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kdcrowley
Permanent Resident
USA
4773 Posts |
 Posted - 08/22/2006 : 12:30:28 PM
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Martheme, there are plenty of women in your situation that make successful businesses from the ground up. You can do it. The childcare would also not be written off the business tax return, but off the personal return. Oh, and it is okay from a tax perspective to show a net loss for a certain number of years, and that number is higher for artists.
Mokey, we can only deduct child-care expenses to allow both partners to work or search for work. I don't think that there is a limit like CAD, but you can't write off camps etc, unless it meets those criteria.
Oh, and don't forget the currency conversion on the amount.....and it may actually be much higher here now....we did not really look for care for DD as we are not towing that line.
Mistress Kelley of the Hellacious Sockknitting
Going to He** for buying sock yarn during Lent, but at least my feet won't be cold.
http://ceallachknits.blogspot.com
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gwtreece
Permanent Resident
USA
7254 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2006 : 1:58:52 PM
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Martheme, I know you can get this off the ground. It will be hard work but it will be worth it.
Wanda
My Blog
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Martheme
Sustaining Member
USA
1565 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2006 : 2:08:23 PM
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Hi,
Thank you for the encouragement with the business. I've been working at it on and off for 2 years this September . . . we just turned out to have a more "creative" fall that first year than we had planned on and that slowed things down.
Actually, that first fall was quite busy and things were going reallly well but as I stopped being able to work as much things slowed to a crawl. Now I'm trying to build things back up so that I can at least cover the business expenses and one or two things that should be business expenses.
We've had the child care talk and basically what it comes down to is 2 things. We don't really want someone else raising him, even part time and if I were going to put him in daycare I would be required to go get a full-time, benefits providing "real" job rather than doing what I'm doing. At one time we thought MIL would be our childcare, and when he is older that may happen, but he's a handful, very heavy and strong, and MIL is over 70 and has her own set of health issues so taking care of him for a full day probably isn't in the cards until he is older and can listen better. Right now about an hour and a 1/2 is her max before he wears her out.
I do believe I can get the business going, its just going to be slow moving while I ramp things up. I have to pick and choose how I spend my limited time, I've got 100 ideas and I might get to do 3 of them this fall . . . but each month as he gets bigger and more self entertaining it does get easier.
The real catch now is that next year we're considering giving him a sibling and then I can start the fun all over again!!!!
Martheme
visit my sites:
http://www.inspirationsyarn.com
http://martheme.blogspot.com/ & the baby blog http://mimmot.blogspot.com |
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Boogie
Permanent Resident
USA
3073 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2006 : 3:36:57 PM
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HI Margaret
I know first hand how hard it can be to run a business and have kids. The second child in some ways is easier. You know the tricks and you've been there before. Although it's harder to find a friend to watch them as 2 is double the trouble. It's something I would never give up even though some days are a real struggle to accomplish anything.
Hang in there.
amy
http://theboogerblog.blogspot.com
http://www.spunkyhats.com |
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Atavistic
Permanent Resident
6604 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2006 : 03:07:18 AM
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Martheme I think you misunderstood my comment. Generally we pay someone else to do things we can't or don't want to do. The vast majority of the time that means we pay them more than it would cost to do it ourselves. I just don't think that your terms were worth your pay. Hence my comment. I should have finished it. If you're not willing to drop everything for three weeks when your business gets the benefit, well, you have to pay for it!
As for the family comment directed at me, I DO understand. I'm childfree for a reason!
Amanda Takes Off... and
Amanda Knits
Only you can decide how tongue in cheek I am. |
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probablyjane
Permanent Resident
United Kingdom
1227 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2006 : 03:55:15 AM
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Martheme, I've been thinking about this. Fair play to you for wanting to take care of your little one (who is gorgeous by the way) and wanting to keep your business going.
Where I was uncomfortable was with the reward you were offering and the timescale that you were expecting. As a business woman I know that you would expect to be paid a fair price for the lovely yarn that you produce, and I doubt if you would let me have it for half price if I told you I couldn't afford it because of the choices that I have made. Similarly, I think you need to offer to pay the value of the work - whether you can afford it or not is based on your own lifestyle choices and you shouldn't expect the test knitter to be the one paying for that.
I have had an idea though. The only time in my knitting life that I feel that I have been paid a good rate for my skills is when I have been teaching. People will pay a pretty decent hourly rate for that in my experience. If I lived closer and you offered to teach me to hand paint yarn in the way that you do, and help me create the yarn you are offering in my own colourway, I would consider that fair payment indeed as I would have gained knowledge I might otherwise have had to pay quite substantially for. Trading skill for skill might make the best use of your talents and the little time that you have available for your business and make anyone who agrees to help you feel that they have been treated fairly. Find the right student and you might even have found yourself an assistant!
