233 – People Don’t Buy Products – They Buy You with Annie of NaturalAnnie Essentials
Annya (Annie) was born and raised on the beautiful island of Jamaica. Accordingly, she is no stranger to the nourishing, healing power of oils and herbs and has always been a creative soul, with an eye for all things bright ‘n’ bold.
When her first daughter, Tiffany was born with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, she turned to natural remedies to help her skin because the prescribed medication didn’t work.
After trying a variety of natural butters, essential oils and other natural oils, she finally found the remedy for Tiffany’s skin issues. This is how NaturalAnnie Essentials was born.
NaturalAnnie Essentials is your island-inspired one-stop-shop for uniquely scented handmade soy candles and bath & body products. They aim to make you and your home look, smell and feel good!
Business Building Insights
- Action over perfection. Go out and do what you know you want to do. Don’t wait for the perfect time.
- When starting a new business, be honest about whether you really want to do it long term. This should be a deciding factor.
- It’s important for makers to have one specific place where to send customers. In almost all cases, this should be your website.
- Not everyone will be your correct audience. Keep testing different markets and craft shows to find the ones that are right for your product.
- Add more to the experience by making your booth welcoming and inviting, one where people can get comfortable and spend time.
- Be willing to get help when the time comes. If you want to grow, you won’t be able to do it by yourself.
Contact Links
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Thanks! Sue
Transcript
Gift biz unwrapped episode 233 a lot of people ask me
Speaker:how I balance it and I still feel like there is
Speaker:no balancing.
Speaker:I like to say I juggled At Tintin gifters,
Speaker:bakers, crafters and makers.
Speaker:Pursuing your dream can be fun whether you have an established
Speaker:business or looking to start one.
Speaker:Now you are in the right place.
Speaker:This is give to biz unwrapped,
Speaker:helping you turn your skill into a flourishing business.
Speaker:Join us for an episode packed full of invaluable guidance,
Speaker:resources and the support you need to grow your gift biz.
Speaker:Here is your host gift biz gal Sue moon Heights.
Speaker:Hi there,
Speaker:it's Sue and thank you for that.
Speaker:Joining me here today.
Speaker:I'm starting with an important announcement for those of you who
Speaker:are listening in live time.
Speaker:So that is the week of September 23rd,
Speaker:2019 I want to give you a heads up that the
Speaker:doors to the makers MBA program close once again this Thursday
Speaker:and they're not going to be opening again until somewhere around
Speaker:the second quarter of 2020 so if you've been thinking about
Speaker:this, teetering on the fence,
Speaker:I think that's the way you say that.
Speaker:The time to act is now a conscious decision one way
Speaker:or the other and truly when the deadline hits that it
Speaker:integrity is a really important core value of mine.
Speaker:So when I say something that's exactly what happens.
Speaker:Integrity, a really important example as a business owner,
Speaker:and if you haven't called it out for yourself,
Speaker:I encourage you to do so.
Speaker:If you don't know what maker's MBA is about real quick,
Speaker:it's an all inclusive lifetime access program that is specifically made
Speaker:for makers.
Speaker:So as I call all of you gifters,
Speaker:bakers, crafters makers,
Speaker:you'll go from feeling overwhelmed,
Speaker:confused and discouraged.
Speaker:Any of you guys feeling like that right now because you
Speaker:don't know how to start your business or not sure how
Speaker:to move forward in your existing business.
Speaker:You go from that to feeling energized and confident as your
Speaker:company gets off the ground and starts producing a steady flow
Speaker:of customers and sales.
Speaker:Not only that,
Speaker:but you'll know exactly what to do to keep the dollars
Speaker:flowing. If you want to know more,
Speaker:check out the details at gift biz,
Speaker:unwrapped.com forward slash makers MBA,
Speaker:but remember the doors shut Thursday night.
Speaker:At first I thought about saying slam shut,
Speaker:but I like the image much better saying they gently close,
Speaker:tight and those of us inside start getting to work on
Speaker:a very rewarding experience.
Speaker:Again, the link is gift biz on rapt.com
Speaker:forward slash makers MBA if you'd like to learn more.
Speaker:So let's talk a little bit now about today's episode.
Speaker:It's a great example of what can happen when you make
Speaker:online connections.
Speaker:My guest and I have been casually communicating through Instagram for
Speaker:a few years.
Speaker:I admire her products and she shares what she likes about
Speaker:the show.
Speaker:She actually left a review a while back,
Speaker:which was a gesture that I truly appreciated.
Speaker:Then about a month ago,
Speaker:she reached out wondering if she could be on the show.
Speaker:Here is why I said yes immediately.
Speaker:First off,
Speaker:we already knew each other,
Speaker:albeit not in person,
Speaker:but a relationship has been established.
Speaker:Second, I've been watching her business develop over the years and
Speaker:I see that she's consistent in her communication and dedication to
Speaker:growing her business.
Speaker:So this is someone I'd be interested in talking to and
Speaker:sharing with all of you.
Speaker:And third,
Speaker:she took the initiative and not only directly asked for what
Speaker:she wanted,
Speaker:she explained to me the value that she could bring to
Speaker:you because when people want to be on the show and
Speaker:it's a hundred percent self serving,
Speaker:which believe me,
Speaker:I get all the time.
Speaker:The immediate answer is no guests always have to be providing
Speaker:information for you with no strings attached.
Speaker:If not,
Speaker:you guys aren't going to keep listening.
Speaker:So in truth,
Speaker:this was an easy and immediate decision.
Speaker:I responded yes in like a minute,
Speaker:but the entire interaction I just described happened over some time.
Speaker:This is the value of connections for you that you can
Speaker:use with prospective customers too.
Speaker:They might not buy the first time they meet you online
Speaker:or in person,
Speaker:but that doesn't mean there's no future.
Speaker:It's a work in progress.
Speaker:Okay, you guys ready?
Speaker:Let's get to know all about Annie.
Speaker:Today. I'd like to introduce you to Annie of natural Annie
Speaker:essentials. Annie was born and raised on the beautiful Island of
Speaker:Jamaica so she's no stranger to the nourishing,
Speaker:healing power of oils and herbs and it has always been
Speaker:a creative soul with an eye for all things bright and
Speaker:bold. When her first daughter Tiffany was born with spina bifida
Speaker:and hydrocephalus,
Speaker:she turned to natural remedies to help her skin because the
Speaker:prescription medication didn't work.
Speaker:After trying a variety of natural butters,
Speaker:essential oils and other natural oils,
Speaker:she finally found the remedy for Tiffany's skin issues and this
Speaker:is how natural Annie essentials was born.
Speaker:Natural anti essentials is your Island inspired one stop shop for
Speaker:uniquely scented handmade soy candles and bath and body products.
Speaker:The aim to make you and your home look,
Speaker:feel and smell.
Speaker:Good. Welcome to the gift biz unwrapped podcast.
Speaker:Danny, Thanks for having me today.
Speaker:So I am so excited to talk to you and we
Speaker:were just talking a little bit before I pressed record about
Speaker:how you and I have interacted for,
Speaker:I don't know,
Speaker:maybe three years through social media,
Speaker:but we've never had a chance to talk voice to voice,
Speaker:I can't say face to face,
Speaker:but voice to voice.
Speaker:So this is the first time.
Speaker:Yeah, so true.
