(And yes there are dumb questions)

Being a friend of mine must be tough because I am super busy, and my brain is 10 times busier. I’m always bouncing in and out of stuff getting places late, leaving early, forgetting to get back to people etc. But it’s hard when your brain runs like a cheetah after 50 red bulls.

What does an overactive brain bring?

• Over-analyzing
• Loss of sleep
• Diarrhea of the mouth
• Forgetfulness
• Ideas?

I think I could churn out 50 entrepreneurial ideas a day. 50! I used to have all these ideas and I kept them to myself. Then I started to write them down and keep them to myself, and let them evolve into silly ideas. I’d come back to the list the next day and cross two off, say this one sucks, that ones impossible, and that ones worse than Barney.  NEGATIVE! NEGATIVE! NEGATIVE! I was pissing potential away everyday, like I’d just finished 10 beers of it.

So what did I do?

I grew balls, and one day I started to tell friends about my ideas. I didn’t want to, but I had to. Some days I literally asked 50 people what they thought of an idea. I thought I’d lose friends or people would think I am crazy. But I kept asking anyways. When our Mom’s told us “Honey there is no such thing as a dumb question,” they were lying.  There are tons of dumb questions, you just have to have the balls to say them and see…

Would a beer with 8 grams of protein be a hit?

Would you buy a half cat half dog mix?

What do you think of teleportation? Will it ever exist?

50 dumb questions like these and you know what happened? People told me No that wouldn’t work for 49 of my ideas. 98% of all my ideas were bombs. But what does that mean my math majors???

2% were gems!!!

And people didn’t think I was (too) crazy. And surprisingly enough they liked my ideas.

“Yo Nick, What do you have for us today dude?”

It was like I had a bag of seeds and I kept them all in their packaging expecting them to grow in there. But instead they all dried out and died. Take your ideas out and plant them. See what happens. SHARE YOUR IDEAS. GROW SOME BALLS!!!!!

Nick Chmura is the author of this post. New to GetyourBizsavvy.com, Nick is ecstatic to be on the team and share his entrepreneurial knowledge. It seems Nick has his fingers in an array of entrepreneurial ventures. His most recent project is the development of a FMYLIFE.com-esqe site, thedirtysheets.com – check it out! Feel free to contact Nick at nick@thedirtysheets.com FOR ANYTHING. He loves to network and chat entrepreneurship. Optimist. Motivator. Philosopher. Get ready to literally get your socks knocked off!

Craig Wolfe is the owner of CelebriDucks, the original creator of the first ever collectible celebrity rubber duck. Craig’s ducks include some of the greatest icons of film, music, athletics, and history. In this interview, learn how Craig took an idea of making rubber ducks that looked like celebrities and grew it into a business that to date, has created over 200 different CelebriDucks and pioneered a whole new collectible.

CelebriDucks are so unique. How did you come up with the idea?

At the time I was the largest publisher of artwork from television commercials in the country having created the first ever animation art lines for Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Bush, M&M/Mars, etc. But a friend, a little drunk, had this idea of making rubber ducks that looked like celebrities…and I thought why not!….I mean we didn’t create the Coke Bears or Bud Frogs, etc..so how cool would it be to have our own brand…and a very fun and whimsical one at that!

How did you turn this idea into a business?

Well, I had no idea how to do this kind of manufacturing as I was a publisher. But I eventually found a factory to make a Betty Boop for us. I chose Betty as I had called King Features and spoke to their director of licensing, Ita Golzman, a wonderful woman. I could tell speaking to her on the phone that she thought I was a bit out there but suggested I make one and get back in touch, figuring she’ll never hear from me again. Surprise!…I actually found this factory to make a prototype and sent it to her. I came in one morning and there was a message that she got the duck and thought it was very cute and wanted to talk…and the rest as they say, is history!

When the Philadelphia 76ers read about us a few years later, they asked us to do Allan Iverson complete with all his tattoos, cornrows, earring, etc., I knew it would be quite the challenge. But we did it. And honestly, when we got done with it, it looked more like him than he did! The event was a huge success and then all these other professional sports teams came calling. At that point, I felt it was time to sell off the animation side of the business and become all ducks!!

Your ducks include everything from college sports teams to various celebrities. How do you decide who is going to get a rubber duck created from their likeness?

You know a lot of people contact us, but we don’t always come to a financial arrangement that seems right so we might walk away. Most often we just look at classic characters that we like…people and universities we want to work with. We probably turn down 90% of the people who want to be part of our line. It’s just so much work…like 4-6 months to do a duck. The level of detail in our sculpting, painting and packaging is off the charts and is a lot of hard work so we try to choose carefully.

What is the next step after deciding on a likeness? For example, for the Michael Jackson Thriller duck, what legalities are involved before the duck is created?

Once we decide on someone, it’s a matter of working out licensing agreements. The one with Michael was interesting. It was such a huge hit for us. I actually worked with Michael when he was working on His Black and White album and I was marketing the artwork for The California Raisins. Michael loved his raisin statue. Then a few years ago I started working with him again with his agency in Europe. After his passing, I contacted them again and they were very happy for us to finish up what we had all started. Sadly, they lost the rights to a US group and thus we lost the rights. So once that first edition sold out, that was it. People still ask us for them all the time as it was one of our most popular ducks ever. Hopefully, one day we’ll work things out with the new agency.

