I hope that not only my customers but also anyone browsing through my page or website can tell that I love making jewellery. I am completely self taught and have loved every part of my creative journey learning both traditional and modern silversmithing techniques. I devour books and online tutorials and have become a member of so many like minded groups where I try to absorb as much knowledge from others as possible. However, making jewellery is expensive and making the odd piece here and then as and when I could afford materials was seriously frustrating and so the dream of owning my own business was born. This is where I came across what I realise are my major mental hurdles. its taken many years for me to get to a point of building my own website and I can now tell you the two things that scare me and hold me back the most in pushing forward with my business. SEO and networking.
I love the online world. It allows me to communicate confidently and put on a show of being a confident self assured business person. I enjoy nothing more than chatting with other silversmiths and keepsake and memorial jewellers online. I love being able to communicate well with customers or potential customers. Being behind my computer keyboard helps me do this so much more easily than I could face to face and in person. selling myself does not come easily to me and being online is like putting on a mask that allows you to brave. However, the more I network online the more I realise I am missing out by avoiding real life network events. So much support is offered online especially from other mums in business who are trying to juggle the responsibilities of being a mum with having their own business that I can only imagine how much support these fellow business owners could offer when talking face to face.
Its not just support and encouragement that can be gained from fellow business owners but networking also provides the opportunity to share skills and impart and absorb knowledge. I am going to attend my first main networking event in a couple of days time. The Mums in business association is a fantastic organisation that support mums who own their own businesses and also allows these mums to network with each other and skill share/swap. I am hoping that as well as making friends and building my support network that attending the regional Newport meeting will allow me to make contacts with people who are in a position to help me over come my fear and frustration with SEO. SEO Is vital in order to build an online business. It is a constant learning curve with goal posts that seem to be constantly moving. My aim is not to become an expert, although that would be nice, but to develop enough understanding and SEO knowledge to not let the prospect of it from scaring me off from pushing forward with my business and my website.
So I guess in order to be successful we have to push ourselves. Push ourselves to learn new things and to move out of our comfort zones. I think that I have realised that in order to move forward I need to be brave and that working on my own mind set and mentality can only help but to improve my business.