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You better believe it because this kid can definitely rap. His name’s Paul Markham and it’s being heard through the grapevine. Continue Reading

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 # 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.

Sotiria Krikelis started One Life, Live-It, Inc. after experiencing the wrath of corporate America. Sotiria knew she had to make a change. In this interview, learn how Sotiria launched her flag-ship product, Relax Missy – a foldable ballet flat providing everyday wearable luxury for the modern woman unwilling to walk in high heel agony. Relax Missy was honored to be included in the gift bags for Neutrogena brand ambassadors Hayden Panettiere and Vanessa Hudgens, during the Neutrogena Wave for Change campaign that was held this past Saturday in Los Angeles.

Tell us about your business and how you came up with your business name “One Life, Live-It, Inc.

I incorporated my business back in November 2007. The idea of Relax Missy was in the back of my head, but it was just that, an idea. My company name was important to me because I wanted it to represent what I was about. Some people name their business after themselves, but for me there was more meaning to it. I had just experienced the wrath of the corporate world in a hospital setting and I was completely disgusted with it. There were many names that I chose before settling on One Life, Live-It, Inc. that had the same meaning, but they were all taken and I had to think of something else. The name “One Life, Live-It” embodies everything that I believe in. Life is essentially short, and if we don’t seize the moment every minute, life will pass us by and before we know it we will be 70 and say “How did I get here?” I didn’t want that to be me. I made this decision at 24 years old. I remember reminiscing about being 21 and thinking where the time went? It had passed me by and I didn’t embrace my life – this mental note along with my negative hospital experience led me to say I really have one life, so I better live it, without any regrets.

Your flag-ship product is the Relax Missy. Tell us about your product and where it can be found.

Relax Missy is a foldable ballet flat providing everyday wearable luxury for the modern woman unwilling to walk in high heel agony. Relax Missy is sure to be the next wardrobe staple for every woman with a love affair of out-of-this-world stilettos, or as I like to call them, “15 minute shoes.” Ladies, you know what I’m talking about! It’s double duty fashion that folds up neatly in half and fits in a small, satin, carry pouch. They can be stored in a gym bag, hand bag, glove compartment or wherever your feet desire. Change into them for a lunch time walk, driving, subway commuting, or anytime you want to avoid those blisters. They are real ballet flats that can be worn all day, everyday, and then have the perk of folding up for easy storage.

They can be purchased at www.RelaxMissy.com and can soon be found on www.Shoebuy.com as well as www.AudreyShops.com.

How much research and development was involved in the product?

There was an enormous amount of time and effort dedicated to the entire development process. My background has nothing to do with entrepreneurship or design or manufacturing, therefore, I spent extra time figuring out how this was all done! I would say a solid two years was spent on research and development. Initially, my plan was to manufacture Relax Missy in the states and I spent six months researching and calling every factory I found, but none of them worked out. After six months, I discovered 99% of shoes are outsourced, and so, I went back to square one to research manufacturing in China. This was my biggest obstacle because I had absolutely no idea how to find a factory in a different country and communicate my idea to them. Another six months was spent researching, and again I was empty handed. It wasn’t until I came across internet platforms which connect you with Chinese sources that I was actually making some progress. Utilizing Skype and email are some of the best ways to handle business with overseas factories – it’s all done via internet. No expensive phone bills!

The next step was explaining my idea through designs and words. Creating something that is brand new and never before been made is more difficult than I thought. The factories were handing me samples previously made before I reached out to them that fit my description, but this was not up to par for my standards. I wanted my own design and something truly unique. The design process was another year long obstacle.

What advice would you give an entrepreneur wanting to launch a product idea?

Research, research, and more research! Nothing bad can come from this. Reach out to other entrepreneurs, send them an email or call them. It’s always great to listen to advice from others who have been in your shoes and you may even partner up for future events. If you believe in your business idea then never give up, no matter what anyone says. There are many people who want to see you fail and it will be much easier for you to fail than to keep going, but if you really want to live out your dream, don’t stop. The minute you stop taking action is the minute your business fails.

Find books that are in your field and read them thoroughly for tips and tricks. Align yourself with online forums where you communicate with other entrepreneurs and share advice, most likely you will learn something you never knew before and engage in conversation. Exhaust all avenues of help from SCORE to SBC to BAR Association (they set me up with a free lawyer), ask anyone you find in your path for advice. Oh, and if your shy – throw that out the window. If I can sum up being an entrepreneur in one word, it would be: Hustler. This is exactly what you must do to survive.

