NTW 26 – Turning Your Passions Into a Business

Networker for Business Women with Lourdes Welhaven

Amy Darigol – LuvCherie Jewelry

In this episode, I interviewed Amy Darigol, Owner and Founder of LuvCherie Jewelry. I learned a lot from Amy! She started and has grown her business in spite of suffering from Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She is growing it both online and offline and is already receiving significant attention from her community and the media for her work.

She talks about her experience with Etsy and well as her experience overall in growing her business. She is proof positive that you can turn your passions into a thriving business. Prepare to be really inspired!

Take Away Points

1. Her about page on her website is something that we all need to look at. Her video is very compelling and useful to building a brand. We should ALL being doing video to build our personal and corporate brands. You can find her website here and her about page here.

2. She didn’t give up. Her first sale took a little while, 3 months.

3. She’s serving a niche. She discovered something that is a true in all marketing, the smaller the niche, the easier the sale. Her first piece that sold was an item that is “inspired by” shows, books, and characters that she really loves. So she is definitely serving a niche – – individuals who love what she loves and want to wear jewelry.

4. Amy talked about the importance of great photography on Etsy. I love how she is learning to do better photography but has also bartered with an excellent photographer to help her. You can find her photographer Richard Doyle, on Facebook here. For new business owners especially, barter may make sense! Remember to consult your CPA on how bartering could affect your taxes.

5. Amy talked about Etsy in depth. If you are selling on Etsy or thinking about selling on Etsy, then this episode is a must listen for you. She talks about fees, sales tax, setting up your store, promotion and more!

6. She’s selling both online as well as offline. She has found that her online and offline efforts build on each other to build her brand. She has realized that meeting with her community in person gives her immediate feedback on her work.

7. She is networking with people that she would have absolutely no other way to meet online through Twitter. If you have a brand that could benefit especially from national or international recognition, you must be on Twitter. But as you listen in, you’ll pick up on her understanding of critical social media etiquette – – it’s not about blatant selling, but instead about building a relationship.

8. Amy may “feel the fear” but she does it anyway. Check out her blog post on fear in business. She talks about not acting on things and has come to realize that her lack of action in certain areas of her life were simply fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of something being significant in business, or just fear in general. She is currently talking some classes on combating her fear. Here are the details she promised us! Melissa Dinwiddie: http://yourbigboldcreativelife.com/ If this is a subject that interests you, pick up the book, The War of Art as well as our prior interview with Susan Somerset Webb.

Get in touch with Amy as follows:

Email her:

Connect LuvCherie on Facebook

Connect with LuvCherie on Twitter

Sponsors

Final Thoughts

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This week’s question is: “What is your hobby and have you ever thought about turning your hobby into a business?”

Related posts:

1. Amy Selby of Springhill Suites Talks About the Luncheon
2. NTW 031 – Ecommerce with the Ebay Coach – Suzanne Wells
3. NTW 24 – Bridging the Gap Between Education and Business with Patricia Tilllman Ragan