Women Entrepreneurs Are On The Rise

Women entrepreneurs lead one in five startups around the globe. The ratio of female founders to male soared 30% over the last year and a half, reports Gust, the Manhattan-based global platform for early-stage investing, which collects data on more than 200,000 companies, angel investors and venture capitalists. In the U.S. the percentage is slightly higher than one in five (22.8%). Led byBelgium, France; and Spain, even sclerotic Europe is producing women-run companies, now 16% of the total but a 45% jump in the overall ratio during the last 18 months. What’s behind the surge? Largely technology across multiple industries, says Gust. It lowers costs and barriers to entrepreneurial entry–and, with the help of remote tools like the cloud and Skype, helps women reconcile the pulls of family and career. from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/tompost/2013/03/27/around-the-world-women-entrepreneurs-are-on-the-rise/

10 Reasons You Should Work For Yourself

Imagine a life in which you can live on your own terms, have the freedom to choose how you spend your time and the projects on which you work. With enough planning, patience and determination, this situation can be yours. Check out these 10 reasons you should get started today:from the article "Why You Should Be Your Own Boss: 10 Reasons You Should Work For Yourself"

1. The flexibility to work anywhere
2. Do work that you enjoy
3. You have the opportunity to create jobs
4. Choose how much money you earn
5. You don’t have to answer to anyone
6. You will become more resilient
7. You will develop self-discipline
8. You can live a more meaningful life
9. You will develop business sense
10. You will leave a legacy behind

Read the full article here:
http://elitedaily.com/money/entrepreneurship/why-you-should-be-your-own-boss-10-reasons-you-should-work-for-yourself/

Entrepreneurs Explain Why They Started Their Businesses

Check out the blog post "Entrepreneurs Explain Why They Started Their Businesses" on Hearpreneuer and see some reasons why people started their own businesses including a response from My Accessory Business President Megan Andrus:

Starting with Excitement & Passion

I started my own business because I was designing advertising and doing marketing for a variety of other businesses and was helping them to become successful, so I figured, why not start a business involving something I’m excited and passionate about- jewelry and accessories- and make it successful for myself. I realized that there was a need in the market for all-inclusive accessory sales kits. No one else was selling anything like this online. The way I figured this out was because I myself was looking for this type of sales kit and couldn’t find what I wanted, so I created it.

See the article here: http://hear.ceoblognation.com/2013/10/24/start-business/

Questions to ask yourself before starting a business

Before you start any type of business, you should ask yourself these questions in order to prepare for the work ahead. Don't get discouraged by the number of questions and if you don't have the answer to them right away. Just asking yourself these questions is the first step to getting started. You can figure out the answers along the way and find new answers as you go. This list of questions comes from sba.gov a good source for advice on starting a small business. 

1. Why am I starting a business?
2. What kind of business do I want?
3. Who is my ideal customer?
4. What products or services will my business provide?
5. Am I prepared to spend the time and money needed to get my business started?
6. What differentiates my business idea and the products or services I will provide from others in the market?
7. Where will my business be located?
8. How many employees will I need?
9. What types of suppliers do I need?
10. How much money do I need to get started?
11. Will I need to get a loan?
12. How soon will it take before my products or services are available?
13. How long do I have until I start making a profit?
14. Who is my competition?
15. How will I price my product compared to my competition?
16. How will I set up the legal structure of my business?
17. What taxes do I need to pay?
18. What kind of insurance do I need?
19. How will I manage my business?
20. How will I advertise my business?

5 Reasons to Start a Business, Even in This Economy

Starting your own business has long been considered a risky proposition. Just the potential for failure and loss discourages many would-be entrepreneurs from giving it a go. Intimidated by oft-reported statistics like “50% of all businesses fail within the first two years,” even those with great ideas or lots of skill frequently decide to play it “safe.”

Perhaps in economies past you could legitimately argue that starting a business was just too big a gamble, but the tables have turned. Now becoming an entrepreneur is not only a safe and manageable career prospect, but it’s also the best (and perhaps only) way to get what you want professionally.

Here’s 5 reasons why it makes sense to start a business…evenespecially now!

