How To Build A Thriving Creative Business

Hey, you guys. So I know so many of the women that listen to the show is either starting a new business right now because of everything that's going on, or in the early stages of their business right now, or have been in business for maybe 2 or 3 years and feeling kind of stuck and trying to figure out what to do. And that's why I'm so excited to have Miss Patty on the show. She is a jewelry maker and designer of Vita Jewelry Designs. Her story is truly inspirational in the sense that she's been doing this for a long time and she's learned what has worked for her. Her business is still thriving and growing even during the ups and downs and the ebbs and flows of what's happening in life. She has an amazing community of women who purchase from her again and again and refer her again and again, and I think all of us would love to have a business like that. So I'm super excited to have her on. She's going to share how she's done this, how she continues to grow as a creative entrepreneur. And I hope that you find some inspiration and tools that help you along the way. So stay tuned. Welcome to She's Crafted to Thrive. I'm your host, Nikita Williams, and this show is for all the ladies who are making and creating things that they love. You will hear conversations about the real everyday struggles of juggling life and business while trying to maintain passion and harmony. As women, we have the skill of getting things done, but sometimes we get in our own way. It's here where you'll see that you're not alone. You'll discover that success does not mean perfection. Fear and negative thoughts and challenges are all a part of the journey. And on this podcast, you'll find the inspiration and tools you need to have a life and business that thrives. I am so excited finally to have Patty on the show. I know it's, um, it's been a while, but me and her have very busy schedules. She is very busy and she's doing really like amazing things. But, um, Patty is the owner of Vita Jewelry Designs and, um, I'm just so excited to have her on. So please introduce yourself, tell us who you are, where you're from, what you do, and all that jazz.

Okay, so I'm happy to be on here finally also. Uh, so my name is Patty Tamara and I am from Miami, Florida, born and raised. I'm a jewelry designer, which just kind of happened haphazardly. It wasn't something I set out to do. Originally, I was— I'm an English major, and I did do teaching for quite a few years. I was a high school teacher, and also I tutored privately before I even ventured into, into what I'm doing now.

Wow, wow, that's so cool. Like, props to teachers. I love teachers. You know, we all know that teachers are really— they don't get enough praise and money for what they do.

No, I could, I could definitely say they don't.

So what made you transition into doing jewelry?

Um, actually, it's funny because my Family has always been into jewelry in one way or another. My parents at one point early, early on were in the jewelry. They would, they were jewelers, they would make jewelry. But it just kind of happened that I was looking for something specific and I would go to the stores and I didn't find what I wanted with the materials I wanted. A lot of the materials you see at the retail stores just won't last. Long. And if I want to pay money for it, I want something that's going to last me more than a few wears before it turns. So I figured it can't be that hard to make it. So I kind of took a few classes locally, just 2 classes, just to learn the basics. Um, I learned some things. I made some jewelry. I remember before Instagram, it was Facebook. I kind of shared what I made. And people liked it and asked me, hey, are you selling? I said, if you want to buy it, sure, I'll sell it. And it kind of just organically went from there. Um, slowly I started doing more. I did take a break. Um, and then just as I got more confident in my designs, I kept designing and it is, and now we're where I am now. Wow.

So were you still teaching when you were doing that?

Honestly, I don't remember. Um, I was probably, uh, tutoring at that point. Um, I would tutor privately. Um, I would do it, but it wasn't— it was more on my free time. It wasn't so much, uh, something that I was looking to sell. I started making things I wanted for me, and then slowly I would make a piece here and there. And then that's when I opened my Etsy store back in 2009 is when it all started. Yeah.

Wow.

Yep.

Wow, that's a long time. Wow, that's over.

It is a lot.

I'm like, oh my gosh, like we're in 2020.

Yeah, but it's not like I've been doing it for 10 years straight, you know what I mean? It's been— I work on— well, I have my own schedule, but It's something where I, I started doing it and then I took a break when we bought our house just because I didn't have anywhere to work and there was just no, no inspiration because I didn't have a workspace. So a few years went by where I just didn't touch a single piece of jewelry. So it's not like if it was 10 years of doing this straight. It's been, you know, a few years, then I paused, then I kind of went back to it and I would I would say in the last 4 to 5 years is when I've kind of grown the business to what it is now.

