Hi All

Thanks to everyone for making me WOTD today. It's still a thrill everytime it happens.

As it's traditional to post a thank-you message at these times , I thought I would combine my thank-you with an update.

A year ago I announced in a thread 'The Future Of Slymsford's Sploshers'

https://umd.net/forums/the-future-of-slymsfords-sploshers

that I was going to try and make a go of doing this full time.

Since then a number of people have periodically asked me how it is going, so I thought I would take the opportunity to update everyone in one go (and I really appreciate everyone who has been concerned enough to ask)

So..headline news...I am still here!

This time last year I gave you a list of the changes I was making to try and make it work...here's how they panned out

1) The Subscriptions....Merging all my stores into one as I announced I was doing last summer, has been a huge win. Having one store with loads of scenes available to stream in one place led to an increase in the number of subscribers, and as I have released more and more of my scenes, the number of scenes in my subscription store has increased yet further.

Now that there are over 350 there to stream, and now that I have upped my new releases to 4 a week, the number of subscribers has really increased. That plays a huge part in helping me meet my sales targets. Huge shout out to all my wonderful subscribers..you're a huge part of why I am still here.

2) Customs: I sat down with my brother (who is much better at data analysis than I am) and looked at the amount of money I was making from my self-penned scenes and sadly it was nowhere near enough to make a living from..nowhere near at all. So, as I announced I would, this year I changed my focus to filming customs and trying to co-ordinate models to maximise the number of customs in a shoot. Doing customs helps cover the substantial cost of a days shooting and means that then the sales I generate from those scenes are actual profit.

It was a wrench to stop filming my kind of scenes..but the good news for those that like them, is that I still make a few of my scenes when I can't fill all the custom slots, and I also have plenty in the vault yet to be edited. Additionally some of my custom customers approach me because they note that my tastes are similar to theirs so I will 'get' what they are after, so those scenes 'feel' like my style anyway.

Meanwhile I love making customs for people, and have enjoyed the opp to do more and more of these.... and have really appreciated all the nice feedback on my customs page too.

3) Buy 2 Get 1 Free....Actually I don't know if this has worked as you can't measure what someone would have done if it was under the less generous offer I used to have...but it seems to be popular with my customers, so I feel it has been a success

4) Advertising. I had never used the UMDs advertising system before...but that was a revelation. Turns out if people actually know about your stuff they are more likely to buy it...who'd have thought it?? Why didn't I use the UMD advertising tool sooner??? I recommend it to every producer, though of course 'your mileage may vary'. It has really helped me.

5) The support of the community. I have received so much great advice from so many people. Candy Custard & Henry, Messmaster, the Moomins, Messy Supplies and many more have all proactively offered advice and suggestions...and many of those suggestions have been enormously helpful. Thanks to you all.

It has been very very tight financially this year and I've had to cut back on some things....but I am still afloat and the overall trend seems to be positive. I haven't given myself much time off and the days are really really long...but the thing is when you are working for yourself, and doing something you love it really doesn't feel like work (remind me I said that after a 14 hour day editing customs lol!!).

So I don't want to give the impression I am on easy street..far from it. But I am still here..and I am confident I will be in 12 months time, d.v.

Thanks to everyone who has hearted a picture, replied to a promo thread, bought a download, commissioned a custom, or subscribed. You are literally the reason I can continue to make new content for you all and I am so grateful.

So that is my yearly 'state of the nation' update for this year. I deliberately didn't do my usual post on the anniversary of the store in March, so I could update you this month, a year after I went fulltime.

Thanks again for Wammer Of The Day. As a thank-you, here are some pics of just a few scenes to look out for in the coming months

I'm delighted it's working for you here's to many more years of joyful sploshing Slymsfords style

Congratulations on the anniversary! I remember when you first started out, very politely asking for advice and attending splunches to meet everyone, really glad to see it's worked out so well for you. Your story also proves the long-held theory that to succeed in WAM you need to have a passion for it, with the business side secondary to the passion for creating the scenes you want to see. Long may it continue!

I heartily echo the sentiments above!

And it's so great to see you blossoming as a creator too, while still enjoying each day's shooting immensely. You push through the stress and hard work with a smile, clearly loving what you're doing, and that passion definitely shows up on the screen!

Here's to many more years of Slysford's!

Congratulations Rev!

I also love the translucency of the way you conduct your business, almost like it's a cooperative.

here's to many more years xx

Blimey Lisa had to look that word (translucency)up in the dictionary!! Worth a load of points at Scrabble !
Congrats Rev on all you have achieved. May you continue to prosper.

I'm really pleased for you Rev, your enthusiasm during a shoot (even with the really long scripted scenes!!!) comes across in the final product.

Setting up any business is a challenge particularly one such as this, but I think you have the 'right stuff' to keep going. Most people say the first year in business is the hardest. So hears to the next year and next 50 years!

Remember we still need to be doing this in the old peoples home!!!

Whitestar

Glad to see that you're still producing as your stuff is top notch. Now hurry up and release these scenes!!!!

Congratulations Rev and here's to many more years of mess!!

Thanks for all these wonderful replies from so many great people.

Whether as customers or second camera assistants or fellow producers you have all been a huge help and your kind words are really appreciated.

As Lisa mentioned, I suppose I do see this very much as a collaboration so thank you all for helping make it a success.

You do some good stuff, Rev, keep it up