1. Job Security Doesn’t Exist

Job security is a thing of the past. It used to be that you could safely commit to a well-trodden and clearly defined corporate career path. No longer. Not only has the corporate contract changed, but industries are evolving so quickly that jobs appear, change, or disappear practically overnight. All of this is true even in a good economy—so if you account for the economic downturn of these last few years, the stability of traditional employment weakens even further. So much so, actually, that scores of former employees have decided to become their own bosses to make their jobs more secure.

2. You Don’t Have to Bet the Farm

The risk for any experiment or new venture can never be mitigated completely, but it’s up to you to decide just how much to chance. You can put yourself in a risky position by keeping your genius idea to yourself, double-mortgaging the house (or racking up credit card debt), and launching the biggest version of your dream possible. Or you can play it safer by soliciting lots of feedback in advance of launching and finding small inexpensive ways to test your idea in the market. Neither path guarantees success, but the latter certainly insulates you from total devastation in the case of failure.

3. You Know How to Get More from Less

Several years of a significant recession has made us all experts in how to get more from less. We are more productive and thriftier than ever. Each dollar goes further and each minute matters more. This is the exact mindset that an entrepreneur needs to be successful. In the past corporate refugees could take years to figure this out. Now people are showing up to entrepreneurship prepared from the start.

4. Satisfaction Matters

One benefit of this otherwise devastating recession has been the shift in our collective definition of success. While we used to lust after big ticket items and sacrifice for far-off rewards, we now know that daily satisfaction reigns supreme. After all, things don’t necessarily bring happiness and future promises are never guaranteed. What really matters is how rewarding and fulfilling our daily life is. It’s a reality that entrepreneurs get to uniquely exploit. Because when you’re the boss you get to do the work you want on your terms. And if, at some point, your business no longer adds up to happiness, you have the power to make the necessary changes so that it does again.

5. And So Does Regret…

Of all the business-related angst I’ve witnessed, nothing seems more haunting than the experience of regret. That mournful curiosity about “what could have been”—if only you had done something differently and given your business venture a shot. It’s a feeling much worse than failure. That doesn’t mean that you need to pursue every idea you have, but you owe it to your future self to at least explore the possibility seriously. You won’t regret things that you decide not to do for a good reason, only the things you decide not to do for bad ones.

The truth is, the risks associated with entrepreneurship are all relative. And now that the rules of the game have changed so much, it’s not fair to write off the possibility of starting your own business just because it’s too “risky.” You actually may stand to lose a lot more if you don’t.

article from Adelaide Lancaster on Forbes.com: http://www.forbes.com/sites/thebigenoughcompany/2011/11/03/5-reasons-to-start-a-business-even-in-this-economy/

Women-Led Startups Are The Key To New Job Creation: Report via: fastcompany.com

Women-Led Startups Are The Key To New Job Creation: Report

via fastcompany.com

BY E.B. BOYDWed Sep 28, 2011

So says a new paper from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "If we’re looking for an answer to jobs," Kauffman vice president Lesa Mitchell tells us, "it’s right in front of our face."

The country is in a recession, and Washington is tangling over how to create new jobs, but, according to a new paper from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, there’s a fairly simple potential source of them sitting right under our noses.

Women start high-growth companies, like those in high tech, at lower rates than men do, Kauffman-supported research has found. But the reason for this is systemic, rather than due to women’s innate capacity for entrepreneurialism, says the paper, titled “Overcoming the Gender Gap: Women Entrepreneurs as Economic Drivers.”

See the complete article posted at: http://www.fastcompany.com/1783387/women-led-startups-the-key-to-new-job-creation-report

"Can You Learn to be an Entrepreneur?" from "Teach a CEO"

Entrepreneurship is more than a popular buzzword. It is a way of life. There has been an ongoing argument about whether entrepreneurs are born or made so we asked entrepreneurs and business owners if someone can learn to be an entrepreneur. Megan Andrus, president of "My Accessory Business" comments on what she believes it takes to be an Entrepreneur in this "Teach a CEO" blog post. 

from "Can You Learn to be an Entrepreneur?"

