A Small Business in a Big Box World
Owning your own business is a dream many people have, but very little take the leap to pursue. It may seem daunting at first, but well worth it in the long run. I am fortunate to have grown up in an entrepreneurial family as it all began with my mother’s and father’s grandparents. As a child who was raised to work for yourself, you see the world a little differently.
The foundation of my entrepreneurial mindset was set as a kid. When you have a strong mindset, you can accomplish anything. Now, I am not saying that I am positive all the time. It is a struggle we all have to make the decision to overcome. I work at becoming a more positive person, but it is my stubbornness which got me through the tough times. If you say that I can’t do something, you better step back and I will show you that I can!
As a small business owner, you have to be tougher than any boss you ever worked for, because there will be unforeseen situations that will come up which we cannot control. If you have prepared yourself and have a tough mentality, as a small business owner you pray that you will make it through it.
For example, the jewelry industry was hit hard this year with Covid-19. Stores were forced to close their doors, gold pricing skyrocketed quickly, consumers in general buying less luxury-like items, and even worse, I know of jewelry stores which were vandalized and robbed during protests. Small business owners of all industries had to make the choice to board up their windows and doors during the storm, or take a leap of faith and step out and say- “here I am and I am not going anywhere!”
It is with a saddened heart, the second jewelry store in our city has decided to close their doors permanently. One was owned by one man and the other was a generational family-owned store. In the jewelry world, we do compete, but we also have respect for each other because we understand how dangerous and difficult this industry can be.
When I started my business I knew I wanted to be different than the standard jewelry store. Regardless of where you live, I wanted everyone to have the opportunity to custom design their own jewelry- it’s not just for the rich and famous. Traditional jewelry stores, create a stuffy-like environment when you walk in, while I wanted my Studio to feel comfortable and relaxing. While focusing on custom designs, I am able to keep my inventory costs down as jewelry stores have over a million dollars wrapped up in inventory. I also keep my overhead costs down by ordering gold, parts and gemstones only when needed which in return passes the savings onto my clients. Yes, I do think like an artist, but I needed to dust off the left side of my brain to learn how money works, investment strategies, along with understanding taxes (and many times I need aspirin to get me through it).
Copper Elements Artwork
I highly credit my business’s growth this last year to never wanting to become a big fish in a little pond. For the last six years, I traveled many weekends for art shows, events and meeting with clients throughout many states. It was exhausting at times and rewarding during others. I focused on getting my name out there and told myself that eventually it will pay off. I am starting to harvest the seeds I have planted so many years ago.
That is the hard part- waiting for your seeds to grow! We all start by planting a few seeds and expect them to grow into big beautiful trees immediately and to harvest the fruits of our labor. In reality, draughts and floods will come, birds will steal, and some seeds will just never grow. To all of my small business owners out there, keep planting your seeds. This season will pass. You have a few good seeds with deep roots and they are ready to sprout.
To everyone else, please support local businesses this holiday season. Whether they are artists, a coffee shop or a small boutique, they all have been impacted hard this year. These next couple of weeks could influence whether their doors will remain open or closed. We all love the personal service and unique finds of a small business, now it is our turn to show our appreciation.
A few of my fellow business owners: Click on the links to see more of their work.
