Hey!
This is Oda, who is freaking out because the year is going by way too fast!
#I've been thinking about the concept in my head the whole time
This time, while I was busy doing various things regarding the product creation process,
I suddenly realized, "Oh, I'm doing something pointless right now."
So I'm going to share that with you!
I had this feeling of
I'm going to make a calendar myself! Yay!
and I was naturally searching for things like
"DIY calendar"
and all sorts of apps, software, and unique methods that pop up in the search results.
And I thought, "This is great!"
So I just kind of started making it!
But halfway through, I somehow didn't know how to do it anymore,
So I searched and searched and searched,
I'd make a little progress, then have to go back,
and then I wouldn't know how to do another part—
that's how it was going!
#Okinawa
Then, while I was looking around at various calendar companies, I realized that almost all of them publish free templates!
They're like, "Design it yourselves using this template, then submit the data!!"
That's how it is!
That's when Oda realized.
"I have to decide on a company first."
The reason is that each calendar company says, "You absolutely have to submit it using our template!"
So their templates are different, and their software is different too!
#Okinawa
So even if you make a really cool calendar design using another app,
When you tell the calendar company,
"Print this for me, bro!"
They might say,
"No way, kid!"
That's what could happen!
I don't want to do twice the work, so I scrapped the design for now and thoroughly researched calendar companies!
Then, I started seeing it, seeing it!!
#Going through about 30 companies one by one, getting simple quotes, and dividing the total to find the price per copy
#There are a lot of printing companies that handle calendars, rather than just calendar companies
The two types I'm planning to release first are
the same as Australian calendars:
① "A4 saddle-stitched calendar, 28 pages"
※The kind that looks like a book, opens flat, and hangs on the wall
② "B6 desktop calendar, 13 double-sided pages"
※The kind that sits on a desk somewhere in the workplace
So I'm planning to make them,
and I've researched about 15 companies on the following points.
#I just said 30 companies earlier
1. Can they make calendars ① and ② in the first place?
2. If so, what is the price per copy when ordering 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 copies respectively?
3. How much is the plastic packaging (the kind that crinkles)?
In addition to these three points, I'm thinking of deciding based on things like the company profile, company history, whether they seem trustworthy, the delivery date, the template feel, and so on!
~1 hour later~
So now, I've finally narrowed it down to 2 companies, and since the rest of the information wasn't on their websites, I'm currently contacting them!
I'll decide on the calendar company based on the content of their responses!
Once the calendar company is successfully decided, the next thing to do is create the calendar design!
As I wrote in the previous article on Day 6,
the template data is in Adobe Illustrator (apparently called "IraRe" in Japan), so I have to learn how to use Illustrator!
By the way, I tried using it a little, but I really, really didn't know how to use it at all, and I was almost about to cry.
I didn't know how to draw lines, how to insert images, or anything. I didn't even know how to save, move, or delete anything!
All I could do was move the cursor around and pretend I was doing something.
#I haven't actually gotten any work done
#I'm alone in my room, so there's no one around to show off my pretend work to
But but!
I'm so glad that what I need to do is now clear!
① Decide on a calendar company
② Learn how to use Illustrator
Those are the two things!
I just have to move forward little by little! There are no shortcuts!
The path of a solo entrepreneur starting from scratch still looks tough (^^)
Well then, good night!!
#It's already night?
