How did BeadZbyRoZ get in the Sunday edition of the Wall Street Journal?  

Isn’t this something every small business dreams about- publicity, free press?  It came about because I am focused, tenacious, spend time reading  others Facebook posts, have fans who have connected with me & I joined groups on Facebook. That’s right.

Social Media works.

I have been studying, learning & applying lots of wisdom from many professionals about how to build my Facebook fan page, engage with my fans & grow my  handmade beaded on-line jewelry business. I saw a post through a group I belong to, that a reporter was looking for people who became entrepreneurs after age 65. That was me!!! I asked the fan for details & started my correspondence with the reporter. Several emails later  I had my phone interview.

The Phone Interview

Surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous. After all, it was just a conversation between two people.  The reporter & I hit it off & as I answered her questions about my business, why I started it, how it was doing, I realized she was trying to determine if I met a particular criteria, without exactly telling me the criteria. Ultimately I was so comfortable with her, I shared a lot about my background, my own work experience before retirement as a career counselor for the NYS Dept. of Labor & why I was persistent in my efforts despite being in the red. I was perfect.

Why?

I always loved the world of work & this reporter was featuring Sr. citizens who chose to become entrepreneurs late in life for some financial reason,  ”But Ms.Evans, who launched the full-time venture six years ago, isn’t your average tech-savy entrepreneur. She’s a 73-year-old  retiree, looking to supplement her pension so she can help her family overcome recent financial hurdles.”

I was also perfect because all my work life I knew I made a difference for others as a counselor to the unemployed  & here in retirement I was still doing it.  I was doing it by sharing about myself through my blog , on my Facebook page & by my daughter & I creating jewelry that has a woman feel  good about how to accessorize, own beautiful, unique, one-of-a-kind jewelry that artistically compliments her wardrobe & at affordable prices.

Hidden from View

Retirement works well for some people who enjoy the leisure time to do what they want when they want. That worked for me the first few years but my life changed after I took a class on how to bead & discovered a talent & a passion for combining tantalizing beads, stones & crystals. Having spent 30 years helping others to connect with their inner desires I found mine & it had been hidden from my view. I never thought of myself as artistic.  I was a ‘helper’.  Could I inspire others, not  necessarily to turn a hobby into a business, but to pursue a dream, to know that it is never too late to start again? It is why I started to  blog & share my own journey into beading, my own transformation.

Outcome

I was very excited when the article “Tackling a Business Later in Life” came out on April 7th 2013.  I heard from readers across the country & sold necklaces  to customers in Oregon, Knoxville,TN. & Washington State through our website www.BeadZbyRoz.com. Even though BeadZbyRoZ had been in business for 6 years, I was in my first year focusing on my online sales.

Being In The News -BeadZbyRoZ was on the map!!! 

The original article at the Wall Street Journal can be found here:

“Tackling a Business Later in Life” by Sarah Needleman

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323611604578396381849436750.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

MOVING FORWARD

Six years later, I have a business creating handcrafted beaded jewelry. No, this blog isn’t about how many beads I have or why I bead. It IS about PINTEREST. They say 80% who use it are female, so in the event I have some male readers, Pinterest is an online visual storage/display of images.  Guess who got addicted? Yup-me. The good thing is, it doesn’t cost me anything but time. Yes, time is money & if I apply the modules I purchased, I could probably drive some traffic to my website & make some sales.

GOOD PLAN

I purchased a module/program that covers how to use pinterest for a business awhile ago, skimmed through it & then started pinning away. What I really love about Pinterest is that if I want to please my eyes, I go to my boards for the latest styles, or to find a recipe or  get resources for social media. It’s all there in magnificent visual images. I’ve traveled the world, dug into antiquity, been to pottery & glass art galleries & walked down many fashion runways & I didn’t have to leave home or spend a dime. I laugh with the humor boards & cry over all the wisdoms that are written. I learn about eating healthy & I see how I could have decorated my home. Sometimes, other people’s boards look like their dreams or unfulfilled lives.

