Most college students don’t have much money. It’s hard to save up cash when you’re constantly busy. Costs add up: a pizza here, a night out there–pretty soon your bank account is nonexistent. With just a few simple tips, you can learn to save money and have extra cash to do as you please.

Don’t buy a telephone.

Cell phones. Everyone has one. Why spend the extra for a land line when you have your cell attached to you anyway? MetroPCS is becoming more and more popular since the company offers cheap plans and no contracts. For just $40 a month, you can have unlimited calling and texting. They are even starting to come out with more popular phones now.

Don’t buy cable.

With Netflix and other online movie watching sites, why bother paying for cable? Netflix is easier, cheaper, and even allows you to watch up to two movies at a time. Split the cost and share it with a friend.

Don’t buy tickets to see a movie.

Redbox (Or Netflix) is easy. If you’re one of those people who doesn’t like it when people talk in movie theaters, wait a little and Redbox the movie. It’s the reason most movie rental stores have gone out of business. It’s a dollar a night, and you can return it to any Redbox.

Don’t buy everything wholesale.

Learn to shop at thrift stores or sale/clearance items. There is no reason to buy clothes for full price when you can (most of the time) buy the same item of clothing on sale for much cheaper. If you need a reliable pair of shoes or clothes for work, decide whether to splurge or not. Pick a few essential pieces that you must have and buy those at a department store or online.

Don’t buy anything for your dorm room without consulting your roommate(s).

Split the cost of the items. If your school requires you to purchase something each year, like a microwave/fridge combo, get in touch with your roommate and split the overall cost. There is no need to have more than one of anything.

Don’t avoid the dining hall.

If you paid for it, why not enjoy it? Take Tupperware containers and fill them with fruits, cereal, and other foods you like to eat. Then, stash them in your mini fridge for a snack when the dining hall is closed. On that note, avoid eating out. Try to limit dining out in restaurants and fast food places. It is cheaper to make meals at home, and with today’s portions so large, you’ll lose weight with smaller portions anyway.

Trade shows are a business must for all brands, new and old.  It’s the easiest and quickest way to get out on the market and set up new accounts.  Yes, they cost a lot of money and no, it’s not guaranteed that you will make your money back.  Doing your research by asking around about the show you’re interested in, is a key step to choosing the right one.  New York shows average a price of $5,000 for a booth while down south you can get a booth for $800.  Whoa! What a big difference.  You may want to choose a cheaper show because of the price but make sure you do your homework since the foot traffic may not be all there. Continue Reading

This is the 4th in a series of stories where entrepreneurs tell how they kept the bills paid, during the lean times.

In this installment, you’ll meet Rob, who along with blogging about his entrepreneurial experiences, runs 10 small online businesses, Ron, a Diverse Attorney /Lobbyist Recruiter, and Althea, owner of Gown Chic. Read on to learn how these tenacious entrepreneurs are keeping their dreams alive. Continue Reading

This is the 3rd in a series of stories where entrepreneurs tell how they kept the bills paid, during the lean times.

In this installment, you’ll meet Marc, Kelli, and Catherine.

Marc Anderson, General Manager/Owner of online English training company TalktoCanada.com said, “While launching my business in 2006 and not having steady employment or an income stream made things a bit difficult.  For most of the first year, I took whatever odd or random jobs I could get through this temp worker agency.  After 1 year, I really wasn’t getting by, so I decided to go overseas and teach English in Korea.”

For more information on Marc and TalktoCanada.com visit http://www.talktocanada.com
Follow TalktoCanada.com on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TalktoCanada
Become a Facebook Fan at http://tinyurl.com/2c757ve

Kelli Caulfield, Owner of Caulfield Holdings, Inc., a public holding company said, “The key to keeping the bills paid when I first launched my first business was to always have a backup plan – always have a plan as a whole. I hear stories about people tapping into savings, 401k’s, etc. when it comes to finding funding or paying bills while getting up an running. I always had an emergency account that always ACH’d 15% of my checks from other businesses or jobs so that I could use that to build. I believe in saving 25% of every dollar earned in some way or form. So 10% would go towards retirement savings while the other 15% was placed into an online savings account (i.e. TD Ameritrade or ING Orange) to save for future ventures and to use while said ventures were still getting off the ground. I also do not believe in quitting a job until the new venture seems profitable. I will probably be working my current job for another year until my latest venture (slated to open in November) gets up and running and even though I do receive an income from my restaurants and two other investments. I just like saving. I like building. I like working.”

