#nooggabts

How does one become an entrepreneur? Are there skills that are innate; you either have them or you don’t, or can you learn these skills? Personally, I think it’s a little bit of both. You can’t change your instincts but you can definitely sharpen them!

I have to say that my biggest strength is my interpersonal skills which has allowed me to be really good in sales and in negotiation. As far as I can remember, I have always been great at connecting with people. In fact, I would say that I survived pretty well in life due to this skill. Further to my ability to sell and negotiate, this I owe to my maternal grandmother and mother who owned their respective businesses. At an early age, they taught me terms such as markups, margin, profit and the art of negotiation, and allowed me to practice my skills in their stores. One thing I’ve learned is that it all comes down to individuals having a need; the earlier you identify that need, the simpler it is to sell and/or negotiate.

This blog post will be about my micro-business, selling slightly used jigsaw puzzles, ranging from 500 to 2000 pieces, from different puzzle brands, for which I chose two locations. The first location will be in Ontario where I will be running my day-to-day operations, and the other location will be in Quebec. I have inquired about permits to operate a small business in both homes and this will not be necessary in my case. The rationale behind the creation of two different locations was based on the fact that I want to reach a bigger clientele for my micro-business.

Since I am an avid puzzler, I have accumulated a number of puzzles over the years, through my own purchases or as gifts, which makes this micro-business a low upfront investment. I will be providing curb-side pick-ups in both locations which help reduce my starting costs. I currently have between 11 to 14 completed puzzles, ranging from 500-pieces to 2000-pieces, which is equivalent to $115 to $190 in sales. My projected sale estimate for the upcoming weeks will be $120, equivalent to eight 1000-piece puzzles. As I already have puzzles located in Quebec, I am not be expected to have additional costs on this front. An anticipated cost would be a one-time cost for gas of $40 to travel between Ontario and Quebec, should I need to replenish my puzzle stock in Quebec. Should I not use this cost, I can also use $40 to purchase slightly used puzzles in good condition, in order to re-sell them at a later time.

Buying Persona

Meet Young Professional Chloé

About Chloé

Chloé is a mid-thirties female living in Montreal, working fulltime in an industry where her analytical skills are at the forefront. She enjoys figuring things out – you can say she has a knack for solving problems. Most importantly, Chloé enjoys challenges and is always on the hunt for the next new thing. She is also interested in arts, style and has an appreciation for design which she enjoys sharing with friends over a drink.

Use Case

Chloé is an advocate of work-life balance and prioritizes her leisure time, engaging in activities she enjoys. Given the digital age we currently live-in, Chloé enjoys spending time off-line to recharge her energy by completing jigsaw puzzles while listening to jazz. Puzzles are an outlet for Chloé to keep her relaxed, while simultaneously keeping her brain activated.

Previous Solution & Pain Points

As Chloé progressed in her interest of puzzles, she realized that although some puzzles were challenging to complete, there was something missing - she rarely came across puzzles that she found unique. Chloé found that it was difficult to find a store in Canada that carries puzzles from timeless and up and coming artists. Not only that, Chloé found that she would have to scout different stores to buy these puzzles or pay significant amount in duty charges as the stores were predominantly from outside Canada. Additionally, it took Chloé a lot of time researching new and noteworthy puzzles, which took time away from her other activities.

Benefits  

With Noogga, Chloé discovered a new set of puzzle brands which produces modern, artsy designs from different artists. The puzzles she saw available at Noogga allowed her to combine her two most favorite things – art and puzzles! In fact, Chloé sees the puzzles she chooses as an extension of her self-expression and gets enjoyment by showcasing her completed puzzles to her friends by “leaving them laid out on the table a little longer”. An additional bonus is that she doesn’t have to worry about additional shipping charges and having to spend a lot of time looking for new puzzle brands.

Buying Trigger  

Chloé purchases her puzzles at Noogga as she trusts that the quality, and the choices available are amongst the newest and unique puzzles in the market. Additionally, Chloé enjoys the perks of the personal recommendations received from Noogga of puzzles that she may be interested in. This saves her time from having to scroll through the store inventory and speeds up her purchasing to allow her more time for puzzling.

Buying process

Chloé first discovered Noogga through social media, as she follows puzzle influencers who have shopped at Noogga. She trusts their judgement and have visually seen products via the influencer’s social media ‘stories’. This increased Chloé’s confidence in purchasing through Noogga’s online website.

Choice factors