Wow. That is, that's so cool. Like, so you kind of kept up with it, but then kind of like took the time that you needed to get the creative juices working, right?

Right. And I, and that, I think as a maker, a lot of people go through that. And so I don't stress it. There's times, well, recently I was, you know, really sick. I didn't worry about it because, you know, creativity ebbs and flows. There's times you feel like you're inspired and you want to create, and there's times I just don't even want to look at a bead, and I know it's okay. So when that happens, I don't force it. I just take a break and then do whatever it is. And then when I feel it again, I'll come back and just pick up where I left off.

Wow. Wow. So when you started like making the business like a business business, because at first it was kind of sound like it was just like, hey, this is something which is so funny because so many women I talked to, they start off with just being like, yeah, I did this because one, they couldn't find it in wherever they were looking for or if they needed to solve a problem that they couldn't find. And then they're like, yeah, I did it for myself. And then it turned into like, I shared it with some friends and they're like, hey, let me have some, like, can I have that? Can you make that for me? Which is so cool. But like, when did you decide officially to like, okay, this is going to be like my jam, like this is what I'm gonna be doing?

I guess when people started buying more of it. Because I think as, you know, when you, any maker, any artist, You go through that point of, is it worth, is it worth putting out there? Is it worth my time, my effort, and my money? Because it's an investment. Um, there were times where I wanted to just pack it all up and say no, not anymore. Um, but I feel like I, uh, once the sales started picking up and I had people who would buy and then they would come back for more, that kind of gave me the motivation to say, hey, you know what, let's keep this going. And I will say that 90% of my business, I think, are my repeat customers. Wow.

You know, that is so cool because a lot of people focus a lot more on the business coming from like new sources. Like they don't focus on the business they've already gotten, you know? And so How have you, obviously, 'cause your work is beautiful, like your jewelry is beautiful. So how have you made it easier for people to reorder or just keep coming back to you?

Well, honestly, I will say I did go through that whole thing of I want to get new customers, I want to get new customers, because when you start, you need to get new customers. Right. Once that was established, the coming back, well, I would say that once they see the materials I use, the fact that it's durable, a lot of these pieces, a lot of my customers, um, I have friends who first bought from me 9 years ago and they still have those pieces. They still look good. Nothing's broken. So once they see quality, that is one of the reasons why I would say people come back. Second thing, which I've kind of learned lately, I know most of my customer base. I know what they like. I try to design pieces that people can build on. So for instance, I know not all my— I try to have different price points. That's number one. But I know that perhaps one time they'll buy one necklace and then they say, well, I would like to layer it or wear it with another piece.. And so I try to build pieces that I know that they can build a collection on, even if that piece is 2 years old.

Wow.

Yeah. And so a lot of my customers, that's, that's how I get them to come back.

Wow. That is so cool. Like, I love how you, like how that works. I feel like no matter what kind of business you have, that's kind of how you should run your business. I'm like, it should be based on what, you know, one, your client wants, like what they like, and then building on that. And it's interesting because in the jewelry industry, I feel like we see that, but we don't see that enough. We don't see that enough because I'm sure I've bought jewelry that I'm like, oh man, I really wish I had another piece that kind of went with that, but they don't make it anymore.

And I also try, um, I, I also try to keep in mind what women own and what they wear. Because I know that not everybody's going to buy from me. Even some of my friends, I tell them, I know we're not in an exclusive relationship. They are other makers. I buy from other makers as well because there's, you know, things that they have that I love. So I want them to be able to basically mix and match either from what they own and they have with mine or my pieces, things they've bought before 2 years ago and now there's a new collection and hey, you know what? This actually matches with that piece I bought 2 years ago or last month or whatever the time may be.

Yeah, I just think that's, I know somebody's gonna laugh at me, but I think that's genius. I do. I just think that's genius because it one helps you stay consistent and your clients know what they're getting, but then it also is like, they're excited to know what's next. Like, they're excited to know what's coming next. Like, I know when I follow your stuff online, I'm just like, oh, that's so pretty. Like, it's just— it looks pretty. And your stones, you're very— like you were saying about quality, and like, I feel like that's what separates your work is just the quality of what— even from pictures, which pictures don't really do things justice because, you know, they're, you know, different things. But when you really see it, um, I'm sure you take a lot of time in being very selective in the materials that you use.

