WEB experience

AUG 3 2009


Hi friends. I'm back. Feel guilty I should have written to you more often but I've been super busy. Here's a recap of what I did back in July.

I've been into WEB learning stuff, especially SEO (Search Engine Optimizations), Open sources - wordpress, and E-commerce business. I've heard about those fancy tech terms for a long while but never paid attention to it until a few months ago. I have to admit I'm officially a wordpress mania. LOL. Learning the technical stuff helps me build a better understanding of E-commerce business. Though I've come up with several new business ideas through the learning process. I've made a list of things-to-do which is long enough to cover my AUG-SEP schedule already.


appleangkana.com is my BABY. The web site has been updated frequently. It now offers several sections: product reviews, design resources, and even freebies! I'll start communicating through appleangkana.com from this point onward. I'll keep updating my life on this blog as usual and will be writing on a.angkana on a regular basis. So, if you miss me, you know where to find me :) Oh..I need your inputs too. I need to know if a.angkana web site is user friendly. How do you feel about navigation bars? Do you find what you look for easily? Give me your 2 cents (or more!) Write to me at apple@appleangkana.com

Brand Applique is not doing so great. Other ETSY sellers complain about the slow market too. Some said things will pick up when Summer's over. Contrary to domestic market, a.angkana product sales look promising. So in case you want to know what I'm selling in the local market. Let's meet it.



Guys.. you can leave now. But girls this is your lifesaver.
It's the handbag dust cover. Design is very simple but the dust bag is made of water-proof/UV protection fabric. It comes in various sizes. That the largest size can fit LV Speedy family. The coolest thing about the bag is it'll protect your expensive handbags from humidity and light, which original dust bag that comes with handbag can't do the job. How great is that! Anyway, that's why it's doing so well. I'm selling them in a specific community site where people who love name brands trade and purchase expensive merchandise.

My goal this month is to launch a second product in the local market as well as launching the rest of pattern arts/Fall collection at Brand Applique shop. Soon Brand Applique will offer various pattern arts for DIY projects. They'll be all digital arts people can download and have fun with their creative projects. I'm planing to launch pattern arts for various occasions as well. The direction I'm going to will completely eliminate the issue of international shipping and delivery time. I'm excited just to think about it already. Don't ask me why I'm so hyperactive.. it's my passion, friends..

Don't forget to check a.angkana website on August 12 for a surprise freebie. It's going to be awesome for people who love handmade stuff. (for dudes..I'm not going to give away gadgets or laptops.. ok? just girly stuff.. you may not be interested.. but you're more than welcome to visit a.angkana)

be back next month!
apple

Featured Artist

July 13 2009


Click here for the interview with Brand Applique

In The Spotlight

June 29 2009

This month, Brand Applique store has gained visibility in the cyberspace.
The letterpress 'TO' cards got featured in the Storgue Spotlight
Etsy Finds: Look what I Found!

And recognized by ThisNext

81 viewers have marked Brand Applique store as their favorites.

Open letter to Richard

May 28 2009

I've received this email from Richard after I sent out an invitation to my store. Love his words so much I want to share it with you. Richard, hope you don't mind the open letter.

Quoted (Richard)

....Good to hear from you, congrats on starting your new business. I went through your web site and enjoyed it and found it interesting. I like the words “Brand Applique” especially the french word “Applique”.
Things around are pretty much the way they were when your were down this time last year. The economy has to pick up soon,
Its a gutsy thing to start a business during these times. However many businesses were started up during difficult times. A fellow named Leo, during the depression started an ad agency, and his friends said the within time he would be selling apples on the street. That person was “Leo Burnett” and to this day apples are given out on each LB floor of 35 East Wacker.

So best of luck and much success.

Apple's correspondence:
Hi Richard,
A million thanks to your encouraging email. I know it's extremely difficult to start up a business during this time. Obviously I had 2 options - either sit back and do nothing, hoping for the global economy to recover soon OR doing something. And I think you know my character and the option I was going with. There's a great possibility my business may fail, and I may go bankrupt. But put a positive spin to this, whatever the outcome is, I've immensely learned about running the business. The business itself requires all my time to stay alert in the global trend and networking. It's a hands-on experience - better than taking MBA classes and learn from text books. It's a great investment in term of learning and experiencing the real world, yet gaining revenue would be a plus to that. Of course, I'm nervous too, but where there's a will, there's a way. Several successful business started up during difficult times. I just need to experiment it until I find my niche market and vice versa. I'm also lunching products in a local market - they'll be all fashion related. Thai girls are trendy and willing to spend extra bucks to make themselves look fab. I've created products based on domestic and international trend - both are different niche market. I'm more worried about international market though. As the big drawbacks are to become a trusted seller and an issue with the cost of international shipping. Nobody wants to buy a product from a store that has no review and located in a foreign country...huh... That's my homework - to break the barrier.
We all learn from our mistakes. I'm learning too. Nothing comes too easy unless we're willing to take a risk and learn from our mistakes. We're given only one life. Live it.