OUTCOME

I’ve been told that my boards are a reflection of the wonderful life I have, expressions of my creativity & appreciation of all things of beauty.  I will probably have to use a timer, but I can always hit reset!

CYCLES

Sometimes I can even return to my warm comforter & after endless tossing & turning, I catch a few hours more sleep. Sometimes, when I can’t go back to sleep, I get really tired in the late afternoon, close my eyes for a short while & then I am doomed. Unable to fall asleep by midnight, my cycle gets recycled & a vicious cycle ensues.

What to do, what to do?

I just put socks on my feet. I find when my toes are cold, I really can’t sleep.  I wonder how many people experience this or is it just women. I have talked to female friends & have heard the oddest things about sleeping attire. My daughter goes to bed in the winter wearing a wool hat. A girlfriend wears wool gloves. I just add cotton socks. My husband sleeps in just his underwear. Old torn tshirts seem to be a favorite. Yet, when I walk through Macys or Kohls, huge sections of the store are devoted to sleepwear.

WHAT IS SLEEPWEAR?

Maybe you buy fancy sleepwear when you first start sleeping with someone, hoping  that in a short period of time your clothes will come off.  I never got to wear a 1 piece where you are covered from top to bottom, nor do I remember what they call them. How does one go to the bathroom without taking down or off the entire thing?

These are the thoughts that keep me awake, urgent, world shaking  thoughts.  The only really good thing about my rambling words on sleep is that it is providing me with something written for my wonderful writers group tomorrow, no,  I mean today.

WHAT ARE YOU UP TO TODAY?

I like the recycled tan Kraft boxes, I said.  “No, I think we should go with the black glossy. It’s classier”.  I was thinking that setting up our booth in the shape of a U is inviting customers into our space. It’s friendly & cozy. “No, she said- we should look more professional- a clean look where they can’t see our packaging table or our personal belongings. We should set up the tables so they walk around on the outside”.

This is how our partnership in our handcrafted beading business has been for the past 5 years.  We seldom start off seeing things on the same page.  Our differences reflect in everything we do, from designing jewelry pieces, to the size and type of  beads we buy.

MY VIEW

We are currently working on redesigning our website (www.BeadZbyRoZ.com) and we can put a banner type photo across the top. This photo will show up on every page and so it has to be something  great to look at and a reflection of our work. I thought a lot about it & came up with the idea that instead of selecting  specific necklaces to showcase, we take a photo of a mélange of beads, artfully arranged, selecting strands we use in our design.  I should have known that she would see it differently.

HER VIEW

Her thought was it wouldn’t engage someone to travel through the site to see a finished product. I thought it would have that effect & it would say; look what we did with this assortment. Isn’t it beautiful?  Instead, she wants  to drape some necklaces off a bowl, arranged artfully with another one lying across the shelf. Its sounds ok. I don’t know if I’m that good at the design or the photography but I’ll give it a shot.

OUR FINAL IMAGE

WHO IS SHE?

When I recently started writing a newsletter, my style was conversational- 2 friends talking about a topic. Then she edited & it ended up polished and very professional sounding.  Well, how do I stay in partnership with her & how do I really feel about her? Its easy. The she I continue to refer to is my daughter & without the beading business we probably would not have as much of a relationship as we now do. It’s really amazing  given that we see things so opposite from one another, that we can & do work together. We have our bumps, our roller coaster moments, but more importantly, we have one another. I love to bounce things off her & her way of looking at things expands my views. I do think I acquiesce more than she does, but the end result makes me proud of our accomplishments.

MY NEXT VENTURE

When I told her that I was going to start blogging ( this is #10), she took a swallow & said, Mom, that’s your thing- you are on your own, but who will edit your writing? I replied I’d have it proofed by a friend. She said- go for it if that’s what you want to do. I’ve thought about blogging for the past year and although I don’t think of myself as a writer, I really want to share my story about how I reinvented myself at age 68.  Now at age 73, I took on social media proving once again that it’s not too late to start again. I want to be an inspiration to seniors to find their passion and go after it. My adventure has been really challenging in many ways. Mother/daughter working things out thru running a business has just been 1 of the hugest challenges.  When I hear her say, “I love you Mom” at the end of a call, I know it has been worth it.