How long does it take to go from rubber duck idea to a finished rubber duck ready for sale?

I would say around four months is the fastest. We spent nine months on The Wizard of Oz! Honestly, if I knew how complicated it was to make one duck; I don’t think I would ever have gotten into it. I mean I absolutely love it now, but what a learning curve!

You have now ventured in the Green market with The Green Gram. Which includes Mr. Green, the world’s first rubber duck made from 100% recycled material. The Green Gram was also named one of the Top 100 Gifts by Entertainment Weekly. What made you decide to add a Green line?

Actually, all our ducks won that award from Entertainment Weekly. For Mr. Green, well, people were asking us if we could do a “green duck for a long time and it seemed like a good thing to do. But wow, this may have been the most difficult duck we ever did. We had to use a whole different type of mold….and working with recycled material is so tricky. But it’s one of our top selling products and the only 100% recycled duck in the world. I’m not sure anyone else is even going to attempt it to be honest. And the soap that is handmade for us one bar at a time of an elderly lady in the mid-west is amazing…it’s our own scent and it’s fantastic and really is great for any skin type….so it’s been a very cool project.

Tell us about your Chocolate line that includes the Cocoa Canard rubber duck.

Well, I love chocolate. And we didn’t see any chocolate themed rubber ducks out there, so we came out with our Cocoa Canard. (Canard is French for duck by the way). We also came up with this line of high end Belgian chocolate that has our signature duck logos on each piece. Then we designed matching French chocolate shop packaging for the duck and chocolates. And then we designed this Canard Gram stationary. So someone can send a gift of our rubber duck, Belgian duck chocolates, and a personalized note to anyone anywhere in the country….it’s just such a fun and unique gift.

Do you create custom rubber ducks for customers?

This is a huge part of what we do here. We do them for NBA, NHL, MLB teams plus universities. We also do them Fortune 500 companies. If you go to the custom duck section on our website you can see a sampling of what we have done. It’s quite extensive and we’re always working on new ones. We just finished a very large one for a top Malaysian rock band, plus our new ones for Kikkoman and SeaWorld arrive this week!

What advice would you give someone that has an idea for a massed produced item?

Do a lot of research! Really make sure you have the right manufacturing partners and start slow and really test your idea. I of course did none of that so it can also work when you do it all wrong!! But they say hindsight is 20/20 and I’ve definitely learned a lot. But maybe one of the reasons why I was able to survive and learn from my mistakes is that I always tried to keep my overhead low and try not to spend money stupidly. I also realized early on that we had something different and unique here so I was willing to stick with it long enough to allow it to take root….patience, grasshopper!

Is there anything you would like to add?

Yes, in the end, it’s great to find something you can do as a job and feel passionate about every day. I feel very grateful for that. But it’s good to also know that no business can ultimately fulfill you. Your ultimate goals have to do a little deeper. For me understanding more about spiritual matters, love, compassion, and taking the time to set up my business such that my estate passes to a non-profit are very important. If you aren’t using your life to learn more about yourself and more about what you can do for others, it doesn’t matter how successful your business is…you will never really succeed as a human being….if anything…a good business gives us the foundation and means to make better choices in life.

For information about Craig and CelebriDucks visit http://www.celebriducks.com
Follow CelebriDucks on Twitter at http://twitter.com/celebriducks
Become a Facebook Friend at http://www.facebook.com/CelebriDucks

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.

Giancarlo Massaro was up watching late night TV when he saw an infomercial pitching a product. It was while watching the infomercial that Giancarlo came up with the idea for AnyLukyDay, a daily contest website that operates as an advertising space to promote companies’ products and services through giveaways. In this interview, learn how Giancarlo is providing each of his clients a unique, fun and exciting 24-hour advertising campaign on AnyLuckyDay.

Tell us about AnyLuckyDay and how you came up with this unique idea?

The unique idea for AnyLuckyDay came about in December 2008. I had built and sold many websites leading up to my freshman year of college, but I decided to take a year off to focus on school. In December of my sophomore year, I was watching TV late one night trying to think of ideas for another website and that’s when I saw an infomercial pitching a product. I thought, “wouldn’t it be cool if I could test these products out before I had to buy them?” With a little tweaking of my initial idea, AnyLuckyDay was born.

AnyLuckyDay is a daily contest website that operates as an advertising space to promote companies’ products and services through giveaways. Every day, thousands of companies are searching for new and unique ways to advertise that are different than a traditional one-way advertising campaign. AnyLuckyDay does just that, providing each of its clients with a unique, fun and exciting 24-hour advertising campaign that includes a product giveaway, a custom “product-pitching” video created by me, and multiple posts on our Twitter and Facebook accounts. Clients also receive viral exposure as our users share the giveaway with their social networks in order to receive extra entries. It’s a great atmosphere because our users get to learn about new companies and they receive the chance to win their products, which creates an interactive experience for both the client and the customer.

How does the process work?

AnyLuckyDay works on a ‘one giveaway a day’ schedule. Every 24 hours we feature a new company and giveaway one (or many) of their products. Giveaways run from 12:00AM EST to 11:59PM EST. Winners are picked at random at the conclusion of each giveaway.