Speaker:And I'm so excited.
Speaker:I know.
Speaker:It's really,
Speaker:really fun.
Speaker:I want to stay with tradition here on the podcast and
Speaker:before we get into your story and we learn more about
Speaker:you, I'd like you to share with us a little bit
Speaker:of what you're like through a motivational candle.
Speaker:So if you were to share with me a color and
Speaker:a quote that is a candle that speaks all you,
Speaker:Annie, what would it look like?
Speaker:My color.
Speaker:I would have a multicolored candle.
Speaker:I feel like colors just put me in a very happy
Speaker:place and make me want to do all the things and
Speaker:my quote on that candle would be action over perfection.
Speaker:That's my daily reminder to just go out and do what
Speaker:I need to do and not wait for the perfect time
Speaker:because I've realized there is no perfect time.
Speaker:So action over perfection for me.
Speaker:Did you always feel that way or did you come across
Speaker:that as you started to get your business going?
Speaker:That was while I was in business mode as I was
Speaker:getting my business going.
Speaker:It's just something I picked up along the way that has
Speaker:worked and is a constant reminder for me.
Speaker:I think it's a really good quote or something to think
Speaker:about because I think,
Speaker:and I'm guessing that there are people who are listening here
Speaker:now, it's a great way to say,
Speaker:well, I'm just not ready yet and put off something that
Speaker:might seem a little scary.
Speaker:Starting a business and putting yourself out there like you've got
Speaker:a wait until it's perfect.
Speaker:And I love that you're saying that's not the case.
Speaker:Let's just get rolling here.
Speaker:Absolutely, Yeah.
Speaker:So give us a little bit more detail.
Speaker:I mean I talked in the intro some about how your
Speaker:business started,
Speaker:but give a little more detail under that and possibly a
Speaker:little bit before that.
Speaker:What's your experience before you actually started your business?
Speaker:So before I started my business,
Speaker:I was working in corporate America.
Speaker:I was a research specialist with a very large it research
Speaker:firm and I was with them for about six years until
Speaker:I had my first daughter Tiffany in 2014 and that pretty
Speaker:much changed my life completely.
Speaker:Tiffany was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus as you had
Speaker:noted earlier.
Speaker:And it was not something that was diagnosed before birth.
Speaker:So it totally caught us off guard when she was 14
Speaker:What does that mean?
Speaker:What were the symptoms and what did that do to her
Speaker:that you had to overcome?
Speaker:So when she was born,
Speaker:spinal bifida is an opening in the spine.
Speaker:So she was born with what seemed like a bulge in
Speaker:her back.
Speaker:Sir. Her spine didn't fully meet from head to toe.
Speaker:So immediately after the delivery about like two hours after or
Speaker:for between two to four hours after she had to be
Speaker:transferred to the ACU where they had to perform an emergency
Speaker:surgery to close the gap in her back.
Speaker:So that's the sense of the spinal bifida now,
Speaker:the hydrocephalus,
Speaker:while we were in the hospital about a week later after
Speaker:doing multiple tests,
Speaker:they realized that she also had hydrocephalus,
Speaker:which is caused by the spinal bifida.
Speaker:So what hydrocephalus is,
Speaker:is basically fluid building up in the brain.
Speaker:So they had to do another surgery for that,
Speaker:inserted a shunt,
Speaker:which now helps to remove the fluids from her brain to
Speaker:her stomach First,
Speaker:let me say,
Speaker:obviously super serious.
Speaker:So as a mom that had to be so challenging and
Speaker:difficult seeing your little daughter having to go through that.
Speaker:But it sounds like she came through it well,
Speaker:right? Absolutely,
Speaker:yes. So how do the natural butters and essential oils,
Speaker:because I was thinking this was more like it progressed into
Speaker:a skin issue.
Speaker:Actually it did.
Speaker:So because she was on all these medications while in the
Speaker:hospital, once we came home about roughly about a month and
Speaker:a half later,
Speaker:she was no longer on those really strong meds.
Speaker:So her skin started to break out.
Speaker:And I remember she had this really bad rash on her,
Speaker:but that would not go away.
Speaker:We were back and forth to the hospital with it and
Speaker:nothing was working.
Speaker:So I grew up in Jamaica with my grandparents.
Speaker:My grandmother was here with me at the time,
Speaker:so we kind of just tried what we were familiar with,
Speaker:which was,
Speaker:or natural cocoa butter,
Speaker:Shea butter and essential oils.
Speaker:So I started to blend these different ingredients together with caution
Speaker:of course.
Speaker:And then that's when we finally started to get some relief
Speaker:on our skin.
Speaker:It was amazing.
Speaker:So for me there was no turning back and that kind
Speaker:of led my progression into formulation and aroma therapy.
Speaker:And I actually went into school to get certified for aroma
Speaker:therapy after that.
Speaker:Got it.
Speaker:Okay. So are you saying that you tried some things like
Speaker:more over the counter type things that you weren't finding something
Speaker:that was helping her first and so then you just started
Speaker:doing your own thing or did you automatically start creating your
Speaker:own mixtures?
Speaker:We tried what was prescribed first and some stuff over the
Speaker:counter and then we weren't getting the results.
Speaker:So then we started to make our own mixtures at home.
Speaker:Got it.
Speaker:And so was your grandmother helping you too?
Speaker:Oh yeah,
Speaker:it was a head mixer.
Speaker:She's the head and mixer that had to be really forget
Speaker:the business side,
Speaker:but that had to be really exciting and rewarding to see
Speaker:that you were finally getting some relief for Tiffany.
Speaker:Oh yeah.
Speaker:I mean from just her skin.
Speaker:We were starting to use oils just in the house in
Speaker:general to clean,
Speaker:to help to make her sleep.
Speaker:So it was a really fun time around here around those
Speaker:times. Well,
Speaker:you needed some fun,
Speaker:it sounded like.
Speaker:Totally. Yeah.
Speaker:I mean a newborn is a struggle,
Speaker:a challenge enough.
Speaker:But then based on your having to have surgeries and all
Speaker:that's double.
Speaker:Yeah. Well first on behalf of me and all my listeners,
Speaker:we want to reach out to Tiffany and say hello and
Speaker:we're thrilled that things sound like they're going great now.
Speaker:So that's good then certainly.
Speaker:Awesome. Thank you.
Speaker:Thank you.
Speaker:So let's talk more about the product.
Speaker:So you were continuing to make these mixtures and all that
Speaker:just for yourself,
Speaker:for your own purposes.
Speaker:Yes. And so where was that point kind of take us
Speaker:to that time when all of a sudden you're like,
Speaker:Hm, maybe this would be helpful for other people too.
Speaker:Maybe it could be a business.
Speaker:Yeah. So after I had enrolled in my aroma therapy program
Speaker:and we,
Speaker:in that particular class we did a lot of formulation.
Speaker:So it was just mixing different products together,
Speaker:how to use essential oils,
Speaker:how to safely use essential oils,
Speaker:and I really was enjoying that portion of it.
Speaker:Then I started to just use a lot of essential oils
Speaker:at home and I would share with friends and families.
Speaker:I would even have like make and take parties with essential
Speaker:oils. And a friend of mine,
Speaker:actually, she was the one who inspired me to start a
Speaker:business because she loved,
Speaker:particularly, there was a face scrub that I was making and
Speaker:she loved it.