What have you learned during the start-up phase of your business?

Work never stops! Weekends are gone because you will find yourself working on something because you don’t have time during the week. Money is scarce as a start up and you have to get creative. One of the best things to do is to utilize students. Students are eager to do freelance work for a small price or even for free just to say they worked with X company and place that on their resume. Reach out to local colleges and place flyers on their bulletin boards; you will get a ton of interest and possibly an intern. Research is another major point that I learned will always benefit you and prepare you for your future plans.

Where there any online resources that you found helpful?

I didn’t realize how many websites exist catered to start up businesses. Internet was never a resource I spent a lot of time on, that is, until I started my business and I spent all hours of the day on it. One of the greatest websites, and I say this repeatedly, is the Mommy Millionaire forum for entrepreneurs. Even though I am not a mother, I found the website to be informative on the “how-to’s” of business. Another website I frequently visited was GetYourBizSavvy.com where I always read articles on entrepreneurs that gave me the momentum to keep going and never stop in times of frustration.

Have you always been entrepreneurial?

This is a big fat NO! My parents were not entrepreneurial, nor did they encourage it. My mother was in the fashion business when she came to New York, but that didn’t last long once she started having children. My parents are both immigrants from Greece and I grew up with the notion of go to school, study hard, become a doctor, and become successful. This is the way it was done; as far as I knew. I have been working since I was 16 years old and I never once thought about owning my own business until I was closing in on graduating from college. And now, I have so many ideas from a skincare line to restaurants. I caught the entrepreneurial bug and there is no turning back.

Is there anything you would like to add?

There is an infinite amount of opportunities in the world for everyone. I’ve realized that if you want something bad enough, you’ll figure out a way to achieve it and overcome all obstacles. A successful business isn’t created overnight. A successful business starts with one person, a thought, and taking action. Apple was started by one person in a garage years ago and then grew. Everyone should look at the small things a business does to accomplish their goals and not how huge the corporation is in its current time.

Thanks Julie for the opportunity to share my experience with the www.GetYourBizSavvy.com readers and hope to inspire them to achieve their goals.

For more information on Sotiria and Relax Missy visit http://www.relaxmissy.com
Follow Relax Missy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/relaxmissy
Become a Facebook Fan at http://tinyurl.com/3yj7lql

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 tenth in a series of interviews with Etsy entrepreneurs.

Marisa Haedike is the artist behind Creative Thursday, an online art boutique. Marisa started Creative Thursday while still working in the corporate world. An artist at heart, Marisa designated Thursday as her creative outlet day. Creative Thursday has grown into a full-time business that includes artwork, children’s books, podcasts, workshops, e-courses, and an Esty shop. In this interview, learn how Marisa went from the 9 to 5 grind to thriving artist.

How did you begin to build your business?

I began podcasting in 2006 and was encouraged to start a blog as a way to promote the podcast. I was hesitant to start a blog because I had not been much of a journaler, but I discovered I could use the blog as a way to do these daily paintings. I learned about daily paintings in a magazine article when Domino magazine was still around. They where featuring these artist, who were doing daily paintings and using their blogs to post them. That inspired me in as a way that I could express my creativity. I could put art work up on the blog without doing much writing and also promote the podcast that I was doing. What came out of the daily paintings was a new art style. There is something to be said for setting down and making yourself create every day. Things happen. Things evolve. I developed these characters. I was having so much fun painting and they started to sell. My work before was more collage based. A little bit more abstract and impressionistic. I started working on these characters, and they really took hold.

When did you start selling on Etsy?

The success of my new art style, this is what led me to Etsy.

How have you grown your business into the success it is?

With minimal advertising on my part, aside from contributing to the online world, letting people know I was there, and having my work shown at Velocity Art and Design, along with the few wholesale locations I had. That was it. That in itself is pretty amazing. I had no budget for advertising, so everything I did was self generated.

As a creative entrepreneur, how do you structure your day/week?

The first thing I’m trying to implement is limiting my online time. I check email twice a day. I’m also the kind of person who finds it helpful to stay in one mode for a period of time, to really get the momentum going. I try to do my shipping and preparation for shipping all on the same day, so I’m in shipping mode. If I’m in creative mode, I will set aside a day for painting. If I’m in teaching mode, I will set aside the day to focus on the classes that I am teaching and sharing information. I also try to work around my own personal time clock. I tend to have lulls in the afternoon, so I’ll work in the mornings and later in the evenings.