Yes…If They’re A Self-Starter

Photo Credit: Megan Andrus

I think you can teach someone the values of entrepreneurship, but they have to already be enough of a self-starter to do it on their own. I have had several friends ask me about wanting to go into business with me, so I test them and say, “ok, well let’s start researching this and that” so I give them sorta an assignment to see what they come back to me with and I also do my own part to research. Usually I get nothing back from them, or if I gave them something to look at, they end up not even reading it. That’s how you know that they’re not serious about starting a business with you they really want you to do all the work and then let them do the fun stuff. No thanks! Basically, I think you show someone the ropes of what it takes to do it on their own, but without that drive to do it on their own, they’ll always be an employee. Working for people in the beginning showed me how to later do it myself.

Thanks Megan Andrus, My Accessory Business!

See more here: http://teach.ceoblognation.com/2012/11/30/can-you-learn-to-be-an-entrepreneur-answers/

Person to person selling

Did you know that 64.3% of product sales are made by individual/ person-to-person selling?

Direct Sales is the act of selling products away from a retail location, a storefront. So basically it is selling products one on one to people from your home. Person-to-person selling is the most widely used method in direct sales. This method of direct selling also involves various strategies but essentially involve interacting directly with a customer for the purpose of pitching in products and services and selling them. These can be in the form of door-to-door selling, selling by phone, catalogue distribution, and other such individual marketing efforts. Most independent sales consultants initially start by selling products and services to friends and family and expand their network of customers from there. It is not advisable to just sell to family and friends, as while it is a convenient and viable option initially, one cannot achieve one's financial goals by only selling within one’s comfort zone. There are many ways by which you can build a network and it all starts with getting the message across to your customers. 

My Accessory Business offers sales kits that include everything you need to start selling to customers directly with all inclusive sales kits starting at only $49. These kits include over $150 worth of jewelry. You can set your own prices and sell each piece directly to your customers. Visit www.MyAccessoryBusiness.com for more information on sales kit options available. 

Startup Nation mentions "My Accessory Business" in Budget Friendly tips blog

Startup Nation mentions tips given by My Accessory Business president Megan Andrus as the #1 tip for "10 Budget Friendly Ways to Market Your Business" by Wendy Kelly

1.  Have a Giveaway

Tip #1- Do giveaways on Facebook, your blog, and/or other blogs that have a lot of traffic. Give away something small from your business about once a month and ask that to enter the contest, you must “like” your Facebook page. There are several free giveaway apps on Facebook that will even send the message to their followers and also run the contest by picking the winner for you. I’ve watched my fan page grown from about 200 likes to almost 3,000 likes in around 6 months just from giveaways, and I get many customers and a lot of feedback also from these giveaways.

Thanks to:  Megan Andrus from My Accessory Business

Read more at http://www.startupnation.com/business-blogs/?p=5094#Kf4QwPiEMA7XgGhD.99 

More reasons why to mark up jewelry prices times x2.2 or more

As a follow-up to a previous article, I wanted to mention some reasons just why you should mark up your jewelry by x2.2 - 2.8 other than just to give discounts or sales.

1. I you throw a jewelry party at your house, you will likely be serving drinks or appetizers, you have to add in this as the cost of what your selling. Businesses even write off these types of expenses as customer relations entertaining because you are spending money to make money by entertaining potential customers.

2. You may have to spend money on advertising, invitations, a website, your time spent making sales calls. You should figure that some money may need to be spent other than just buying the product to sell. The more you have to spend, the less profit you make, so you have to be sure this all balances out. If you send out invitations through the mail to invite your friends to a jewelry party, you are spending money on stamps, paper, etc... This all comes out of your profit, so you have to be sure you are figuring this in.

3. Renting space at a booth or show will cost you money. How are you going to make the money back that you spent on a booth if you sell each piece at less than double what you paid for it? You should be aiming to make almost double even after the expenses. You can't sell pieces for $5 each if you paid $3 and still be able to pay for the booth space and still make a profit. You must sell each piece at $6 - $7 minimum to make a profit.

As a final thought, I really wonder if these other companies are just banking on the possibility of their customers being bad at math or business numbers to buy their product and tell them that they have to sell it at a certain price and not mark it up enough. I would be surprised if their sales reps success rate was over 5%... if that much is even possible on those margins. Don't be fooled by other companies with overpriced kits for $300 + that just want to make a quick buck off of you. You can make real money selling jewelry at the right mark up. Visit www.MyAccessoryBusiness.com to see the selection of sales kits available where you can set your own prices!

