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

JEWELRY DESIGNER TRAVELING ON A BUDGET

Dear friends, I am writing this email from the Boston Gift Show. I wish I could have read suggestions on how to travel as a jewelry entrepreneur on a budget; especially when you are doing those so called wholesale shows.

We are ALL living though times in is economy and we certainly have to watch every penny we spend, right?. And especially if you are doing a show far away from home. In this case I had to consider not only the booth fee, electricity, gas & parking but I also had to include airfare, hotel & meals and transportation.

So I search my hotel on Priceline and I also made a few calls/emails to my friend who work at different hotels to see if I could get a friends & family discount but their rates were higher than the one I found. In this opportunity the Boston Gift Show had special hotel rates if you booked directly with them, so I found a fairly decent hotel 6 miles away from the Convention Center for about $80, pretty descent huh?!

Don’t forget that when you travel you need to arrange pick up/drop off from the airport, too. Thank GOD I have SO MANY friends & family spread all over so luckily there is always someone living wherever I go. Although in the beginning I was thinking I don’t have anybody in Boston and it ended up that one of my good friends from high school lives only 15 minutes from the airport. We probably haven’t seen each other since high school but once we saw us it was like the time never passed and we reconnected very easily.

She picked me up from the airport and took me back to the airport. That saved me like $40  each way. The Best Western Adams INN in Quincy Massachusetts where I stayed, offered complimentary breakfast and complimentary shuttle service to and from the Boston Convention Center. Right there I saved $35 cab ride for each they of the show, and it was a four day show. So you can imagine how much I would have spend in just cab rides.

Anyways, another advice if you are trying to eat at the convention center – NEVER DO IT – How can you save money and help in this economy charging $3.50 for a bottle of coke or $3.25 for a cup of tea or coffee!!!? I think that is outrageous. The 1st day of the show I had to pay but then I saw my neighbors who brought chips, nuts, crackers, cookies, sandwiches for launch so they did not have to buy lunch. So lesson learned next time I plan on coming ready, right?

I look forward to come back to The Boston Gift Show in 2013

Hasta la proxima!

Evelyn Brooks

Technorati Tags: Evelyn Brooks Designs,Boston Gift Show,Best Western,Urban Expositions,Boston Convention Center

 

 

 

 

A PROFESSIONAL JEWELRY PHOTOSHOOT…

When I first started to create my jewelry pieces, I was taking pictures of my own jewelry pictures (who doesn’t start like that, huh!?), but I am not a professional photographer. I’ve tried for so many times to do my own pictures and I took many pictures but could never give them the right white background or the right black grayish background plus you could see the shadows, light reflection etc., etc.….I took quick photography classes, did some internet research on how to photograph your jewelry and still was not getting that perfect professionally looking picture.

In the beginning…I couldn’t afford to pay for a professional photo session of my jewelry pieces. So I post and add on the famous craigslist and got me freelance photographers that were looking to gain expertise in product photography and who wanted to add experience to their resumes.

These were my 1st pictures taken by me a not professional jewelry photographer…not so good right?

Then it was time to launch my men’s Moschik catalog and I was not going to invest so much time in creating a whole new jewelry collection with poor pictures and poor presentation. Two of the most amazing relationships were born. My catalog designer Alvaro Luna & my professional photographer Rui Barros. I personally find that there has to be good energy,  positive attitude and willingness to work with your business partners (that is how I call them).  Just as me they want the final product to speak highly of their work. I believe I can sense energy VERY well and I was not afraid when my dear friend Alvaro was taking the responsibility to re-design my image/logo/designing my catalog everything till he handed me my Moschik Men’s catalog.

I also knew it was going to take some time. It was not going to happen in a couple days…although I wanted see the final product ASAP.

One of the first things Alvaro asked me was you need a professional head shot…I was thinking OMG another expense to the creation of my men’s catalog. BUT I can still remember what he said to me: I refuse to create the catalog with a picture that you have cropped from some wedding and put it in this professional jewelry catalog. He said go to Rui Barros Photography. He will do your headshot.

This was my 1st professional headshots as a jewelry designer

Then our photo-shoot for the catalog took us a whole day at The Park @ 14th in Washington DC, models came on time, photographer and Alvaro took care of styling models & the photo-shoot. We ended exhausted but with amazing photos to be used in our Moschik Men’s Catalog.

What to order my catalog? (click here)

I have been working with Rui for quite sometime now. I’d say at least five years. We have shot my jewelry pieces at his studio in Arlington, VA. It usually takes us a whole day. Every time I come in he has some new tool to shoot faster and have higher quality pictures, better lighting or the latest new gadget in professional photography. Another important thing to mention is that you have to communicate well how you like your product to look like, if you want to highlight some areas more than others, etc., etc.…My advise as a jewelry entrepreneur is do some research  before you call someone to do your professional product photo-shoot. I have done so much research about it that now I feel confident to share my ins and outs about shooting jewelry pieces.

