Two New York City guys with a passion for entrepreneurship. Corporate life wasn’t the place for them, so they found an alternative. Evin Schwartz and Drew Austin are the co-founders of Campus Socialite, a fun online source for college students and alumni. We sat down with Evin and Drew to learn more about Campus Socialite and their story. Enjoy…

Tell us about Campus Socialite in your own words.

The Campus Socialite is the perfect mix of bedlam and sophistication that make up college students life’s. I associate this title with the influencers on each campus that spark trends both in and out of the classroom.

When did you start Campus Socialite?

The Campus Socialite was started in May 2009 by myself and my partner Drew Austin. We actually created the site to drive traffic to our companies concierge service for college students. Both of us were writing for the site and working on the concierge service at the same time, after the first month we realized people were really attracted to the college voice we were projecting and shifted complete focus to The Campus Socialite which was one of the hardest moves to make but worked out for the best.

Why did you start it?

Both Drew and I have always had the entrepreneurial mind frame and knew we were not meant for the 9-5 lifestyle. We had the best college experience one can ask for and decided to merge our profession with our passion and thus The Campus Socialite was born. I feel as though I have the best job in the world…my friends constantly remind me of that when they see pictures from our campus events.

What experience did you have working on the web?

Out of college I worked as the Marketing Director for a Real Estate firm. I created all social platforms for the company and got my real first experience in the blogging world which was extremely beneficial when launching TheCampusSocialite.com

Is Campus Socialite your full-time jobs?

Yes, both Drew and I realized how big of an undertaking it was to start a corporation with even bigger dreams of making it what it is today and had to go all in. We were both working corporate jobs in New York and traded that lifestyle in for the entrepreneurial roller coaster which has been the best ride of my life. I have to thank my family and friends who have been extremely supportive throughout the process and could not have done it without them.

Picture from the Blitz and Beatz Tour

What have you done for promotion?

We are constantly throwing campus events around the country with our student ambassadors which has really spread our brand. Our biggest promotion comes every Fall semester with our own campus tour called the Blitz & Beatz Tour. We target the biggest college football games around the country for a twelve week concert and tailgate series. While producing these events we are able to spread our companies brand as well as other companies and products looking to engage the college audience. We have begun planning our 2011 Blitz & Beatz Tour and I can tell you its going to take campus events to an entirely new level.

What are your goals for CampusSocialite?

My goals for The Campus Socialite are simple, when you think college you automatically think Campus Socialite. Within the next five years my ultimate goal is to become one of the major players in the college marketing realm and think we have laid the groundwork to meet that goal.

If you were given 1 million dollars right now, what would you do with it?

Is that an offer from GetYourBizSavvy? Honestly, I would allocate a good portion of it towards staffing the company with experienced employees. The rest would be used for some internal technology which we feel we would see a huge return from if properly funded, but your going to have to put up the money to find out what it is.

Why do people fail?

I can’t speak for most people because failure really depends on each individuals situation in life. I know for a young company like ours, learning on the fly and overcoming past mistakes have presented the biggest challenge. I believe if you can not learn from past mistakes failure is imminent.

What does success mean to you?

Success to me means waking up everyday and being truly excited for what lies ahead and ending the day knowing that you made a difference in some way. If you are happy with your lifestyle it doesn’t matter if you sell sun glasses on the beach or are the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, as long as you are satisfied with your lifestyle and can handle the responsibilities associated with it.

What advice can you offer to someone hoping to start a blog/website?

My biggest piece of advice I can offer is to surround yourself with people who share the same passion as you and do not let anything hold that passion back. Do not be afraid of failure because from failure comes a valuable learning lesson that you could have never experienced without taking the risk.

Check out Campus Socialite
Become a fan on Facebook
Follow them on Twitter

The University of Florida should tip their hats to these two fellows, but for now, Joey Sasvari and Cameron MacMillan are the ones doing the praising. The University of Florida Entrepreneurship program helped them make the decision towards starting their business. All it took was one social entrepreneurship class for these guys to come together and create New Charity Era, a low-profit, limited liability corporation (L3C), that strives to reinvent the way people work together towards a social cause. How can they possibly do that? New Charity Era just released an iPhone app that’s called Raise the Village. It is the first of a series of products they plan on releasing. Raise the Village is seriously revolutionary. I can’t get over how unbelievable this idea is and how much potential it has. Joey and Cameron know this and have indescribable passion for it.

