Jessica Decides to Order Smaller Amounts of Inventory at a Time for Her Arts and Crafts Store
When the pandemic striking, many businesses took a big, disastrous hit.
But this era hasn't been a disaster for all businesses. For some, the pandemic era has been a golden historic period of growth. For others, it has been a time when personal passions accept been turned into businesses that have helped communities and turned great profits.
It's being chosen the age of the "passion economy."
During the contempo Black Business Expo and Health Fair at SouthPark Mall, Moline, dozens of entrepreneurs set upwards booths to sell their various goods. Of those small businesses, about ninety% represented the "passion economy," said Tracy Singleton, CEO of the QC Empowerment Network, the event's organizer.
That is, they are people who took their passions – such as hobbies or favorite activities – and turned them into money-making businesses during the pandemic.
Many of those businesses started during the pandemic when people were stuck in their homes, perhaps bored, sometimes tired of family members, and were looking for something artistic to do, Ms. Singleton added.
In other situations, "passion economic system" businesses grew out of the need to find, or create, work during the pandemic'south uncertain times.
During the early days of COVID-19, scores of workers were forced out of their jobs every bit businesses closed. Many used that fourth dimension to reflect on their lives and decided to take more control of their lives on the job, according to Tom Trone, chairman of Quad Cities affiliate of SCORE, a network of business mentors who help people start or expand businesses.
Mr. Trone added that local SCORE mentors have helped more than a record 800 new entrepreneurs with their business plans during the pandemic years. In 2020, the QC affiliate helped clients start 82 new businesses and create 97 new jobs, according to the group'south website.
He added that the fastest growing segments of SCORE'south clients – and new business owners – include women and minorities.
"They discover that owning a business gives you flexibility… They are finding that the 'heaven is the limit' when you own your own business," he added.
But getting to those lofty heights takes a lot of work and being flexible to the irresolute times. Mr. Trone said that ane of the pinnacle lessons for people in the passion economy is to make sure they are connected to online digital platforms, or the "virtual earth."
"If y'all are a modest business organisation and not in the virtual world … you won't be in business for long. If yous don't alter, you will be gone," he said.
Over the by few weeks, the QCBJ interviewed several local entrepreneurs who entered the passion economic system past either starting or expanding their businesses amidst the pandemic. We wanted to detect out their goals, experiences and success stories as well their mistakes and advice for others looking to enter the passion economy.
Here are a few of their stories:
Mechelle Williams: MJ's Creative Candles
When the pandemic striking, Mechelle Williams took $5,000 – "that was all my savings" – and followed her dream. The Davenport woman created a home-based candle business called MJ's Artistic Candles. (The "MJ" in her business proper noun comes from two of her children: her son Marteze,15, and daughter Jazden, xviii.)
"We have combined our talent and love of fine art, creativity, and things that odour skilful to not only simply brand you a candle, merely create one. All of our candles are hand poured using only the near quality of ingredients. … To accomplish optimal scents, our products cure from ii to 3 weeks – making every candle creation worth your patience," according to the visitor's website at www.mjcreativecandles.com.
A quick expect at the website shows some of her many candles including Huckleberry Bliss, Strawberry Delight, Candy Corn, Peach Cobbler and Drupe Delight (both in the shapes of pocket-size pies), and White Tea, Sage and Ginger – that's Ms. Williams' favorite.
"Only if you ask me side by side month, it will be a unlike (favorite) candle," she said with a laugh.
The prices for the candles range from $15 to about $22.
She added that the family's candle business got off to a simple commencement when the pandemic hitting two years agone. "Nosotros e'er liked burning candles, and when COVID hitting, we were stuck at home. So, this happened," she said.
The family members began making candles and worked to find customers by going to business expos, craft fairs, school events and more. At each event, they made information technology a indicate to network with others in the business concern world, and at i event, they met a Hy-Vee grocery store representative. That meeting helped get MJ's Creative Candles into the Hy-Vee store at 2351 W. Locust St., Davenport, with plans to go into the Hy-Vee in Moline.
"Going into Hy-Vee has been a huge platform for us," she said.
Ms. Williams added that her family's candle business is doing not bad. The concern sells 500-700 candles a month; continues to attend and sell at concern expos and other events; and is looking to expand this twelvemonth.
When sales began to increase, she said to herself "I think we are on to something. … We have establish our niche."
I of her major goals this year is to open a storefront to sell the artistic candles and create a "candle bar" so people can make their own candle creations. She also wants to make a lot more candles. MJ's Creative Candles aren't exactly mass produced, but Ms. Williams said that she wants to have more candles on hand so she has a bigger inventory for the many expos during the year.