Do you miss anything about having to go to a j.o.b.?

No, of course there are times when knowing what my paycheck is going to be at the end of the week would be very helpful. Other than that, nothing really. I’m fortunate to live in Los Angeles. I have enough of a community. I have a lot of creative people that I can see in person, which ironically, the more that I’m online, the more I realize how valuable in-person relationships are. Ultimately, that can never be replaced. I have a sense of community, so the coworker I don’t miss because I see people.

What advice would you give new artist?

Love what you do!

For more information on Marisa and Creative Thursday’s visit http://www.creativethursday.com/
Visit Marisa’s Etsy Shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/creativethursday
Follow the Creative Thursday blog at http://creativethursday.typepad.com/
Check out Marisa’s e-course’s at http://www.creativethursday.com/teaching.htm
Follow Marissa on Twitter at http://twitter.com/creativethurs
Become a Facebook friend at http://www.facebook.com/people/Marisa-Cummings-Haedike/1003524340

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.

“All through high school I was known as the entrepreneur guy.” – Matt Crowe

Matt Crowe has been an entrepreneur since he was 16.  Matt explains when the entrepreneur inside him was unleashed. “When I was 15 I was working for this lawn mowing company and I just remember that I was better than everyone else. And all the guys were older. I was like why don’t I just do this on my own and I’ll make way more money.  That led into what started off as a lawn mowing company that turned into a big landscaping business that I ended up selling when I was 19.  That was my first taste of entrepreneurship and success.”

Fast forward some years and today Matt is the founder of Huckleberry Ventures, a venture capitalist company. But when I think of  Matt Crowe, I don’t think of a venture capitalist. I think more of an entrepreneur with money helping entrepreneurs that need money. Yes, he provides funding, but the process behind it is much deeper than that. Matt isn’t involved in “traditional” funding. Huckleberry Ventures has the capital seeking entrepreneurs go through a much different process:

You submit your Huckleberry (pitch) to Huckleberry Ventures, they send it out to the entrepreneurial community for feedback, you then compete in their challenge, get it “validated” and then the cash comes

Matt’s approach comes from his philosophy, “First and foremost, in the venture world, roughly 1 out of 10 companies in a venture funds portfolio actually return anything. I just thought as an entrepreneur, why can’t there be 2 out of 10 companies that are a success. That’s it. Nothing earth shattering.”

“Entrepreneurs need two things in this order – guidance and capital,” explains Matt. He wants to guide these capital seeking entrepreneurs, invest in them and continue to guide them. He makes the funding process a team effort, something he believes to not exist at the moment. He explained that capitalists have their responsibilities, most importantly getting a return on their investment and entrepreneurs worry about their own thing. The problem is coming from both sides of the spectrum. In Matt’s opinion, “All entrepreneurs’ care about is making their baby succeed. Somewhere in the middle there has to be a healthy balance.” Matt goes on, “I think what’s happened in the industry is entrepreneurs have gotten greedy, venture capitalists have gotten greedy. And that’s’ just turned it into, I’ll do this if you do this for me kind of thing instead of, ‘hey let’s do this and make sure it’s a win-win for both people and not just one of us’.”

A big concern and problem with entrepreneurs today is the trouble getting funding in the early stages. We decided to ask the expert if it’s still possible to get early stage funding.

“It starts with concentric circles. Who’s closest to you that trusts you and believes in you? And then who’s the next most likely investor? Maybe it’s not an angel. Maybe it’s somebody that has a company that likes what you’re. People forget that investors need investments just as much as investments need investors.

I think there is plenty of money out there. I think you just have to find the right person who likes your idea.

You get 99 no’s and 1 yes. Eventually someone is going to say yes. Your story is going to get better. Your idea is going to get tighter. You’re going to find better potential investors. And then at some point if you keep on persevering at all costs eventually you’ll find somebody.”

Here is what Huckleberry recommends you have in your business plan.