What is Raise the Village? Glad you asked. I’m going to let Joey and Cameron do most of the explaining in the video interview, but here is a brief overview. Raise the Village is based on everyone’s favorite, “Farmville”. What makes them different though, is the fact that you’re building a village and for every virtual item you purchase towards your village, an actual good will be donated to a village in Uganda. Uganda, according to the International Monetary Fund and the CIA World Factbook, is the 20th poorest country in the world.

Without further adieu, allow me to introduce you to Joey and Cameron. Here is the video breakdown. Enjoy, and don’t forget to DOWNLOAD Raise the Village and start building your own village!

0:30 – Background
1:25 – What is Raise the Village?
2:37 – Competition and TOMS Shoes
4:10 – How’d they think of the idea?
6:04 – Biggest obstacles faced?
7:34 – Incorporating as an L3C…wait what?! Not a Non Profit?
9:08 – Characteristics of being an entrepreneur

Follow Raise the Village on Facebook.

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 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.

Eric Gazin discovered Ebay was a great way to find collectables for his collections. Eric quickly realized that he could fund his hobby by selling items on Ebay. In this interview, learn how Eric went from hobby to business owner by launching Auction Cause. Auction Cause is the leader in cause marketing campaigns, branding, and fundraising. Auction Cause works with celebrities, brands, and nonprofits to put them on eBay, selling their items and experiences.

What made you decide to become an Ebay Seller?

In 1998, I had discovered eBay was a great place to indulge in finding items for my collections (I am a US history buff). I was buying more than I should and quickly realized I could fund my hobby purchases by selling all sorts of items on eBay.

How do you market your Ebay business?

We use a variety of methods – our in house email newsletter which we send out 2x a month to over 34,000 subscribers, press releases via PR Web, media alerts, fan sites, and eBay Giving Works featured auction page all help drive traffic and bidding.

How has social media helped your business?

Both Facebook and Twitter have opened up a huge world of philanthropic people to our charity auctions. Some bid, others help spread the word.

What would you say is your favorite part of being an Ebay Seller?

Selling is always different – meeting interesting people, learning why they bid on items or experiences, hearing how happy they are after winning, all make this job very fun.

What are some of the ways that you find Ebay helps in your success as a Seller?

EBay has been great, extending special promotional opportunities to help our auctions stand out, giving us Top Seller status, PowerSeller discounts, and using key words from our listings on Google to drive more traffic.

What advice would you give someone who is thinking about becoming an Ebay Seller?

Make a decision if you want to sell as a hobby or do it for a business. Selling an item once in a while is fairly easy, and you are able to focus on that one thing. Selling as a business means you need to think through every detail – photography, shipping times, customer service, marketing, and more. There are great selling opportunities on eBay as a business, but one need to do their homework and take it serious in order to be successful.

In a sea of many sellers – how do you brand your store so that it stands out?

All about the design and marketing. We have great graphic designers on staff who incorporate eye catching images, video, and lots of detail to help the buyer know what they are bidding on. We also start low, with no reserve price. We even did this for our $2.1 million auction!

Do you feel a sense of community among the Ebay Sellers?

There used to be more of this in the past, and the community aspect is not as evident now. Still, sellers will share tips, and we ourselves are always happy to give some free eBay selling advice when asked to foster the community spirit.

How do you connect with your buyers?

Often times, on our higher value auctions, we call them to verify their sincerity to bid. This helps them also feel confident that their bid is being taken seriously and that what is being auctioned is for real.

Is there anything you would like to add?

EBay is still the best place to sell online. We love the fact that they have 100 million active accounts, all fighting potentially for what we are selling. I think people who buy or sell on eBay need to realize that there are many tricks to being successful, and that while the vast majority of the people on eBay are great, still keep your common sense when dealing with buyers or sellers who seem to be insincere. My best secret when having a problem with someone on eBay is to ask for their phone number. Anyone legitimate would be happy to clear up a problem with a quick chat rather than a drawn out email thread!