For contestants looking to enter the daily giveaways, they simply have to read the daily contest and watch the video on the homepage. Next, they must click the blue ‘Visit Sponsor’ button to check out the sponsor’s site because after all, they are giving everyone a chance to win their product. Finally, clicking the orange ‘Comment’ button and posting a comment will secure their entry into the giveaway.

For companies interested in taking advantage of the unique advertising service that AnyLuckyDay provides, they can view our booking calendar to purchase a day to be featured. Once a day is booked, we will work with the company to plan out their campaign.

How do you promote the product or service?

Every product or service is promoted on the homepage of AnyLuckyDay through a blog post as well as a custom ‘product-pitching’ video. In addition, multiple posts are made on our Twitter and Facebook accounts. Throughout the day, our users also share the daily giveaway with their social networks in order to receive extra entries, which allows it to go viral.

What types of product or service gets the most response?

I’ve been doing this for almost two years now and here is what I have found. Electronic items tend to always do well, as well as jewelry, apparel and unusual gadgets. I’ve started to shy away from promoting services because they do not get as good of a response as I would like them to. Surprisingly, food items have done well too, with a giveaway from Snyder’s of Hanover attracting over 600 contestants.

How has using video on your site helped in the sites growth?

Using video has helped AnyLuckyDay grow tenfold since I started it in January 2009. First, I feel that the video aspect adds a personal touch to the site, so people can actually see who is behind AnyLuckyDay and who is operating the giveaways. Second, using video allows for people to learn about the companies that support AnyLuckyDay and provide people with all the great giveaways. The great thing about video is that it can easily be shared with friends and family and reposted anywhere, which has allowed for more and more people to check out AnyLuckyDay.

What did you learn during the start up phase?

Don’t expect to turn an idea into an overnight success because it just won’t happen. I had so many great ideas in the beginning and felt that with a few weeks of hard work, I would be seeing green, and a whole lot of it. That wasn’t the case. In fact, AnyLuckyDay made no money for an entire year, but I kept on pushing. I worked 12-14 hour days, I stayed in on weekends when friends were out partying, and I even worked during my college classes (sorry mom).

What advice would you give aspiring entrepreneurs?

If you have an idea and you want it to succeed, be ready to pump all of your time and effort into it. You need to be passionate about it and truly believe in it. You will work longer hours than a normal 9-5 job, but that’s the life of an entrepreneur. You won’t make your first million overnight either, so if long hours and making little to no money is not for you, then don’t be an entrepreneur. I will tell you this though, there is no greater feeling than working so hard for something and seeing it finally succeed.

Is there anything you would like to add?

You can check out AnyLuckyDay at http://anyluckyday.com. You can follow us on Twitter @anyluckyday, or ‘Like’ us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/anyluckydaycontests

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 fifth in a series of interviews with Etsy entrepreneurs.

Karen is part of the ever growing community of handmade artisans who are making a real living on Etsy. Not only is Karen a shop owner, but her husband and daughter are also shop owners with her son working behind the scenes as an important part of the team. Karen and her family have been selling on Etsy since October 2007, and have been Full Time Etsy Sellers since July 2009. The family calls Livingston, TX, their home, but they have a house near Rolla, Missouri and still manage to spend as much time as they can traveling in their other home, a 40 foot RV. The kids are homeschooled, and always have been. They love being homeschooled and all the great opportunities that they have been given!!! In this interview, learn how Karen and her family began with one Etsy shop that has now grown into four Etsy shops.

What brought you to become an Etsy shop owner?

A friend knew we were selling jewelry at local craft shows and she suggested we try Etsy. This was 2 1/2 years ago and we had not heard of it at that point. We took a look and thought it was a good fit for our product, and it was very accessible, meaning, at that point we did not have any on line blogging, social networking or any on line selling experience. I had experience buying on line from Amazon and had a PayPal account. That was it. But, even with only that, we found that it was easy to set up our shop on Etsy. We even had our first sale on that very first day!

How do you market your business?

I utilize social networking, blogging, promotions on our site, handing out freebies at craft shows, word of mouth.

How has social networking helped your business?

Social networking has helped in two ways. First, we use it to stay connected with other shop keepers. It is great for sharing information and also to have a sense of community. Second, it helps us to promote our sales and new offerings to both existing and prospective customers.

What have you found works best for your store?

We use Twitter and Facebook. I have a personal and a fan page on Facebook, with the Fan page linked to Twitter. I usually list each new creation on our fan page and then it goes to Twitter automatically. I have over 5000 followers on Twitter and I try to spend some time every day chatting, retweeting good quotes, and mentioning some of new/sale items. I retweet other’s sales and neat handmade creations too. Both, Twitter and FB definitely drive traffic, AND sales. Night before last, I posted some new red earrings on Flickr and then tweeted about them with a link to the Flickr pic. I immediately got a tweet asking how much they were. I tweeted back the price and she went and bought them. It was her first Etsy transaction. Yoohoo!

What is your favorite part of being an Etsy store owner?
It allows our family to work together, to have a creative outlet, and educational experience for the kids (they are homeschooled). Being a part of Etsy means that we are a part of a worldwide community of artisans. That’s fabulous!

