GemMartUSA Blog

If you want to be successful in life, it’s imperative to focus on your own self first. You have to learn to treat yourself well and not be too hard. If you want to keep yourself motivated, give yourself something to look forward to. No matter how passionate you are about what you’re doing, do give yourself a time out!

Our next conversation with a small business owner will show you how! Meet Nicole from Paper Game Co, who makes it a point to plan treats for herself to stay motivated. A little goes a long way. And the results are in front of you! Read on.

THAT’S A GREAT NUMBER OF SALES IN MERE 2 YEARS! YOU HAVE DONE AMAZINGLY WELL!
CONGRATULATIONS. PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOUR SHOP IS ABOUT.

Thank you! Paper Game Co is a stationery shop that offers an array of unique, artist-made paper goods. It’s my happy place, an outlet through which I can share the things I love with the world.

HOW WAS IT LIKE WHEN YOU STARTED OFF YOUR BUSINESS? PLEASE SHARE YOUR INITIAL EXPERIENCE.

Oh boy, the beginning was definitely rough! However, my struggles had more to do with family acceptance than it did with my business. I had been fresh out of college when I started Paper Game Co, and opting out of a socio-normative corporate job in favor of starting my own business did not garner my parents’ approval (and I don’t blame them)! But after a while, I think they have come to terms with my decision. They are actually quite supportive of me now, after seeing how hard I am working to reach my dreams.

LET’S LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE. WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF 10 YEARS FROM NOW?

Living somewhere in a secluded cabin in rural New Zealand! In all honesty, though, I have no idea. I would like to be in a position where I am financially sound and location independent enough to pursue my other passions, such as traveling. Personal freedom has always been the end goal I had hoped to achieve.

HOW DO YOU PUSH YOURSELF THROUGH LOW TIMES? WE’D LOVE SOME ADVICE ON THIS!

Plan a treat for yourself. No matter how much you love what you do, you will inevitably have down times. I personally find having something... Read more.

Partnership in a small business often proves to be beneficial as it runs on the best of what two or more people have to offer. Two skillsets are any day better than one. To utilize each individual’s respective expertise, to take the venture to new levels and to soar together, how can that not be a good idea?!

What’s even better? Partnering with a loved one. While it might sound like a risky, jeopardizing situation, it’s definitely worth taking the leap.

For our Mother’s Day Special conversation, meet Erinna from Bubbles and Bongo on Etsy, who teamed up with her mom, Rosemary, to start a business, and she wouldn’t have it any other way! They both complement each other so well. Read on!

3 YEARS AND THAT HUGE NUMBER OF SALES! CONGRATULATIONS, YOU GUYS! WE’RE THRILLED TO KNOW HOW THE JOURNEY HAS BEEN SO FAR.

Thank you so much and we are extremely appreciative of the response that our shop has received. We never thought that what started as a hobby for both of us would eventuate into something where we can share our love for crochet with our fellow craft lovers. 

HOW DID THE WHOLE IDEA TO HAVE A SHOP STRIKE YOU? LET’S HEAR THE STORY.

Initially, our thought was that we needed a way to support our yarn budget…plus, we were running out of space at home to store all our finished dolls! We were both a little nervous as to whether we were good enough to sell our dolls and whether anyone would even buy them. Eventually, we made the decision that we were going to take the plunge and launched our Etsy shop in 2015. Since then, we evolved into the roles of mum as doll maker (as she has better quality control) and daughter as pattern maker (as the frustrated artist who can’t draw).

HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE YOU’RE RUNNING ON SCHEDULE? DO YOU HAVE ANY STRICT PLAN THAT YOU FOLLOW?

We don’t really follow a strict plan. Each finished doll creation we have for sale takes about 8 days to make. As such, there is a natural cycle with how quickly those dolls are turned over. As for the patterns, at minimum, we aim to release one a month but this can be more if the creative juices are flowing (and if real work doesn’t get in the way) or this can be slightly delayed depending on other deadlines to be met.