Learn more about Eric and Auction Cause at http://www.auctioncause.com
Follow Auction Cause on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/auctioncause
Become a Facebook Friend at http://www.facebook.com/auctioncause

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 4th 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 Andria, who didn’t let Hurricane Katrina end her dream; Steffany, who persevered through the limitations that resulted in a growing business, and Peter, who overcame what many would consider a disability. Read on to get your required dose of inspiration and remember – Anything is Possible!!

Andria Lewis, a wedding and event designer, made the leap into from corporate America sales into entrepreneurship in February 2005, six months before Hurricane Katrina hit. With only one client and a will to work, Andria relocated to Memphis to start her own wedding and event planning business. Not only is her five-year old business thriving, but she used her pitfalls to sustain and grow business while striving to stand out in a world full of wedding planners. This year, her growth as an entrepreneur and her efforts to remain diligent have allowed her to expand her clientele into corporate events, add 5 new staff members and move into a small office space. Andria is currently planning the wedding of Golden State Warriors NBA player Monta Ellis and his fiancé Juanika.

Visit Andria Lewis Events Website at http://alewisevents.com/
Become a Facebook Friend at: http://www.facebook.com/andrialewisevents
Follow Andria Lewis Events on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/alewisevents
Check out the Planner Pages blog at: http://www.theplannerpages.com/

Steffany Boldrini, Entrepreneur and Creator of EcoBold said, “I launched www.ecobold.com on my own and have gone through lots of limitations. The biggest one is that I wanted to make the “amazon.com of green products” but could not find a good technical partner that was driven enough and passionate about the subject. I looked everywhere for one year, I met 20-30 people and nobody was a good fit. So I started thinking about how I could launch the site on my own, without an engineer. After a few weeks the idea of doing video reviews came to my head. I posted internships for video guys. After us shooting over 20 reviews, his camera pooped out and all videos were lost. So I decided to buy a camera, tripod, I learned how to edit, got samples, and here the site is! It’s only 6 months old, growing, and it’s on the first page of Google for several keywords, and many people like it .”

Visit EcoBold’s website at www.ecobold.com
Follow EcoBold on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ecobold

Peter Geisheker, a marketing expert and CEO of The Geisheker Group Marketing Firm said, “My limitation is that I stutter. I was told it would be very difficult for me to build a successful business because of my stuttering. I turned around and built a very successful international marketing firm. The secret of my success is I am very determined and I love to prove people wrong when they try to put a limitation on me. When somebody tells me I cannot do something, it makes me want to do it twice as much just to prove them wrong. When a person tells me I can’t do something, they are giving me a tremendous amount of inspiration to prove them wrong. My biggest motivator in life was reading the book, “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. It showed me that average people can accomplish anything they set their mind to as long as they believe in themselves.”

Visit The Geisheker Group’s website at www.geisheker.com.
Follow The Geisheker Group on Twitter at http://twitter.com/geisheker

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 eleventh in a series of interviews with Etsy entrepreneurs.

Katy Mims was looking to add more retail sales to her South Paw Studios Jewelry business when she decided to start her Etsy shop. Kathy uses only the finest Swarovski Austrian crystals, glass pearls, fresh water pearls, Balinesian beads, Venetian glass, sterling silver, semi-precious and precious stones, and vermeil in her handmade jewelry. In this interview, learn how Katy started her successful Etsy shop – South Paw Studios – that has customers from all over the world.

What brought you to become an Etsy shop owner?

I decided to add Etsy as another facet to my business because I needed to add more retail sales to my business plan. Etsy was the key! I had been hearing about Etsy for a while, and just decided to join one day. It was VERY difficult at first to figure out how to get noticed and get sales, but with drive and 100’s of hours of research I broke the code and figured it out and haven’t looked back.

How do you market your business?