Speaker:Her skin loved it.
Speaker:So one day she said,
Speaker:you know what,
Speaker:you should put a label on this because you have something
Speaker:going here.
Speaker:So that's kind of what I took that advice and later
Speaker:on opened my very first Etsy shop.
Speaker:But so interesting how it's usually someone besides ourself who is,
Speaker:makes the suggestion and then all of a sudden it feels
Speaker:right. Exactly.
Speaker:Yeah. Cause I was just having all the fun over here.
Speaker:I don't know what it is.
Speaker:Like we need the validation or it's okay if someone else
Speaker:has the idea instead of us.
Speaker:Sometimes, I don't know.
Speaker:I don't know.
Speaker:But I hear that over and over again.
Speaker:So Yeah.
Speaker:And I never really,
Speaker:I knew from a young age that I wanted to do
Speaker:something with business,
Speaker:but at that point it just never clicked that this could
Speaker:have been it.
Speaker:Right. So that push was kind of the push I guess
Speaker:I needed.
Speaker:Got it.
Speaker:So when you started doing the make and take parties,
Speaker:were you doing that just to get out the product or
Speaker:were you doing a little bit of research,
Speaker:seeing if you had an audience or what was your thinking
Speaker:behind the parties But the,
Speaker:they can take parties.
Speaker:I actually started with this company called doTERRA.
Speaker:There are very large essential oils company and I was just
Speaker:buying all these essential oils on a monthly basis for myself.
Speaker:And so I needed to do something else with them.
Speaker:So I just started with having friends come over.
Speaker:When they would come over we would just make stuff,
Speaker:drink wine and just have a fun little evening.
Speaker:Oh man,
Speaker:I would bet there It was so fun.
Speaker:So make and take and then they would take back whatever
Speaker:they made and use them to get a feel for what
Speaker:these type of products can do for their body.
Speaker:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker:And it was just trying also to introduce them to essential
Speaker:oils and how powerful it is and how amazingly healthy it
Speaker:is for us.
Speaker:And they were having a grand time that That's awesome.
Speaker:And then from that you were seeing that friends were starting
Speaker:to buy from you or it was just the parties.
Speaker:I wasn't even selling.
Speaker:Okay. It was just a parties.
Speaker:I wasn't even selling at the time.
Speaker:Okay. So girls over having some wine,
Speaker:mixing the oils,
Speaker:them taking things home.
Speaker:So you were seeing that there was an interest in the
Speaker:product, forget about a business yet,
Speaker:cause you hadn't even started thinking about that.
Speaker:And then it was a friend of yours who said,
Speaker:Hey Annie,
Speaker:have you ever thought about a business?
Speaker:Yeah, that's right.
Speaker:Did it fit with you automatically?
Speaker:Like the second she said it,
Speaker:it's like,
Speaker:Oh yeah,
Speaker:that's an idea.
Speaker:Or did she have to sell you on it?
Speaker:Well, no,
Speaker:I thought about it.
Speaker:And then someone that I was working with because with doTERRA
Speaker:it's an MLM type of business.
Speaker:So the person I would buy the oils from,
Speaker:it was telling me about the business side to doTERRA.
Speaker:So then I figured if I could teach my friends how
Speaker:to do this and they could see for themselves that would
Speaker:have been away from me to do business.
Speaker:But then when I talked to them about it,
Speaker:they enjoy like the make and take parties.
Speaker:They enjoy making the stuff and bringing it home.
Speaker:But it's not something they were interested in doing say every
Speaker:every week if they were supposed to re up their products.
Speaker:Right. Cause they all have their own lives and jobs and
Speaker:other things that they're doing.
Speaker:Exactly. So me making it for them,
Speaker:providing an already finished product was where I kind of saw
Speaker:that business opportunity to say okay since you don't want to
Speaker:do it I'll do it for you cause I have all
Speaker:the fun doing this anyways.
Speaker:Right. Okay.
Speaker:So I want to stop you right here for a second
Speaker:because I think we can talk to our listeners about this
Speaker:a bit.
Speaker:So many people are concerned about sharing how they make their
Speaker:product. Now,
Speaker:I'm not talking about giving away all the secrets or something,
Speaker:but what you did here in terms of the parties having
Speaker:people see and get a taste of the product,
Speaker:if you will,
Speaker:you've seen how it feels on their skin and maybe the
Speaker:certain sense that they like the best or that type of
Speaker:thing developed an interest and a desire in them to have
Speaker:the product.
Speaker:So I'm thinking for some of our listeners who make something
Speaker:similar, this could be an interesting first step to attracting an
Speaker:audience, let them participate in making the product for a while
Speaker:knowing full well,
Speaker:which is exactly what you found Annie,
Speaker:is that they're not going to be able to keep it
Speaker:up long term,
Speaker:then they'll start buying from you.
Speaker:Exactly. Yeah.
Speaker:So I think give biz listeners,
Speaker:if you have a product that fits this idea,
Speaker:consider doing this because it's a great way to attract new
Speaker:business. Yeah.
Speaker:And it's a great way to see if you really like
Speaker:to do it,
Speaker:if you would really like to do it full term too.
Speaker:Yeah, good point.
Speaker:Okay, so you've made the choice.
Speaker:You've decided that you're going to start the business,
Speaker:what were your first steps?
Speaker:So once I started the business,
Speaker:wait, let me just back up a little bit to like
Speaker:my education.
Speaker:So I went to school for business,
Speaker:but once I started the business I quickly,
Speaker:this was a whole different arena.
Speaker:In what way?
Speaker:Just because now I had to apply the things and I
Speaker:didn't feel like while I was in college I was able
Speaker:to apply it to anything really.
Speaker:But now I had to actually do the things that I
Speaker:studied. So one of the first things I did when I
Speaker:decided to start this business was to enroll in a local
Speaker:program and it wasn't a small business program that helps uprising
Speaker:entrepreneurs or even if you just have an idea to go
Speaker:through the process,
Speaker:the things you need to start your process,
Speaker:all the legal stuff that you need.
Speaker:I think most States do have this.
Speaker:So I mean this is something I would always encourage entrepreneurs
Speaker:to get involved with,
Speaker:even if they feel like they're a little bit ahead.
Speaker:It's always good to have it too.
Speaker:As a refresher,
Speaker:so I did that program and it really helped to kick
Speaker:start me with finding out the things that I needed to
Speaker:do, whether it be licensing certification fees that I need to
Speaker:get done,
Speaker:all the legal stuff,
Speaker:so that really helps me to get off the ground legally.
Speaker:Okay. You set up everything,
Speaker:the stuff that's less fun,
Speaker:but the important things that you need to do to get
Speaker:a business started?
Speaker:Yeah, actually.
Speaker:Okay. Then what happened at launched my Etsy shop and I
Speaker:just went all in.
Speaker:I was taking the photos,
Speaker:I was making the products and about a few months in
Speaker:I set up shop at a local library where they had
Speaker:a popup,
Speaker:so I was starting to do a lot of popups just
Speaker:to kind of get my name out there and to kind
Speaker:of see what it was like.
Speaker:But I feel like along the way I just learned,
Speaker:they feel like there's no one path or no secret sauce,
Speaker:as some would say.
Speaker:I really feel like I just learned as I go and
Speaker:every time I try something new.
