We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Natalie Brooks a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Natalie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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?

This question is particularly interesting and humorous to me because I’ve had a wide array of jobs throughout my life. Some of these experiences were incredibly beneficial for running my own business, while others were quite absurd, like being a “white glove” for a quilt show (this literally meant I wore white gloves and turned over quilts when requested). I have almost always worked for small businesses or companies, usually those owned by women, except for brief attempts to work in “corporate America,” which never lasted long.
After college, I worked briefly at a doggie daycare and as an administrative assistant in a dental office, but I did not last more than six months in either position. Both of those jobs made me absolutely miserable, so I returned to working for small retail or wholesale businesses or as a nanny. While I mostly enjoyed my time working for other small business owners, I never realized how incredibly happy I would be when working for myself full-time. I started my jewelry company in 2017, but it wasn’t until 2022 that I truly devoted all my attention and effort to it. A lot of the depression and anxiety I was experiencing lifted when I began to prioritize myself. I am immensely happier as a business owner. That said, there are significant challenges in finding a work-life balance when you are your own boss. I must take responsibility for anything that goes wrong, and I also must motivate myself to work harder when I need to increase sales. I have to carefully consider the possibilities when making decisions about where to invest or what to let go of. These are minor inconveniences compared to having a “regular” job, though.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Natalie Brooks, and I am the owner of Natalie Clare Collections, a jewelry company based in Batavia, IL. I specialize in gold-plated, dainty, and minimalistic jewelry, particularly earrings. I am a passionate fan of houseplants, and I incorporate that interest into my jewelry designs. I began working for a jewelry company at the age of 16 after being recommended by my high school art teacher. This job provided me with the knowledge and skills necessary to start creating my own jewelry and to find reputable sources for my jewelry findings. I think people are drawn to my jewelry because it’s easy to wear and I’m always happy to help work with people on what they are looking for or just for a chat. I have lived in Batavia for over 20 years and know so many of my customer’s and their families. I take great pride in my work ethic, which has allowed me to build a substantial wholesale audience, selling online to stores across the country. You can currently find Natalie Clare Collections in over 40 states.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

I sell my jewelry on my own retail website, which is hosted by Shopify. I personally really love that platform because it allows you to design your website according to your own aesthetic and colors. It’s easy to list products and create collections for customers to shop from. I also enjoy the email marketing feature, which enables you to send out free emails with a template that helps keep your information and pictures concise and organized. I also ship with Shopify and receive a slight discount compared to shipping directly through a mailing service.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

Starting a business is a significant undertaking, and the first piece of advice I always give people is to enlist the help of an accountant or bookkeeper for tax matters. In the first year that I went full-time with my business, I had no idea how much income I would generate or what I needed to pay to the government. I was paying my sales tax, but when it came time for year-end payments, I realized I should have been paying estimated taxes throughout the year. It was a shocking revelation to discover how much I owed. I had anticipated making a large payment, but small business owners truly bear the brunt of tax season.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://natalieclarecollections.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/natalieclarecollections_