 

I have been struggling this past year with where & how to grow my business, change its direction from selling at craft shows to other marketing ways & my resistance to networking keeps creeping up. Why?

4 KEY POINTS

The 4 key points in this pitch is The Who, The What, The Why & The How. I  resisted preparing a 30 second elevator because  I couldn’t identify any of the answers, but slowly I started seeing some of my roadblocks.

THE TRUTH

I don’t like self promoting my handcrafted beaded jewelry. I want  people to come, see my stuff & then buy something without any pitch from me. This sounds familiar. When I was once unemployed, I hated having to “sell” myself. I wanted to talk to the people who had already seen me professionally & were impressed with my background, skills & abilities.  Is this still lurking in the background?  The answer is obviously YES.

THE WHO? (my target)

I can’t name my niche in 1-3 words yet because I took up a hobby, fell passionately in love with it, then became so prolific, I had to sell it. I didn’t even know I had this talent and my hobby snowballed into a business.

THE WHAT? (primary benefit of my product)

At first, I couldn’t even see that my jewelry was a product. Duh!  How can I say I am in business  when I don’t see my end result as producing a product- I was producing jewelry!

Now this is a really good question?  Can’t answer it yet but it sure brings up core vulnerability.

THE WHY?  (purpose)

How will owning a BeadZbyRoZ necklace change my customers life? In other words, is there a purpose here?  I could have answered this part in a nano second in my former life as a career counselor, but creating jewelry & selling it at first seemed like a far stretch for an impulse or accessory purchase .  On the other hand, bringing beauty into the world is important. Women like jewelry, like to accessorize & working women want to dress well & select just the right necklace or earring for an outfit or neckline. Why can’t it be mine?

Double Pearls

Most of my necklaces are really nice everyday styles, not necessarily  “WOW”  stoppers.  But this  just helped me see the answer to my first point- identifying my target market. It is usually the working woman who is proud & pleased by her appearance in the workplace. My jewelry fits this image. Oh, I just cleared something out of my space- I have 1 more area to look at & it is probably the most challenging.

 THE HOW (unique selling proposition)

Over the past 5 years I have had so many craft show shoppers say that my pieces  looked different from so many other jewelry vendors. As customers  walk around my display & I hear, “I like this one, I love this one, Oh that would go with my new suit, I like so many, I can’t decide” & so on.  I feel great as I hear this & often results in a sale & a satisfied customer. I know my color & material combinations creates clean designs for unique,one-of-a-kind, comfortable & affordable pieces.

My 30 second elevator pitch.

Hi, I’m RoZ of BeadZbyRoZ (with Z’s) & I think of myself as an ageless explorer.  My thrill in life is to create jewelry that enhances the wardrobe of the smart looking well coordinated woman. At age 68, after retiring from being a career counselor for 30 years, I took a beading class, found my passion & created my business. At 73 I am using social media to market my business. I blog, email newsletters, Facebook, Pinterest & a website. I LOVE it all.

CONCLUSION!

What an interesting exercise to do.  I am on the road to examining what it will take to really, really operate BeadZbyRoZ as a business and start and enjoy going to networking meetings.  I feel relieved & challenged- what a combination!

PS. I hope when I introduce myself with my elevator speech that I inspire others to find their passion, a hidden talent & to know it is never too late to start again.

IS THIS POSSIBLE?

My head keeps shaking from side to side telling me that I can’t do this. My friends & family say I can. They focus on what I have thus far accomplished these past  years. I look at how much more I need to learn.  Not sure what will win out, up & down or side to side.