Yes, and that's one thing. I mean, I've been asked before, oh, do you plan on expanding? And the answer to that has always been no, um, just because I like to be able to control what I do. And I'm the type of person that I'm not a perfectionist by any means, but I like things done right. And so I know when I make my jewelry, how to make it and how I want it made. If something's not to my standards, I'll scratch it and start again. And I think that sometimes when you expand and maybe you hire other people, you kind of lose that. And that's something I've never wanted to do.

Gotcha. And it's okay. Like, you know, sometimes I, I coach clients that are like, they're like, I only want— I want to have a small business and I want to keep it small, but I don't want to go into business because I'm afraid it's going to get big. And I'm always like, well, then that, that means you chose to go big. Like, you, you, you have a choice, you know, you have a choice to keep your business how big or how small you want it. And that is, you know, that's your prerogative. It's your business. You should have a business the way you want your business. So, um, I love that you make that clear because you're like, yeah, I just don't want to do that.

Like, I value my time, I value my sanity, and, um, it's all about balance. And, you know, I'm still working on being balanced. It's an everyday struggle, but, um, I do, I do want to keep— I— it's enough. I think part of owning a business is knowing when You know, I have enough and that's fine by me. Yeah, I don't need any more. I don't need any less. It's just enough.

It's perfect. So do you feel like while you've gone through this process, have you had any challenges where you felt like, why am I— well, one, we kind of mentioned is like, why am I still doing this? And then how do I do this? Like, how do I keep doing this?

Yeah, um, I was first on Etsy when I opened, so, uh, just getting found was a humongous challenge. Um, you know, I knew my product, I knew it was good, but getting yourself found and out there is probably one of the hardest things. Um, once I got found and once people started buying, then It's great because then, like I said, most of my business is repeat customers. They'll come back, but it's that initial getting found. Um, so slowly things started, you know, word of mouth has been probably my best referral as in most businesses. Um, you know, friends of mine who will wear a lot of my local ladies, um, who will buy from me and then they'll gift items. And then that person will come back. Or, you know, so that's kind of how it's grown to what it is now. But that first initial getting found was probably one of the hardest parts.

Yeah.

And it was the most frustrating part because, you know, you know what you're doing is good. It's just hard for people to buy from you because they don't know.

So what did you— did Did you have a specific plan or did you do something in particular to start getting found? Did you start gifting things? Did you start going to shops or like what did you do?

Um, no, uh, I, um, I've always gifted a lot of times my pieces to, to friends. Um, but no, they— I, I, when I was on Etsy, I would read a lot about how to get found. Um, I would read about titles and tags and descriptions, and that helped me when I was on Etsy. Etsy has changed a lot through the years. Um, I did end up leaving Etsy about 2 years ago, so I do have my own website now. Um, and that also presents its challenge because, you know, Etsy would have people— a lot of people go to Etsy to find handmade items. They go, they type what they want, and then they have a slew, you know, a bunch of things where they can pick from. So when you have your own website, you need to drive your own traffic, right? So social media is big, even though social media, there's days I love it, there's days I hate it. Yes. But no, I didn't go to stores. I did have influencers reach out to me when I was like, you know, very young in the Instagram world and had like 500 followers and, hey, gift me something and I'll give you a shout out. And I was honestly never a fan of that and I never did it.

Yeah, me neither. Don't do it, y'all. Don't do it.

I just don't like it. Um, I'd rather give people who appreciate, like friends and family, things for free, but influencers, that kind of always rubbed me the wrong way. Um, but no, it's just, it was just a gradual growth, gradual growth. Um, just kind of reading what works, adjusting to, you know, the, I guess, whatever market I was in and just kind of going, going from there. You know, a lot of it is you got, you got to put in work for any business. And if you're going to run your own business, it does require work. Um, the last few years I have done pop-ups. Um, not, not too many because they are a lot of work, but I have done a few pop-ups in some retail stores. West Elm was the first one that gave me the opportunity. Um, a lot of the local West Elms have opportunities for small businesses to do pop-ups. Um, and so I did take advantage of that and that also helped me, you know, with the local community.