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

When we stared on Etsy, we hadn’t know about it before a few weeks prior and when we would mention to friends or customers at a craft show that we had an “Etsy Shop” they would ask about it as they didn’t know what that was. NOW, and for about the past 8 months, when we say we have an “Etsy Shop” the response is,”Oh cool! I will check you out there” or “My Mom has an Etsy shop too”. And, I have seen Etsy shops in mainstream magazines like Woman’s Day, Reader’s Digest and Ready Made. They are branding “handmade” in a whole new way. It’s no longer cutsie, country craft stuff, but cutting edge artisan made creations.

What advice would you give new Etsians just starting out?

Make something that you love, something that you really believe in and the rest is just hard work.

How did you come up with your shop name?

We are an un-common family…so it’s a play on that.

How do you brand yourself to make your shop unique?

We offer unique and colorful interpretations of traditional chainmaille.

Do you feel a sense of community among the Etsy shop owners?
Absolutely! And, we belong to several teams where we have many very good friends and a great support group.

How do you connect with your buyers?

We hand sew envelopes, hand sign the invoice, include a thank-you gift or gift wrap…and well, you will have to buy something to see what else!

For more information on Karen and her family’s Etsy shops visit:

http://unkamengifts.etsy.com/ – Sells unique and colorful chainmaille
jewelry and modern jewelry.

http://unkamensupplies.etsy.com/ – Quality hand crafted supplies for jewelry.

http://favmoongirl.etsy.com/ – Sells funky chainmaille and unique creations.

http://unkamenkeychains.etsy.com/ – Sells KEYCHAINS and Accessories

Their main website at http://unkamengifts.com/

Follow Karen on Twitter: http://twitter.com/unkamengifts

Become a Facebook Fan at http://www.facebook.com/pages/UnkamenGifts/269222395062

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 entrepreneur 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 and lovable dog Hank. 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 third in a series of interviews with Etsy entrepreneurs.

Amber Zrust started her Etsy shop RockerByeBaby in 2007. Amber the mother of two little boys had grown tired of blues, greens, and teddy bears and thought she could design something way cooler. Amber’s designs have been included in celebrity gift baskets for Angie Everhart and Tori Spelling. In this interview, learn how Amber began RockerByeBaby whose shop moto is WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN STOCK FOR YOUR BABY TO ROCK!!

What brought you to become an Etsy shop owner?

I honestly don’t remember how I found Etsy… call it fate I guess. Back in August of ’07 I started RockerByeBaby. I had been pregnant for 2 years back to back and had two boys 11 months apart. I can’t even begin to explain how sick of blues and greens and teddy bears I had grown to be. I knew I could do something better, so I did. Before that month was up I was settled in on Etsy. From the moment I started there it was great. Many sellers have strayed and tested out the
competitors “craftier sites” but not I. Etsy has been good to me, and in turn, I like to think I’m pretty good to etsy. (At least I’m sure they love my monthly fee payments.)

How do you market your business?

You will never believe me, but I don’t really spend money on advertising. I am completely invested in networking with friends, customers, and family. This has helped greatly as there is always someone referring my store. I also do the occasional celebrity gifting. You can see us in “Pregnancy Magazine” for the bedding we made for Angie Everhart. As well as Tori Spelling’s son Liam rockin’ our Regent Skulls polo and many more celebrities with RockerByeBaby. Most
importantly, I set the bar VERY high for customer service. This is a major marketing technique in itself. It keeps my return customers coming back, new customers feeling “safe & comfortable” with their purchase, and almost always guarantees they will tell their friends. Which in turn means more business for us. Lastly, lots and lots of social networking. Twitter has been HUGE for RockerByeBaby, but I believe that’s for another question.

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

Social Networking has changed the face of RockerByeBaby. If it weren’t for Twitter,
Facebook, Myspace & my blog, there is no way we would be where we are today and I truly
believe that. It’s because of these sources I am able to get away with playing little to no money on advertising. I have met so many great people through these sites. We help each other out a lot…everything from spreading the word about stores, sales, new items, etc… to trading banners on sites, and sometimes I even trade goods for advertisement. This saves me HUNDREDS of dollars.

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

Just one favorite? That’s a hard choice. Can I mention a few? I love the community of Etsy. I love what Etsy has helped me achieve, and mostly, I love being a major part of the handmade movement. So many people are choosing to buy items handmade in the USA… this is better for SO MANY obvious reasons, but the big ones are (1) eco friendly…we’re not importing items made in factories from other countries (2) it’s helping OUR economy. Allowing stay at home moms, out of work dads, retired grandparents and more to be able to contribute in any way that they want without having to even leave the house. Whether it is a small store or a larger store like mine… RockerByeBaby allows me to be home with my kids all day long, but still bring in a significant amount of extra income. We get the best of both worlds.

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

Etsy is a great, reliable source for a steady amount of customers. Etsy itself is growing daily and getting more attention. This in turn helps me. If Etsy has a shout out on a news channel that brings in thousands of new customers which could obviously find their way to me. Though my store did amazing last year, I couldn’t have done it without Etsy. I have a website that offers almost all the same items but my sales ratio is not even close. I probably sell 20 items on Etsy
for every one that I sell on my website.

What advice would you give new Etsians just starting out?