For more information on Kelli and Caulfield Holdings, Inc visit http://www.caulfieldholdings.com

Catherine Cohen, Owner of Premier Barter, a barter exchange service said, “When we started Premier Barter 7 years ago, I kept my job as a massage therapist because of the flexible hours. And also because I could sell people on the concept of paying for my massage with barter credits rather than cash. However, being a barter exchange, we were able to barter for a lot of the things we needed to start up like networking group memberships, logo design, printing, even food to throw a launch event.”

For more information on Catherine and Premier Barter visit http://www.premierbarter.com/
Follow Premier Barter on Twitter at http://twitter.com/premierbarter
Become a Facebook Fan at http://tinyurl.com/2b4t6ag

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron, lovable dog Hank, and sweet kitten Sammy. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.

This is the 2nd in a series of stories where entrepreneurs tell how they kept the bills paid, during the lean times.

In this installment, you meet Michael, Steve, and Adam.

Michael Lewis, Chief Concierge and Owner of Suite Arrival said, “I think one of the biggest mistakes a poor startup founder can make is attempting to operate at current capital expenditures. Meaning, trying to bootstrap a startup and still maintain the new car payments, weekend bar binges, movies at $12/ ticket, etc.

The lifestyle at least in my case had to change. The first thing I did when starting Suite Arrival was I saved money for 6 months like a squirrel stores acorns for winter. I then cashed out my 401k, and minimized my lifestyle. I got rid of everything and went all in. I sold my car, put away the Xbox and lived with a laptop, on a futon mattress and paid low rent for a room in someone’s house. No more expensive bar tabs or $20 lunches.

Entrepreneurs that are all in must realize that seeking out the discount lunches, clipping coupons and being frugal will extend the time they have to focus 100% hustle into the company. That’s why Suite Arrival has grown so much in just 6 months. I am on it 24/7 with everything I have. Plan, save, reduce, cash in and be frugal.”

For more information about Michael and Suite Arrival visit http://suitearrival.com/
Follow Suite Arrival on Twitter at http://twitter.com/suitearrival
Become a Facebook Fan at http://tinyurl.com/397cs4n
Follow Suite Arrival’s Blog at http://blog.suitearrival.com/

Steve Kamb, Founder of Nerd Fitness said, “I launched Nerd Fitness in the spring of 2009, and continued working my day job (I worked for a company that produced music cruises), for the next 18 months while building my audience for the website. I would work all day at the office, go to the gym, and then come home and work on the website from 8PM to midnight or 1AM, every day.

In June of 2010, despite not pulling in any money yet through my site, I made the decision to quit my job and concentrate full time on it. Over the past two months, I’ve picked up odd jobs here and there (I worked as a production assistant on a music video shoot for two nights, helped a friend work a concert another night, did some marketing research for a company another night, etc.). I recently launched my first money-making part of my company, but I still plan on picking up odd jobs here and there while growing the business.”

For more information on Steve and Nerd Fitness visit http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/
Follow Nerd Fitness on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nerdfitness
Become a Facebook Fan at http://tinyurl.com/2ewozsx

Adam Kruse, Real Estate Broker with Hermann London said, “To keep the bills paid when I was starting in Real Estate I did a few things.”

1. Kept my day job for awhile.
2. Sold things for people on eBay and took a cut.
3. Cut overhead as much as possible by working from home, driving an old car, and utilizing interns.

For more information on Adam and Herman London visit http://www.hermannlondon.com/
Follow Hermann London on Twitter at http://twitter.com/hermannlondon
Become a Facebook Friend at http://www.facebook.com/StLouisRealtor

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron, lovable dog Hank, and sweet kitten Sammy. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.

This series is for my awesome readers. Some of the feedback I’ve been getting from my readers is – “I love your articles and interviews. They are so inspiring, but what I want to know is – how are these entrepreneurs keeping the bills paid while chasing their dreams.” So, this is the first in a series of stories where entrepreneurs tell how they kept the bills paid, during the lean times. In this installment, you’ll meet Jennyvi, Nancy, and Colleen.

