WE HAVE MOVED

Hola chicas and chicos!

I'm proud to say that we are moving the official Evelyn Brooks Designs blog over to Wordpress. The new URL will be twoworldsonechica.com

My new blog will be new and improved!! It will feature 

• Provide tips for Mompreneurs and entrepreneurs to make their business and personal lives more manageable 
• Inspire and motivate young women and men to reach business and personal goals 
• Keep everyone updated on EBD's latest happenings 
• WOMEN- personal beauty tips!

Wordpress has made it much easier to interact with my followers on a one-on-one basis. Also, soon to come is a way for you to purchase my products directly off my blog shall you choose to do so!

Make sure you follow my NEW blog because we won't be using this one anymore!

Pinterest and Entrepreneurs

A recently new social networking site has come out: Pinterest. Why do you think this can be useful for a jewelry designer like me, to inmerse in another social platform?

Let me share with you some tips & some of the research I did before inmersing into Pinterest.

Pinterest is basically a virtual cork board or scrapbook where you can "pin" and tag images and websites that interest you. Not only that, but you can also post your own images, too. Just like any social networking site you can share content, follow users, tag and make comments. Currently, I have 13 boards with many pictures pinned. Here are a few:

Some people may think an image sharing website is fun, but it can also be helpful in the professional and entrepreneurial world. According to an article from BlueGlass, many use Pinterest to help guide their buying decisions. Now what does this have to do with entrepreneurs?

If people are looking for buying advice from this social networking site, entrepreneurs can sign up and have their brand get seen easier. It will especially be helpful for those businesses, like mine, who do not have the money or resources to compete against big name brands. Pinterest can help people find other products that are not the same brands advertised day in and day out. Although pinterest works by invitation only, you can request an invitation from the website :)

Another beneficial aspect of Pinterest is having a "pin it" button on your website. For instance, if I went to Robert Lee Morris Jewelry and really liked her content, I could click the "pin it" button and pin her website to my Pinterest for all of my followers to see. Not only would it show her website picture, but the "pin it" button would also provide a link to go directly to her website. 

Encouraging your followers to share your content can be helpful, too. From an article written by AJ Kumar on entrepreneur.com, How to Get Your Content Shared More on Pinterest, you can't assume that people will automatically share your content. They may need encouragement to go above and beyond to share with family, friends, employees and coworkers.

For a young jewelry entrepreneur like me, signing up for any and every social networking site is important because getting your brand name out their is what needs to be done as soon as possible. The more people that you can connect with, the more people talk about your product. Pinterest helps you by visually displaying your products on a website that people go to for occasional buying decisions. As Evelyn Brooks Designs, I am constantly trying to make more people aware of my brand and learn about my new jewelry designs as well. Because of today's technology and smartphones, it is much easier to connect with others and build professional relationships.

I'm a Latina mom blogger

I am so excited to share with you that I am officially a Latina Mom Blogger! First of all I love writing, but writing in English is not as natural as it would be for me in Spanish. Although, I always do my best!

It took me about two years to figure this whole idea of having a blog. Many people told me, you should have your own blog. I thought YES it sounds interesting, but what could I write about, that would be interesting for my readers?  It really wasn’t easy to figure it out. Its actually during the process of building my blog that I found my reason for having one. First of all, I found that could share my personal experiences as an American Hispanic Jewelry Entrepreneur with other women in my situation. Although, the most important reason is that I discovered that through my blog I have a voice!

Now, for those of you that are just staring to blog, let me tell you something that is very important about blogging: you absolutely need to find who is your target audience. It is very important that you find your target audience because you cannot expect and hope that everybody is going to read your blog. You need to write about things that are going to appeal to the target audience you pick whether it is mompreneurs, stay at home moms etc.

In my case I relate to Hispanic Women Entrepreneurs, because of my Hispanic background and my business in jewellery design, right? Also, I now I relate to mompreneurs and Hispanic mompreneurs because I am a mom, right? While I was doing my research about Latina Bloggers, I also found wonderful people like the Latina Mom Bloggers who connect Latino Mom Bloggers across the web. Would you of though that, that was possible? Well, YES it is! You need to remember that everything is possible!

I have connected with Angela the Co-founder of Latina Mom Blogger and it was like I was talking to a friend. To someone who could hear my kid in the background and understand that I was working although I work from home and that YES sometimes my kid yells for attention, right?

