I like To-Do Lists. I’d be lost without them. For me, there’s a lot of satisfaction in striking through a line when I’ve completed a task.
A long time ago, I read this book, “Getting Things Done,” by David Allen, and, generally speaking, his approach basically multiplied the amount of work I can get done in my life with confidence and ease.
It made me not so afraid of taking on big projects on top of lots of other projects because I have a system, a plan, for getting things done.
So, at the start of this project, I created a massive to-do list of all the things I would need to do. Without listing each and every thing, here are the major highlights:
- Investigate makeup brush manufacturing, to make sure I really understand the process and why my homemade contraption has worked so well all these years. Understand the scientific reasons.
- Continue market research about beauty market, specifically beauty device market and makeup brush cleaning. Is it seasonal? Does a market even exist for this type of thing?
- Do a competitive analysis. What can I glean from what’s already out there?
- Re-evaluate whether I want to continue this project.
- Find and hire engineer.
- Engineer MyBrushBetty.
- Test MyBrushBetty aggressively.
- Re-evaluate whether I want to continue this project.
- Hire graphic artist to build logo and brand assets. Make sure I get it right, no matter how many revisions.
- Re-Investigate beauty market, specifically beauty device market. Has anything changed?
- Re-evaluate whether I want to continue this project.
- Build MyBrushBetty website.
- Facebook page.
- Twitter page.
- Pinterest page.
- Instagram account.
- Keep website, FB, Twitter, Pinterest, etc., accounts alive with live content on a regular basis. Give myself long list of story assignments.
- Build relevant beauty-loving audience.
- Become as expert as possible on the topic of makeup brushes.
- Re-evaluate whether I want to continue this project.
- Finalize engineering design.
- Finalize graphic assets, labels, etc.
- Finalize patent application.
- Decide how to go-to market (investors, loan, crowdfunding?)
- Get manufacturing quotes.
- Re-evaluate whether I want to continue this project.
- Investigate all shipping-related costs.
- Re-evaluate whether I want to continue this project.
- Decide whether I want to add my soap and gel to product?
- Find source for soap and/or gel.
- Test lots of soaps and gels with a wide variety of brushes, etc.
- Investigate how to create and deploy digital advertising (AdSense, AdChoices, Facebook, Twitter, etc?)
- Do all necessary homework around each step. Double-check everything twice.
And must not forget:
- Regular life
- Take care of family
- Continue doing excellent work at “work-work.” (Not to be confused with what we at home would start calling Betty-work)
Soon to become a normal conversation at my house:
Says husband: “Do you have to work tonight?”
Me: “Of course.”
Husband: “Work-work or Betty-work”
Typical answer: “Both.”