Speaker:That was a new learning experience for me to take onto
Speaker:the next step in the business that I would head on
Speaker:to. So Annie,
Speaker:share with us a little bit of your experience of starting
Speaker:your Etsy site.
Speaker:Did you find it to be an easy platform to get
Speaker:started on or what would you say was your experience there?
Speaker:It was pretty easy for me to get started on Etsy
Speaker:because I was already shopping on Etsy,
Speaker:so it was just now being on the other side as
Speaker:to where I would be adding stuff on the platform to
Speaker:sell and it was a pretty good option for me just
Speaker:starting out because it didn't have to do my own website,
Speaker:which caused a lot of money and starting a business I
Speaker:didn't have a lot of money to start with,
Speaker:so that was a pretty good entry for me.
Speaker:Right. What would be your suggestion in terms of how many
Speaker:products or photos or any ideas or tips you could give
Speaker:somebody who's looking at starting their own Etsy site?
Speaker:Well now at T has changed so much over the years.
Speaker:I feel like photography is top priority on Etsy these days.
Speaker:Both a mix of lifestyle photography and just product shots on
Speaker:plain white backgrounds.
Speaker:Explain lifestyle for our listeners.
Speaker:Lifestyle photography would fall into the category of say I sell
Speaker:candles. So shooting the candles and areas of your home where
Speaker:your customers could easily relate to.
Speaker:So for example,
Speaker:on a desk or in a living room setting on tables,
Speaker:so just anywhere your customers could envision them using your products.
Speaker:So a mixture of both,
Speaker:right. Lifestyle and then also product photos like flat lays or
Speaker:something? Yes,
Speaker:absolutely. Okay.
Speaker:So not just one or another would be your suggestion?
Speaker:No, because at see now when you list a product on
Speaker:Etsy, they have lots now where you could put up to
Speaker:10 photos and they've made it easier.
Speaker:Now where for each photo you upload,
Speaker:they tell you or they suggest what type of photo you
Speaker:should be uploading.
Speaker:So it's a pretty descent layout that they have.
Speaker:So you pretty much just follow the steps.
Speaker:But mix is usually required or recommended.
Speaker:Oh, got it.
Speaker:So for one particular product you might do the product shot,
Speaker:maybe then maybe a lifestyle shot and something else Free to
Speaker:paddock. Yes.
Speaker:All right,
Speaker:got it.
Speaker:Any hints about photography or cameras or can you still use
Speaker:your cell phone for photos?
Speaker:Oh, totally,
Speaker:absolutely. I still use my camera phone for a lot of
Speaker:photography and it works amazing.
Speaker:I use those mostly for social media just because they wouldn't
Speaker:transfer as great on say a website,
Speaker:but I totally,
Speaker:you could still use your phone.
Speaker:It's amazing.
Speaker:My husband and I will go on vacation and he'll have
Speaker:all his big camera gear and sometimes little old me with
Speaker:my phone.
Speaker:My pictures turn out better Always.
Speaker:I have that same issues with my camera.
Speaker:Sometimes I hardly ever use it and I it Zero what
Speaker:I'm doing with a camera,
Speaker:but I know what to do with them.
Speaker:Oh yeah.
Speaker:Yeah. And so how long did it take,
Speaker:and I know it's been four years or so now,
Speaker:but how long did it take for your first sale to
Speaker:come through on that T?
Speaker:I think my first sale came through that very same week
Speaker:just because my friends were buying.
Speaker:Well that's good cause you get to know,
Speaker:Test it all out.
Speaker:Right. You want to make sure everything is working.
Speaker:Yes. I helped me to get my very first sale,
Speaker:but my first,
Speaker:I would say customer sale came about maybe about three weeks
Speaker:in. It didn't come very quick,
Speaker:so I was still a bit on edge because in my
Speaker:head it was still like,
Speaker:Oh people are not buying myself.
Speaker:Although a friend would have bought,
Speaker:but I didn't feel like that was enough for me to
Speaker:say, Hey,
Speaker:I have a product line because I feel like they would
Speaker:just buy it because they're supporting me and I'm their friend.
Speaker:So they're buying,
Speaker:but for say like a new customer,
Speaker:it took a few weeks.
Speaker:Okay. But you got them.
Speaker:Oh yeah.
Speaker:That's the exciting thing is when you get somebody that you
Speaker:don't know for the first time,
Speaker:it's such a thrill,
Speaker:isn't it?
Speaker:It is.
Speaker:And it just makes you now want to make all the
Speaker:things and just to push forward with your business.
Speaker:Yeah. And when there's one they're going to be more,
Speaker:it seems like it just flips a switch that,
Speaker:Oh my gosh,
Speaker:somebody, I don't know now me go find more of Them.
Speaker:Yeah. And it motivates you to start talking about your stuff
Speaker:naturally. I'm an introvert.
Speaker:But You do not seem like an introvert.
Speaker:Oh no,
Speaker:I am.
Speaker:I know I am.
Speaker:But it excites you to a point where you now you
Speaker:want to talk to people about your product.
Speaker:Because sometimes when,
Speaker:cause I know when I first launched my Etsy shop,
Speaker:I was still kind of shy about it or didn't want
Speaker:to tell people about it,
Speaker:that I do have an Etsy shop and Hey,
Speaker:you can check out my products.
Speaker:But once you kind of see people are taking a liking
Speaker:to it,
Speaker:it kind of opens you up more to wanting to share
Speaker:what you're offering.
Speaker:I got it.
Speaker:Yeah. Because you're getting more confirmation then.
Speaker:So that builds up your confidence too.
Speaker:They kind of go hand in hand.
Speaker:Absolutely. So to finish up the discussion on Etsy,
Speaker:how has your shop evolved and where is it today?
Speaker:Well, we moved from Etsy.
Speaker:Well not totally,
Speaker:but we still have our Etsy shop but it doesn't do
Speaker:as well as it did back in the day.
Speaker:So now our main platform is actually our website and we
Speaker:host that on Shopify.
Speaker:Great platform,
Speaker:super easy to use.
Speaker:Most makers I know use it because it's just so easy.
Speaker:But yeah,
Speaker:we do primarily all our sales currently on Shopify.
Speaker:But you do still have the Etsy site just for a
Speaker:sale here or there?
Speaker:Yes. And that's pretty much all it does now with sale
Speaker:here or there because it's very saturated now too on Etsy.
Speaker:Yeah, I mean,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:it used to be the place to go for handmade.
Speaker:Anyone who is handmade was on Etsy.
Speaker:It seems like you're not the only one I've heard with
Speaker:in terms of the performance has decreased some.
Speaker:But Annie super example of the fact that you've taken it
Speaker:now and gone over to whether it's a Shopify site or
Speaker:another site,
Speaker:but your own website,
Speaker:what you control,
Speaker:what you owned.
Speaker:So I'm so glad that's part of your story.
Speaker:I had that on my little notes here that I wanted
Speaker:to walk into that and I was like keeping my fingers
Speaker:crossed. That was the case.
Speaker:Oh yeah.
Speaker:I feel like it's super important for all makers to have
Speaker:that one place where they could send their customers that's,
Speaker:that belongs to them.
Speaker:Cause like a platform like Etsy,
Speaker:they could shut down or put you off the platform at
Speaker:any time for any reason.