For now, I am plunging, as it is late summer, not into a pool or ocean but into the world of social media marketing.  I was delighted to discover groups of fellow beaders, handcrafters, artists & women owned businesses on linkedin. In response to a group members query on, ”How do I get started selling my newly created jewelry?”  I read the following reply:  “Before you get started in your craft business, you need to have a clear idea of the types of products you want to sell & what you think people will be willing to pay for them”.

CLUELESS!

No, no, no I cried out. This isn’t really her issue because she has already started. She is hooked & already has boxes of beads & lots of finished product. The same thing happened to me before I realized that I was in business.  When I think back to the beginning, I had no clue what people would be willing to pay for my jewelry. I wasn’t even sure what it cost me to make each necklace nor did I know I should keep track of it as a way to set my price point.  I did sell enough to cover some of my expenses & so I forged on. I had to search for where the shows were only to discover that my applications often had to be submitted 6-10 months in advance depending on the juried level.

AT PRESENT

Here it is, 5 years later & I spend more of my time on the computer than in beading & my business & technical knowledge continues to grow.  I’m pleased with all I’ve accomplished & intend to continue to expand personally & professionally.  A dear friend dubbed me the “Ageless Explorer” hence the name of my blog . At age 73 I will continue this adventure.

Keep posted to follow my twists & turns as I immerse myself in social media marketing.

You can learn more about me @  http://www.beadzbyroz.com/aboutus.sc

become a fan on my facebook page,  https://www.facebook.com/BeadZbyRoZ,

follow me on Pinterest, http://Pinterest.com/BeadZPassion,  Linkedin or Twitter.

I didn’t know it but my head going up & down is running the show.

our tags

MY ADVENTURE

I reinvented myself 5 years ago when I was 68 and what an adventure it has been.  For some people an adventure could be caving, mountain climbing, traveling, tantric sex, cooking, canoeing, hiking and more.  My adventure has been in the realm of BEADS, all kinds of beads. I never knew there were Druk , Vintage, Czech, Lampwork, Crystal, Sea Glass, Seed, Bugle, Semi-precious, Glass & Picasso beads, just to name a few & impress you with my acquired knowledge.

SO MANY BEADS

Over these past 5 years I have amassed hundreds (I hope not thousands) of beads & have turned my dining room into my storage & working studio.  I bead almost daily, love working in natural light & if you ask anyone who has ever tried beading they will agree that it is addictive .In addition to these gorgeous beads there are many types of findings, clasps, wire, metals, tools. I think you get the point & so no need to try to impress you with how much I have learned & acquired

WHAT ELSE?

When I first started beading I had no plan, no goals, just wanted to make beaded jewelry.  Selling & marketing became another adventure to learn & I HAD TO conquer my reluctance to use a computer.  Now, I can’t imagine not being on my PC every day for 3-5 hours. Oh Yes, I made it into a business.

MAKING MONEY?

I am often asked if I am making any money. I keep records with organized files, folders, receipts & documents for IRS & NYS sales tax people. Recently hired an accountant who gently suggested I resist more bead purchases, create from inventory & if I keep to the plan, could turn a profit. Talking to a declared shopaholic, this is not easy!.

OTHER SKILLS

Once computer technology became less elusive, I had to take on improving my photography skills. Yes, that too. Armed with a point & shoot, I depend heavily on photo editing tools. My age continues to advance  as my interest in setting up outdoor craft shows diminish. Given the future is over the internet, I am moving more in that direction, however I will not stop being a vendor at indoor craft fairs. I would miss meeting my customers face to face & learning about your preferences, styles & jewelry needs.

A BLESSING

It has been very cathartic & enlightening to write about my adventure into beading. Daily I thank the universe for presenting me once again with challenges, giving me the courage & opportunity to grow. If beading is a creative expression  & passion for you, then go for it. It’s never too late to start again!