My Accessory Business listed as TOP Home Jewelry Business Idea on Empower Network!

Home jewelry business company My Accessory Business is listed as TOP Home Jewelry Business Idea on Empower Network's article

"Top 7 Home Jewelry Business Ideas You Can Start For Less Than $500"

Seen here: http://www.empowernetwork.com/ahomebusinessideas/blog/top-7-home-jewelry-business-ideas/

Details:

My Accessory Business

Investment: $49 – $199
Details: Everyone knows that for handmade jewelry and accessories, Etsy is the place to be to sell your wares. But what if you don’t want to make it yourself? You can still get a foothold in the home jewelry business by purchasing wholesale items from My Accessory Business and setting your own retail price. The company sells ready-made sales kits that come with an assortment of jewelry, accessory displays for your shows, as well as, price tags, storage containers, business cards and a get started guide on how to maximize your jewelry selling business.

Find out more about home jewelry sales kits from My Accessory Business at www.MyAccessoryBusiness.com 

Why you must mark up your jewelry x2.2 or more

Make 50%-150% - You set the price

Unlike many other jewelry sales companies out there, with My Accessory Business sales kits, you can set your own prices for the jewelry you sell. Don't be fooled by sites that sell expensive $300+ jewelry kits with 100 pieces and then tell you to sell each piece for $5... how can anyone many any money when you're only making $2 per piece? The general rule in clothing and accessory sales is that you mark up your products x2.2 - x2.8 This is what most retail stores follow for success. If each piece is costing you about $3, you should be charging about $6 - $7 in order to make a profit that is worthwhile. In many cases you can even sell each piece for over $10 making even MORE profit!

Letting you choose your own prices gives you the opportunity to give special discounts which we all know work well! Who can resist a SALE?! Try pricing your items at $10 per piece and then doing a sale 2 for $15... Then you are more likely to sell 2 pieces and you will make about $7.50 per piece. Or 3 piece for $20-$25... etc. It's fun to negotiate and use your sales skills to sell MORE to each customer without having to go too low on price. How are you supposed to give a discount when you have to sell a piece for $5 that you paid $3 for... you can't. There is no competition... My Accessory Business is the right way to sell jewelry! Buy a jewelry sales kit today at www.MyAccessoryBusiness.com 

Why have jewelry on hand for sales?

Having sample jewelry on hand is an excellent way to show off your merchandise besides on a catalog page. You have an opportunity to bring your jewelry to life at minimal cost to you by purchasing a sales kit from My Accessory Business. 

 Having jewelry pieces on hand is an excellent way to promote your business by:

• Show off the quality of your merchandise
• Present customers with special "buy now" deals
• Establish yourself as an style expert
• Sell on the go 

If you’d like to take your business to the next level, we highly recommend purchasing some inventory for your business in an all-inclusive sales kit, a jewelry-only kit, or purchasing individual pieces at our wholesale prices. 

Visit www.MyAccessoryBusiness.com New customers can receive $5 off when they spend $30 on our website with coupon code: 5OFF30

Tips on finding online sales

Finding online sales can be annoying sometimes. You have to usually rely on your email or trying to google the shop just to find sales and coupons. There is an easier way! Download free browser plus-ins and bookmark lets that will do the work for you. Here are some good ones:

- www.joinhoney.com
- www.couponshelper.com
- www.poachit.com

As you shop online around the internet, these tools will alert you about sales and provide you discount codes to use and checkout. Simple and quick- try it out! Everyone loves a sale!

Naming your business

One of the hardest parts to starting a business is picking a name. Of course, many people use their own name, whether it's both their first and last name or just their last name for the business. But not all businesses use a personal name. Some pick a name that relates well to the type of business or use the type of business like "jewelry" or "accessories" in the business name itself.