Speaker:So having your own is the best way to go.
Speaker:And even if you can't do it right off the bat,
Speaker:it's always the perfect next step.
Speaker:Yeah. I would also suggest that Etsy is a great proving
Speaker:ground. To your point of,
Speaker:in the beginning,
Speaker:you didn't really want to say anything to be able to
Speaker:go to a place where you can get your feet wet,
Speaker:start testing your products,
Speaker:start getting a feel for it because as you said,
Speaker:it's easy to put up.
Speaker:And then once you start getting established,
Speaker:always knowing that you need to have your own platform,
Speaker:but it can be a stepping stone to that and now
Speaker:you use them both,
Speaker:so that's perfect.
Speaker:Absolutely. Yeah.
Speaker:What do you see as the differences in terms of the
Speaker:two in terms of the benefits?
Speaker:Like I'm going to start it off by saying you have
Speaker:all of your customer information,
Speaker:right? Yes.
Speaker:That's one of the most powerful thing about it.
Speaker:You own this,
Speaker:you own the info that comes on there and you could
Speaker:follow up with these people as often as you like on
Speaker:your own platform.
Speaker:So someone said in an interview a while ago,
Speaker:and I just want to make sure that if that's true
Speaker:or not,
Speaker:that it used to be an Amazon's in the same way
Speaker:that you don't get to know any information about your customer
Speaker:except if you're shipping the product,
Speaker:you get the address.
Speaker:But is it still the case with Etsy that you don't
Speaker:get emails,
Speaker:you don't get them or you get them,
Speaker:but you're not supposed to use them.
Speaker:You do not get them.
Speaker:But they do offer an option where after your item has
Speaker:been shipped,
Speaker:you can reach out to the customers via a chat on
Speaker:Etsy just as a,
Speaker:Hey, did you receive your product?
Speaker:How did you like it?
Speaker:Something like that.
Speaker:But emails,
Speaker:you don't get those.
Speaker:Okay. And at that point,
Speaker:could you ask them,
Speaker:Hey, would you care to share your email with me?
Speaker:You're not supposed to.
Speaker:I think they said it somewhere in their rules where you're
Speaker:not supposed to ask for emails.
Speaker:But what I do is all my Etsy orders,
Speaker:they go out with literature about our business or platform.
Speaker:So I encourage them to go to my website in the
Speaker:future for any future purchase or stay connected with us via
Speaker:email or whether it be via social media.
Speaker:So that's not against their policy.
Speaker:So you could do it that way.
Speaker:Something around there.
Speaker:So it's a second best option because you still then have
Speaker:to rely on them to do it versus your website.
Speaker:You capture all the information.
Speaker:So still the best way to do it for sure.
Speaker:Let's move on.
Speaker:I also really,
Speaker:really like the fact that you had an online presence and
Speaker:then you are also right physical in front of the customer
Speaker:with the popups.
Speaker:So when you said you started doing that,
Speaker:just not too long after you put up the shop,
Speaker:right? The Etsy shop,
Speaker:Correct? Yes.
Speaker:And tell me how your first popups looked.
Speaker:Advice for people who should be considering it.
Speaker:Let's go through that experience.
Speaker:We'll hear all about Annie and her pop-up experience right after
Speaker:a quick word from our sponsor.
Speaker:This podcast is made possible thanks to the support of the
Speaker:ribbon print company.
Speaker:Create custom ribbons right in your store or craft studio in
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Speaker:print company.com
Speaker:for more information.
Speaker:Well, first of all,
Speaker:my very first popup was terrible.
Speaker:Oh good.
Speaker:Your story can't be all right.
Speaker:Great Annie.
Speaker:So give us the terrible,
Speaker:I want to know the terrible part.
Speaker:Oh my God,
Speaker:it was so bad.
Speaker:I have pictures and I look back at it and I'm
Speaker:like, Oh my God,
Speaker:what happened there?
Speaker:So our very first shop was popup.
Speaker:Was that a library?
Speaker:Sorry. I think we made one sale,
Speaker:one sale that entire day.
Speaker:So when I came home I was just crushed and or
Speaker:set up was just a table.
Speaker:They provided tables there.
Speaker:I had a tablecloth.
Speaker:I try to make it look Pretty as I could at
Speaker:the time.
Speaker:So it wasn't just you?
Speaker:There were several people who had tables.
Speaker:Yes, there were others who had tables and everybody.
Speaker:You kind of get that feeling too,
Speaker:like you're new and everybody around you is making sales and
Speaker:here you are with your new self doing absolutely nothing.
Speaker:I didn't know what to say to people.
Speaker:I didn't know how to sell my products.
Speaker:It was just a hot mess,
Speaker:but I made it through.
Speaker:Oh gosh.
Speaker:What did you learn after you made your one sale?
Speaker:So you made a sale though,
Speaker:right? You made one so there,
Speaker:but so you came home and you were discouraged and sad
Speaker:or whatever.
Speaker:What'd you tell yourself?
Speaker:What made you get back on the horse if you will
Speaker:go out again?
Speaker:I think that same night I got an Etsy order and
Speaker:I feel like that may have been one of the things
Speaker:that kept me going and making me want to try another
Speaker:pop-up and then I started to just get in contact with
Speaker:other makers.
Speaker:It was super hard at the time to find people in
Speaker:my space that was doing the same thing.
Speaker:So I had turned to Facebook and I came across some
Speaker:groups on Facebook and I just started pouring out all my
Speaker:questions cause I wanted this really to work.
Speaker:So I was just going to put everything aside and just
Speaker:ask the questions that I needed to ask and that's where
Speaker:I got a lot of suggestions,
Speaker:a lot of next steps if you will.
Speaker:Just advice on how to go about this pop up experience.
Speaker:What was the biggest or best piece of advice that you
Speaker:weren't expecting to get that really helped you?
Speaker:This lady told me and at the time when she told
Speaker:me, I said to myself,
Speaker:well she had no idea what I went through getting just
Speaker:that one sale,
Speaker:but she said just do it again.
Speaker:At the time it just sounded extremely crazy cause why would
Speaker:I want to put myself through all of this again?
Speaker:But she was absolutely right.
Speaker:There are so many markets with so many different audiences and
Speaker:not every market is going to be your market or your
Speaker:correct audience.
Speaker:So I took that,
Speaker:let it soak then for a little bit,
Speaker:and then I tried another market and it was much better
Speaker:than the first one.
Speaker:So what I learned from that is just keep trying different
Speaker:markets and kind of feel them out.
Speaker:Now we're in a time where we could feel out almost
Speaker:anything online,
Speaker:although it's not always as it seems,
Speaker:but you get a good feel for a market that's coming
Speaker:up. So just to see if the people that they photograph
Speaker:there would be your people or if the setup looks like
Speaker:the look that your brand has.
Speaker:Yeah, I think that's a good point.
Speaker:There's so many variables to the face to face,
Speaker:whether it's a craft show or a popup or whatever.
Speaker:Weather plays a part in it,
Speaker:right? Some people who just want to do something casual on
Speaker:a weekend afternoon and go to the local craft show,
Speaker:we'll go if it's great weather or decide to go to
Speaker:a movie instead if it's raining.