WE’D LOVE IT IF YOU COULD SHARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE SHOP IN THE COMING YEARS.

Our perpetual number one goal is to produce dolls and patterns of the highest quality. This will hopefully be a goal we will meet and continue to surpass. For our finished dolls range, we are thinking of selling these using a “modular” model with customers able to... Read more

Life has a million ways to catch us by surprise and throw adversities when we least expect them. But it’s all a part of the plan. The good, the bad and everything in between is what constitutes ‘life’. Without the bad, how else are we going to appreciate the good?!

There are two ways to deal with the bad. You can either sit and crib about it or you can actually do something to get out of it.

For our next conversation with a small business, meet Barbara from Creativity Happens, who treated her biggest affliction as a driving force to give shape to her dreams. Read on!

CONGRATULATIONS ON DOING SO WELL! PLEASE TELL US, WHAT IS YOUR SHOP ABOUT?

Thank you! Creativity Happens designs ceramics ranging from custom yarn bowls to quirky home goods so fans can show their individuality.  

YOUR CERAMIC GOODS LOOK SO FINE! HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE WHOLE IDEA?

My gifted creativity began as a child in the basement of my Long Island, NY home by crafting gifts for my large Italian family. While in the US Navy, my travels brought me to Charleston, SC where I fell in love with the beaches and the cal community of fine arts and where I now call home.

Years later, I found myself faced with a serious medical diagnosis that reminded me how precious life is. Inspired by life, and my desire to pursue my love of ceramics, I brushed off my smock and got to work! Some say I didn’t realize the severity of my cancer, but I say otherwise. Setting up shop in my garage I took a leap of faith and invested my savings in a kiln. I believe by staying in my “happy place”, I found the strength needed to survive. On that day, ‘Creativity Happens’ was born and is now eight years strong.

IS THERE A SCHEDULE YOU STICK TO? HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE YOUR TIME?

My background from both the US Navy and the Fire Department help with a strict schedule. I have over 10 years between the two companies in the Logistics Division. I’ve learned to... Read More.

There must be times when you had to take a bold decision or a step that most likely would change your course entirely. Your ideas may not always fall in line with what’s out there and what appears then is a path full of risks and chances. Doing things out-of-the-box might come at a price but if you believe in yourself, nothing is big enough to get in between you and your dream.

It’s okay to think different. It’s more than just okay.

This is what our next conversation in the series with another successful small business teaches us. Meet Jill from For Strange Women, who had a vision so unique but she never let fear get in the way. Read on to know more.

YOUR SHOP HAS SUCH A MAGICAL FEEL TO IT. AND, CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT HUGE NUMBER OF SALES! SO, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH YOUR SHOP IDEA?

Thank you! I am a multi-passionate artist so at the time I began my Etsy shop, I was doing so many different things. It was the platform of Etsy itself that inspired me to make an indie perfume line because there were not many other people doing it at the time (2008) and there was so much that I wanted to create visually and conceptually around it that did not yet exist. I had been blending botanical perfumes for myself and friends, and I just naturally transitioned into this indie brand.

WHEN YOU STARTED OFF, DID IT GO SMOOTH OR NOT AS EASY?

It started off smoothly but it was very small. I had no business plan or ambition to do anything beyond Etsy. I was just learning as much as I could about the perfume world, the business world, and using the internet to connect with others who have an appreciation for the same things that I love. Then in the third year, I had a lot of press that I was not ready for – then it was not so easy!

TELL US ABOUT SOME ROADBLOCKS YOU FACED IN YOUR JOURNEY. HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?

Most roadblocks come when I would lose track of my original intentions. There were a lot of things that other people were telling me I needed to be doing and the truth is none of them completely understood the scope of the work I do, its limitations, and my priorities. I had few mentors or people I could talk to about my work. I think this sense of isolation led to some problems, but eventually I learned... Read more