Layers around your neck

THE CREATIVE PROCESS

Every artist has their own style & approach for the creative process. My daughter visualizes the finished piece. She knows exactly what it will look like before she even begins. On the other hand, my creative process is different. I am drawn to the beads themselves & I usually get hooked on a few.  Then I explore how I want to combine these tantalizing beads & ultimately I decide if I want to make a single, double, long, short, twist or versatile design.  Mostly, I am delighted with the outcome & fortunately my customers are too.

5' rope

 Put this in my shopping cart!

THE STEPS I TAKE

The piece I just finished, photos shown, is 5′ long.  I call it  “Variations in Purple” on my website, click http://beadzbyroz.com/Variations-in-Purple-511.htm.Now,  I will  take you through the process of creating it.  I started at the small ‘trailer hitch’ clasp & the first thing you might notice, after you recover from the sheer length of it, is that on either side of the clasp are 2 distinctly different patterns with a 3rd one in the middle.  Look what happens when I start layering it .  Depending on your neck size you can have up to 5 tight layers & then, draped differently, it does look like you are wearing 3 necklaces.  You can even make it 2 times around & knot the long piece. Oh, this design is so versatile & creating it with 3 patterns isone of  my trademarks!

Knotted 5' Rope

FABULOUS FINISH

I spend a long time deciding what beads I want to combine into my design.  I select many bead strands from my extensive stash including crystals, Czech glass, semi-precious stones & Freshwater pearls.  My dining room table gets completely covered with choices & then I start selecting, experimenting, eliminating, choosing & finally, beading.

This 5′ rope has to ‘hangout’ so the spaces between the beads settle & fall flush together.  I love blending the colors or as in this case, creating a mono chromatic long necklace in 3 patterns & combining a variety of beads to create this design, “Variations in Purple”.

To explore your love of beaded jewelry, seeing the completion of the creative process, or to purchase, CLICK: http://beadzbyroz.com/Variations-in-Purple-511.htm

Handcrafted Beaded Sold Necklaces

Last summer I took the plunge. Not into a pool or ocean but into the world of social media marketing. I was delighted to discover groups of fellow beaders, handcrafters, artists & women owned businesses on linkedin.  In response to a group members query on how to get started selling her newly created jewelry, I read the following reply: “Before you get started in your craft business, you need to have a clear idea of the types of products you want to sell & what you think people will be willing to pay for them”.

WRONG ANSWER
No, no, no . This isn’t really her issue because she has already started. She is HOOKED & has tons of boxes of beads & finished product. The same thing happened to me. My first year I gave gifts of handcrafted beaded necklaces to everyone & begged them for home parties. After awhile I was told to sell to the general public. Signing up for a local craft show seemed like a good way to go & so I purchased a tent, tables, displays, table covers, paid my entry fee, filed a state tax ID, opened a business account, printed business cards, created a website & I was finally ready for the public.

CONFUSION
I had no clue what people would be willing to pay for my handmade jewelry. I did sell enough to cover some of my expenses & so I forged on. I had to search for shows  only to discover that applications had to be submitted 6-10 months in advance depending on the juried level.

PROGRESS
Here it is, 5 years later & I spend more of my time on the computer than in beading & my business & technical knowledge continues to grow. I’m proud of all I’ve accomplished & intend to continue to expand personally & professionally.

A dear friend dubbed me the “Ageless Explorer” & I like this handle. At age 73 I will continue this adventure. Keep posted to follow my twists & turns as I immerse myself in social media marketing. You can learn more about me by visiting www.BeadzbyRoz.com/aboutus/, become a fan @ https://www.facebook.com/BeadZbyRoZ, follow me @ http://Pinterest.com/BeadZpassion  or Roslyn Tanner Evans on linkedin & twitter.

This is Bead Shopping

Sparkle, glisten, colors blasting,
tables, rows, strands a casting
nets to draw us near,
hearts a thumping, we have no fear.

Right, left, down the center
just to the side of where we enter.
Last time almost missed great buys,
there they were,  our favorite vendor guys,
with pearls, cloisonne, abalone & shells,
we will pass on Tibetan bells.

Hours later laden with treasures,
The joy it gives us can’t be measured.