(1)Relist – Relist – Relist… I know there are people that disagree but I strongly believe you can’t be successful on Etsy without relisting every single day, you will drop to the bottom of the
searches and be lost forever. This is the biggest & most important tip I could give anyone.

(2) Create something people want and do it well. Sounds simple right? But it’s not. I can’t tell you how many people are out there opening shops just to steal others ideas, make a lower quality version, undercut, and try to make a quick buck. Some of my best “Etsy” friends have copycats, I have copycats. It’s so frustrating to those of us that have worked so hard to come up with our own ideas.

How did you come up with your shop name?

My hubby actually did. He is very witty like that. RockerByeBaby is a play on the nursery rhyme Rock-a-Bye Baby… with Rocker being the play on Punk Rock. He also helped come up with our slogan “Everything in STOCK for your baby to ROCK”

How do you brand yourself to make your shop unique?

Branding is something I am always working on. The RockerByeBaby name is slowly becoming a brand. We are known on Etsy for our high quality materials, great craftsmanship, and amazing customer service. We have a very recognizable logo (the hot pink & turquoise skull with checkerboard behind it) which I think play a big part in “branding” ourselves. I know we’re still a long way from RockerByeBaby being a household brand name, but I think we are headed
in the right direction.

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

Completely. Some of the people I met through Etsy have now come to play important roles in my everyday life. Whether it is helping to promote the store, cross promoting items & wholesaling. Even just being a friendly voice on the other end of the phone to get through a stressful day. I just wish they all lived closer to me. Another big sense of community through Etsy are the street teams. I am currently involved in two of them (EtsyDarkTeam & EtsyKids Team), and again, it’s another way to be a part of some free networking & advertisement. It’s comforting to know there are always people looking out for you and your brand.

How do you connect with your buyers?

I like to think this falls into my customer service category. I get back to my customers usually no more than 2 hours from when they email… It is me personally sending out each and every email. I chit chat, make them laugh and I am very relaxed and welcoming in my mails. I bend over backwards to be sure they are completely satisfied with their purchase. If they don’t see anything they just “must have” I find it for them. If they need it fast, I find a way to get it there.
I offer discounts in exchange for customer photos (because at the end of a bad day, customer photos pull me through to the next) and (another cross promotion tip.) I have teamed up with a hand full of other Etsy sellers to send out samples in my packages. In every blanket order, I send out a little goody bag. It usually contains any random assortment of HANDMADE candles, chap stick, hair bows, magnets, buttons, really anything small that a seller feels would grab my
buyers attention. Then they usually offer a discount code as well, so that they can go check out their shop. It’s a great way to help out other sellers, yet please my customers at the same time. I always get great feedback about how much they appreciate the extras.

For more information on Amber’s Etsy shop visit http://www.etsy.com/shop/RockerByeBaby or visit http://www.rockerbyebaby.com

Julie Barnes is a Freelance Writer focusing on her passion of entrepreneurship. Julie published “So You Want to Start a Business…Now What?” (http://www.so-you-want-to-start-a-business.com/ ) in December 2009. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron and lovable dog Hank. You can visit her site at http://www.onewhowrites.com.

With their unemployment on the verge of running out and no new job prospects on the horizon, how are the unemployed staying afloat?

Some have become unintentional entrepreneurs. They had no intention of becoming an entrepreneur or maybe they were waiting until they retired to turn their hobby into a small business. Some have been working a small side business for years for the extra money before turning it into a full fledged business due to a layoff.

It is all you hear in the news right now. Companies all over are reporting hour reductions, layoffs, and closings due to the economic down turn. Nothing is more heart wrenching than to receive a notice saying, “Management is sorry to inform you that your position will end at 5 PM today. Please take all of your personal belongings when you exit the building at 5 PM. Security personnel will be present at the time of your exit. The company would like to thank you for your length of service and wish you the best in your future endeavors.”

The US Department of Labor reported a ten percent unemployment rate as of November 2009, with an average national job loss of 135,000 for each month of August, September, and October. The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that the unemployment rate for managers and professionals increased to 5.2 percent in September 2009. It was at 2.8 percent in September 2008. It is almost impossible to get an accurate statistic on the unemployed because the government only tracks those actually drawing unemployment benefits. Those whose benefits have run out are essentially lost in the cracks, leading one to believe that the actual unemployment rate is higher than the reported ten percent.

As the newly unemployed hit the pavement to try and secure a new position before their benefits run out, they are finding that it is not as easy to find employment as it once was. Some remember a time when they could change positions every few years in order to move up the proverbial ladder, but now it is just not that easy. Some unemployed have reported sending hundreds of resumes out while attending job fairs that have people lined up around the corner.

Recently interviewed for a New York Times article, Stephen Gallison, the director of Professional Outplacement Assistant Center said, “People typically found jobs in the past within five months, but in this economy that is not a reliable gauge.”