Matthew Crowe’s BizSavvy Profile

Company: Huckleberry Ventures
Current Location: San Fransisco
Twitter: @MatthewCrowe
Website: HuckVentures.com

Pugsly - 4 the Grapes Manager

Rachell Coe worked in the wine industry before opening her own business – 4 The Grapes. It was while working at the King Estate Winery as their webmaster and photographer that she realized that she had found her passion. Rachell loved the whole business of winemaking – from the nursery to marketing. In this interview, learn how Rachell took the skills she learned on the job and started her own business – 4 The Grapes, a photography, marketing, and design firm targeting small wineries and vineyards.

Your company 4 the Grapes provides photography, marketing, and design services to small wineries and vineyards. This is quite a niche market. What made you decide to focus on the wine industry?

I had never been interested in wine before, but when I was hired by King Estate Winery as their webmaster and photographer, I was involved in all aspects of winemaking – from the nursery, through organic vineyard management, the wine process on to marketing. And I LOVED it! How you could be outdoors in the vineyard one minute and then working up an ecommerce marketing plan the next – it kept me busy and interested. After a year and a half of this, I realized I was really missing being with my kids and when King Estate started scaling down its employees, I took this as my sign to go back into business for myself. Only this time, I decided to focus on what I now knew – the wine industry.

Tell us more about the services that 4 The Grapes offers?

Most of my business is web design, but I also do some print work (business cards & brochures), photography (vineyard, winery & bottle shots) and am starting to offer marketing services. I also have a successful blog where I provide website and marketing information (it’s even listed in Wine Business website as one of the blogs they check regularly).

I see you are currently offering a FREE website review to any small, boutique and micro winery website. What typical design flaws do you see during a website review?

Good question!!! The most common problems seem to be:

• Lack of consistency from one page to the next
• Code bloat (where there is a lot of extraneous coding that effects performance and download speed)
• Image files not optimized for quick downloading
• Not optimized for the Search Engines.

Do you provide ongoing support to clients who do not have the time to maintain their sites?

Yup – I still have most of the clients I started with 5 years ago.

How is the wine industry utilizing social media to increase exposure to potential customers?

Many wineries are using Social Media to further their brands – FaceBook is the most important and then Twitter.

What advice would you give aspiring entrepreneurs?

Find a niche!!!!!! Even before I started ‘Love Your Wedding Site’, I wasn’t doing so well because I was catering to EVERYONE – which means my clientele was so spread out that I never really had a chance to get my name out there and didn’t know who exactly to market to. By finding a niche, you know exactly WHO to market to and can learn enough about the business you become indispensable to your clients.

I always like to ask entrepreneurs – are there any books that you would recommend that have helped you along the way on your entrepreneur journey?

Hands down, ‘The Creative Business Guide to Running a Graphic Design Business’ by Cameron S. Foote

Is there anything else you would like to add?

The only thing I can add is to have patience – it takes a long time to build a successful business. But if you can hang in there, it’s definitely rewarding!

For information on Rachell and 4 The Grapes visit http://www.4thegrapes.com

Follow Rachell on Twitter at http://twitter.com/WineryMarketing

Become a Facebook friend at http://www.facebook.com/pages/4-the-Grapes/123373531673?ref=mf

Connect on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rachell-coe/5/881/b8a

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.

I can’t say enough good things about Tom Gerace, the guy behind Gather.com, a unique site offering people the opportunity to come together and share their knowledge with each other. If what you share on Gather gains popularity, they’ll pay you for it. The immensely successful site is Tom’s second venture. He’s a natural entrepreneur.

Tom does not have any stop signs ahead of him. He’s going to continue pursuing Gather and after that, well let’s just say Tom will be involved in something. And to add to his accomplishments, the people voted him the Sexiest Male Entrepreneur of 2010. In order for you to learn more about Tom and see him in action, we had to do an interview with the gentleman himself.

Find out in this interview with the Sexiest Male Entrepreneur about his exciting venture, Gather, and how he felt about being voted the sexiest.

Want to see more shots of Tom? Here they are…

Tom’s Sexy Portfolio

Education: Harvard University 1993
Start up Experience: Be Free and Gather
Confident? Yes
Single / Married: Single
What do you do for fun? I love the outdoors. I have a 9 year old, Vizsla, and we enjoy running on the beach and swimming in the ocean. I just bought a cottage in Provincetown and love spending time there.
Sports: I play softball now, but was coxswain (person in charge of the boat) for Harvard Crew in college.
Favorite food: My Mom’s lasagna.
Favorite movie: Casablanca

More of Tom
Check out Tom on Twitter
Check out Gather.com
Check out Tom on Gather