Do You Want to Bead?

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Roslyn

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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!

Social Media & Me

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Roslyn

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.

LAUNCH

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Roslyn

SAMPLING

Recently I thought back to when I was a day away from launching my BeadZbyRoz website & my business was less than 1 year old. How did it really happen? Making beaded jewelry was a newly discovered hobby after I took a 2 hour beading class. I remember falling instantly in love with the sparkle & glisten of crystal & glass beads & quickly made 25 necklaces for holiday gifts. Then, I couldn’t stop. My hands had a life of their own and I kept beading.

Eventually I whined to a dear friend, “What do I do with all my stuff. I don’t want to stop?” She said, “sell them”. I hated the idea of selling & preferred giving away things or my services. I guess I had a belief that being altruistic was holier than making money.

DISCOVERY:

So how did I ever get to the point of creating a website? I didn’t even know how to use a digital camera or navigate on the computer. What I did know was that I had found my true creative passion. I had tried other crafts but never went too far with them. When I rediscovered knitting everyone got fabulous winter scarves but never a sweater because all I knew was basic knit/purl & couldn’t follow a pattern.

The exciting aspect of creating a real website was that I wanted to expand my design capability which meant going into NYC to purchase beads, rather than from my local craft stores. That first bead shopping trip was overwhelming & most exciting. I couldn’t imagine what I would do with all the strands of semi-precious stones, crystals, Czech glass, Tibetan beads I bought. I had gotten carried away by my compulsive shopping gene.

MOVING FORWARD:

Another friend suggested the name of my company, BeadZbyRoZ, all with ZZZZZ. Again, a friend to the rescue & a business card was created. A few more house parties as my inventory grew & then I came to a full stop.

What was I doing? Did I really want a business which meant marketing, accounting, taxes, craft shows, loading, setting up a tent? The only aspect I knew I loved was the buying & building up my stash, looking at all my beads in boxes & trays on my dining room table, handling the beads & finally, creating beautiful necklaces. I was really stuck. I had more bead strands in my dining room than some stores & my passion was still high for creativity, but was this what I really wanted & was I up to it?

MY ESSENCE:

I decided after soul searching that what I was up to was more than just a hobby. It was a way to make a difference in a very different way than I had ever imagined. The incredible part of my journey is that I have grown in unpredictable ways. With the help of friends, I learned how to use a camera, download, edit & manage photos. My son, who lives in another state & is a computer engineer & I talk often as he walks me through technology. I have real computer skills now. My daughter took up the craft , we sometimes bead together & she helps me in our business. She says my creations remind her of all the pottery shopping trips we took while growing up.

It is clear to me that I wouldn’t have reached the point of launch without the support, expertise & generousity of my friends & family & for that I have much gratitude. Although I often came close to mini breakdowns, I LOVE what I am doing. I didn’t know I had these talents or abilities & now I do know “it is never too late to start again.”

REINVENTING MYSELF

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Roslyn

“What problem is big enough to be worthy of my life”?

WOW, what a question! What does ‘a problem’ mean? I see everything I take on when I raise my bar as an exciting challenge. Hmm, & then I started to see why the word ’problem’ was used. Usually when you take on a really huge challenge, in addition to it being an opportunity to grow outside one’s comfort zone, it can create a ‘problem’. So, something really big to have my life make a difference & call on me to live life large. Immediately I said it would be to have enough inventory of my beaded necklaces to meet a huge demand. I then breathed a sigh of relief. Yes, this was it. After taking a 2 hour simple class in beading, I fell in love with the craft & before you knew it, I had about 50 necklaces made. What to do with all those still left after I gave most away to family & friends? Sell, sell & sell said my friends. No, no, no said I.

SELL, SELL, SELL

Why couldn’t I do that; sell, sell, sell? All my life I shied away from being an entrepreneur. I often gave my time, my skills and my talents away for free. I worked for 30 years as a civil servant, earning low wages but providing a public service supporting & empowering unemployed professionals. After I retired I continued to help people with their resumes & job searches. “Become a consultant, work for outplacement” my peers would say. No, no, no I’d say. I don’t want to be an entrepreneur. How could I start charging now for anything I did?

A PROBLEM WORTHY of my LIFE?

I pondered this question of a problem worthy of my life? I know- keep growing the business so I can leave a legacy to my daughter who is now designing & making beautiful, graceful, feminine beaded necklaces. She wants our business to grow in order to supplement her income as a massage therapist.

Now this seems like a worthy cause. Yet, something doesn’t feel just right. Sharing my quest with some friends, I have an eureka moment. I GOT IT: I know what problem is worthy of my life.

THIS IS IT!

At age 68 I created my company BeadZbyRoZ from a hobby & sold over 200 necklaces, did 15 craft shows, expanded my computer skills, created a website www.BeadZbyRoZ.com, became a business woman & through it all, I continued to express my passion for the bright, textured, alluring combinations of beads. I reinvented myself & now I have a really big problem worthy of my life & it is to inspire other seniors to find & express their passion & reinvent themselves.