For San Francisco based Annie Wilson, who lost her job at William-Sonoma in January 2009 said, “I had worked in the retail operations department of West Elm and William-Sonoma Home, creating credit information resources for both of those brands. There had been a few layoffs before, but I had survived the first round. Then the second round came where I was part of the 1,400 eliminated corporate positions.” Annie went on to say, “Shocking as it was I also stood optimistic at the same time.” While Annie had never been without work in her life, she thought it would be a nice break to determine what it was she really wanted to do in life. Annie decided to start not one, but two companies. Sourdough (http://www.sourdoughsf.com/) was the first company Annie started. Annie sells her Sourdough line of jackets and small accessories made from vintage fabrics in her Esty shop. She actually had started the line before her layoff, but now finally had the time to finish the samples, website, and graphics, while getting the shop up and running. Annie’s second company, Pointed Letters Creative (http://www.pointedletters.com/ ), offers product marketing services to all types of companies.

After San Antonio based Todd Schoenberger was laid-off in July 2009, he started LandColt Trading, LLC (http://www.landcolttrading.com/ ). Todd said, “I was an executive for a Fortune 200 financial services firm, and what made the lay-off even more complicated was the fact that I relocated my family to the area just to take the job. Needless to say, losing your job after moving 1,600 miles really added a new layer of anxiety to the situation. Unable to find employment, not to mention relocate to another city (companies are not offering the lush packages they once were), I decided to start my own business. In addition, I freelance write to help make ends meet”.

Portland based Jeremy Aasum said, “After four years of working as a graphic-web designer for a local design firm the company had to file for bankruptcy, leaving the entire agency without work. We even had projects waiting to be completed.” Jeremy went on to say, “I partnered with two other designers to form, KAAB (http://kaabstudios.com/ ) to stay afloat and ride out these tough economic times.”

After Baltimore based Martha Rhoades-Spivey was laid-off on December 31, 2008 she started MRS Photography (http://www.mrsphotography.com/ ), a wedding, portrait, family, and corporate event professional photography business. Martha said, “I had been in the photography business off and on over the years, but as a new graduate of Women Entrepreneurs of Baltimore, Inc. this summer, I have a new approach to my business.”

Like entrepreneur Martha Rhoades-Spivey, many are utilizing the various entrepreneurial–learning programs that are available to help entrepreneurs take their business idea, and turn it into a full-fledged business like Women Entrepreneurs of Baltimore, Inc. (http://www.webinc.org/ ) who is a 501(c) nonprofit that empowers lower income and unemployed women to achieve financial stability through entrepreneurship.

Another well utilized entrepreneurial-learning program is the FastTrac (http://www.fasttrac.org/ ) program purchased in 1993 by the Kauffman Foundation. The Kauffman Foundation is frequently referred to as the largest foundation devoted to entrepreneurship in the world. Since 1993, the award winning program has served an estimated 300,000 entrepreneurs educating them in key business insights, leadership and networking skills while also providing mentoring opportunities.

As the news continues to report that more and more employees are receiving that dreaded layoff notice, some who have already received the news have been proactive. They have turned lemons into lemonade by turning into an unintentional entrepreneur, leaving them excited about the future ahead.

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Julie Barnes is a Freelance Writer focusing on her passion of entrepreneurship. Julie published “So You Want to Start a Business…Now What?” (Available on Amazon) in December 2009. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron and lovable dog Hank. You can visit her site at http://www.onewhowrites.com.

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Jacob, Jonathan, and Clarissa Cook

At 6 years old, Jonathan Cook is on the road to entrepreneurship. Jonathan is taking his love of sports and turning it into Jumping Jack Jon, a business that will include sports equipment reviews. Jonathan plans to give back to his community by donating a portion of his profits to the homeless and his church. In this interview, learn how Jonathan, with the help of his parents, plans to grow his business.

What is the name of your business?

My business name is Jumping Jack Jon.

What does your business do?

I review sports equipment, games, and activities. I also make videos about fitness and staying healthy. When I review a product that I like, my mom helps me start selling it through Amazon so I get money when people buy that product.

When did you start your business?

I started my business when I was 6 and I am still 6.

How did you come up with your business idea?

I really like sports. I have been roller-blading since I was 18 months old and I like to play soccer, basketball and jump on the trampoline. Since I like sports so much it is easy for me to tell what I like or don’t like about different sports things.

How has your business evolved since the start of your business?

Since I am just starting, it really hasn’t changed much yet.

Have you always been entrepreneurial?

I have always liked to make money so I could get my own things.

How have your parents helped in the starting and growing of your business?

Because I am only 6, they have to help me with a lot of things. When I get bigger like my brother I can do more things on my own.

You are a great mentor for other kids. How are some of the ways you inspire other kids to start their business?

I like to tell other kids what I am doing and tell them that they can do it too. I tell them to watch my videos and give them my business card so they can talk to me if they have questions.

What advice would you give other kids who may have a business idea and are ready to start a business?

I would tell them to make sure that it is something they like to do. I would also tell them to keep trying. Sometimes business is hard but when you keep going you can be good at it.

What are your plans for the future of your business?

I am planning on making products that say Jumping Jack Jon and sell them. I will use some of the money from my products to give to the homeless people in our city and some to my church too. I also plan to have companies send me products to review like they do for my brother so I have to start having my mom help me write letters to them.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I think it is important that moms and dads tell kids they can do it.

Jonathan’s website will be debuting soon at http://jumpingjackjon.com/.

Julie Barnes is a Freelance Writer focusing on her passion of entrepreneurship. Julie published “So You Want to Start a Business…Now What?” (Available on Amazon) in December 2009. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron and lovable dog Hank. You can visit her site at http://www.onewhowrites.com.