Rui is so dedicated to what he does, that I totally trust his work and I know no matter what my pieces are going to have a professional look. The look I need as a professional jewelry designer.

My Nazca Jewelry collection has recently being photo-shoot again by Rui, take a sneak pick at it

 

If you are trying to take your jewelry business to the next level and want to bring it to high end boutiques, museums, fine art fairs and so on…don’t waist your time trying to make it yourself. It is more beneficial to invest your time in what you know best. In my case I rather use my time designing more beautiful jewelry pieces. In Spanish there is a phrase that says: AL CESAR LO QUE ES DEL CESAR = GIVE UNTO CESAR’S WHAT’S CESAR

Hasta pronto

Evelyn Brooks

Technorati Tags: Rui Barros Photography,Alvaro Luna,Evelyn Brooks Designs,Jewelry Photography,Jewelry Business Photography,Photograph Jewelry,Nazca lines,Nazca Jewelry

LIVING AS A JEWELRY ENTREPRENEUR IS UNCERTAIN…

How great it is when you are at an art show and a couple people come into your booth, wondering a lot about your jewelry, asking you questions about how you make your pieces, why the red & black?, Are you local?….And then the best question of ALL. Do you do wholesale? DING DING…OF COURSE…

That is how a met business partners Edward Hart & Eric Nelson owners of Artfully Gifts & Chocolate  at the Alexandria Fine Arts & Wine Festival on October of 2011. We scheduled time to meet so we could talk about possibly placing an order to carry Evelyn Brooks Designs at their Alexandria location.

When I walked into the shop, I immediately fell in love with it and the variety of gifts they have to offer, BUT their hot coco’s with famous hollywood names is an ingenious idea. So if you are in Alexandria, stop by and see it for  yourself. If you feel in a mood of ice cream you can find it here, too

.

I went there the other day and saw a mom with two kids trying to get some gifts…and as a mom I admired what she did…she got a cup of ice cream for each of her kids, sat them on the tables and she peacefully got her gifts…I was thinking inside myself  WHAT A GREAT IDEA!

Getting into a new boutique or gallery is always a uncertain. We did not know if my jewelry designs were going to work or not, but Edward & Eric saw my work as a great fit for their gift shop. And indeed I brought my 1st pieces by the end of November, they quickly sold and have been selling non-stop ever since.

Later in January we talked about launching my Nazca Jewelry Collection at their Alexandria location just in time to celebrate Valentine’s, too.

This exclusive line of jewelry is an extension of my eco-chic collection and it is inspired by the Nazca lines, which represented a celestial Inca calendar used for rituals related to astronomy, the Spring 2012 Nazca Collection evokes mystery and mythology. Legend has it that the Nazca lines were built by an ancient Peruvian civilization called Nazca, located in the south of Peru.

The collection is hand-made with natural seeds of red, black, and hand-texturized sheets of silver. This new collection will feature necklaces, bracelets, and earrings for women. Prices range from $68 - $950.  

Now if you have the opportunity and travel to Peru take at least to days to visit Ica and go to the town of Nazca. Where you can take off on a little airplane and fly over The Famous Nazca Lines. Once you are there, you will understand more closely my jewelry collection inspired by the Nazca Lines.

Hasta la proxima
Evelyn

Technorati Tags: jewelry traveler,nazca lines,jewelry entrepreneur,evelyn brooks designs,artfully gifts and chocolates,sterling silver jewelry,red jewelry,ecofriendlyn jewelry,artistic jewelry,mompreneur,jewelry marketig,jewelry trends

GOOD ENERGY, GREAT CLIENTS AND A 2012 FULL OF HOPE…

Time flies since I posted on our blog…why because I only have two hands. There is only so much you can do just with just two hands. This year it will be different. We are more organized than ever. We will post once or twice a week.

I truly believe in good energy, some call it good vibrations, others wear a clear crystal, others wear a Huayruro for bringing positive energy (like me, I always carry my red huayruro), whatever it is just think positively at any given time and even if it is in the middle of a cathastrophe at least thinking positively will give you HOPE for better times.

Our holiday season was STRONG, not great because I think the economy situation is still a big concern for buyers. Whom were actually looking more for the lower ticket price items and  few for the high ticket items. But it is what it is…and we were happy with it.

MOST IMPORTANTLY we are still in business, FULL OF HOPE and taking bigger projects for 2012.

