We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Julie Lavender. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Julie below.

Hi Julie, thanks for joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

Consistency.
Persistence.
Drive.

In my ten years of running my own business, I’ve found these three attributes to be key to success! If you aren’t driven, you certainly shouldn’t have your own business. There is no one telling you to keep up with the trends, list that next product, reach out for that new wholesale opportunity or stay on top of your finances. You have to have the drive to want to succeed on your own! Next in line is persistence. The first time, it may not work! The first design, the first cold call, maybe even the first business model. You have to try and try again. And once you have products and a business model that works, you have to make the sales! You have to sell your products, service over and over again. Last, but not least, is consistency! This one for me came directly from my husband after a frustrating customer interaction. “Whatever you decide, be consistent!” Consistent policies and consistent products. Make sure your customers know they can come to you for consistent products/services. The quality, the customer service, the overall experience. They know what to expect!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

GingerUp Designs offers a Build-A-Pair Earring and Custom Engraved Jewelry Bar. I use two different laser engravers to customize a variety of wood, acrylic and metal components to meet your gathering’s theme or bring the season’s latest trends to you. Whether you like gold or silver, large or small, monochromatic or prismatic, classy or funky, formal or casual…I bring a large variety of offerings to you and your guests that you can choose from and I assemble your selection while you wait! If you would like to do it yourself, I also offer parties where I teach you how to make your own jewelry. It is a unique and fun way to create and bring something you love home!

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Use Facebook and Youtube at a minimum to follow people’s journeys and to learn from their successes and failures. The best part of social media, in my opinion, is the intel and inspiration you can gather from other business owners. Whether it’s settings on a new material you’re using for your laser engraver or how to approach social media influencers to consider your products/services. The library of information for small businesses is endless! You need to find a community that resonates with you and your business model and fly from there.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I know plenty of people in my area that support businesses that simply buy and sell products made by other people. I support some of these businesses as well, but makers…people that actually physically make their own products…are in a whole other category. When you design your own products/services, use a variety of different materials and run your own capital equipment, it is a whole other ballgame. The amount of blood, sweat and tears…energy and passion…that goes into creation is hard to explain! Just to develop a great, consistent product/ service to start off with takes a great deal of time and commitment. Once you have your formula down, every piece of equipment has components that fail and the equipment needs to be maintained. Where does this create problems for Makers? Customers would like to see the same cost on all products of a similar nature in their area and the reality is a Maker can’t offer their products for the same cost as those who buy and sell products they bought from oversees in a completely different economy/ work environment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/gingerupdesigns
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gingerup_designs
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/GingerUp-Designs/100063517628997