10. Production Process I

As the COO, I think maybe I'll discuss a bit on the stuff I am in charge of.

In this post, I will be talking mainly about the first step, sourcing.

Usually, we only need to go to our supplier once every month, and the supplies can last for a few product making sessions. The glass jars are quite straightforward, we just tell the owner how many we want. The time consuming part comes when choosing the design of the terrariums. When selecting figurines, moss and sand, we have to have a rough idea in mind on how these materials will fit in the glass jar to make the terrarium. As the assembly and design of the products are mainly done by me and Sindy, usually we are the ones to go down to source for the materials. Occasionally, Aaron will join us to provide more insights on design and make sure we don't overspend (He's the CFO). Then on the spot, we will check what there are in stock, and start to construct a mental image of how the materials fit into the terrariums.

So the first thing we look at is the sand. Are we aiming to make a beach themed terrarium? Then we need yellow sand, and some blue for the sea. Winter based? White is the only option. Forest or safari? A green and black mix is ideal. This step is straightforward, since there are only a few themes that are possible, and takes very little time. Moreover, usually we get the sand from Daiso as it is cheaper, so we do not get that much sand here.

Next, we pick the figurines. As mentioned in the previous post (9. First Batch of Products), we actually find our inspirations mainly from the figurines. We check which figurines are available, and determine if they are suitable for any of the themes/sand we chose earlier on. This process takes the most time, as we are basically coming up with the entire design at this point. I constantly tell this to my group mates, that we have to have a clear design in mind before purchasing, as we do not want to buy out of instinct or impulse, and end up having no use of it and wasting money.

Lastly, we will pick the mosses. By the time we pick the figurines, we already have a clear picture of the terrarium we are making. Naturally, we also know the quantity and colour of moss we need, and therefore this stage is very fast.

That's all for sourcing, more will be discussed in the next post.