If we really collaborate with each other within our own community we can grow and be more. We can let other people know about our work, our challenges, our ideas, our success and anything across the web.

Through my blog people from Australia & Canada who found me through the Internet have contacted me. You see with the Internet we can connect with people all over the world! 

A big thanks to Latina Mom Blogger for helping us LEARN, CONNECT & GROW!!

Evelyn proudly wearing her new t-shirt

http://latinamombloggers.com/

http://www.ebrooksdesigns.com/

Latest 2012 Nazca Collection at Frederick Festival of the Arts

Come shop my latest 2012 Nazca collection at the Frederick Festival of the Arts this Saturday and Sunday! FREE good luck charms will be given out! Hope to see you all there!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

If you are not able to make it, you can always purchase Evelyn Brooks Designs online by visiting our website or ordering from our catalog.

How EWINT became my family…

This one my most special write up in my history as a jewelry blogger entrepreneur.

In late November of 2005 I met a wonderful lady Marga Fripp. Who became one of my 1st mentors in helping me built the confidence I needed to pursue my career as a jewelry designer. I have heard about Empowered Women International from one of my 1st clients who was already a supporter or Empowered Women International. After my 1st meeting with Marga, she allowed me space to exhibit my 1st jewelry designs at their 1st front door retail space in their Alexandria office/shop then called A WOMAN STORY SHOP.

Then during Summer of 2006; I signed up for the Artist Entrepreneurship Training Program given by Marga Fripp and her team. During this training we would learn about marketing, how to present ourselves, how to speak in front of potential buyers and mainly how to built a professional portfolio. We were the 2nd group of artist entrepreneurs taking this training.

There I met the most amazing group of artists. Artists entrepreneurs coming from different countries from Afghanistan to Argentina, Peru, Hungary, Romania, United States, etc... And we all had something in common, a bright an creative mind & soul that needed guidance. Most of us with no relatives near us. With lots of dreams under our arms to fullfill. During our1st class we shared our personal story and each story brought tears to most of us.

I can still remember a refugee from Afghanistan who did beautiful portraits and created beautiful paintings with a very unique pattern, who looked like the new version of Picasso. Briefly I’ll tell you her story. She would teach art to women and the art center for  women was taken all of a sudden and shut down because they could not do that, otherwise their life was in danger and they could get killed. I could not believe what I was listening. She was lucky to arrange her paperwork and come to the States as a refugee.I admire the endurance of this lady named Fatana.

EWINT artists were invited to speak & exhibit at Strathmore Mansion in Rockville – MD (picture above & below)

I also met the person I call my American sister, her name is Cheryl. She is an illustrator who created beautiful elder fairies and each of them with a story. I have also never heard of anything like this. We became so close, we would talk about work and personal issues. She would come to my studio and give me feedback on my new designs. She was great about it, too. Because her dad used to own a jewelry business in Providence, RI. So she understood the business  very well because her father operated a family business for many years. And I had no clue BACK THEN, about how things work in the States in the jewelry business. Since then I have learned A LOT and I keep learning

She met a wonderful man, married and moved to Montana. Now she travels the world while continues working on a big project about the elder fairies. Can’t tell you much about it but I know it is going to be BIG. Things may take time but when you are focus and passionate about what you want in life, things will come your way.

Me and Cheryl remain friends and even though now she is Montana, we keep in touch.

She called me, yesterday, telling me she was in town for just few days. So I cancelled everything else I had for the rest of the afternoon so I could be with her. She is my older sister like she says and that is what you do for family. I also needed some quality time with my girlfriend. My American sister I met during the Artist Entrepreneurship Program.

The relationship we built with our classmates was incredible. Among immigrants I think we feel related cause in many ways we face similar experiences. We are far away from home, we miss our food, we miss our friends, we miss our family. Simply our culture. In the United States, we don’t even kiss each other to say hello…instead you shake hands. In some countries even men kiss each other, here in the States, it will probably be taken as a sex thread. Anyways…I am not going to talk about the many differences between countries.

This post is special because no matter how much time has passed and even though we have a busy live. I will always feel I can come back home and visit EWINT headquarters in Alexandria. They truly became my family. I don’t get to see Marga or the other girls as often as I would like to, but at least in special occasions we get together.