Jacob, Jonathan, and Clarissa Cook

Clarissa Cook turned her 4th grade school project into a business at the age of 9 using her love of cooking and crafting. Clarissa gives back to her community by donating a percentage of her profits to her church, the homeless and local schools. She recently donated some of her handmade quilts to the children of Haiti. In this interview, learn how Clarissa took her school project and grew it into Creating With CC.

What is the name of your business?

My business is Creating With CC and my website is http://creatingwithcc.com/

What does your business do?

In my business I sell tile crafts, jewelry, and baked items. I am writing a recipe book that will include my favorite inspirational quotes. I donate 10% of my profits to my church and I also donate some of my profits to the homeless people in our area and local schools. Recently I used some of my profits to make blankets to send to the children in Haiti.

When did you start your business?

I started my business in 4th grade as a school project during our study of entrepreneurship. I was 9 at the time and I just turned 11 last week.

How did you come up with your business idea?

I really love to cook and do crafts. I wanted to try out a business where I got to do both. I started out first making specialty baked items and sold them at times like Christmas. Then I moved on to my custom tiles and jewelry.

How has your business evolved since the start of your business?

When I found out that you had to have special licenses to sell food I started focusing more on the craft side of my business and on writing my book.

Have you always been entrepreneurial?

I have always liked making money. Even before I had my business, I would do extra chores to make money. I would use that money to save for things for my business as well as fun stuff. Right now I am saving money from my business to buy a sewing machine. Once I have my sewing machine, I will start selling things I have sewn.

How have your parents helped in the starting and growing of your business?

My mom has helped me get my website up. She also takes me shopping to get the best prices on supplies I need. My parents have introduced me to some of my customers. My parents practice with me on what to say on the phone and they read over what I put on the site. They also monitor what I do on the Internet and they of course taste test all my recipes – especially my mom =).

You are a great mentor for other kids. How are some of the ways you inspire other kids to start their business?

I tell people what I am doing and ask if they want to get involved. I give my cards out so others know what I am doing. I send cards and write encouraging words on their Facebook page. I set an example by doing lots of service in the community.

What advice would you give other kids who may have a business idea and are ready to start a business?

Try doing something you like. Do it for awhile and make sure you like it. Then make it official by getting business cards and a website and things like that. Be patient. Businesses take time to build.

What are your plans for the future of your business?

Make lots of money and donate to charities! Seriously, I plan on finishing my book. I also plan on taking more sewing lessons so that one day I can be fashion designer of modest clothing.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Never stop trying! Do what you love to do and you will be happy!

For more information about Clarissa Cook visit her website at http://creatingwithcc.com/.

Julie Barnes is a Freelance Writer focusing on her passion of entrepreneurship. Julie published “So You Want to Start a Business…Now What?” (Available on Amazon) in December 2009. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron and lovable dog Hank. You can visit her site at http://www.onewhowrites.com.

Sarah and Jerry Cook

Sarah Cook knows first-hand what it is like to have grown up in an entrepreneurial home. Sarah’s father owned his own successful computer programming business as did her grandfather. Their example left a huge impact on Sarah who received her BA in Family Studies from Utah State University and has owned her own successful national-wide direct sales skin care business for nearly 16 years. In the last three years Sarah has worked diligently with her own three children to help bring their business ideas to life. In this interview, learn how Sarah is sharing what she has learned with CEO Kids and their parents from around the world.

Raising CEO Kids is a valuable resource for parents of kid entrepreneurs. Can you tell us how you came up with the idea?

The idea of “Raising CEO Kids” was inspired by my children. Jacob has always wanted to earn money. He started selling on e-Bay when he was 10. He consistently made the money he needed to get the things he wanted and bought himself a laptop. Learning and fixing things on the computer brought him so much joy. He started fixing things for people for free and finally began charging as his confidence grew. In May 2009 at 12 years old he officially started his business, Jake’s Tutorials and Tech Support. My daughter got excited about the money Jake was making along the way and began her own business, Creating with CC at just 10 years old. Jon is coming up behind them starting his business, Jumping Jack Jon at 6 years old. As I worked with each of my children, I sensed their excitement in creating their own money. I saw them gain confidence in so many areas: money management, public speaking, leadership and so much more. It was heart-warming to also see them increase in their desire to give – 10% to our church as well as donations of time and products to school fundraisers and the homeless. In my heart I wondered if what we were learning and what we were doing could somehow be of benefit to other families. As I talked with other families from around the world who either had kids in business or who had kids who wanted to be in business, I had so much encouragement to put together resources to support families in raising entrepreneurs. We have only just begun putting together the resources that we want to make available for kids and families around the world.

What kind of resources are offered by Raising CEO Kids for kid entrepreneurs and their parents?