One of the best things that happen to me as an entrepreneur during the holidays was…I got a call at 10p on New Years Eve (the day our MOSCHIK coupon expired) and this lady did not want to miss the opportunity to complete her whole EVELYN BROOKS DESIGNS set with the $25 off). Anyways while I was taking her order, she mentioned: I had wore the necklace and the earrings I purchased from you to a dinner party I was going to in Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, and a very refine lady came up to me and told me: YOU ARE WEARING AND EVELYN BROOKS DESIGNS PIECE…of course to me it almost brought me in tears, I couldn’t believe it!;  that someone in Kentucky would recognize my work. Which means we are growing and we are making it all the way to Kentucky.  It may sound funny at 1st but working and being an entrepreneur is not easy. We are always trying to do something to grow our business and perhaps we never sit down to think WHERE ARE WE? in what stage? and that call made me SIT DOWN and THINK (just a for a few minutes)…that my work is truly paying off, is not just in DC, VA, MD like in the begining. It is going all over the US, just as I dream it.

We have made it into over 20 boutiques …and that is why this year our efforts will go even further….I am gonna use a phrase that I heard BUZZ LIGHTYEAR from Toy Story the movie says: TO INFINITY AND BEYOND…that is what my little one is now saying, so I can use that phrase, too.

I hope my enthusiasm brings you HOPE to any projects you are about to begin or are in the middle of…

My sincere wishes of a happy, healthy and succesful 2012! THANK YOU SO MUCH for your continuing support!

Sincerely,

Evelyn Brooks

PLANNING FOR A RETAIL SHOW

Dear friends

I am writing this blog from Los Angeles California. The Annual National Hispana Leadership Institute 2011 Executive Leadership Training Conference & Mujer Awards is happening Nov. 3rd & 4th.

This is the 1st time Evelyn Brooks Designs is officially exhibiting in the West Coast.

And of course we had to plan ahead of time for this so awaited exhibition..

I have a list of items to bring for my retails shows...but now I realize that there must be a list for every show just cause every show is different. There are different clients and different expectations for every show. There are different promotions that apply for every show, too. It is a lot of work getting ready for every show.

We not only do retail shows, we also do wholesale shows, we do marketing only shows, we do runway shows, so for each show make your list of items you should never forget. And of course every time you do them make sure you at your list at the end of your show and see what other things you can implement. You can always learn from other exhibitors. Some have been around longer than we are and can give us some advice. Specially try to find how to travel lighter and lighter.

My personal advice if you are returning to a show don’t forget to email all your clients that live close by that area, or clients that you met the year before, invite them and informe them that you will be there:) perhaps an extra incentive would not hurt either

I love the reading the Entrepreneur magazine and they always have ideas and advices for those entrepreneurs just starting a  business and for those already are on their way…

I found this link that talks about how to start your retail business

http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/businessideas/startupkits/article75912.html

And this one that talks about how to increase your retail sales

http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/businessideas/startupkits/article75912.html

Good luck!

Sincerely

Evelyn Brooks

P.s.- Pictures above, attendees admiring and purchasing my latest designs at the 2010 NHLI conference in Miami Florida. One of the best parts of my conference last year was that I got to personally meet Miguel Bose  

Technorati Tags: evelyn brooks designs,miguel bose,entrepreneur magazine,retail business,retail shows

WHY PROFESSIONAL FOLLOW UP IS SOOO IMPORTANT?

The wholesale shows have passed and the next ones aren’t happening until January/February, right? So what happens when you have clients that did not visit your booth at the recent wholesale shows or you simply have not heard from them.

You are probably wondering why? what happened? was my product good enough for their clientele?  and  did my product met their sales expectations? etc., etc.…One of the main things your have to find out is making sure they have received your information which means your new catalog, brochure, etc., etc.…

Don’t wait to find out that the post office did not deliver your wholesale catalog and that you lose an order because of that. That just happened to me. I was hoping to get an  order from a very important client BUT GUESS WHAT? my client never got my catalog and when I spoke with her she told me. I am really sorry because I already placed all my orders for the rest of this year. So please contact me back in January. OH WELL! maybe it wans;t my time BUT I was really upset. Although I learned a lesson. With your VIP’s make sure you mail your wholesale catalogs via certified mail.

Anyways…as the fall is coming and the weather is changing I can not just sit down and wait for calls to come in to get orders from my clients. So I am actively calling my clients to make sure they have received my wholesale catalog and if they want to place another order.

Following up is SO IMPORTANT! Don’t feel bad by calling and getting feedback on your product. Every time we learn something and don’t be afraid of hearing some constructive critic.