Yeah.

Wow.

So I heard a few things in there, which basically is telling everyone who's listening, who's trying to do something online, that you need to know your, like, where you are. Like, if you're on Etsy, you need to understand how Etsy works. Like, you need to do the research, you need to understand that, or find someone who can do it for you. Because if you can't do it, then why are you there? You know, have, you know, you need to know how that works. And traffic is a big part of, you know, bringing people to you. And especially, you're so right, when you're on Etsy, you kind of have a built-in flow of people coming to you without necessarily looking specifically for you. But when you have your own website, nobody knows. It's like a store in the forest. If nobody knows you're there, you're not pushing traffic or content, then nobody knows you're there. So, you know, social media is a great way of doing that. But what I really want to focus on is like your ability to have referrals because I think in today's world of the digital world, no one really focuses on that. They're always going after the new client, the new person, the new this, the new that. Do you do anything like special for your reorders? Like people, like do you send handwritten notes or say thank you? You know, like do you do anything that's like, oh yeah, you know, you know them. Like, you know, at this point, if they've come to you more than once or twice, you're like, you know these people to a degree.

Well, every order I— every order that goes out, new or repeat, always gets a thank you card, a handwritten thank you card. Um, I'm really big on cards. I've always been. Personally, I love cards. I think it's a nice touch. So every single order will get a thank you card. Um, I do have something. I don't broadcast it. I guess I will now. But I love my repeat customers because they're what drive this business. So a lot of times after a certain number of orders, I don't have a specific number, I'll give them a little gift with purchase as a thank you. Um, just like a little, a little thing. It varies on the person. I know my people.

Yeah.

Um, but just a little like, hey, thank you so much for coming back so many times. Um, and then, you know, they also get sometimes special things that maybe new customers won't get. Like sometimes they'll ask me for a piece and maybe the last piece I have. I work in small batches, so I don't always have multiple pieces of a particular stone or whatever. So sometimes they'll ask me for a piece and I'll hold it for them knowing that they're a repeat customer. Um, I'm a little more flexible sometimes with payment. Um, I'll work something out for them because some, some of my pieces are a little higher priced. Um, so yeah, they get certain certain little perks. Hey, that's sure. That kind of show them I appreciate them and also make it easier for them to buy from me multiple times.

It's what is called, and most people don't realize it, exclusivity. Like it gives them the feeling of like, oh, she's just doing this for me. And what you are like, you're totally just doing that for them. It's not for everybody. It's just for them. And It's cool. That's what we all should be doing for repeat customers. If we went to Target and they gave us something special every time we went, oh my gosh, I think their business would be like, you know, triple craziness. You know what I'm saying? Like, if we— I mean, I get the cash back with a card or something like that. Yeah, but that's not as— that's not as remarkable as a personalized give back for your continuous, you know, support, you know, like that.

Support, right. Yeah, right.

So you mentioned earlier about, you know, feeling a little bit— just finding the things that work for you and your business. How have you found some things specifically that help you keep your business kind of going in a particular direction, keep you focused?

Um, one thing I learned early on, I read it actually somewhere in my research because I do a lot of like homework sometimes where like when I was in Etsy, I was trying to get found. I was designing things, sometimes things weren't getting sold. I guess the one thing I learned, and it's been, I've implemented it and it's the one suggestion I'll give anybody who wants to do this type of business, the— it's basically you want to have products in 3 price ranges. So you want to have something that's on the lower end, something in the mid-range, and something on the high end. And back when I was designing, I had a lot of the mid and high, but no low. So I kind of adjusted and I said, okay, how can I also appeal to those who perhaps cannot buy the midpoint and high point price, uh, you know, products. And so I started coming out with items that were under $50, you know, um, $30 to $40, maybe somewhere even less. And honestly, those have been some of my best sellers. And sometimes most of my customers will start with that one piece, which is like the little gemstone bar necklace that I have in about 9 or 10 colors. And then they'll just come back and then continue to buy and other pieces. So that was one of the things that I kind of learned and it's been a huge help.