Right now we offer inspirational and educational articles, audio interviews and clickable resources such as business plans, tax work sheets and the biz expert’s directory. I hosted a teleseminar in Nov 2009 and those resources are available for purchase. I host a weekly free mastermind call, The Saturday Morning Mastermind where I interview “CEO Kids” and one of their parents. At the end I open up the line for questions so that families from around the world can get their questions answered by “real kids making money” and “real parents raising them”. This month we are launching our monthly web TV show about different aspects of Raising CEO Kids. In April we are hosting a free webinar/teleseries called, Cash Savvvy Kids in conjunction with National Financial Literacy Month. The replays and resources from the series will also be available for purchase. In May we plan to launch classes for kids who want to make money by kids who are making money. We already have a waiting list of people who want to take some of the classes! Very soon our CEO Kids directory will be launched to offer kids in business a venue for advertising as well as a forum for both parents and kids. Of course there is also the book that I am writing which includes over 110 kids that I have interviewed. I am hoping to have it published by our one year anniversary!

You grew up in an entrepreneurial family. What valuable tools did you learn that inspired you to carry on the tradition of being an entrepreneur?

Some of the tools I learned were people skills, public speaking, personal management, goal setting, creativity, focus, and my work ethic. I was inspired by the ability that entrepreneurs had to choose when they wanted to work as well as the tax advantages that having a business offered. I was highly motivated to make my own money as the minimum wage was only $4 per hour and you can hardly buy groceries on that amount per hour. I made and sold jewelry in high school and then went on to become a Mary Kay Sales Director my 2nd year in college.

And now your three kids that each have their own businesses. What advice could you give other parents of kids wanting to start a business?

There are a couple of things that I always tell parents who have entrepreneurial minded kids and then there are some things I share only if it specifically applies to their children. The first thing is to encourage their children to do what they LOVE! When children can make money doing what they love, they learn to create money without experiencing the burn out because it doesn’t really feel like “work” to them! The second thing I would tell them is to “let them do it”. I see some parents trying to run their children’s businesses for them. Yes some kids do need a bit of a nudge to get going at times but mostly we just need to be there to advise, drive around, love them unconditionally and make sure they are covering their bases. Depending on their child’s business idea, I also share about getting press, using social media, blogging, tax resources, legal resources, and people they should connect with.

What part do you and your husband play in your kids businesses?

In Jacob’s business we serve as advisor, driver (to local client’s homes), encourager, and his PR service. I am always so proud of him, that I tell everyone about the work he does. In Clarissa’s business we play the same rolls as in Jacob’s but I also offer her a lot of tech support and confidence boosting since she is still a bit shy. Jon’s business is just starting. I film him for his videos and sports reviews. I also role play with him on things he can say. I take him shopping to find products he would like to review that he can then offer as affiliate links on his website.

Do you find that being a kid entrepreneur helps them in school?

The children are advanced in their schooling. They all know they have to get their school work done before they can work on their businesses. They work hard and get their stuff done quickly so that they can have plenty of time to work on business.

Is there anything you would like add?

I would add that I believe it is a huge advantage for parents to have their own business so that they can model business skills in the home. This really helped my own children. They have all been born into an entrepreneurial home. It is what they know! They see all the benefits as well as the pitfalls. I don’t know if they will ever choose to work for someone else now that they have fallen in love with working for themselves.

For more information on Sarah and Raising CEO Kids visit http://raisingceokids.com. To find out more about the Saturday Morning Mastermind visit http://www.saturdaymorningmastermind.com/.

Julie Barnes is a Freelance Writer focusing on her passion of entrepreneurship. Julie published “So You Want to Start a Business…Now What?” (Available on Amazon) in December 2009. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron and lovable dog Hank. You can visit her site at http://www.onewhowrites.com.

Interested in starting a clothing company?

Jonathon Kruse is here to help. He has multiple clothing lines and a blog fully dedicated to how to start a clothing company. This interview with Kruse is a quick lesson for starting a clothing company.

If I wanted to start a clothing company today, what would I have to do?

Find artists at Emptees.com, print some shirts at Storenvy.com, and have a lot of time on your hands. I run the blog how to start a clothing company and the whole site is dedicated to this question.

Where does someone start when they are looking for a manufacturer?

Ask around. I pretty much only go by word of mouth. Storenvy.com has some amazing printing and great prices I would suggest using them.

What does it take to have a successful clothing brand?

Like in any business you just have to push through the bad times. When you are making money it’s easy. It’s those dark times it’s hard to get by.

Besides that constantly rethink your plan and learn from others.

How do you drive traffic and buyers to your site?

I do a little bit of everything. Band sponsorship, SEO, blogging, getting other sites to blog about me, sales, social networking, going to craft shows, getting into stores. The last two actually help out a lot with your online traffic. I was working on a website for Paint the Stars and they get most of their traffic from people that have seen their brand in stores and check them out online. Word of mouth is the best advertising you can get. If you can get people talking about you, that’s half the battle.

What are some mistakes you have made along your journey? What have you learned from them?

The biggest is probably printing too many shirts in the beginning. I printed my shark week shirt on 100 shirts and the quality was junk. I resent everything one time before because it was unreadable and even the second time it wasn’t great. What I advise to everyone out there is print the minimums. Yeah you get price cuts for more shirts but it’s not worth it. Just get a small amount and learn from your mistakes. You’ll find out what sells and use the capital you saved for something better.

What is the biggest project you are working on right now?

I think Shred is going to be pretty huge. We are in stores in three different continents and are talking with some big stores right now. I am really stoked about that.

Here are some of the designs from the metal clothing company Shred:

Learn more about how to start a clothing company on Jonathon’s Blog.