Speaker:Exactly. So I think your of getting back out there is
Speaker:so good and you were just talking about Facebook groups and
Speaker:for those of you who are listening who are looking for
Speaker:a group of makers if you don't know about it already,
Speaker:we have a group called gift biz breeze,
Speaker:all full of makers of all sorts so you can find
Speaker:a great community there.
Speaker:And the reason I bring it up Annie is just because
Speaker:you were bringing up groups but also there was a conversation
Speaker:in there just this past week.
Speaker:I believe time goes fast.
Speaker:Maybe it's a little longer,
Speaker:but recently where someone was saying I did a craft show,
Speaker:Oh my gosh,
Speaker:it was so much work.
Speaker:She didn't say whether she got sales or not,
Speaker:but she was saying,
Speaker:I don't know that I want to do them anymore because
Speaker:they're just so much work.
Speaker:Did you feel that way and did it get easier over
Speaker:time as you continued to do popups?
Speaker:It did feel that way and it still feels that way.
Speaker:Okay, so you do feel that it's a lot of work.
Speaker:Okay. It is a ton of work because you have to
Speaker:prepare for the show,
Speaker:then you have to pack for the show.
Speaker:You get there,
Speaker:you have to set up,
Speaker:you have to unpack,
Speaker:you have to go through the entire day of working with
Speaker:customer meeting and greeting and all that fun stuff.
Speaker:And then the show ends and you have to pull it
Speaker:all down,
Speaker:pack up and come back home.
Speaker:And in my case,
Speaker:I had to unpack those again and put them back on
Speaker:the shelves.
Speaker:So it is a lot and I commend anyone who keeps
Speaker:on doing it because it's not easy,
Speaker:but it can still be so much fun.
Speaker:And it's a great way to get your brand out there,
Speaker:Right? Because a lot of people who will run into your
Speaker:product for the first time at a popup could then end
Speaker:up being an online customer down the road.
Speaker:Oh yeah.
Speaker:And that's usually the case.
Speaker:Are you still doing popups today?
Speaker:Oh yes.
Speaker:I still do a lot of popups and I feel like
Speaker:it got harder because if you remember what I sent my
Speaker:first show,
Speaker:I had that one table.
Speaker:But now for every show,
Speaker:if you try to add a little more to the experience
Speaker:to make your booth look better and to give the customer
Speaker:that whole feel of your brand and I feel like we've
Speaker:added so much more to our display and it just makes
Speaker:it so much harder.
Speaker:But it's totally worth it.
Speaker:I think so.
Speaker:I mean I go out and do trade shows a lot
Speaker:and I totally agree with everything that you said in terms
Speaker:of the setup and the tear down and it's long days
Speaker:because you're interacting with people but they're your customers and you
Speaker:get to learn so much face to face.
Speaker:Not only do you deepen relationships if you have repeat people
Speaker:coming back to you all the time,
Speaker:but you get a chance to see what sense they gravitate
Speaker:to. You get to ask them questions.
Speaker:If you're introducing a new product,
Speaker:there are so much value to the craft shows and even
Speaker:you, I still question about this shyness part of you,
Speaker:but just getting out and being able to talk to people
Speaker:even if it's a little anxiety provoking is such a great
Speaker:thing to do.
Speaker:It is.
Speaker:And for a lot of us it's not easy to sell
Speaker:our products online cause I sell for one,
Speaker:I do candles.
Speaker:So it's hard to just buy a candle online cause you
Speaker:can't smell a thing.
Speaker:So I get to go to these shows and my customers,
Speaker:they can interact with it with the product and I can
Speaker:learn what's really going to kick off our with sense.
Speaker:I probably may need to pull up,
Speaker:pull back on cause it's just by the feedback that you
Speaker:get from the customers aren't,
Speaker:they're not even always customers,
Speaker:but you have people just walk shows and you learn a
Speaker:lot from them also.
Speaker:Okay. So tell me about the product that you had to
Speaker:discontinue. So,
Speaker:so that candle,
Speaker:when I would go to the shows,
Speaker:I would have customers just,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:they won't always say it from time to time,
Speaker:you'll have that one person who goes,
Speaker:Oh my God,
Speaker:this is terrible.
Speaker:But sometimes you'll just know from their expressions like yeah,
Speaker:this one is not sticking at all.
Speaker:We eventually just pulled it And you would never have known.
Speaker:You could have just been pushing it and pushing it online
Speaker:forever and making more and making more.
Speaker:And so that's a great example of the type of thing
Speaker:that you can learn when you're face to face.
Speaker:Oh yeah.
Speaker:Cause in my head it was amazing.
Speaker:Right, right.
Speaker:Well of course you wouldn't have put it out there unless
Speaker:it was amazing.
Speaker:Yeah, I'm quite sure.
Speaker:I think there's something else that we discount about the face
Speaker:to face interactions and that is people get to know you,
Speaker:Annie. Like they get to meet you in person,
Speaker:they get to see what you're like just as a person
Speaker:and then they fall in love with you and then they
Speaker:want to support you.
Speaker:That is so true.
Speaker:So, even though it still has to do with the product,
Speaker:they're going to buy your candles over anybody else's because they
Speaker:know you now.
Speaker:Right. And they got to meet you and pictures or whatever
Speaker:it is.
Speaker:That is so true.
Speaker:And they say they have a saying that people don't buy
Speaker:products they buy you.
Speaker:And I never fully understood that until I started doing these
Speaker:markets. Like it has really nothing to do with these things
Speaker:that I'm selling because sometimes you'd go to a show and
Speaker:I'm not the only one there selling candles or bath and
Speaker:body products,
Speaker:but people would come back to my station to buy and
Speaker:I would ask,
Speaker:why did you come back?
Speaker:Or it's just saying thanks for coming back.
Speaker:And they will say,
Speaker:yeah, I love either your setup,
Speaker:I love your story,
Speaker:I love what you're about.
Speaker:And I took that and that for me also helps to
Speaker:push me to do these shows as tiring as it may
Speaker:be, just to get out there and let the people see
Speaker:who's really behind this and why I do it.
Speaker:Yeah, I agree with you.
Speaker:Totally. So good.
Speaker:That's really good inspiration for people to keep going with the
Speaker:face to face actions,
Speaker:whether it's craft shows,
Speaker:farmer's markets,
Speaker:popups, whatever it is getting in front of your customer is
Speaker:golden for sure.
Speaker:Oh yes it is.
Speaker:Anything you would suggest or that you've learned,
Speaker:if someone's just starting to go out to shows in terms
Speaker:of booth setup,
Speaker:maybe something that you forgot to bring along with you.
Speaker:Any just quick last minute tips on that.
Speaker:I would encourage anyone who's either just starting to do popups
Speaker:to just do it as I had in the beginning.
Speaker:Action over perfection.
Speaker:Just do it and it's easier to say it but don't
Speaker:look at someone else's booth and just think because you can't
Speaker:make your booth look like this at this time that you're
Speaker:not going to do it.
Speaker:Cause we all fall into that trap where we compare ourselves
Speaker:to people from time to time.
Speaker:But if this is gonna be your first pop-up,
Speaker:your booth is not going to look like the person who's
Speaker:been doing popups for 10 years.
Speaker:I feel like we still are not even where I envisioned
Speaker:my booth,
Speaker:but we've been growing from one table and that's all you
Speaker:need. Like you grow for each show,
Speaker:you get better and you get better and you all just
Speaker:forget something.