And you can see that, like, I shouldn't say that you can see that. I'm a, I'm a marketer, so I can visually see that, like, see how you do that because Again, it kind of goes back to your theme. Not only you're creating the 3 tiers, you're also creating collections kind of that can work together, which is kind of cool. I don't know if you realize you've done that, but I'm sure you have, where you create these 3 things, but they kind of all— if you get them all together in the 3 different, you know, price ranges, they look amazing together. But they're not— you can grow your way, like your customer can grow through a ladder of getting that next step with you, and that is awesome.

Exactly.

That's awesome.

And I've learned that along the way.

Yeah.

And so I've realized, hey, and, and also it wasn't from a standpoint of how can I make more money, because honestly that's not why I started this. I started this because I personally love jewelry And I enjoy it and it's a passion of mine. And that's why I started it. It's never been about making money. I mean, obviously you, you do want to make money because if you don't make money, there's no point in doing it. But, um, part of it that does that thought process also stems from myself because I started saying, hey, I have this piece. I can, I now I want another one to layer it with. What can I make? Oh. Let me make this. So a lot of it is done from my personal views and how I approach jewelry, and it's translated into my business, and it's worked. Because I mean, I feel like I am like most women, you want to build a collection or you want to build jewelry, but you want to build jewelry that you can perhaps use with other pieces you may own. That maybe, you know, you you pick up from your mom or your grandmother and you wanna maybe add a few more to it. And that's kind of how I've approached jewelry the last couple of years.

And you are kind of like your own, like you are your ideal client. Like, you know what I'm saying? I feel like what you are visioning is what you're also, your clients are very much like you, you know, they happen to think and want things similar to you.

Well, a lot of them have told me that they may have not been people who layered, but then they see something on me and they like how I've done it, and then it's like, oh hey, I like that, let me, let me try that. And it's what I tell them a lot of times, just use what you have at home. It may not be mine, but it'll still work.

Yeah.

You know, because it's all about just experimenting. I've learned to experiment, and that's what I kind of tell all my customers.

That's, that's so cool. So what I know you were saying that your parents have like were in jewelry. Were they like jewelry makers or designers or something, or was it just They didn't, they weren't like beaded gemstone, kind of like what I do.

They worked with like, uh, gold and they would design pieces and have somebody make it for them. And my mom, they're not into that anymore. That was way before I was even born. So, um, but she still has pieces she owns that she, she made.

Wow.

She had, she had done. Yeah.

Wow. So is that what inspires you to do this, or what does? What does?

No, um, I guess what inspires me is I just— I don't know, I just— I— the fact that I see people wearing my things and people who want my things is a big drive. And, um, the more people, you know, obviously the more people want something, the more it inspires you to kind of create and also get out of your comfort zone and kind of find new things to, to offer or do things a different way. Yeah. Yeah. You know, because jewelry has been around for years. So, um, and it's a very saturated market. Uh, so you have to find ways to kind of reinvent yourself.

Yeah. So you like the challenge and the creativity.

I like the creativity. The challenge, eh, but I like the creativity. Yes. I like finding gemstones and combining them in ways that people may have never thought of, you know, um, and just making things that you can't find at the, you know, if you go to Nordstrom or Macy's or whatever, just things that are unique. And that you, you can wear and that you may not see on anywhere else.

They're one of a kind.

Well, not everything's one of a kind. Um, when I first started, I wanted everything to be one of a kind, but my mom, I remember telling me, she's like, but if somebody likes a piece and you sell it and somebody asks you for another one, are you not gonna sell it just because you only want one? No, she's like, make another one. So some of my pieces are one of a kind, and they're one of a kind just because some gemstones— when it comes to certain gemstones, you can't get two of the same one no matter how hard you try. Color, pattern, everything's different. Um, so some of the pieces I do make are one of a kind. Um, statement necklaces tend to be one of a kind. They're higher priced, more expensive gemstones maybe, but I have a lot of the little pieces that, um, are more budget friendly, then no, I make those.

Yeah.

