A long-winded history of Yearbook Records
Hey, folks.
I wanted to do a quick write-up about how Yearbook formed, where we've been, where we are, and where we're hopefully going, then ask for a little help. (I know this intro sounds like some sort of political donation solicitation, and I guess that's not too far off, but bear with me.)
Loreal and I had been selling music and pop culture memorabilia for years and years prior - online and at markets. However, we had the opportunity to start a separate online business (mostly through Amazon) selling health and beauty supplies in 2016. We got in just in the nick of time, before "sTaRt YoUr OwN bUsInEsS oNlInE" was the headline of every YouTube and TikTok tutorial, and we actually were pretty successful with it. We still do run that business (actually, to be fair, Loreal pretty much runs it all herself nowadays) - some of you may have come in at a time where she's been packaging up weird vitamins and hair care products and wondered just what the heck is going on in here. However, that business has been plagued with competition (see above, re: YouTube/TikTok videos), and doesn't do the numbers it used to. Anyway, this was the first time we felt we were making any money apart from our "working for the man" paychecks that we'd been getting since we were 16, so ... I admittedly could have handled finances better than I did. However, part of what those funds allowed us to do was to officially begin Yearbook Records as a registered business in 2017, which still operated 100% online and at markets at that time, and then - ultimately - the storefront in 2021. Yay! All's well that ends well?
The Amazon business was my first real taste of business ownership, and I went through a little bit of a "screamin' through the sunroof money ain't a thang" period. Not proud of this, and I've rolled it back significantly, but I'm still paying the piper for some of those indiscretions. Part of said indiscretions was a number of short-term, high-interest loans to keep things going when our health & beauty sales started to hit the skids. Another bad decision that I own, but over the course of the next five months, those loans will be maturing and will be paid off. I've been able to juggle things back and forth for a while (sometimes even taking smaller 'bridge' loans to get through this mess), but I'm at a point where there can be no more bridge loans, no more borrowing from friends and family to get through - I have to just try to tough it out, pay this debt back, and hopefully come out on the other side with a considerable financial and mental weight off of our shoulders. If we can make it to the end of October without incurring any additional financial liabilities, it will free up a significant amount of working capital that we can apply to increased inventory, other smaller debts, and operating expenses.
I've been promising a lot lately - more in-store shows, a physical media compilation of NJ artists, the newsletter to return to its former glory, Yearbook t-shirts (COMING SOON I PROMISE FOR REAL THIS TIME), more Yearbook Records releases ... the problem is, the financial situation due to these loans has got my stress level permanently pinned in the red. There are days that I can't focus on ANYTHING; I just stare into the spreadsheets with paralyzing levels of anxiety. If we can make it through to the end of October, I think we will finally have enough mental breathing room that I can finally start to focus on these projects again.
You can help us through this period just by sticking with us and shopping with us. I'm not trying to beg, I'm not panhandling for cash (though I *will* busk outside of the store if people will throw cash in a guitar case - I might write that one down on the ideas pad). Just keep us in mind and pick up a record or two when/if you can. I know things are crazy right now - EVERYTHING is expensive and new releases just keep going up and up in price (for us also!). But check out our Discogs page once in a while, order something from the website, pick up a gift certificate for a friend or family member, shoot me a message if there's something you want to special order... anything you can do to help us keep this hamster wheel spinning for another five months.
I feel like this level of transparency is not professional; I grappled with posting something so detailed and personal, but everyone who has shopped with us since we started is part of Yearbook, and we appreciate every single one of you (except maybe the thief, but even he made it right in the end). I think you deserve to know these things, and I hope to see you all on the other side. Obviously, every business owner wants to succeed, but I really want to keep this going for as long as possible - I have so many plans for the future and would love to have all of you along for the ride.
Thank you so much for reading, and we hope to see you soon.
Loreal and I had been selling music and pop culture memorabilia for years and years prior - online and at markets. However, we had the opportunity to start a separate online business (mostly through Amazon) selling health and beauty supplies in 2016. We got in just in the nick of time, before "sTaRt YoUr OwN bUsInEsS oNlInE" was the headline of every YouTube and TikTok tutorial, and we actually were pretty successful with it. We still do run that business (actually, to be fair, Loreal pretty much runs it all herself nowadays) - some of you may have come in at a time where she's been packaging up weird vitamins and hair care products and wondered just what the heck is going on in here. However, that business has been plagued with competition (see above, re: YouTube/TikTok videos), and doesn't do the numbers it used to. Anyway, this was the first time we felt we were making any money apart from our "working for the man" paychecks that we'd been getting since we were 16, so ... I admittedly could have handled finances better than I did. However, part of what those funds allowed us to do was to officially begin Yearbook Records as a registered business in 2017, which still operated 100% online and at markets at that time, and then - ultimately - the storefront in 2021. Yay! All's well that ends well?
The Amazon business was my first real taste of business ownership, and I went through a little bit of a "screamin' through the sunroof money ain't a thang" period. Not proud of this, and I've rolled it back significantly, but I'm still paying the piper for some of those indiscretions. Part of said indiscretions was a number of short-term, high-interest loans to keep things going when our health & beauty sales started to hit the skids. Another bad decision that I own, but over the course of the next five months, those loans will be maturing and will be paid off. I've been able to juggle things back and forth for a while (sometimes even taking smaller 'bridge' loans to get through this mess), but I'm at a point where there can be no more bridge loans, no more borrowing from friends and family to get through - I have to just try to tough it out, pay this debt back, and hopefully come out on the other side with a considerable financial and mental weight off of our shoulders. If we can make it to the end of October without incurring any additional financial liabilities, it will free up a significant amount of working capital that we can apply to increased inventory, other smaller debts, and operating expenses.
I've been promising a lot lately - more in-store shows, a physical media compilation of NJ artists, the newsletter to return to its former glory, Yearbook t-shirts (COMING SOON I PROMISE FOR REAL THIS TIME), more Yearbook Records releases ... the problem is, the financial situation due to these loans has got my stress level permanently pinned in the red. There are days that I can't focus on ANYTHING; I just stare into the spreadsheets with paralyzing levels of anxiety. If we can make it through to the end of October, I think we will finally have enough mental breathing room that I can finally start to focus on these projects again.
You can help us through this period just by sticking with us and shopping with us. I'm not trying to beg, I'm not panhandling for cash (though I *will* busk outside of the store if people will throw cash in a guitar case - I might write that one down on the ideas pad). Just keep us in mind and pick up a record or two when/if you can. I know things are crazy right now - EVERYTHING is expensive and new releases just keep going up and up in price (for us also!). But check out our Discogs page once in a while, order something from the website, pick up a gift certificate for a friend or family member, shoot me a message if there's something you want to special order... anything you can do to help us keep this hamster wheel spinning for another five months.
I feel like this level of transparency is not professional; I grappled with posting something so detailed and personal, but everyone who has shopped with us since we started is part of Yearbook, and we appreciate every single one of you (except maybe the thief, but even he made it right in the end). I think you deserve to know these things, and I hope to see you all on the other side. Obviously, every business owner wants to succeed, but I really want to keep this going for as long as possible - I have so many plans for the future and would love to have all of you along for the ride.
Thank you so much for reading, and we hope to see you soon.
-Chris @ yearbookrecords
