I’ve been crafting since I can remember. My mother studied art in advertising, & was really quite talented. We had very different tastes, but I respect her creativity. She could do lots of things I’m not so great with such as ceramics, drawing, painting, knitting, & sewing. I lean more toward jewelry making techniques, crochet, and random things. She taught me yarn crafts when I was a kid – loop rugs, knitting & crochet. I taught myself how to sew at about 15. A problem I have is that I’m a bit of a “Jill of many trades, master of none”, but I’m learning to use that to my benefit, while still trying to “master” everything hahaha.
Where am I now? Well, my mother passed away from ALS when I was 15; we don’t have much of a family, so I live with my aging father to keep him out of a nursing home. My ex fiance & I were together for almost 11 years when he dumped me last year, & told me to “find someone who deserves me”. So, I did. I met Mr Wonderful through my cousins on my mother’s side, & it’s as though we were made for each other. But I’ll gush another time, lol. Point is, he encouraged me to open shop after watching me “throw together” bracelets & necklaces for my young cousins. I figured I’ve been tinkering with jewelry making for over 10 years, may as well see if I can make some money with it! The business end of things shouldn’t be too much for me. I wasn’t raised to be very organized, so I started reading up on how to be when I was a little kid. Now, I’m hyper-organized. Sometimes to a fault, but I can always figure something out. I’ve managed at a couple of the stores I’ve worked at in the past, one which had literally just opened & was being run by folks who had no clue about the business. My co-manager & I saved their asses to the point where they offered to pay for me to get a Bachelor’s in business. So, I’m sure I’ll have impressive Etsy skills with time.
I’m currently taking some mini business courses online, which have been helping a little bit. I was thinking about getting a certification in Business Management through my local community college, but I don’t want to affect any potential financial aid I can get when I go for nursing. My boyfriend wants to start a business together, so I figure I should learn as much as I can while he contemplates what we should do. Really, I’m trying to lean him toward crafting things for my shop, because he’s incredibly creative & meticulous. Time will tell.
Starting a business takes months of preparation…
…and you’ll still never be ready for everything. But I think I’m doing pretty good so far. I’ve been working on “building my brand” on social media, though I know it has room to evolve. I have 15 items to sell, & I’ve just about figured out a “beta” packaging & shipping plan. The only thing holding me up is acquiring the packaging, which is no big deal. I intend to launch soon, & the wheels can start turning freely. Wish me luck, & keep an eye on my shop as it evolves!!
zen BLITZ 