And that's— and it's helped. That's something I've learned. You know, you gotta make pieces that you can turn and sell more of, even though maybe for a little less, but hey, they're going to keep the business going. Yeah.

Yeah. So are there any tools for your business? Like tools, and I say tools, like, so if you're starting this if there's someone that's listening that's starting a jewelry business or someone that's in jewelry business, like, is there anything as far as like mindset thinking or even just like, you know, a voice of you got this, you can do this that you would—

I think you have to be honest with yourself. A lot of self-reflection. If something's not working, ask yourself, why is this not working? And being willing to adjust. Like there may be a design and I also learned there's a, you know, you may come up with something and you think it's the best thing ever. It doesn't, it doesn't sell. Well then, you know what? Redo it. Come up with something else. Break it apart. I had to learn that. I didn't want to. It was resistant. I'm like, but it's beautiful, but it's not selling. Break it apart and redo it. And just kind of, you know, a lot of it is just doing homework. You know, things don't just land and say, this is a success because you woke up one day and it happened to be so. No. Um, and then I get, I get a lot of people who ask me, oh, but it's going so well. Yeah, but it's been 9 or 10 years of just learning.

Yes.

Um, so you just have to learn what works for you. Not what's working for somebody else. Yeah, because there's a lot of the comparison game with social media now, you know. Um, you have to focus on yourself, your customers. What do your customers want? What keeps them coming back? Or how can you keep them coming back? And you just have to focus on, on, on that and trying to find ways where you can grow your business based on your customer base. And that's what I have focused on, my customer base, not anybody else's.

Right.

And how can I build my business based on that? And if you start looking around, like Etsy has, I know Etsy would always kind of send out emails with topics. I would always read them. I would search the forums. Shopify, I'm on Shopify now. I created my website through Shopify. They sometimes give, send out emails as to also how to grow your business, customer base, customer retention. So you have to do homework in that you have to read that information and see how it's going to apply and how you can apply it to your business. So I don't know if that totally answers your question.

Yeah, it does. No, it totally does. It totally does. So through this process, like through the process of having this business, a lot of the ladies that I talk to on the show, there's always something that they're constantly having to challenge. For example, for myself and my own business, I have multiple chronic illnesses, so I'm always constantly trying to figure out, okay, how to balance that and my life. And, you know, for me and everyone that's listening knows that, you know, obviously I'm married, I have chronic issues, but I also volunteer for my ministry. I have all these things that I'm doing, but then I also have a business that I have to kind of like, that I love doing. Like, don't get me wrong, business is cool, but business also takes time and effort and it can be a challenge to kind of keep the creativity and the passion. And what I have found that has worked for me is definitely I'm like focusing on things that I'm thankful for and grateful for and what I can do, not what I can't do. So our Has there been any challenges that have forced you to kind of think of things maybe in a different way that maybe might help someone who's going through challenges and they're feeling, you know, kind of stuck?

Hmm. Um, I mean, just balance in general is hard when you own, run your own business. Um, I do, uh, because you just have, you don't have a, I feel like sometimes I don't have a structured schedule. Which I'm still working on. There's certain days I also do volunteer work and those are like, you know, set aside, but then you come home and then it's like, you don't clock in, you don't clock out sometimes. And the clocking out is probably one of the hardest, hardest things ever. I mean, and that's what a lot of people don't see. They say, oh, you work from home, it's so easy. I mean, yeah, I work from home, but I also sometimes work really long, long, long hours where I probably shouldn't. But then the converse is also true. There's some times where I just don't feel like working and there's just no inspiration, or I've been sick, or I have other matters to attend to, and I can pull away. So that's been nice. Um, but in terms of challenges, I'm trying to say, just to be more balanced. Um, social media is hard because I run my business on social media, so you feel the need to have a presence on there, but you also don't want to be on your phone 12 hours a day. So I've kind of been trying to limit, and I put a timer on my phone as to how long I stay on social media. So I'm trying to kind of adjust that. Am I answering your question still?

Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's kind of like, you know, for me, that's a big— still a big thing. And I mean, as much as I coach people about this particular topic, about finding balance, it's like, it's a hard thing to do, but it is, and it's kind of important for me. The biggest thing that has helped is setting Working from home gives you flexibility, but I also have to schedule that. I have to have in my schedule, like, okay, even if I am— I have, like, today's Wednesday. Wednesdays are usually my fluid day, meaning I have a little bit more time to do more things from a business. So in the morning, I know I'm going to get up and do my own personal study, my Bible reading and all that kind of stuff and get my mind right for the life, for the day. And then I look at what I need to do for work, but I've kind of already scheduled that out. I've given myself a framework, but life doesn't always work like that, but at least I have a framework. So I hear what you're saying, like the social media especially, it's very— it's time-consuming and you don't realize until you look up and you're like, oh my gosh, I've been on Instagram for an hour and a half. Yeah, so a timer is really good advice, like totally good advice for your phone.

And then another thing I would say would be a challenge is, um, and I've experienced it and I know other people do, uh, when things slow down, business slows down, um, typically, usually the beginning of the year is slow months, you know, um, you kind of know when people buy when sales, you know, and you kind of look, you know, I have my sales for the last 3 years. So I typically know which seasons are the higher seasons, which are the slower seasons. So, um, granted, as a maker, you don't have a steady paycheck. So one challenge is being able to budget yourself. I've always been very good with budgeting myself. So I try to keep my expenses at a certain, point every month and not go beyond that. But another thing is like those months where you perhaps don't sell, you want to find ways to still stay busy even if you're not, you know, making money. So that's a good time to kind of take inventory of maybe what you have, things that you already have. If something hasn't sold, break it apart and redo it. See if you can come up with a new design, um, that may sell with what you already have. That's something I've also learned and it's actually helped me at times. Work on your website. Maybe look up SEO. It's something I'm still trying to learn. 2 years in, you know, research different marketing materials, how— work on SEO, work on photography or pictures.

Which you are really good at doing, by the way.

Ah, it depends on the day. But if I were to show you my pictures when I first started, you would say, no way, that's not you. I've learned, you know, and that's what I think people need to realize. It's a learning process and you're only going to get what you put in. And I like to learn. I want to improve. I've learned how to take pictures. If you see other people's pictures, not that you're going to copy, but use them as an inspiration. Say, hey, you know what? I like that style. Let me see how I can make it. So during those slow months, I think there's, there's things that you can still stay busy and be productive, even if you're not selling. And it kind of helps. It helps you keep yourself sane, but it also betters you as a business person.

Yeah, totally agree. And it helps refresh your mind too. It helps you. Like kind of get refreshed to be more creative. Like you get— you give yourself time to breathe, like you're giving yourself time to do what you need to do, but also time to breathe so that when the busy season comes, you're not like completely frazzled and not have everything you need done.

Yeah. Yeah.

Well, Patty, thank you so much for being on, on the podcast. I know this is— this is a perfect example, I think, for people who are not like comfort zone-wise, podcasts aren't necessarily everyone's comfort zone because one, it's not like that. It's becoming more common, but it's also not the most common.

So— Well, thanks for asking me to do this. I hope it benefits somebody. Somehow.

I'm sure it will. And that's kind of part of the reason why the show is about She's Crafted to Thrive. Everybody's business is different and everybody's way of doing their business is different and where they want to go with their business is different. And so I want people to be able to see the different facets of what that could look like for you and how you can run it. You could be the whole Patty show or you could be like, you know, the Jasmine Starr show where she's got like a team of 12 people helping her, you know what I'm saying? So it's all about what you want your business to be. And I just am really happy and privileged to have, you know, ladies like you on the show. So thank you.

Thank you.

So how can we find you on IG so, you know, they can all go scurry and look at your beautiful stuff?

So it's, uh, Vida Jewelry Designs on Instagram. Um, my website is on there, but it's very simple.

Also Vida Jewelry Designs All right, ladies, that's a wrap for this episode of She's Crafted to Thrive. Thank you so much for joining me. Please share with your friends and be sure to like and subscribe and leave us a review on iTunes. In the meantime, check us out at sheescrafted.com to check out the show notes for all the goodies and things that we talked about, and there'll be links there for you guys. So in the meantime, just remember, you are crafted to thrive.