Jennyvi Dizon, owner of Jennyvi Dizon Couture said, “When I started my company Jennyvi Dizon Couture, I was in accounting. The very first time I decided to take the leap was when I worked in the tax industry for an accounting firm. I was upfront with my bosses, the busier I got. The busier I got with my gown orders, the less I was interested in working another tax season on a full-time basis. I quit the job to look for a part-time position and sure enough I was able to get an accounting job with a weddings magazine. It was perfect because I was able to keep up with the bridal trends. I was dreaming of dresses I could design and make at work and then going home to sew the designs I thought of. Eventually, I was working more hours at the magazine, but I quit when I was booking more gowns at $3000 a dress. It was a sign, it was time to let go of the day job.

For more information on Jennyvi and her designs visit www.jennyvi.com
Follow Jennyvi’s blog at www.jennyvidizon.blogspot.com
Become a Facebook Fan at http://www.facebook.com/jennyvicouture
Visit Jennyvi’s Etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/jennyvi

Nancy Williams, Owner of Gift of Travel said, “I have actually launched two different companies. My first entrepreneurial effort launched in 1995 www.honeyluna.com. Initially, I kept my day job until we had positive revenue flow. Slowly I cut back my hours at my day job to part time. After I received an angel round of investing I was able to devote full time (and then some!) to HoneyLuna. Then after my divorce, I needed to earn a bit more income than I was able to pay myself with HoneyLuna. I lived in Marin County – expensive! Most of my revenue went back into the company to expand. HoneyLuna was viable, but I just needed more dollars for myself, so I waitressed for 2 years. (LOVED IT!) After selling HoneyLuna I launched a new company Gift of Travel. In order to pay the bills as Gift of Travel grows to positive cash flow, I am consulting for the company that is currently running HoneyLuna. I definitely love being an entrepreneur and would rather do whatever it takes to make my companies work than be employed by/for someone else!”

For more information on Nancy and Gift of Travel visit www.giftoftravel.com

Colleen Lloyd-Roberts, owner of Top Notch Nail Files said, “I continued another home based business, a network marketing company so I could grow a team and earn residual income. I knew that residual income would provide me long term working capital for my dream business. In months where it was really tight, I paid the most important bills first. I knew how long I had until the phone, lights, gas, etc. would get cut off, so I would rotate each month what bill needed to get paid. I needed money to reinvest in inventory and only the bare necessities to grow my business – nothing extravagant. By rotating my monthly payments, I never got cut off on anything, I was able to grow my business, and now I have a very successful web-based business. I also did do some trade shows, because that was instant money as well, that I could use to reinvest in my business and pay the most pressing bills.”

For more information on Colleen and Top Notch Nails visit www.nailfile.net
Become a Facebook Fan at http://tinyurl.com/39ke9ey
Follow Colleen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/teamtopnotch

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron, lovable dog Hank, and sweet kitten Sammy. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.

This is the 6th and final installment in a series of stories from entrepreneurs who have not let limitations in life and business stop them from reaching their goals of owning a successful business.

In this installment, you’ll meet Gabrielle, who went from stay-at-home mom to successful business woman. Keely, who is building a business on limited funds, Isabelle, who knew there was no alternative, but to succeed, and Jamal, who decided to create his own job opportunity after a lay-off. Read on to get your inspiration and remember – With determination and hard work; the road can lead you to Success!!

Gabrielle Napolitano, Owner of Still Hip, a kid’s resale boutique said, “Boy have I overcome some crazy things! The short of it is, I opened my business with a partner and a year later my husband left me, he ruined my credit and my business partner decided she no longer wanted to be a part of the store!” Gabrielle went from stay-at-home mom to single parent running a business completely on her own.