Another way to get your creative juices flowing in the name game is to use an online name generator to help you come up with some ideas of what name to use. Check out this website that includes a couple different name generators to play around with to help you find a unique and perfect name for your business, no matter what it is. http://www.wordlab.com/name-generators/

Be sure to check on if the name is being used by another business, if it is copyrighted and if the website domain is available to buy because most likely, you will want a website, if not now, then eventually. Even if your website will just have information about your business, you will still want people to be able to find that information easily by typing in your business name online and finding your website, You don't want the name to fall among a large number of companies with similar names. For instance, when you google the name, make sure that there are not any names that are too similar to your business name. That way, when someone types the name in google, your company will pop up immediately. You don't want your business to come up on the 2nd or 3rd page.

Once you have a name picked out, it's time to design a logo. You can design one yourself or use a graphic designer to help you design a custom logo that will fit your business. Check out www.liquidreddesign.com for examples of logos.

What you should know before commencing a retail start-up?

Looking back on the past 18 years of my life, I can confidently assert that I’ve put in some long, hard yards in the retail sector. My first couple of retail jobs were for high end fashion labels. The price tags were stratospheric, the quality questionable, and the designs unimaginative. Consequently we made approximately four sales a week. With so much time to stare listlessly out the window, I did what any reasonable person would do, and ate all day, every day, until I began to resemble Violet from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory after she turns into a super heavy human blueberry. Yet somehow, the owners of the business scraped together a passable income from these paltry takings. They would not be so fortunate these days.

The changes that have taken place since that time are truly extraordinary. The retail landscape has been indelibly marked by the advent of online shopping, and would be retailers more so than ever need a strong grasp on the fundamental requirements of a successful business. The retail sector I started in no longer exists- the one in which retailers could afford to make mistakes.

Street retailers, ideally, should be trading in a product that people do not traditionally feel comfortable purchasing online. If your product is one which people can cheaply and readily get online, it is vital that you create a unique shopping experience for them within your store. Loyalty cards are a terrific idea, as are in house launches, exclusive previews of new collections with drinks and canapes, seasonal parties - anything that helps people identify your shop as a destination.

Research the competition. When I began my second retail job, at a thriving little boutique selling quirky designs imported from Hong Kong, there was nothing else like it around. Fast forward fifteen years, and the streets are littered with imitators. Unfortunately, the business is now struggling to make ends meet- much less exceeding sales targets as a matter of course. Ask yourself this: does my business have long term viability? Is it easily replicated by would be imitators?

But if you get it right, the rewards are great. With planning and foresight, there’s no reason your retail business shouldn’t thrive. For more information, visit Jeanette Maree.

How to Start a Costume Jewelry Business

by Melinda Gaines, Demand MediaFrom this online source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/start-costume-jewelry-business-10254.html

Costume jewelry, also known as fashion jewelry, runs the gamut from simple silver pieces to large cocktail rings. Selling costume jewelry can be profitable, as it is not only bought and worn by female consumers of all ages, but also purchased by males to give as gifts. The costume jewelry business is flexible, as there are many ways you can start and grow your venture, and it can be operated on a full or part-time basis. 

Step 1

Target a niche, or specialization, for your jewelry business. Doing this will enable you to focus on buying only one type of costume jewelry and distinguish yourself from your competitors. For example, you could specialize in selling vintage costume jewelry or vintage replicas, trendy affordable costume jewelry for teens and young women, artisan and handmade costume jewelry or designer costume jewelry brands.

Step 2

Obtain the permits required in your state and city to operate a retail business. Depending on where you live, this may include a sales tax permit, resale license or assumed name certificate. Your local small business development center or Small Business Administration office can let you know what business documentation you need.

Step 3

Purchase wholesale costume jewelry to sell, if you will not be making your own. Before spending money on any jewelry, ensure you can make at least a 30 percent profit from it, after accounting for labor costs. There are several ways you can source your inventory, depending on your niche. If your specialty is vintage costume jewelry, shop at estate and garage sales, browse online auction sites, sell jewelry on consignment and place print and online classified ads. If you're selling new pieces, you will likely need to open wholesale accounts with manufacturers and distributors of costume jewelry, or buy liquidated -- meaning deeply discounted -- inventory from other retailers.

Step 4

Secure at least one venue from which to sell your costume jewelry. Options include leasing or buying a brick-and-mortar store, renting a mall cart or kiosk, becoming a flea or antique market dealer, throwing home jewelry parties, opening an online store or selling via Internet auction websites. If you plan to make your own costume jewelry, consider all of the aforementioned options, with the exception of antique markets. You could also try selling at your local farmers market, if they accept non-food vendors, or a marketplace for handmade items, such as Etsy.

