Creative Entrepreneur

Carole Grant was working as an interior decorator when something happened that changed her life completely. At first, it must have seemed to her as if her life as she knew it was over, but during her recovery, she discovered a new passion that changed her life again -- but this time, in a good way. Introducing Carole Grant of CG Studio Jewelry

Casey Virata is a hardworking, single mom who is happily living her dream of being a working artist. From big, bold prints to intricate word art, there's a sense of whimsy in everything she makes which is not surprising since she says she's inspired by music, nature and laughter. Her store is called Luckii Arts (pronounced Lucky Eye) and is a tribute to both her father and her sister. This week, we asked her to swap out her paintbrushes for a keyboard so she could answer our burning questions about her art and her store.

When a customer visits your online store for the first time, sameness will make them feel at home. They intuitively know to click on the store to shop or image for more detail. They know what a bracelet is and they can imagine how it feels if you tell them it’s made of glass. This is a good thing. Right? But imagine if you visited an online store and the pictures were all upside down. Instead of bracelets, they were selling Whoziwazzis in shades of sluberack and ziptoad. Would you run from the madness or stay and click around?

Type the phrase “plan with me” into the YouTube search box and you’ll be drawn in to a whole new world. It’s a world of Life Planners and kikki.K, spiral or arc bound, horizontal vs. vertical, half boxes and checklists, hydration stickers and weekend banners. Yes, planners have their own language but don’t worry; it’s easy to catch on. Actually, catching on is what you should worry about – because once you head down this rabbit hole, there’s no turning back.

I’m not a fan of the hardware store, so when my husband said he had to run in to pick up a few items, I opted to sit in the car. To amuse myself while I waited, I pulled out my mobile phone to check my Twitter feed. I read and followed and that follow led me to a new follow and by the time my husband returned, I had made 4 new connections on Twitter and had tagged two dozen potential new followers. The next time you’re waiting for a conference call, the kids to get out of school or the water to boil; try one of these short but powerful tasks. You’d be surprised by what you can accomplish in just ten minutes.

Thanksgiving feels like the last big breath you take before you dive into the pool for a long swim. It’s both cleansing and preparatory. It’s a time for passive reflection mixed with heady anticipation. The holidays are here at last and no matter how old you are, there’s always that child inside that can’t wait for the lights, the sounds, the hubbub and the presents.

Selling to a customer is all about trust. A stranger has to believe that if they send you some money, you’ll mail them an item that is equal to or of greater value than the amount that was sent. One way to earn that trust is by showing that your store is active and you care. Remember, we’re talking appearance here, not reality. You could have uploaded six new items yesterday but a first time visitor wouldn’t know that unless you make it clear. There are several ways to do that:

I’ve seen people walk away from a successful business because they couldn’t handle the increased responsibilities. This is particularly true for artists who would rather spend their time creating works than marketing, shipping and customer service. It’s even worse if you have a full-time job that you can’t or don’t want to quit. How do you find not just the time but the brain-space to go on? You hire some virtual help.

As the kids head back to school, and you say goodbye to warm summer afternoons and impromptu beach days or pool parties, it is time to focus your business efforts and get ready for the new season. Planning ahead now can be the difference between getting to have a vacation next year, or working through those beautiful summer afternoons!