Visit Still Hip’s website at http://stillhipbrooklyn.com
Follow Still Hip on Twitter at http://twitter.com/stillhip
Become a Facebook Friend at http://tinyurl.com/28c7hzc

Keely Capel, Owner of BidABooking, an online auction for holiday property rentals said, “I set up my business 15 months ago even when the banks only offered 50% of the capital investment we required. I have managed to get the business off the ground by being resourceful and negotiating as much as I can on fees for services and purchasing and where ever possible looking for free options. Growing the company with such a limited budget has been tough. I have had to rely on friends and family to support me and have used personal credit cards when funds have not been available to us. We are currently seeking external investment as a way to expand the business as the banks are not prepared to increase their lending to us and personal funds are now limited. Although this is also proving a challenge. The experience however has taught me to think outside the box, never except the first offer and has provided me with even more determination to succeed in what I am doing.”

For more information on Keely and BidABooking visit http://www.bidabooking.com/
Follow BidABooking on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bidabooking
Become a Facebook Fan at http://tinyurl.com/2dk5jqn

Isabelle Thomas Duston, the Founder of Apps of All Nations LLC, a producer of applications for the iPhone and the iPad said, “I live in the US, but I am French. In the height of the recession, I realized I needed to leave my husband but had no way of supporting myself financially. Additionally, I wanted to stay in the US to continue raising our two young children. These were limitations I was able to overcome by starting my own company, Appsofallnations. I realized that by starting my own business I could both obtain my own visa and become financially independent so I could support my family. This proved to be very challenging because in order to be approved for an E2 visa you need to invest about $100,000, hire 2 people, and be profitable within 1 year. However, I was able to do it and my business is going extremely well. It enables me to use my creativity and ingenuity, as well as to apply my philosophy of life to my business and management style. This philosophy focuses on the importance of empowerment, collaborative team work, virtual and international teams, and giving to important causes. 5% of the sales of my applications are donated to important causes of my choosing. I believe that bad economic times are actually the best times to start your own business. If you are out of job and need to support yourself like I was, that’s when you get the highest level of personal implication, because you have to make it. There is no easy alternative, so you are driven to find the energy within yourself.”

Visit Apps Of All Nations at http://www.appsofallnations.com/
Follow Isabelle on Twitter at http://twitter.com/iCooking

Jamal Hipps, a marketing and advertising entrepreneur, launched his company MPYER (“empire”) with a specific vision in mind: to help their clients find their own niche or personal ‘secret’ within their industry. Jamal, who uniquely can always be seen wearing a touch of orange (his company’s color), leads MPYER with the marketing mantra of uncovering those hidden treasures of clients – discovering the secret that strengthens the bond between clients and customers and identifying the specific wants and needs between the two.

Surprisingly, MPYER was born thanks to a major setback. In April of 2008, Jamal was laid off from his job at Regions Bank as its Area Marketing Manager – after being with the company since his college years. That’s when he was given the opportunity to enter the industry on his own, determined to establish his own marketing and advertising agency (a goal of his since he was 25). Through diligent networking and several phone calls and emails, Jamal was able to meet with industry professionals who provided insight and direction for his future plans. He decided to create his own job opportunity, and MYPER was born. The company assists its clients with a wide array of services, including event planning, crisis management, graphic design throughout Nashville and nationally. Now, Jamal boasts excellent clients and a great team to work with, and advises that everyone take the risk and jump into entrepreneurial waters themselves.

For more information on Jamal and MPYER visit http://www.mpyer.com
Become a Facebook Fan at http://www.facebook.com/MPYER
Connect on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/jamalhipps

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron, lovable dog Hank, and sweet kitten Sammy. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.

This is the last in a series of interviews with Etsy entrepreneurs.

It was through social media that Kathy Swenning first heard about Etsy. Kathy is a polymer clay artist that specializes in custom beads and jewelry. In this interview, learn how Kathy started her Etsy Shop – Roz Petalz Studio.

What brought you to become an Etsy shop owner?

I heard about Etsy from a fellow crafter on a social networking site. I was tired of the high fees on Ebay, so I gave it a try.

How do you market your business?

Facebook, My Space, Business cards handed out at local fairs & included in my packaging (from all online sales).

How has social media helped your business? What have you found works best for your store?

Facebook has proven to be helpful. I can link my Etsy items to post when they go up in my shop. They also have a helpful Etsy app. I have gotten several custom orders that way – my page is set to public so anyone can view it.

