugging away when distraction is just in the next room. If you can find the right way to balance your business and personal life, it can be extremely rewarding and gratifying.