Speaker:Like I feel like I forget something at every show that
Speaker:I go to,
Speaker:but thankfully I've been able to work alongside some amazing fellow
Speaker:makers who always kind of catch me up on that end.
Speaker:But yeah,
Speaker:just start where you have to start over.
Speaker:You feel is best for you to start.
Speaker:I wouldn't break the bank to do my very first pop-up
Speaker:just because you don't even know what it's going to be
Speaker:like. So just start where you feel is best for you.
Speaker:Right. And I think you can be really creative with your
Speaker:booth displays too.
Speaker:They don't have to cost hundreds of dollars or thousands of
Speaker:dollars. You'll just add a little bit of creativity and let
Speaker:your product be the focal point obviously.
Speaker:Exactly. You want to put things together that are going to
Speaker:show off your product.
Speaker:So you already have the main star of the booth,
Speaker:which is you and your product,
Speaker:and then you just work around that.
Speaker:Oh yeah.
Speaker:You just make it work and I'm pretty sure all it
Speaker:makers listening,
Speaker:they're all creative and can make the both work as best
Speaker:as they can because that's what we do.
Speaker:That's right.
Speaker:And you want the colors to represent your brand,
Speaker:right. So as long as you have already determined what your
Speaker:logo is or your brand colors are,
Speaker:so you've got your product,
Speaker:you've got you,
Speaker:you've got your colors,
Speaker:then you work around that.
Speaker:Exactly. Just make sure you're both as welcoming,
Speaker:inviting somewhere that people would feel comfortable stepping into.
Speaker:And from that,
Speaker:it's pretty much you just see how the show goes.
Speaker:You work it as it comes,
Speaker:Work it.
Speaker:Adjust. Perfect.
Speaker:Do another one.
Speaker:Yup. As it comes out,
Speaker:Rinse and repeat.
Speaker:As they say,
Speaker:Get better each time.
Speaker:Trust me,
Speaker:it gets better each time.
Speaker:Perfect. Let's talk a little bit about social media.
Speaker:How are you using social media as an overlay to everything
Speaker:else you're doing?
Speaker:We use a lot of social media,
Speaker:particularly Instagram is a big one for us.
Speaker:I just started to really amp up Facebook and we do
Speaker:a good amount on Pinterest too,
Speaker:but not a lot of focus on it.
Speaker:Instagram is where I kind of get to share the products,
Speaker:the behind the scene stuff.
Speaker:My kids,
Speaker:cause they're here all the time with me when I'm working
Speaker:it, we'll see them pop in on our stories,
Speaker:on our feed.
Speaker:It just makes it personable.
Speaker:Instagram for us,
Speaker:It's kind of like what we were just talking about in
Speaker:the popups.
Speaker:They get to see you in real life.
Speaker:That's the closest you can online to people who shop from
Speaker:your Etsy shop or your website to be able to really
Speaker:see who you are to Oh yeah.
Speaker:Live and in person through the phone or the computer.
Speaker:Yeah. So how much time do you spend then either planning
Speaker:or videoing and posting and all that.
Speaker:What's a day like of social media for you?
Speaker:Cause I think that's a challenge for everybody.
Speaker:They know they should be doing it,
Speaker:but how do you incorporate that into your day?
Speaker:It is a challenge and some weeks are better than some.
Speaker:I'll be honest and saying I don't always have my social
Speaker:media planned out.
Speaker:It's said that you're supposed to have it at least a
Speaker:week or a couple of weeks out,
Speaker:but I don't always have got done just because of timing.
Speaker:But when I do,
Speaker:on the rare occasions that I do get to plan it,
Speaker:I like to plan at least my feet two weeks ahead
Speaker:and sometimes I will random post or post that feels right
Speaker:for a particular day or if it's a particular event that
Speaker:we're doing that we'll add it in there.
Speaker:But I try to not make my feed stress me out
Speaker:too much cause it usually do a lot and I'm really
Speaker:getting much better at it and just going back to having
Speaker:fun on social media other than make it another job to
Speaker:do That feels so good to hear you say that.
Speaker:You're talking right.
Speaker:A lot of work.
Speaker:It's a lot of work.
Speaker:It is a lot of work.
Speaker:Do you see when you do social media?
Speaker:Okay, so do is such a common word,
Speaker:right? But when you're posting or you have put up some
Speaker:stories, I'm guessing that you're interacting in the direct messages and
Speaker:connecting with people back and forth?
Speaker:Yes, I do.
Speaker:Okay. Are you seeing results from it?
Speaker:Social media,
Speaker:Yes, and a lot of or website traffic and sales comes
Speaker:from Instagram.
Speaker:Recently since we started doing a little more work on Facebook,
Speaker:we've been getting some traction there too.
Speaker:But most I would say at least 70% of our business
Speaker:comes through Instagram.
Speaker:Okay. And how are you tracking to know where they're coming
Speaker:from? We do Google analytics and Shopify has a great analytics
Speaker:tool that shows us where our traffic is coming from too.
Speaker:Perfect. Okay.
Speaker:So you're using Google analytics to understand where they're coming from
Speaker:right before they land on your site.
Speaker:So that's how you're able to know those things?
Speaker:Yes, and I know Google analytics,
Speaker:it's a lot to look at.
Speaker:So I would encourage anyone to just use the analytics tool
Speaker:in Shopify.
Speaker:If you use Shopify,
Speaker:that analytics tool really breaks it down.
Speaker:Great for me.
Speaker:Perfect. Yes.
Speaker:Google analytics is a beast.
Speaker:Oh geez.
Speaker:Yeah. If you just start with thinking,
Speaker:what is it that I want to know before looking at
Speaker:all the information and trying to say,
Speaker:okay, what does this mean?
Speaker:What does this mean?
Speaker:What does this mean?
Speaker:Just go with a question and then get your answer.
Speaker:Yes. Yeah.
Speaker:Wonderful. Okay.
Speaker:How do you capture repeat sales?
Speaker:Did we really stepped up or email marketing?
Speaker:So emailing customers,
Speaker:we also periodically send out mailers,
Speaker:so that may be a postcard to or repeat customers,
Speaker:but primarily it has been a lot of our repeat customers
Speaker:comes through email and also pop up shops because we're located
Speaker:in Connecticut and we do a lot of shops down in
Speaker:New York,
Speaker:so we find a lot of customers who probably only if
Speaker:ever shopped on our website,
Speaker:they'll come out to a popup shop or just new people
Speaker:coming to meet us and see us.
Speaker:So we get a lot of,
Speaker:or it's that way.
Speaker:Perfect. Yeah,
Speaker:constant communication.
Speaker:And then that's just the emphasis on the fact that you
Speaker:want to be able to have the emails so that you
Speaker:can email them and then also be in person and see
Speaker:them. When you break it down like that,
Speaker:it's really not so hard.
Speaker:It's just doing the things right because everything we've talked about.
Speaker:Yeah, I mean it's hard to go to a craft show
Speaker:and put everything together.
Speaker:It's physical hard work,
Speaker:but actually doing all of these tasks is not insurmountable and
Speaker:I think that's an important message to get to some of
Speaker:the people who are just starting out is all these things
Speaker:aren't hard onto themselves.
Speaker:Would you agree,
Speaker:Annie, That is so true.