I market my business using Social networking, and I take out a few online ads once and a while. During the holiday season I step it up a notch and do more online ads. I also send out a quarterly newsletter to my customer base. This newsletter consists of new products, upcoming events, and usually a sales code so they can get something free or for a percentage off. For my local customers, I send out postcards for any local art shows that I am doing and I tell them where I sell at local galleries and museum shops.

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

I love social networking. It really is a way to network for online stores. Really it is the new “business lunch meeting” or “dinner party”. Online stores don’t get out much to do face to face networking, so the new life of social networking has opened that door. I have a blog that I try to tend to once a week, I use facebook and twitter; a combination that has been very successful for me.

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

On the personal side of being my own boss and having a successful Etsy shop, I really realized when my son was born, if I didn’t feel like working after not sleeping all night – that was ok. As a family we didn’t have to worry about maternity leave, or missing out on work or child care. That was all part of the plan and has worked out beautifully. Now my son is 3, and I haven’t missed a thing. On a business side, Etsy opens up a whole new realm of customers that never would have known South Paw Studios existed. I have mailed orders all over the world, from Spain, to Israel. It really is very exciting to see.

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

Etsy has made me a more successful business owner because it generates more retail sales for me. Etsy does this by having its hand in all the cookie jars, all over the world, funneling all these buyers into one central location. With Etsy drawing in consumers of handmade goods, and marketing to businesses like me that supply them, it is just a match made in heaven. It just makes perfect sense.

What advice would you give new Etsians just starting out?

My advice is to have good photography. I invested in a great Nikon SLR camera, and it has been worth every penny. I have been in the jewelry business 13 years and counting, and this camera is one of the best business decisions and money well spent, ever.

How did you come up with your shop name?

My store name, “South Paw Studios”, means that I am a lefty. It originated as a boxing and baseball term for someone that is left handed. I felt that my business name should be more than just Katy Mims jewelry, I needed something that I could identify with, and that other people would notice too.

How do you brand yourself to make your shop unique?

I feel that I offer functional jewelry that you can wear everyday with jeans and a simple white t-shirt, yet you can wear it to a formal function if preferred. I don’t want my customer to seem pressed on the thought of “I love this necklace, but where am I going to wear it?” I want them to be more, “I love this necklace, and I can wear it with anything”. I want there to be “No Fuss”. Jewelry shouldn’t be complicated, it should be enjoyable. That is why I feel I create jewelry that is much more appealing and affordable to a wider range of woman, from the younger jewelry lover to the seasoned shopper.

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

The sense of community is huge! Even though none of us ever meet, we are a big part of each others’ lives. I am an active member of two Etsy teams; The Etsy Twitter team and the Full Time Etsy Crafters team (FTEC). Both teams are so supportive and offer all kinds of business advice, and we are all in the same boat so they “just get it”. Some other people that I talk about Etsy to just look at me with a stare in their eye, and say, “what is it called again?” They just can’t grasp that it really propelled my business to the next level. So the Etsy community fills that part of my life. We all live and breathe our craft and are so passionate about it. Knowing that others are out there just like me, makes me feel a little less crazy and a lot more normal.

How do you connect with your buyers?

To connect with buyers, I always enclose a special hand written note, thanking them for their order and hoping to see them again soon. I use my own South Paw Studios note pads that are printed with my business logo and websites and I include a few business cards. For the holiday season I always include holiday gift tags too. The jewelry is placed in a special made, silver foil-stamped gift box and is lined with white tissue. All gift boxes come with a silver bow. People just love it when they get to “open” a gift, it makes it more exciting. I can’t tell you how many times I have received compliments on my packaging. It really is something I take great pride in. It really shows to the customer that I spare no expense when they buy something from me. I also encourage customers to sign up for my quarterly newsletter – which they can do from my blog – and to find me online on Twitter and Facebook.

Visit Katy’s Etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/southpawstudios
Visit the South Paw Studios website at http://southpawonline.com/
Follow the South Paw Studios blog at http://southpawstudios.blogspot.com/
Become a Facebook Fan at http://www.facebook.com/SouthPawStudios?v=wall
Follow South Paw Studios on Twitter at http://twitter.com/southpawstudios

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.