Surprisingly, few businesses actively follow up with their existing clients. This is a mistake. Your existing customers produce more sales at a lower cost to you. They already know and trust you.

If you follow up, it will help you to identify problems that customers had but didn’t complain about. This will allow you to resolve those problems and keep those customers. You are providing excellent customer service, and you will generate positive and ongoing word of mouth advertising about your company.

You can read  Word of Mouth Advertising for more on this subject.

Marketers tell us that it costs 5 - 8 times the amount of money to get a new customer than it does to keep an existing customer satisfied. Well, it’s true. Think of customer retention as pebbles rolling down a mountainside. Happy customers spread the word, and soon you can have an avalanche on your hands. Follow up is the key.  

Follow up works to build customer loyalty. It’s how you tell your customers that they are important. Research shows that 68% of customers that don’t return to a company say that the company never contacted them, was indifferent, or had a poor attitude. Sending your customers follow up letters is the solution.

And of course your competition is trying to win your customers. But you can beat them. A follow-up personal note is more powerful that a full page ad in the New York Times. If you invest in your customers, they will keep bringing – and sending – you business for life. No competitor will be able to win them away if you stay in contact and follow up with your customers.

For more information of Professional Follow Up

EBD celebrates its 5th years as part of the Latina Style family….

On Thursday September 8th from 7a-3p the 8th National Latina Symposium is back!  This years event will be held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel (2799 Jefferson Davis Highway. Arlington, VA 22202)

My relationship with Latina Style started five years ago at the 3rd National Latina Symposium. They gave me the opportunity to showcase my jewelry line; at that time I was working my natural gemstones jewelry line with sterling silver. I was giving my baby steps in the corporate world. Learning to display my jewelry, learning about my clients, what they like, their preferences, networking and more… (don’t get me wrong there is still a lot to learn…)

Every year I come back and I am excited to see old time supporters of Latina Style & Evelyn Brooks Designs as well as meeting new supporters and network with the most notable and influential Hispanic entrepreneurs in the United States.

I look forward to showcase my latest designs. I am  adding new  pieces to the excisting “Moschik Collection”

The 1st two hundred attendees will find inside of the Latina Style gift bags a beautiful Passion Red Heart bracelet (Sugg. Retail Value – $95) This bracelet has been designed especially to celebrate our 5 years attending the National Latina Symposium for this occasion.

We like to thank Robert Bart and all the organizers behind the making of the 8th National Latina Style 2011. Evelyn Brooks Designs is proud to be part of the Latina Style family; for all the support you have given me ever since I joined your family.

To those of you who like to know more about the 8th National Latina Style Symposium – Some of the subjects that will be talk:

• Nurturing Latina Success – Showcasing leadership inside and outside of your organization to create a pipeline of talent.
• The Power of Networking – How Employee Resource Groups and Affinity Groups can play a vital role in your professional growth and development.

ALSO ATTEND THE DISTINGUISHED MILITARY SERVICE AWARDS LUNCHEON 

 Register NOW – Don’t MISS OUT!

Nos vemos , sinceramente…

Evelyn Brooks

Technorati Tags: evelyn brooks designs,national latina symposium,latina style magazine,latina success,robert bart,power of networking

What is a FACEBOOK & TWITTER BADGE?

1. What are they?

-They are mini box that take a quick preview onto your social profile and activity, often used on blogs as a link to your social network.

2. How do I get myself this badge?

- For Facebook go ahead and go to the log-in page and scroll to the very bottom. There will be horizontal list of links. There you will find badge. From there it is very self-explanatory! You can create a badge for your personal profile, likes, pictures, and pages.

- With Twitter in order for your statuses to show in the badge, the account cannot be on a private setting.

- If not on a private setting, go to the Twitter log-in page, scroll to the very bottom, and click on about. Once on the about page, the sidebar has a link to resources. From there you can click on widgets, and it’s a piece of cake after that!

I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU 

This post has been written in collaboration with Wanda Hernandez for Evelyn Brooks

Technorati Tags: Evelyn Brooks Designs,facebook badges,twitter badges

ARTFIRE VS ETSY–Cause’ competition is good…

How important is marketing research, huh!? I am working on how to bring more sales to my e-store or better say how to sell more designs through different online stores. It seems like one/two aren't not enough…. How can a small jewelry designer entrepreneur do it?

Well, lots of researching, lots of reading and this is just the beginning. During my research I also found a book that explains clearly how to drive traffic to your website. The web traffic evolution guide
Photo courtesy of Webtraffic Evolution Insider

In my research of which stores are dedicated to sell hand-made, hand-fabricated jewelry/art, I found the most heard of ETSY and a new site named ARTFIRE (founded in 2008)

My next step, find out how good/bad or well recommended is ARTFIRE. So I goggled: feedback about Artfire; one of 1st sites to come up was www.HandmadeMarketing.org with lots of comments about how artisans and jewelry designers feel about artfire and their number one competitor etsy.



