Time Capsule: Three Short Years

Do good things happen to those who wait? I think this is often the case, although perhaps there’s a little more involved than just sitting idle while that waiting goes on. As I approach my 4 year anniversary of selling jewelry online, I find myself wondering if I should assess just what it means to be successful. To be honest, moving forward and improving in beadwork and presentation are always at the top of my goals list. As long as I can continue to stay in business, I will, even it it’s not making me rich.

Three years ago this month, I debuted my first Egyptian inspired beadwork collar, as part of a series of designs I made based on famous females. It was a great theme, which also included favorite designs like Emily Carr’s necklace, and a fantastic interview with Barbie maven Margaux Lange. Coincidentally, Nefertiti’s collar found its owner this week, and I suddenly realized just how long it’s been waiting.

But is three years such a long time? Even brick and mortar stores have product that doesn’t sell for years. I used to shop at a tiny grocery store that had housewares from the 1970’s, so dusty that you could barely see the labels on the package. I certainly don’t want that to happen to any of my designs. Last year’s jewelry purge was a very rewarding experience, and one I plan to repeat whenever it needs doing.

If you love something you have to let it go - or in the case of jewelry inventory, sometimes you just have to keep it for yourself. One piece of advice that is often repeated by help articles for online sellers is not to get attached to your work. Be critical. Take the crud out. And while I agree one hundred percent, I also think it’s important to persevere when you know that somewhere out there, your design has a mate.

Let’s confess and compare. What’s the longest you’ve had a design in your shop before selling or retiring it?

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