I wrote the blog post below almost 2 months ago. I intended to put it up online, but got so busy & overwhelmed it just sat there. I had been working to the point of exhaustion & not a realistic pace to keep up. During that time, I lost 6-7 pounds without trying, after crashing hard; I’ve since gained some of it back - WTF?!? (I wouldn’t suggest losing weight from stress, but ‘S’ since it was already off….)
Below is a hazy record of my adventure; starting a biz in less than 2 months:
The last 2 months have been a complete blur! In less than 8 weeks I decided to create a brand new jewelry line and company. In that span of time I established a brand identity, a message, a virtual presence, and of course actual product.
October 2017 ~
I just came back from L.A. last week. I got there on little to no sleep trying to prepare (I highly recommend sleep, try not deprive yourself if you can help it) My Uber arrived at 4:30am, I was still designing a necklace at 4:20am.
I hadn’t traveled by myself in over 10 years. I used to fly around every 3-4 months here & there no big deal. I found myself wondering what do I do when I go through security? Do I check in again at the counter? Is it ok to have my cell phone out? Do I scan my paper ticket or the email from my phone. I basically felt like a child or someone who needed a handler.
Get bags, Uber and…
Off, I go to the California Market Center, the former home of my previous line June Bijou. As I round the corner of the newly renovated 5th floor I hear the unforgettable voice of my showroom rep, Romy. We had stayed in touch for over 10 years and when I asked her if I could come back, she took me back without question. She didn’t even see the line until I brought it that day. People, that is unheard of!!! No one takes a line sight-unseen. It’s a big deal. Betting on the right line, allowing it in an established showroom, is a gamble. Selling a good line is how Reps make money; it’s not a decision to be taken lightly. So, just right there is a miracle. This doesn’t happen, but it happened to me, and I am so thankful!! I love Romy like family. She made my career then & she’s helping me make it again now. You’ve never seen a harder worker than RomyM. I think of her as my Fairy God Mother.
(Thankfully, the displays my father-in-law had made for me the week before had arrived…. how did that happen so fast? - I know, magic!)
I started showing Romy my line, and guess what??? She loved it. I even created some non-jewelry items (Blessing Boxes) & she loved them. We’re so excited about this line & the energy it brings. I arrived with nothing priced, no line-sheets, no style numbers, again unheard of, but we made magic happen! With Romy’s help & the help of some of the girls she has helping we created beautiful, meaningful names that just fit.
Another, incredible event happened; I reached out to a buyer who I worked with & became friends with over 10 years ago. We’ve maintained contact through the years, but I didn’t know if she still worked in fashion or if even living in L.A., well, turns out she is still with the same company I did some of my biggest work for; BCBG. To this day saying I worked with that company is one of the honors & highlights of my career. Anyway, she put me on the list that allowed me to go shopping at their ‘invite only warehouse sale’ Forget my jewelry line, going shopping at BCBG warehouse was worth the trip to L.A. Needless to say my suitcase returning home was way over the weight limit, but so worth it! I’ll be talking about that for years, not to mention wearing the clothes for about the same amount of time.
Ok. back to talking about my jewelry biz; prior to going to L.A., I made the agreement with myself & the universe that if I sold & opened a minimum amount of stores with a certain dollar amount, I would move my office from the tiny room in the front of the house to the approximately 300 sq. ft. upstairs game room, with private bathroom & HUGE storage closet. Well, I’m calling the movers, because I far exceeded my goal and I know it’s just the beginning. (That did take some negotiating with my husband, but it worked out)
So I’ll write more later about everything, my office is coming together so nicely. It’s really delightful up here & I love decorating it with so many gorgeous rocks & stones.
My website is now open with limited products, as I have to fulfill all orders to the stores who have written business with me, they are my priority right now. We should all remember what a gift & craft the business of running a shop is. These storeowners, invest their money to give us access to products that can make our life better in so many ways. Remember, to shop your brick and mortar stores, these people are the workhorses of our economy, bringing us convenience, choice & just love. Please support them all small businesses, especially brick & mortar.
Thank you for your interest in my business & antics.
xoxo,
June