Some artisans said to be very happy with the results, some complain about artfire being new, some mention it is an advantage being new because there is still not many artisans selling as they are on etsy, some others are saying competition is good and also someone suggests don’t just list 12 items, go for more which means paying $9 monthly; and give it at least a year to make a final decision if it is good for you or not.

Again having your own business is not easy and it is always a roller coaster full of risks, good and bad days. In Spanish there is a phrase that I always think about “EL QUE NO ARRIESGA NO GANA”, which means IF YOU DON’T RISK YOU DON’T WIN...

Artfire is free for the 1st 12 pieces you upload and then unlimited $9, although I read that if you reach 5000 sold items, they raise your monthly fee to $20 dollars. I wish I could be paying $20 the next month, right? But I am sure everything takes time.


Do you want to know more about ARTFIRE??? - . Read a complete interview with John Jacobs (Artfire CEO)

Now I will talk about etsy…hmmm etsy, etsy, etsy…my personal experience…


I have sold my pieces there, NOT A LOT. I just stopped doing it because it is TOO MUCH TIME. Maybe it is me …I don’t know (please tell me if I am wrong- your comments are welcomed!) ; but it takes too long to upload a picture and also I feel like now there are so many more jewelers/artisans, different categories that makes it overwhelming for a customer to buy something. If I were to buy something from etsy ( I am speaking as a customer looking for a gift), it will probably have to be a very specific gift otherwise I wouldn’t do it. There is SO MUCH to look at, that makes me dizzy. And who has the time to look at soooo many pieces of jewelry to choose the right gift? Maybe there are buyers who have that kind of time, don’t get me wrong, otherwise etsy would not exist.

Will I try etsy again, YES just during holiday season which for us starts in September and I am pretty sure that people will be looking for RED JEWELRY and my RED HUAYRUROS will be perfect for the season.



The Passion Red Classic Necklace (picture bottom right) & The Classic Crochet Collection (picture top left) will soon be available for sale of etsy & artfire.

STAY TUNNED….HASTA LA PROXIMA;)

A CREATIVE JEWELRY CHICA

My journey as a jewelry designer, entrepreneur, and then mompreneur has had many obstacles but I have faced each of them with a smile and a phrase that says “something bigger and better” sooner or later will come. I have followed my favorite jewelry designers, too; to mention a few: Robert Lee Morris, just to look at him gives me a sense of peace, he seems such an easy going person; but also a well-known jewelry business man. Another favorite Roberto Coin, with his ingenious idea of hiding a ruby in each of his jewelry pieces (that is clever and VERY creative)

Even though he is not in the jewelry business; I love the tenancy of Mr. Donald Trump from going bankrupt to rebuilt his empire or Mrs. Oprah Winfrey whom with a troubled and traumatic childhood, became a TV queen and inspirational success history. If they did it I can do it, too; right?
Actually once I had an argument with an event partner. This person would not take failure as an option and we got into an argument; SO it occur to me to tell this person…”If Donald Trump fails, I can fail, too” and since that day I've never worked with that person again. If you are not ready for failure, then you are not ready for business.

I know there are three zillion thousands of jewelry designers out there but as I always say in my classes/presentations/conferences, etc... we are ALL different individuals. It is a matter of who you are, where you come from, what you have to offer, how you presented, etc., etc…One day there was an article written by Julio Escalante from El Comercio – Peru, El Comercio newspaper is what the Washington Post is por Washingtonians. This article was about me with a big title saying “I am my own brand” (click to read)And YES jewelry designers and small businesses can create their own signature brand. Of course it is not going to happen from one day to another but with LOTS OF PATIENCE, PERSEVERANCE, PLANNING AND A GOOD BUSINESS PLAN it will eventually happen. Find your niche and you will see how things become easier and more accessible for you.

It was funny and interesting today someone asked me what do you to be “Successful”? And I said by being creative in everything I do (even in the kitchen). Being creative is a never ending story. You cannot seat and wait for the money to come; you have to go after it and once you think you have it all; don’t be so sure…reinvent yourself and keep on going…

Evelyn Brooks Designs celebrates its 7th anniversary offering 20%off everything online and a complementary signature Evelyn Brooks ring with every purchase.

Hasta la proximal….;)

p.s.- The El Comercio articule was written in spanish. Other articules written in English can be found at http://ebrooksdesigns.com/as-seen-in.html