"A lot of people who purchase our candles say they are just as well pretty to melt," she added.
Ms. Williams' superlative advice for people thinking virtually getting into the passion economy is:
- Start with a adept business plan.
- Organize your coin and your time.
- Surround yourself with uplifting people.
- Don't be afraid to make mistakes. "I don't even call them 'mistakes'. I phone call them 'learning steps.' I have learned what didn't work," she added.
Shari Barnett: The Catalina Rose Boutique
Shari Barnett, the owner and sole employee of The Catalina Rose Boutique, has a concern card with a Marilyn Monroe quote on the back: "We are all stars, and nosotros deserve to twinkle."
That's one of her goals for the downtown Moline wearable business concern at 1727 5th Ave. "I had a vision to bring my passion for fashion to others. I want to share unique pieces at reasonable prices that everyone tin enjoy," Ms. Barnett states on her visitor website at thecatalinarose.com.
That passion has turned into a second career for Ms. Barnett. She worked for the Department of Defense for some 36 years, most of that time at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. When she retired, she thought her passion would lead to becoming an employee at an surface area clothing shop. Instead, she decided to take the much more than difficult route of starting her ain new concern.
The passion for fashion has been paying off for Ms. Barnett, 63, a Sherrard, Illinois, resident. Her new store, which is directly across the street from the former Moline Dispatch building, has been finding customers, she says, because of her great customer service, vesture pick and prices. Information technology's as well finding an audience because of an active online presence on Facebook and other virtual platforms.
Today, some of the acknowledged items include spring outfits and dresses for Easter and graduation celebrations.
"Yous get excited when people from coast to coast are buying your products. … And a lot of people are looking for good bargains, especially now," she added.
Only getting to that declension-to-coast success took a lot of difficult work during the uncertain days of the pandemic. Ms. Barnett opened her 1,000-foursquare-foot store on May 29, 2020, – only weeks into the pandemic.
Fifty-fifty though it was an uncertain fourth dimension, she never considered delaying her store opening because she wanted to bring her passion to customers. "I just had to make a get of it," she said.
In those early days, she recalled i of the big challenges was to become people out of their homes and visit her store. But, in time, through advertising and many other steps, customers found The Catalina Rose Boutique.
Today, she has some large plans for the future that include expanding her business offerings to include habitation decor items, standing to serve her customers, and peradventure adding some employees. "That would take some pressure off me," she added.
Hither are some of Ms. Barnett'south tips for others considering getting into business:
- Do your market research before opening a store. Inquire yourself this top question: Is there a need for your services?
- Exist sure to accept a solid business organization programme.
- Be sure yous have great customer service skills.
- Make sure your business concern has an online presence.
- Advertise your business. Ms. Barnett has an active advertising entrada for The Catalina Rose Boutique.
Acissa Chamia: MozBites LLC
When she was a young girl in Mozambique, Acissa Chamia learned from her mother how to make samosas – the triangle-shaped pastries filled with craven, spiced chicken, vegetables and many other delicious ingredients.
When she arrived in the Quad Cities a few years agone, Ms. Chamia noticed that samosas – one of her favorite foods – was a mystery to many people in the region. "I never did see them here, unless yous go to an Indian shop," she added.
So, in the summer of 2020, she took a chance past making 200 samosas and going to a local farmers market in hopes of selling at least some of the nutrient items.
They were a hitting with local foodies. "People liked them. I sold all of them in three hours," she added.
With that successful beginning, Ms. Chamia formed MozBites LLC to sell her samosas. Currently, she sells them – near 1,000 a week during the summer months – at farmers markets, business expos and other events in the Quad Cities.
Tom Trone of SCORE called Ms. Chamia an "enterprising spirit and can-do spirit."
"The positive response she got encouraged her to keep working hard to make her business a success. … Acissa is excited near positively impacting the Quad Cities by bringing something new to its food scene," he added.
Ms. Chamia, who lives in Davenport and also works as a nursing assistant at the Davenport Lutheran Home, has some big plans for the future. She hopes to sell her samosas from a food truck as well equally directly to area stores.
"I retrieve this business will work," she added.
Some of her meridian tips for people considering getting into the passion economy include:
- Inquire people already in the business for help. Don't be agape to approach them and enquire for tips.
- Leave in the community and get started.
Apr Bowlyou: Queen Bee Boutique
April Bowlyou remembers when she told people she wanted to open a dress shop in Milan in the midst of the pandemic.
"A lot of people thought I was crazy. You actually didn't know what COVID is going to do. .. Simply I said 'Let's practice something for Milan,'" she recalled.
