Finishing college and moving back home means that I can run my business for real.
For the past few years that I’ve been selling my jewelry online and simultaneously being in college, it’s been difficult trying to manage my business. I would get orders on say, a Monday and since all my stock and supplies would be at home, I’d have to make the customer wait until that weekend for their order to be shipped. It just felt like terrible customer service, but there was nothing I could do. I didn’t want to have to put my shop on vacation for months or weeks at a time.
I’m moving back to Long Island from New York City, willingly, on Saturday and I’m excited about it for multiple reasons. One of these reasons is that, as indicated in the title of this post, I can finally run my business on Etsy for real. Yay!
It’s getting warm now. Anklets, anyone?
I’m trying to be better about promotion on there with more links to fun stuff, coupon codes and maybe even some discussions.
Do it!
The first time was on behalf of another customer. It was a package of gifts from a friend here, who is originally from California. Then the second time was the Jewelry for Japan bracelets, I believe. I’d love to get Hawaii.
So far 3 names for my future cafe/boutique are on the table
All 3 are LOTR-related. Anyone have any ideas? I’m open.
I’m thinking about re-branding my jewelry business.
Maybe this is terrible to say, but I’ve always kind of hated my chosen name: Jewelry Sheller. It was something I thought of on the fly during an interview for a Young Entrepreneur Scholarship and I’ve never been keen on it.
After I graduate college, I’d really like to start learning to sew and make tote bags, messenger bags, etc. Of course I would want to keep the whole beachy/nautical theme because it’s such a huge part of my life, but I want to adopt a new name that has allows me to have a broader image.
What do you think?
New Business Card!
Not sure why it looks a little fuzzy on here, but whatevs.
Anyway, redesigning my business card is something I’ve wanted to do for a while, but I still have a lot of old cards left. I’ll of course finish the old ones first.
However, as I just mentioned, I was inspired this morning to streamline my brand and make it consistent across my blog and my Etsy shop. I really like the new look, and I think it’s the kind of style I’ve been searching for…within myself.
That sounds much more philosophical than it actually is.
Should I delete my Facebook fan page for The Jewelry Sheller?
It’s not really serving a purpose. Most of my successful marketing comes via Twitter and Tumblr. What do you think?
The Benefits of Running My Business
This is me:
And I run a super-small business. For the past nine (yes,
nine) years, I have been making my own jewelry and selling it on a local beach. Only within the past couple of years have I started selling online, tweeting, and blogging.
However, a problem that I have encountered over these nine years has been that people seem to underestimate my business. They don’t realize that just because I don’t have a typical summer job where I work at a local retail store or fast food joint, doesn’t mean that I don’t
work. My work comes home with me. The bulk of it happens at home when my mother and I meticulously and painstakingly re-stock and remake all the jewelry I sold during a day of beach-selling. Because of this…”production” that happens at home, I often turn down my friends asking me to go out with them. Would I rather be out with my friends than stringing individual beads on 30-something anklets? Yes. But this is my
job, and it is no less of a job just because I work for myself.
Because of my business (and this is primarily a result of working on the beach and dealing with customers directly), I:
- Have acquired the ability to talk to anybody. Make no mistake, I most definitely have my moments of weakness, but talking to random strangers and approaching them is no problem for me.
- Get a thrill out of talking in front of large groups. I have to give credit partly to my job as a campus tour guide where I go to college, but my strength in talking to people came first from the beach business. Most people are deathly afraid of speaking in front of a large audience. Me? I love it. Don’t even give me a microphone…I naturally talk very loud. :)
- Have won myself a scholarship. It’s true. A few years ago, my mother brought home a pamphlet from school about scholarships from the NFIB, the National Federation of Independent Business. I applied and got a phone interview with an NFIB member, a man who owns a landscaping business in Upstate New York. I nailed it and received a scholarship to help pay for college.
- I am more confident in myself. I command my space. I am proud of myself that I have achieved so much at such a young age.
People often ask me about what I’ll do with my business after college. I have given it some serious thought and I realized that I can’t give it up because of how much it has contributed to the person that I am now. I will continue to sell online, of course, and I’ll somehow make room for the beach aspect of my business on the weekends. I’m too attached to give up this wonderful adventure for a “real job.” :D
The inspiration for this post came from Danielle Spurge of The Merriweather Council: “What Do You Do?”
And In the End…
A few months back, I bought Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago on vinyl while wandering around Urban Outfitters. I haven’t been home to open it or place it on my turntable (which is from about 1965. I stole it from my mom’s classroom). I’m seeing him this summer at the United Palace Theater in NYC on August 9th. To say that I’m excited is a vast understatement.
I took my last final today. It was for my class called, “The Beatles and their Legacy,” hence the title to this post. For those who might not know, it’s a reference to the last song on the Beatles’ Abbey Road album (“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”) I’m now officially a college senior. This time next year, I will be graduating college. The thought hasn’t completely settled in yet…
Other things of note:
Tonight, since I didn’t have to study for anything I worked on documenting all the orders and receipts from the past few months into my Quickbooks file. Since I have a New York State Sales Tax number, I’m “legit,” I guess I could say. So, I have to keep pretty good records and for some odd reason I’m really bad at it. I’m a neat freak when it comes to every other aspect of my life (except maybe my room).
Back to Bon Iver: I guess I mentioned that because I want to consider opening the vinyl a celebratory gesture.
Is everyone done with school? Or almost done?
