Welcome to episode five of my eight-part series on the podcast called, “Ask Sarah.” Each week, I answer a question from inside my Launch Your Box coaching membership. This week Maria Riebe of Sunflower & Scout is here to talk about how to handle variations and personalization for her subscription box. Like so many entrepreneurs, the pandemic forced Maria to pivot. A true antique-lover, she had been producing an outdoor vintage market, Rustapalooza. She had experienced a great deal of success and national recognition for this show. Covid caused the cancellation of the show and, after a time, Maria’s heart started pointing her in a new direction. Maria is a member of an impassioned group of leather bag lovers - and they all love straps! So she decided to start an online shop focused specifically on bag straps and accessories. While setting up her online shop, Maria discovered Launch Your Box. She loved the idea of curating a monthly box for her customers that included a bag strap, as well as some kind of accessory, tee, or multiple items. Maria wants to include some type of personalized item in her subscription box but is stumped by the tech it would involve. With a launch date of August 1st, it’s time to figure out these details! Maria knows my team handles all kinds of variations and personalization - from six different sizes in my t-shirt subscriptions to the monogrammed items that go in the Monogram Box every month. We talked through the challenges involved and I told Maria what she needs to do in order to successfully manage variations and personalization. Be prepared to scale. Realize that what can be done with 50 subscribers will need to be done with 500 subscribers. Outsource personalization as you grow or hire in-house help. Put systems and processes in place to manage subscriber details. Now that we talked through what Maria needs to get in place to feel comfortable offering variations and personalization to her future subscribers, she is moving toward that August 1st launch date with confidence. Join me for this episode as Maria and I talk about the systems and processes every subscription box owner needs to have in place, and why they are so important when your box includes variations and personalization. Important Links: Find and follow Maria: Sunflower & Scout Website Join me in all the places: Facebook Instagram Launch Your Box with Sarah Website Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!