What is your favorite part of being an Etsy store owner?

Low fees – no charge for store setup, etc. I especially like the “Street Teams”. I belong to two – PCAGOE (polymer clay artists guild od etsy) and Ct. Etsy Team I have participated in promotions and shows as a result of this.

What are some of the ways that you find Etsy helps in your success as a store owner?

Etsy promotes alot on their own – our success is theirs! Also the Virtual Labs has lots of good tips and ideas that have helped me along the way with suggestions for picture taking, tagging & more. The Custom section has also allowed some additional sales.

What advice would you give new Etsians just starting out?

List a few items each day instead of all at once, so you don’t get buried in the “pile” of new listings. Also, make sure your name reflects your business. I changed mine as a matter of fact due to advice from fellow Etsians. I was using my Ebay I.D. (KathyS711); decided it was better to be more recognizable to Etsy customers. Buyers on Ebay want something for nothing. Etsy buyers appreciate handmade!!!!!!

How did you come up with your shop name?

Roz Petalz Studio is the name of my business – named for my daughter, Hannah Rose.

How do you brand yourself to make your shop unique?

I make my product speak for itself. My items are one of a kind and affordable.

Do you feel a sense of community among the Etsy shop owners?

Yes! I have had strangers contact me with advice, etc just because they wanted to help a fellow “Etsian”. I have also done the same.

How do you connect with your buyers?

I respond ASAP to purchases and custom requests, etc. I include a thank you note and small “freebie” with every item. I also wrap my items with attractive packaging, etc. Most importantly, I ship FAST & leave feedback as soon as I get paid.

Visit Kathleen’s Etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/RozPetalzStudio
Follow the Roz Petalz Studio blog at http://rozpetalzstudio-kathys711.blogspot.com/
Visit the Roz Petalz Studio website at http://www.rozpetalzstudio.com/
Become a Facebook Fan at http://www.facebook.com/RozPetalzStudio

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron, lovable dog Hank, and sweet kitten Sammy. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.

This is the 5th in a series of stories from entrepreneurs who have not let limitations in life and business stop them from reaching their goals of owning a successful business.

In this installment, you’ll meet Tiffany, who didn’t let cancer stop her from landing her product into CVS; Lisa, who didn’t let lack of time stop her from growing a successful business, and Savannah, who went from nearly bankrupt to millionaire in under a year. Read on to be inspired and remember – Kick those obstacles to the curb!!

Tiffany Krumins, creator of Ava the Elephant said, “I created a product that makes medicine time fun for babies, children and parents! Ava the Elephant is a friendly elephant that talks and then dispenses medicine to the child. I was shocked that there was nothing on the market that made it a pleasurable experience for children. Last year I pitched my idea to investors and was able to secure the $50,000 needed to bring it to market. However, two months after I started the process I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 28. I decided to push through and continue working at my “paying job”, do all things necessary to start my business, raise my new daughter, have surgery, radiation and recovery all at the same time! CVS will be our first large retailer. It retails for $9.99. They are also available for purchase on our website.”

For more information on Tiffany and Ava the Elephant visit http://www.avatheelephant.com/

Lisa Tener, Book Writing Coach, and Author said, “My biggest limitation was time, when my son was younger. So I built my business slowly. And it took time. Some of the keys were: – appreciating every payment that came in, no matter how small and seeing it as a victory! – sticking with my vision, even when others wondered how it would ever work. – Finding good mentors – finding supportive women entrepreneurs to brainstorm with and support each other. – I value the flexibility of owning my own business. Once I had more income, I began to outsource. I help people write and publish their books. I serve on the faculty of Harvard medical school’s CME publishing course and also teach my own book writing courses locally and by teleseminar. I also help people with book proposals. My clients have been published by Random House, Simon and Schuster, Prometheus, Karnac books, Atria Books, and Beyond Words.

Visit Bring Your Book to Life at www.Lisatener.com/book
Follow Lisa’s blog at http://www.lisatener.com/blog

Savannah Ross, a real estate investor and trainer went from nearly bankrupt to multimillionaire in under a year through real estate investing. Savannah had to overcome many obstacles that included the near death of her youngest son, a house fire, and an impending divorce. Savannah now runs the Rich Mom Corporation which teaches people about investing in rental real estate.

