The Learn As You Go Approach...um, not so much.
Jewelry for Health and Happiness is Open for Business!
It's me, Elizabeth Raynor, here to tell you that my very first online sales site is Open for Business! The name of my site is called; Jewelry for Health and Happiness, I know, I know, it's a really long name to have to type, trust me I figured that out after having had to type it 50 bazillion times!! If I didn't already have my biz license, trust me I would have changed it to something like; MY STORE!!!! Lesson learned...sigh
Anyway, WELCOME and come on inside and sit a spell, browse around. This is Chili P, my faithful doggy companion and best friend. She has stuck with me throughout this entire process and I have to tell you, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be writing this blog right now. So many times I just threw up my hands and said "that's it, I can't do this, I just can't do this!" But good old Chili P would always make me laugh and smile and make me feel better about the world and my lack of internet savvy, and I'd press on.
It was an exceptionally hard process because I knew absolutely zero about launching a site but given my set of circumstances, I really didn't have a much of a choice. I took the 'learn as I you go' approach and I have to tell you, I wouldn't recommend that approach to my worst enemy, but a woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do!
Month 10 of unemployment was just about to rear it's ugly head and I was withdrawing way more money out of my IRA account then I was comfortable and needed to find a quick way to make some cash. Now don't you even go there!! Don't even think it!! I know where I live, but that is NOT an acceptable way for me to make money. Besides, I'm too short! haha!
Long story longer, I decided to make jewelry, which I used to do when I was a kid. It was something I used to enjoy and thought what the heck, I can sell what I made at local craft shows, flea markets etc. Wouldn't you know, the shows and flea markets in Las Vegas aren't like the ones I grew up with in the South. Oh noooo, Las Vegas has to charge not just one arm, but one arm, a leg and 3 toes to be a vendor at these shows making it too cost prohibitive for me. My inventory is not high ticket items, we're talking fashion jewelry, I called it 'Costume Jewelry' back in the day, we are not talking fine diamonds and gold, so even if I sold my entire inventory at one event, I still wouldn't have the money to cover the vendor participation fee. Of course I didn't find out this information until I had already applied for, paid for and received my business license and my Employer Tax ID number, which are required for these events.
Oh hum...so here I sat with all this inventory and all my licenses and no where to sell my jewelry. So I thought, what about the internet? Yeah, why not put up a little site, keep it up long enough to sell my inventory and if sales didn't warrant re-rorders, then just shut 'er down! I mean how hard can it be to put up a little ol' website. I mean I took a couple of online classes, how hard can this be? I wish to god someone would've come along and tazeed me into some senses! But noooooo. Had I known then what I know now...famous last words!
Still...three months ago I was like; 'I can do this!" That's what's so cool about the internet, I didn't know a thing about building a site, how to sell on line or what Google Analytics was good for! So what do I do? I Google "How to build an online sales site for beginners" and the next thing ya know Bada Bing, Bada Boom here I am! Crazy right?!?!?
Ok, ok, so my site is not the slickest one out there and I know I am way too casual and should be more professional, about it, but you know what, when I make $10,000 in a month, I'll get real professional real fast. Until then, this is just my little site where folks can come and visit, get some jewelry or some shades (coming soon!) and perhaps even a hoodie (coming soon too) to make them healthy (that's another story for another blog) and happy, all for a decent price this I feel good about and hope you do too.
So with that, I think I need to wrap this up for today. I don't have the strength to be the blogger anymore and I'm sure you don't have the strength to be the bloggee anymore either! If you stuck around to read this entire thing, your rule! 10% off you!! As soon as I can figure out how to set up a discount, I'll let you know and I'm make sure you get your coupons! heeheehhee I will...I promise!
Anywho...thanks for stopping by! Chili P and I wish nothing but good health and happiness for you and yours!
