Hello Everyone! I'm Leilani Howard the Team Captain of Etsy Me, and it is so great to read all of your introductions, learn more about your shops and where you're coming from as well as your interests in pursuing business.
So let me tell you a little about myself...
When I 1st joined Etsy, I was started out selling from my original shop "Everlasting Eden". I adored making handmade soaps and bath salts. And as a 1st time seller on Etsy at the time, I did pretty well. It was only months later when I received an invitation from the Brooklyn New York, Hammock Pack Box Subscription Company, asking to feature my products in their January 2013 Box Subscription. They wanted to order 636 jars of my "Tranquil Waters" Bath Salts. Needless to say I was in SHOCK!! And more on fire to learn about owning my own business then anything!!
Hammock Pack |
http://hammockpack.tumblr.com/page/6But later... during an unfortunate time for my family and the early birth of my youngest daughter. Things were headed for a change. You see... originally I created the Soap and Bath Salts line as more of a way to relax myself during a hard and stressful time and a difficult pregnancy... and although I enjoyed doing what I was doing at the time... the shop... to me... just didn't have the love and warmth that I felt when opening my second shop "Rolani's Wonderland".
Once my youngest daughter was born. She was stuck in the NICU for while and the only thing my husband and I could do to comfort her, was bring her comfy blankets and stuff animals, before letting her go to say goodbye until our next visit. It was heart wrenching. But there was something about putting care and love into a simply blanket that tugged at my heart strings and made me want to push forward with the new business. Now I get the honor of hearing other people tell me their stories... and why they want me to create a custom blanket for their loved one. And it's such an amazing experience at times to be apart of. To me... it may just be a blanket that I'm making... but it's providing warmth, comfort, and a sense of care... that helps put a smile on someone's face, and to me... that's sooo worth pushing forward to make this business a success and also... to one day build a legacy for my 5 children and teach them what it means to help others and bring them happiness as well.
I understand that eventually business in general can become competitive, gritty, and come to a point where you need to make a decision on whether to give a portion of your hardwork away to investors in order to grow your business and up the ante. But if you don't start something you are passionate about and you don't carry that passion with you... what do you really have in the end worth pushing forward with and worth fighting for??
So, in conclusion. I really hope that everyone here will enjoy their time as a apart of the Etsy Me Team, and feel "on fire" to learn and more forward with their businesses. We are here to help encourage each other, bring one another up and help each other push forward to find our own levels of success.