Speaker:Yes, totally agree.
Speaker:What would you say to somebody who is just starting out
Speaker:besides the perfection,
Speaker:and you've already said before,
Speaker:just do a craft show,
Speaker:whatever, but what would be another piece of advice as someone
Speaker:who has started a business,
Speaker:you've got kids at home on the side.
Speaker:Not that they're the aside of your life,
Speaker:but right.
Speaker:Like bus side you,
Speaker:right? Literally.
Speaker:Yeah. Like you aren't making any excuses to say,
Speaker:I'll do this later.
Speaker:You just decided this is what you wanted to do and
Speaker:you've started your business and it's going wonderfully and you've got
Speaker:lots of avenues of revenue coming in.
Speaker:What would you say to someone who's just starting but is
Speaker:hesitant to get started because they've got these other significant things
Speaker:going on in their life?
Speaker:Yeah, I would say just start.
Speaker:It is not easy,
Speaker:but once you find something that you love doing,
Speaker:you'll just end up doing it anyways.
Speaker:I mean I have my two children here,
Speaker:I still work from home and I work around their schedule.
Speaker:You make it work whatever way you can and things will
Speaker:fall into place.
Speaker:A lot of people ask me how I balance it and
Speaker:I still feel like there is no balancing.
Speaker:I like to say I juggle like I do what needs
Speaker:to be done right now and everything else kind of falls
Speaker:into place.
Speaker:Yeah, I like that.
Speaker:You're a juggler.
Speaker:Who knew?
Speaker:Yeah. And I think also with little kids,
Speaker:every week is going to be different.
Speaker:And then when they get to be school age,
Speaker:your schedule adjust.
Speaker:So it's going to change over time.
Speaker:When you have children at home,
Speaker:It's constantly changing and it goes way too fast.
Speaker:Oh yeah.
Speaker:And this summer is actually my first summer working with both
Speaker:kids at home.
Speaker:And that has been a challenge Because I'm used to having
Speaker:one in school,
Speaker:one in daycare,
Speaker:but now they're both here and I'm home.
Speaker:So you've just got to figure it out.
Speaker:What's going to come first?
Speaker:What time am I going to work?
Speaker:But we make it work.
Speaker:We make it work one way or the other and get
Speaker:help when you need to because if you're going to grow,
Speaker:you will never be able to do it by yourself.
Speaker:So always try to get help as soon as possible and
Speaker:whenever you can.
Speaker:Yeah, I agree with you there.
Speaker:And you know what?
Speaker:The kids aren't going to wait until you're ready.
Speaker:So the priority has to be the children when you're home.
Speaker:Oh yeah,
Speaker:absolutely. Annie,
Speaker:this has been fabulous.
Speaker:Thank you so much.
Speaker:I've loved getting to know you better hearing your story.
Speaker:And it's always exciting when I get to hear exactly the
Speaker:way I like to teach people how to build a business.
Speaker:To hear you saying that,
Speaker:don't just rely on Etsy,
Speaker:have your own website and don't hide force through your shyness
Speaker:or your uncertainty and go out and meet your customer.
Speaker:I love hearing all of that.
Speaker:I'm smiling over here because I'm so excited to find yet
Speaker:another person who is doing a fabulous job with something that
Speaker:they make you know you.
Speaker:So thank you so much.
Speaker:I really appreciate your sharing your story.
Speaker:And now I'd like to give you a virtual gift.
Speaker:So this is a magical box containing unlimited possibilities for what's
Speaker:next for you.
Speaker:It could be your dream or your goal of almost unreachable
Speaker:Heights that you'd wish to obtain.
Speaker:So please accept this gift and open it in our presence.
Speaker:What's inside your box Inside my box,
Speaker:I feel like it's not unreachable,
Speaker:but it's a goal that I have.
Speaker:A very big one is to have my business streamlined to
Speaker:a T where I don't have to be here all the
Speaker:time, or I don't have to be a hundred percent a
Speaker:part of the day to day activities so I could spend
Speaker:much more time with my family.
Speaker:So that's what I'm currently working towards.
Speaker:How far away it is?
Speaker:Not sure,
Speaker:but it's the goal.
Speaker:There you go.
Speaker:If you don't know where you're going,
Speaker:you can't get there.
Speaker:That is true.
Speaker:Yep. I totally see that happening for you easily.
Speaker:But you're right.
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:you've got to figure out when the right time is and
Speaker:how you're going to do it,
Speaker:but it's going to happen.
Speaker:Yes, I know that.
Speaker:Oh, you feel it.
Speaker:Yeah, for sure.
Speaker:Thank you.
Speaker:So how can our listeners get in touch with you and
Speaker:see your wonderful products?
Speaker:What's the best place for them to go?
Speaker:Our website is natural,
Speaker:Annie central.com
Speaker:easiest way to probably contact us via Instagram.
Speaker:I'm in my DMS a lot and I utilize that record
Speaker:feature a lot so people can ask me questions if they
Speaker:needed to.
Speaker:But we're big on Instagram or Instagram handle is at natural
Speaker:and essentials.
Speaker:It's a very long one.
Speaker:Totally. Sorry.
Speaker:That's okay.
Speaker:You're making them work for it because your product is worth
Speaker:it. There you go.
Speaker:Thank you.
Speaker:Wonderful. And give his listeners,
Speaker:you know there's a show notes page connected with this episode
Speaker:so it will have the links Also just in case you're
Speaker:out and about and you weren't able to capture it right
Speaker:now. So Annie,
Speaker:again, for all the reasons I've already mentioned,
Speaker:you are a perfect example of a successful business owner and
Speaker:I am so proud and thank you so much for being
Speaker:on the show today.
Speaker:Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker:So have a great day.
Speaker:Isn't Annie inspiring those of you who have other important things
Speaker:going on in your life?
Speaker:So pretty much I think that's all of us remember this
Speaker:example of how it's possible to integrate your business into a
Speaker:life that also includes raising children or working another full time
Speaker:job and if that's what's been holding you back from starting
Speaker:your business,
Speaker:I challenge you to relook at this.
Speaker:Is that really it or is this a good excuse to
Speaker:procrastinate? Once again on your dream,
Speaker:Annie's proof that it's possible and if you get that but
Speaker:you're not sure how to move forward,
Speaker:then definitely check out maker's MBA.
Speaker:I'll tell you exactly what to do to get your business
Speaker:up and rocking.
Speaker:Again, the link to look@theprogramisgiftbizonrapt.com
Speaker:forward slash makers MBA coming your way.
Speaker:Next week we'll be hearing from a business owner who's got
Speaker:a keen eye for current market trends and has aligned her
Speaker:company accordingly.
Speaker:Make sure to subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already,
Speaker:so the show will automatically download and be set and ready
Speaker:for listening next Monday.
Speaker:Until then,
Speaker:make it a great week and bye for now.
Speaker:After you listened to the show,
Speaker:if you like what you're hearing,
Speaker:make sure to jump over and subscribe to the show on
Speaker:Apple podcasts.
Speaker:That way you'll automatically get the newest episodes when they go
Speaker:live and thank you to those of you who have already
Speaker:left a rating and review.
Speaker:By subscribing,
Speaker:rating, and reviewing,
Speaker:you help to increase the visibility of gift biz on wrapped.
Speaker:It's a great way to pay it forward to help others