Grand Opening - Brand Applique'

May 25 2009

Brand Applique store is now open. Although I designed the products, I have to admit they look really cool. (I'll keep some for myself.)
The cards are printed on the most expensive papers available
(thick card stock that has a very cool texture) to enhance the design. Modern. Clean. Period. The cards are so versatile you can use it for any occasion.

Don't forget folks - Shop away until you drop!

Here are products currently listed.

Link to Brand Applique

Link to my plus space

a.angkana&brand apliqué

May 12 2009

a.angkana's website is back in the game. After facing big failure to have it run properly because of limited internet speed in Thailand (standard upload&download speed is 1 MB as opposed to 5 MB in the US), I had been trying to figure out a way to build a blog-style look. Finally my website has had a new face lift. whoopee!!

I'm also launching my on-line shop at ETSY.com The official grand-opening is set in the next 2 weeks.
During the time, I'll let you get a glimpse of it by visiting Brand Appliqué page

please revisit my plus space when you can. I'll keep updating it on a regular basis.

Don't loose hope

May 5 2009

A lot of us have been in the same boat. It's a boat of hope that will never sink as long as we stay optimistic.
We may have to work harder, go out there and hunt down on any possible opportunity, then we will be ok.

I'm sharing this with you. The inspiration.

What? Am I officially 35 (!)

APRIL 9 2009

35 years ago, I was born into the world on this day, the ninth of April. Since then, I've been fond of the '9'. It has always been my lucky number. I had made a big birthday plan for this special day but it went down the drain because of Politics crap (again).
The anti-government rally is going overboard. At this exact moment they're making a demonstration but not in the allowed area. They're stomping down several streets, which happen to be in the heart of the city causing traffic chaos and streets shutdown. I was on my way to meet up with Tim and Toon for dinner & drinks but had to run back home for safety's sake. Nobody knows how nasty it's going to turn out. Anyway, I've completed my mission today - things I wanted to do on my birthday. At least I'm not wasting my entire day on that silly demonstration.
Thanks to you who remembers my birthday. Thanks for the text messaging, emails, phone calls, e-birthday card, and live birthday song over the phone - they all have made my day. some little thing that made me smile - better than expensive presents. Happy birthday to me.. in the next 5 years, it won't matter and I would stop counting... Alas.

(APR 14 2009) Political Update: It's ended.. bravo! I think they must have been satisfied with their accomplishment - to show the world how uncivilized the country is. Bad apples. sigh...

Job Hunting

March 21 2009
I had been procrastinating on writing the entry. But thinking you may want to know what's happening in my life so here it is... I'm back on a job-hunting market again. There came a sudden and shocking announcement on the 10th of this month - the closure of Bangkok head quarter office; resulting from the worldwide impact of the recession, our business is in the luxury, high-end services which is nice-to-haves but not the must-haves. Most of us took the news in a calm and professional manner. On a positive note, out of generosity of CEO, we've got a decent surveillance package that'd keep us sane for a long while.

My last day of employment is March 31. After that, I have to start looking into my career path.. my goal.. and possibilities.. I always keep my options open and this time I need to get it into the right direction. Time is so precious I can't afford to loose a single minute wandering in a wrong direction. Nervous but also excited about my future as things always happen for a reason.

Since last week I started freelancing for an ad agency. The freelancing option works best at this time as I need some time to figure something out. In retrospect, I had turned down a few freelance projects - thinking I prefer to use up my energy on my business to someone else's. Surprisingly, freelancing was not a bad idea at all. I had so much fun on that project. The deadline was tight I had to be up all night to finish it. I got my adrenaline pumping and going, like I was high the entire time. I love that feeling! Now I know my passion for design will never go away from me...

and as always... unti then...

Reading obssession

It's started when I was in despair - the stuff that happened all at once within a 2 month period - my uncle's sudden death, mom's illness, and Tim's mom's unexpected and outburst sickness. The tragedy in family had endure as if it would have gone on endlessly. I was depressed.

Then one night, after a tiring day at work, while sorting out a pile of junk mail, I picked up a tiny book not bigger than my palm but full of such incredibly encouraging words of wisdom. Reading the book from front to back, my mind absorbed and digested every word so much it put off my distress. The experience shocked me as I'd also been a reader but why this time's so different than every other time? It could be the stuff I read was not my usual preferences (Economy, Politics, and News)
Reading the books I was blocked out of the dull and painful world - the feelings were so great I yearned for more. I wanted it linger and permanent so I continued on reading. I've been up late and into early morning every night keeping up on my marathon reading. I have sleep deprivation and look like shit but my soul fulfilled.
It's my uncontrollable addiction.

I want to be myself again. I had lost it in the past few months and lived in fear - being terrified of things that never happen. I want to be myself who never look back in the past, live the moment, and look optimistically to the future.

Until that time-----