Wow!  I can’t believe I celebrated my 2nd year of business as Jewelry By Andie B. on July 1st, 2015!  Where has the time gone?!

When I first opened my shop on Etsy in 2013 I never imagined I’d continue to make and sell beautiful necklaces til this day — and make a profit, at that!  Over the past 2 years I’ve learned many valuable lesson and continued to perfect my ever-evolving craft.  For those who are interested in starting a business, I have a few important lessons I’d like to pass on:

1. Be a good book-keeper.  Maintain a profit and loss statement, keep all receipts, and evaluate your business expenses on at least a monthly basis.  The only way to make a profit is to keep your profits larger than your expenses (i.e. cut out frivolous things).
2. Read the book “#GIRLBOSS” by Sophia Amoruso.  Seriously.  After reading this book in the summer of 2014, I felt the most motivated to make my business succeed than I’ve felt in a long time!  She tells a crazy story about the evolution of her clothing store, Nasty Gal, with some valuable life lessons she learned along the way.  It’s also hilarious! #girlboss
3. Create tangible relationships with your customers to keep them coming back and to set yourself apart from the competition.  Whether it be excellent customer service, handwritten thank you notes, or special discounts just for them, you need to make your customers feel special — or they’ll go somewhere else!
4. Don’t be afraid to start!  The most valuable lesson I learned was opening my shop on July 1st, 2013… even though I felt ANYTHING but ready for business!  Trust me, I’m a perfectionist too, and opening my shop unprepared was the hardest step!  However, learning as you go is the best way to improve your business to meet your customer’s needs.  If you already have your entire business plotted out, detail by detail, you’ll be less willing to make changes after putting so much effort into those initial plans.

To celebrate my 2-Year Andie-versary… Enjoy 15% off your entire purchase of $25 of more, using the coupon code: HAPPY2NDJBAB at checkout, now through 7/8 at midnight! 

Xoxo,

Andie