The GeoRev Project is my launch. It is my attempt to face my fears and work hard to achieve my dream. My dream is to not only help people get into hooping and support hoopers, but to break the chains binding me to the service industry in the small town I call home. To prove to myself that we do create our individual realities, and hopefully inspire others to get where they want to be.
There is very little economic opportunity in Golden. Although I am college educated I have only managed to earn a living wage here by waitressing or doing manual labor. Neither one of these occupations satisfy my desire to live the kind of life I want to live, although I do enjoy interacting with people and working with my hands.
Almost one year ago I followed my heart when it told me to pursue my hoop making in a professional capacity, and Geometric Revolution Hooping was born. It took about four months of saving to gather the resources to invest in the supplies and build the website. I have made many sales by using the website as a reference when I meet people in real life, and am working hard to put georevhooping.com on the map. I aim to be the #1 resource for hoop purchases in Canada, in due time. It will take years of consistent work to be able to attract you online Canadian hoop purchasers.
I have a pretty good idea of what needs to be done. Number one will always be the promotion of hula hooping for fun, dance and fitness. I will do this in my day to day life, by hooping in public, giving free lessons, and vending the hoops at every opportunity. I will do this in my online life by building my hoop blog, until it is a valuable body of knowledge that people all over the world can refer to on a variety of subjects related to hooping. I must live and breathe hula hoops to make this work.
I was elated to receive my acceptance letter as an official vendor for the Calgary Stampede. This is a major event where I can easily sell hula hoops, because my vending spot is located on a prime thoroughfare. For 12 hours a day, 10 days in a row, 1,000 - 10,000 people will walk by my hoop store per hour. I usually sell one hoop per hour when there are a hundred people walking by. This represents a heretofore unparalleled opportunity in my ability to reach people and get them started hooping.
Then I got the bill. The rent is $2,000. That is so much money! At first, my heart sank because I thought I would have to back out of the whole deal. Then I realized - the rent is high because the clientele is plentiful. $2,000 is not unreasonable if you are selling out. I realized that if I could make 400 hula hoops, it would be feasible to sell hoops at this event. A profit would be possible. IF I can make 400 hoops. I decided that this is a life test and one I must score well on to move up to the next level. Can I make 400 hoops in a matter of months?
There are a couple things conspiring to hold me back: money and time. It will cost thousands of dollars to purchase the supplies to make that many hoops. It will take hundreds of hours of labor. I just had a major surgery in April and have started a new full time job as a night auditor so it has been a slow beginning. Money has been tight but I have managed to get a good start on acquiring the supplies. Now it's just a matter of following through, and pushing myself to make this many hoops in such a short time.
Tomorrow is May 1st. I have exactly 60 days to make the 400 hoops. So far I have 6 made. It's not like I haven't been making them. I have made around 50 in the last two weeks, but I sold them all locally! The kid's hoop class I have been teaching has sparked a boom in my local sales. The second week I taught, twenty kids showed up! It was super hectic and I only collected the $8 from 12 of them, but that was still really good money for 45 minutes of work that I thoroughly enjoyed.
This blog is an effort to keep track of my progress and give a report several times a week on where I'm at. Not only with the 400 hoops, but all my efforts to earn my living from my passion for hooping. This includes the hooping class I currently teach, performances, and/or busking.
I will be quitting my job sometime in May or June to focus on vending all these hoops for the rest of the summer. If all goes well I will be able to rest on what I earn and continue crafting hoops and discovering vending opportunities for the busy holiday season next winter.