Celebrating 40 Years of Selling Kaleidoscopes.

New Year and New Thoughts As 2022 begins, I am astonished to think about where I am now and how I got here. This year 2022 marks the 40th year of selling kaleidoscopes for my families income. My professional history started as a twelve-year-old becoming interested in stained glass as I watched a teacher cut glass. How time flies, was that over forty years ago? Dad and I attended stained glass classes together which began a lifelong interest in art. My college Bachelor of Fine art degree in Glass and Fine art Painting was financed with family-run, stained glass businesses which started at various travel destinations in the Midwest such as House on the Rock in Wisconsin, Red Wing, Minnesota, Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota and historical Galena, Illinois. We found our niche in kaleidoscopes as we sold stained glass in these retail shops. We started making an article that I describe as, “I built businesses selling something no one needs! … but wants! ” should be added. We found that we couldn’t keep these kaleidoscopes in stock and so started selling other kaleidoscope artists’ works. Who wouldn’t admire Henry Bergesons’ “Turniton” https://www.kaleidoscopestoyou.com/newtubyhebe.html or the Kittleson’s lovely “Paula’s Rapture”? https://www.kaleidoscopestoyou.com/pa1.html Note these items are only available until sold since they are limited editions. We met many professional kaleidoscope artists as members of an organization called the Brewster Society. Thanks to my father, who taught Small Business Administration at the University of Wisconsin, we were blessed to have his internet and management expertise. Through internet sales, we soon started selling kaleidoscopes worldwide from a small town in North Central, rural Manly Iowa. My Dad advised me to develop my own line of kaleidoscopes, which resulted in production kaleidoscopes rather than limited editions so far, such as the “Color Spirit” line https://www.kaleidoscopestoyou.com/kaleidoscopes-color-spirit-kaleido-co.html or the “DIY Discovery Kaleidoscope Kits” https://www.kaleidoscopestoyou.com/discovery.html. I would like to develop my own limited editions and have begun to do so. The world-wide pandemic of 2019 (and still going as of 2022) has affected my business in that I have been unable to receive all the inventory that I have ordered. Shipping costs have also increased which is a factor in pricing kaleidoscopes. One thing that has helped my business is being able to offer custom cut, specialized “first surface mirror” to companies needing special precisely cut sizes. An Australian company that manufactures medical Devices found my services. I can custom cut these specialized mirrors for them. My goal this year is to continue to provide good service to existing and new customers and hopefully survive this seemingly long pandemic! Happy new year 2022!