Hope that helps
Jane
'I am the milkman of human kindness - I will leave an extra pint' Billy Bragg
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/janelithgow/album |
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Martheme
Sustaining Member
USA
1565 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2006 : 05:30:38 AM
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Hi Jane,
Thanks for the feedback. I did realize that the turn around time for that size sweater might be a bit much . . . but also figured if I didn't ask I'd never know is someone might have been willing to do it.
As for the payscale, I actually took the suggestion from another thread here about how to find test knitters where several people stated that they had received an amount of yarn equal to the value of the yarn used for the pattern. I simply translated that amount in to a gift certificate rather than just giving the same yarn so the test knitter could choose a yarn or fiber and colorway. I'll keep you thoughts in mind next time I'm looking for someone. I do like your idea of teaching someone . . . I had been training the 14yo down the street but life has gotten pretty busy for her now that she is starting highschool . . . maybe time to start on the 10 yo next door ;)
Amanda, Sorry for the misunderstanding . . . yes, please do finish the thought in instances like that . . . saves lots of confusion ;) As for the family stuff: Good for you for knowing yourself enough to know that is the right choice for you. And sorry I took offence . . . lack of sleep tends to make my hackles go up quicker than ususal ;)
Martheme
visit my sites:
http://www.inspirationsyarn.com
http://martheme.blogspot.com/ & the baby blog http://mimmot.blogspot.com |
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Sharyn
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
418 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2006 : 06:27:01 AM
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I have a child, husband, house - and a business - and frankly, this thread was really interesting! Life is all about choices and setting priorities, and it is not fair to expect other people to understand or adapt their businesses to your situation.
If test knitters expect a certain compensation, it has nothing to do with whether you have someone to watch your kids or if you have to make dinner.
If you don't want to put your child in daycare, then you need to choose a business (or no business) that accomodates that life style.
Of course my family is my priority, but my child went to day care so I could run my business. Why do people think that the only way to make your family priority is to be a stay at home mom? Of course I missed special moments, but that made the ones I didn't miss even more special! And, my child learned to trust other caring adults. And, at age 11 he has the most incredible understanding of a retail business!
Amanda - I think you are absolutely correct. If Martheme is not able to do what her business needs, then she has made a choice. I don't think it's fair to tell Amanda that "one day when she has a family she'll understand". Martheme, don't use your family situation as an excuse for not running your business to it's full potential - you don't have to make any excuses, just do what you can - you already made the choice!
You can probably tell, I hate excuses in business. When my landlord tells me the walk wasn't shoveled because he couldn't hire anyone - no excuse, he should get out there and do it! When my customers give me a sob story trying to return an item way past the return period - no excuse! Excuses are a way of trying to blame someone or something for the choice you made. Women in business already have a tough time - when we try to play the family card, it only makes us look less credible.
Martheme, do what you can to keep your business alive while your child is young, and maybe someday you'll be able to make the choice to run it at it's full potential. You can expect your family to help you, but don't expect business associates or customers to adapt to your choices.
I pass this on with the utmost respect and in no offense to anyone. Now, I think I better get to work...
Sharyn |
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Martheme
Sustaining Member
USA
1565 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2006 : 1:16:17 PM
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Hi Sharyn,
I was not making any excuses as I don't feel I've done anything to excuse.
The only reason we got into the childcare discussion was to explain why I needed a test knitter in the first place and then when people suggested childcare as an option to allow me more time to knit I felt I should explain, for clarity, why I wouldn't be going that route.
When I mention my family being my priority and for me that means being a SAHM that is simply it, my priority. I had not meant it as a comment on anyone elses decision.
My comment to Amanda came from my not understanding her previous comment about being able to drop everything. I believe that has been discussed and cleared up.
I was not expecting anyone to adapt to my choices or to make any special accomadations for me. I had simply posted to see if there was someone out there for whom this might be a mutual beneficial situation. When I had not received any feedback on my original post I ammended it to request comments. Since that time I've been contacted by several people for whom the compensation offered was adequate but the time restrictions were too tight given their own commitments. I appreciate that they were honest about whether they could complete the sweater in that amount of time. If I had a way to change how long the time frame was, I would, but since I'm not the publisher I can't change it.
For me, having a business is something that I am doing in the time I can manage around my family obligations. I'd love for it to become "something" someday and in the mean time it provides me with a creative outlet. At the moment I would simply like it to grow to the point where it can cover certain expenses; to carry its own weight.
Martheme
visit my sites:
http://www.inspirationsyarn.com
http://martheme.blogspot.com/ & the baby blog http://mimmot.blogspot.com |
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