During those crazy times in late 2020, many area dress shops were permanently closing their doors. But in that business anarchy, Ms. Bowlyou saw opportunity because girls and women now had far fewer options when it came to buying formal clothing.
Fifty-fifty though school proms, wedding celebrations and many other events were existence canceled because of COVID restrictions, Ms. Bowlyou took a chance and opened the Queen Bee Boutique at 528 1st St. West in November 2020 with ii employees.
With a lot of hard work, that business concern hazard paid off. In the shop's first prom flavor months later in 2021, Queen Bee did three times the business concern it expected. In fact, concern has been so adept that in less than two years, the boutique has gone from two to xi employees and is quickly filling its 2,000-square-foot storefront.
"We've just exploded. We're now growing out of our building," said Ms. Bowlyou.
She added that the Queen Bee can use at least 4,000 square feet, and it might look for a new habitation. "We are open to options, simply we do need to grow."
Role of the reason for growth is that the word has gotten out about the store's offerings and services. Today, the store is described as a "bridal, pageant and formal shop that offers customers a place to find unique and timeless fashion pieces," according to the visitor website, www.thequeenbeeqc.com.
Ms. Bowlyou said she is proud the store tin can piece of work with merely about whatever budget and adjust whatever customer – fifty-fifty same-mean solar day service. Non besides long ago, the business organisation helped a girl detect a prom dress on the day of the prom.
Yet, in almost cases, the shop likes a fiddling more fourth dimension to help its customers. Ms. Bowlyou said the prom shopping season should get-go in January for the bound events. When it comes to weddings, it's good to begin looking at to the lowest degree half dozen months in advance.
Still, those last-minute customers will find many dresses in stock at the business. The Queen Bee has almost 600 dresses on hand in its store, she said.
In recent times, the Queen Bee has go so popular that it has been drawing people from other communities – even from Iowa – to Milan, she added. "This is the hot spot for proms and bridal."
Ms. Bowlyou offers this communication for people considering getting into business in this era:
- Plan a budget for your project – and double it. The supply chain issues will mean your concern will be paying more for merely about everything.
- Notice a business mentor to help you with the concern. "I accept a really adept hamlet" of friends and family members who help this business, she said.
- Surround yourself with good, positive people. "That's how your dream comes true," she added.
- It'due south OK to have doubts almost the project or business organisation.
Jessica Triphahn-Blohm: Personal trainer
In the "passion economy," passions are non limited to hobbies that have been turned into businesses. On occasion, they are services and activities that are now businesses.
Jessica Triphahn-Blohm, of LeClaire, shows this side of the passion economy can work.
While in higher, she had a passion for physical fitness and was an aerobics teacher.
Subsequently school, she worked in the nutrient industry for some fifteen years, only still had that passion to help people with their fitness and health goals.
A few summers ago, Ms. Triphahn-Blohm and her hubby "had a random conversation in the garage" and talked nearly her goal of becoming a fitness teacher again. She said he "crunched the (fiscal) numbers" and they decided it could be done.
Before long subsequently that, she started her return to the health instructor profession. In December of 2019, she left her full-time job in the food industry and now is a certified group fettle teacher and wellness motorcoach.
She also became managing director of the FIT Rx Fitness & Training, located at 1007 Canal Shore Drive, LeClaire. According to its website, FIT Rx was created to give individuals and small groups an environs and atmosphere of non-intimidation while reaching their fettle goals.
But just as her new career every bit an independent contractor in the health and fitness field began, the pandemic striking. In-person training sessions were over; and online – particularly Zoom – training sessions were the new norm.
During those pandemic months, Ms. Triphahn-Blohm said information technology became very clear that her fettle training was needed more than than always.
"A lot of sedentary lifestyles were forced on people … In that location was no social interaction," she said, adding that her online fitness and health services have been particularly helpful to many people during the pandemic.
Today, Ms. Triphahn-Blohm does online training and has about eleven clients. She works with women who are struggling with weight regain. "For a lot of these women, life happened and they gained weight dorsum," she added.
She offers fitness and health programs to fit any budget and programs that are customized to individual needs. But she too tells her clients: "You become out of it what you lot put into it."
Ms. Triphahn-Blohm added that even though there have been some tough times during the pandemic, she is happy to have made the conclusion to return to her passion of helping people with their fettle and health goals.
And other people can also follow their passions into the business organisation world.
Ms. Triphahn-Blohm has this advice: Enquire for help. "Reach out to people. Enquire people how they are doing it. … People can be very supportive," she added.
For more information, visit world wide web.FITRx-Iowa.com.
Source: https://quadcitiesbusiness.com/passion-economy-we-have-found-our-niche/
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