Step 5

Find a storage area for your inventory of costume jewelry, if you will not be opening a physical retail location. A clean spare closet or airtight storage containers would be suitable, as long as they are placed in a dark, odor-free and pet-free area.

Step 6

Promote your costume jewelry business in a way that suits your chosen retail venues. You could launch a promotional blog, open social networking accounts, place targeted online banner and website ads, send press releases to local, regional and national media outlets and donate or lend pieces to be used in a local fashion show in exchange for publicity. You can also place coupons, brochures and fliers in complementary businesses, such as clothing boutiques, hair and beauty salons and shoe stores.

Visit www.MyAccessoryBusiness.com to purchase a costume jewelry starter kit and start selling jewelry today!

Woman in Business Profile- One With The Water

Alissandra Hurdelbrink enjoys her career as a swim lesson teacher and an important part of the Los Angeles based non-profit organization One With The Water. She enjoys teaching children with special needs because she says "they have this special untouched innocence to them.  They live in their own world and they just need to be understand in that realm. Everyone thinks to change their world to make it more like everyone else. When I think we need to dive into their world and see it from their eyes."

Alissandra grew up overly athletic and constantly taking part in a few sports at a time.  She knew that she wanted to work with children but she wasn't sure what exactly she would be doing.

A couple years ago she started going back to school to earn a BS in Kinesology and knew some type of coaching was in her future.

She had never thought about teaching swim lessons until she was approached by fellow swim lesson teacher, Coach Kenneth. Her first student was on the autism spectrum and she fell in love with him. She says "He had such a great heart and he was definitely "One with The Water". It was his safe place, plus he probably had more fun in the pool than anyone else out there. When you teach kids with special needs new movements it builds on so many parts of their daily functioning.  Improves motor skills, coordination and muscle memory.  Like I said it touches base on one aspect out of a thousand."

Alissandra uses the words "incredible and amazing" to describe how she feels when she's teaching kids swimming.  She says, "you are shaping so many aspects of their lives.  It's not just the art of swimming you are touching base on, it's one puzzle piece in a game of a million pieces.  It's pretty incredible to see when a child really starts to understand what they are doing in the water with all the movements. Every child learns at their own pace, but some kids respond at an incredible pace and it's pretty amazing to watch it happen."

As far as anything on the business side of things, Alissandra takes care of most of the scheduling and talking with potential clients.  Together with Coach Kenneth, they go to events and advertise online, newspapers, and more.

She said that keeping the clients coming back is pretty easy for her because the kids have so much fun and really learn so much.  She makes it a point to make learning fun and still make progress with the lesson plan.

For more information about One With The Water, visit www.Onewiththewater.org
www.facebook.com/onewiththewater 

How to build on your wild ideas

Are you a creative person who daydreams about the possibilities of new business ideas? 


Not sure how to control your thoughts?

Start an idea diary!

1. Get a small notebook and make sure you put it somewhere easily accessible and visible to you in your bedroom, office or even car. Don't forget to hook a pen onto your notebook, you'll need it!

2. When you have a quick thought or business idea, jot it down in your notebook on a blank page.

3. Give the idea a title and expand on your idea while writing it all down in the notebook.

4. Then, leave some space, full or 1/2 a page to expand more if you have some more thoughts throughout the day.

5. Consider making a list of pros and cons to having this type of business on the next page. Think about the costs, the time, the marketing you will need to do, the people you can call on to help, the enjoyment of having this type of business or the problems it will cause you. Weight the pros and cons.

6. Move on. Keep dreaming. Add more ideas to your diary and keep adding ideas continuously.

7. Revisit your previous ideas in the following weeks. Looking back, was this a good idea? Do you still think it will work after having thought about it for a while?

8. Pick out one, two or three of your top ideas and presents them to several trustworthy friends, family or colleagues. Ask them there thoughts on the pros and cons.

9. Based on others opinions and your own thoughts, decide which idea is the best and then move on to the next steps to start expanding on your idea.

Not all of your ideas will be winners but you can help narrow them down to the best ones by writing them down and revisiting them later.