Wow this is new!

Hey everyone! This just happens to be my very first blog posting...ever. You might ask why I have suddenly decided to start blogging. Well, though only a teenager, I own my own business. When I was in elementary school, my mom got me an earring making kit for Christmas. From there, I started making all sorts of jewelry. It started as a hobby. I find that making jewelry helps me focus on something fun. Making jewelry helps me de-stress. Once I fell in love with making jewelry, I started making and making. After a while I had a ton of jewelry and nothing to do with it. So, at this point I had reached middle school and I formed the idea of making my own business. 

A middle schooler is hardly business savvy. I had no name, no plan of action, and no customers. Bankrolled by my encouraging mom, I started off my business with less of a bang than one would hope. At fifteen, I discovered Etsy through one of my mom's friends. I did some research and opened my own shop online with Etsy. I have been there since, but my shop has not done well. The improvement of having a place to sell my jewelry led me to create a name (The 803 Originals) and start advertising. Though buying ads have helped, I need more people to know who I am to get sales. I have even tried a Facebook fan page, all to no avail.

I have participated in a craft show, but school has limited my show opportunities. I am now in college and starting to think more seriously about my business. This is something I really enjoy doing, I just wish it could be going better. I have gotten some advice on how to market my business, and so through my blog I hope to share my experience with other crafters and get feedback on my work. 

-Olivia