Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amber Starr. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Amber, thanks for joining us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
I’m overall happy being a business owner, I have my days where I become frustrated & tell myself I’m going to get a job, out of anger.. being a business owner isn’t for the weak, it’s easier to go out here & work for someone else, however there are cons to that as well. Being your own boss is having your own freedom to do the things you want to do & to create memories that will last a lifetime, the same way you can put long hours into working for another company, making products for them, you can do for yourself. I come from a job that didn’t appreciate my hard work ethics, & it made me look at the warehouse job totally different. I was used & threw around where they needed me, because of all the knowledge & skills I had to run my jobs. I come from a place where I was the only person on my whole entire line that knew over 20+ jobs, when it came down to me wanting to work extra hours (sign up for overtime) for extra income, I was always denied to work, I wasn’t “qualified” to work. I went through this for almost 6 years, my seniority or my over qualifications didn’t matter then, it only mattered when they wanted me to cover a job for someone else. I got tired of that & I told myself if I can be this dedicated to another company that only viewed me a worker & didn’t appreciate my hard work, I can do this for myself, while enjoying what I like to do, I was only a few months in turning a hobby into a career. I was willing to walk away from job making very good money for the way I was treated, many couldn’t understand it, because they only thought about the money.. in that case money didn’t bring me happiness & I refused to go to a place 5-6 days a week working unhappy, money didn’t matter when it came to my sanity. I’m happy things played out the way that it did, they ended up letting me go, the same day they set me up to get out of there was the same day I was going to put my two weeks notice in. I’m a firm believer that everything happens, exactly how it supposed to happen. It’s now been 3 and a half years, I never looked back. I would rather deal with my own issues as a business owner versus working for another company!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
My name is Amber Starr, I’m the owner & operator of Get Candiedd By Starr, Get Candiedd By Starr is your go to candy shop for all your unthinkable treats, Tasty Candiedd apples, a wide variety of Candiedd fruits, to cheesecake stuffed apples, to cheesecake cups, the list goes on & on! I wow my customers taste buds with my creative treats made with love! My business stands apart from similar brands because I take ordinary treats to the next level! I’ve been rated 5 stars, I have over 130 customer reviews, as well as excellent customer service!! I’ve gained many followers on my Fb business page, I’m on the rise on IG! I love to do giveaways to thank my customers, & hopefully one day in the future I’ll be in position to give back to my community!!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’m in the process of going from one idea I thought would work for my company to another, last time I was featured , I had plans to travel with my “treat” trailer, that plan has now changed. I recently had another child “unexpectedly” & now my plans to travel are being put on hold. I want to open up a candy shop now more than ever, I went over 6 weeks while my baby was in the NICU out of work & it gave me time to re-focus & re-strategize how I want to run my business! Sometimes you have to lose it all, in order to receive everything that meant for you to have! It’s always a lesson in the blessing!! I’m also always trying to think of ways to advance my business for the long road, because Get Candiedd By Starr is here to stay!
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
POST POST POST!! Attend pop up shops, every chance you get!! Pass out your business cards, post flyers in areas with a lot of traffic!! Once again, POST, don’t look at the likes, the shares, or the supporters. A lot of new business owners get discouraged when they feel as if nobody is seeing them or supporting them, I’m here to tell you. They see you, & please whatever you do is to not give up, & don’t worry about the people who you think is suppose to support you, only focus on the people who do! You also have to support others in order for the support to be reciprocated!! Your biggest & only supporter is you & your loyal customers! Don’t lose your focus! Keep going!!!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: getcandiedd_by_starr
- Facebook: Get Candiedd By Starr