For more information on Savannah and Rich Mom visit http://www.richmom.com
Follow Savannah on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TheRealRichMom
Become a Facebook friend at http://tinyurl.com/26x53fd

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron, lovable dog Hank, and sweet kitten Sammy. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.

This is # 12 in a series of interviews with Etsy entrepreneurs.

Ella Averbukh, a New York-based knit apparel and accessories designer, was on a quest to figure out how she could earn a living using her creative skills. She found the answer in Etsy. In this interview, learn how Ella is building a brand using her combined creative skills and interest in her Etsy store – Ellita’s Flying Snail.

What brought you to become an Etsy shop owner?

I have always been interested in design, fashion, and art; continuously searching for my own artistic identity, and questioning how one can earn a living by honing their creative side. When I heard about Etsy, my interests merged, and I found the answer. So here I am!

How do you market your business?

There are many ways one can promote their business online. Besides Etsy, I also post my work on such sites as www.trunkt.org, www.senseoffashion.com, www.dawanda.com, www.wholesalecrafts.com. Facebook is another site that is quite useful, as I can upload images of my work on the assorted fashion communities’ pages and interact with people with similar interests, thus promoting my work. And of course, wearing my own designs draws immediate attention; and since I always have a batch of business cards with me—the marketing is also always on the go!

How has social media helped your business? What have you found works best for your store?

Social networking definitely helps my business. I often attend NYC fashion events where I mingle with people interested in style and fashion, thus assembling either creative collaborations or business connections, while promoting my work at the same time. I also attend various trade shows and trunk shows in and around NYC, and I try to plan attending similar events—when I travel—in Europe.
　
What is your favorite part of being an Etsy store owner?

My favorite part of being an Etsy store owner is playing the major role in the little world I created, combining all of my skills and interests. I love interacting with my customers and with the fellow Etsians. I draw constant inspiration through this communication, and not only for my creativity, but also for the appreciation of beauty in the minds and hearts of others.

What are some of the ways that you find Etsy helps in your success as a store owner?

Etsy has many promotional tools which are quite useful. One of such features is “Treasuries,” wherein the items from various stores are combined into a beautiful mosaic to be posted on the front page. Etsy shop owners can also promote their work by featuring one of their items in the “Showcases” and “Gift Guides.” Etsy administrators could also select Etsy shop owners to be the “Featured Sellers.” Featured sellers are asked to give an interview about their work and the experience of being the Etsy shop owners, and the interview is posted on the front page for two days. This usually attracts attention of many people to the shop, thus increasing popularity and sales. An interview about “Ellita’s Flying Snail” shop can be found here: http://www.etsy.com/featured_seller.php?featured_user_id=5311402

What advice would you give new Etsians just starting out?

My first advice to the new Etsy shop owners would be to come up with their own authentic look and style in their designs, something that can stand out among other products. Having good quality product photography is crucial, as the buyers want to have a clear image of what they are getting. Photography, as well, can help define the store’s brand style, so that when people browse the items on Etsy, the image of the product will let the customers recognize the store right away.

How did you come up with your shop name?

“Ellita” has been my nickname forever, and I always had an affinity to the symbol of the snail with wings (I have no idea what it symbolizes, I just love it!) Together it came to be “Ellita’s Flying Snail.”

How do you brand yourself to make your shop unique?

I have previously described how photography could be crucial in creating the brand image of the store. I can also add that I have an affinity towards Renaissance, Victorian, Art Nouveau, and Steam Punk influences in fashion, and my designs reflect it. Finding models for the pictures that resonate with these fashion periods in their look also contributes to the creation of the whole “feel” of the brand.

Do you feel a sense of community among the Etsy shop owners?

Absolutely. As I mentioned before, communication with other Etsy shop owners is one of the best Etsy features, as it contributes to the sense of community and provides continuous feedback.

How do you connect with your buyers?

I always attach a hand-made tag to each item with the shop’s logo and the name of the design. I also make sure to gift-wrap each item and include a thank you card with each order.
　
Visit Ella’s Etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/Ellita

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron, lovable dog Hank, and sweet kitten Sammy. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.