Q&A With Anna Hrachovec: Running A Successful Small Business Online
On Friday I featured knitter Anna Hrachovec of Mochimochi Land. I also asked her a few questions about how she markets her small business, and she graciously shared some of her secrets with me.
My questions are in bold, and her responses are below.
What are some of the steps you took to evolve your passion for knitting into an online business?
Anna: It really was a gradual process – my casual hobby turned into an avid hobby when I discovered knitting toys, and then once I started sharing photos online (using Flickr), I quickly found that other people wanted to knit my toys too, and that’s when I started thinking about making a small business out of it. Continue reading
Never Judge a Business Owner Until You’ve Walked a Mile in Her Boots
Elizabeth Anne LeGear is the creator of Purse n’ Boots and the owner of Elizabeth Anne Shoes. I asked her how marketing helped her create a thriving business. My questions are in bold, and her answers are below.
Describe how you entered your current position.
The journey to my current position has been really exciting. I started the Purse n’ Boots concept about four years ago. I used to lose purses, wallets and cell phones whenever I went out. Knee-high boots have always been a wardrobe staple of mine so I started keeping things in my boots. It worked OK until the bartender would give me change and I would dance so hard that my phone would jump out.
I looked everywhere to find a pair of boots with pockets. When my search came up empty I decided to make them myself. There was a lot of years of research, designing and patents that had to be done but now I get to enjoy the fun part – getting the boots on feet. Continue reading
How to Earn a Full-Time Income in Part-Time Hours
I met Gretchen Roberts on a freelance writers’ cruise back in 2009. She recently published an ebook titled “Full-Time Income in Part Time Hours.” I asked her a few questions about her job, and how marketing helps her earn a comfortable living. My questions are in bold, and her responses are below.
How did you get to where you are today, and what role did marketing play in helping you get there?
Gretchen Roberts: Marketing was almost solely responsible for helping me succeed in my business, because I had no contacts or “ins” in the magazine world. I had to start at the bottom and build my career, solo.
When I first started, all I did was market, market, market. Many writers get frustrated at this stage, because what they really want to do is write. But I liked the thrill of the chase enough to keep at it. My efforts began to slowly pay off, and soon I was turning work down and hearing from editors who had gotten my name from their colleagues. That’s a great place to be. Continue reading
Life Coach Kate Swoboda Talks About Courageous Marketing
Marketing your small business takes a lot of ingredients. A dash of daring. A pinch of expertise. A big scoop of passion.
One of the most important traits a small business owner can have is courage. Courage to stand up for what you believe in. The courage to ask money – yes, real money – for your products and services.
Life coach Kate Swoboda has the courage thing down. In fact, she’s titled her business Your Courageous Life.
I asked Kate about her own experiences with marketing. My questions are in bold italic, and her answers are below.
When you decided to become a life coach, how did you start attracting customers? Continue reading