I can still remember also when Marga Fripp came to visit me when I gave birth. She knows my family lives in Peru, my in-laws in St. Louis (although they were around briefly when Tyler was born) she knew I needed support around myself, especially to make sure I would continue pursuing my dreams in my new home country and that I would continue with my jewelry business

Technorati Tags: marga fripp,ewint,empowered women international,evelyn brooks designs,cheryl gordon,entrepreneurship program,business entrepreneurship program

On May 5th Evelyn Brooks Designs @ The Embassy of Peru

What an honor! In late January 2012 I received and invitation from the Embassy of Peru to be part of Passport DC 2012

.

To be honest I have been waiting for this moment but as I always think when the time is right, things will come to you (of course sometime you have to knock doors, too). So I thought this MUST BE our time! To be considered one of the most notable Peruvian artists living in Washington DC and having the opportunity to share my jewelry designs with thousands of people at the Embassy of Peru during Passport DC, means a lot to Evelyn Brooks Designs. Perhaps I could also say that hard work is giving its rewards…FINALLY…huh?!

Who is Evelyn Brooks? I consider myself a young jewelry Hispanic American mompreneur who came to this country nine years ago to marry a wonderful man, with many dreams under my arm to fullfill. I also wanted to prove my parents that YES you could be a professional mompreneur, having a husband and child to take care of BUT if you balance your live style; YES YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL.

Just as many other immigrants who are business owners and who want to see their business growing especially in a different country  than the one they were born,  it isn’t easy. Being invited to participate in events like Passport DC is something to feel proud of.  Thanks to the Embassy of Peru for considering my work to be part of Passport DC 2012 and for their continue support!

Evelyn Brooks Designs will showcase her Nasca Collection inspired in the Nasca Lines and will continue promoting the famous Peruvian huayruros through this new jewelry collection. Don’t know what huayruros are? Huayruro seeds come from the rainforest of Peru. It is believed that huayruros bring good luck, positive energy and prosperity to whomever wears them. The Nazca Jewelry Collection is available in sterling silver and 18kt vermeil gold. Prices range from $38- $750

 

Want to know more about the Nasca Lines? Love Peruvian history?  And have the time and money to travel. Explore my beautiful country Peru, DON’T WAIT!  Did you know?…The famous city of Macchu Picchu located in Cuzco, is considered one of the 1000 best places to visit before you die.

Stop by my booth at the Embassy of Peru on May 5th and get a complimentary good luck charm!

Sincerely,

Hasta la proxima

Evelyn Brooks

Nanny swap? a new option for mompreneurs…

You’ve hear of the show wife swap, right?  Well..I am going to throw an idea out there for a new reality show …how about The Nanny Swap. What is it? Some of you are probably doing it already, but I am totally new to this, and I like to give some ideas to the mompreneurs out there who don’t know what else to do to continue working on a budget finding time for working while spending time with your kids.

One of my good friends told me why don’t you come one morning to my house and babysit my two kids while you also bring your son, so they can play while me and you work, of course one adult had to be in charge at a time. By doing so I could work two hours then we swap and my friend would work two hours…not bad huh!?  Have you thought about it? Sometimes we also think is the nanny really doing her job? Are the kids34 watching TV all the time? Me and my friend both want the best for our kids, just as most mom’s out there. We will have them interacting more, socializing, reading, YES watching a bit of TV but most importantly  running a lot to get them tired, so they get their 2 hrs. nap in the afternoon and we could continue working 

This is my little one getting involve in my daily routine as a mompreneur

Our 1st 30 minutes, we talked about how our businesses are doing, how we are working our schedule to find time to work and focus on our different projects (all these while the kids were already running around). After that I got into her home office and worked for two hours, during that time my friend watched the kids, gave them snacks and so on. Then I came out and it was my nanny time. I played with the three of them and started to make lunch for all of us. Without even noticing it, it was almost time to go home and my little one looked like he needed a nap, too.

I found this to be very motivating and really exciting. I truly look forward to do our nanny swap day. We saved money on nanny services, we also had some quality girlfriend catch up and spend time with our kids. What a great day!

 

Photo courtesy www.business-opportunity.biz & www.positioningblogging.com

Do you have any suggestions? What are you doing to continue your mompreneur path? If there are any ideas you would like to share with me through my blog. Please do so…

Let your kid be involve in your mompreneur path, sometimes be flexible and make it a mommy and me playdate in your studio. You know all they want is just be with mommy

Hasta la proxima!

Evelyn Brooks