I have decided to jump through all of the hoops of setting up an online retail shop, because I like generally navigating through bureaucracy (what else could it be?). Why not tell you of my adventure as it goes along?

People start businesses for different reasons. Some know they want to simply be an entrepreneur, and the “thing” they actually do has some flexibility. Others have a dream or an idea, and want to make that a business. For me, it’s a little weird: I want to know the detailed nuts and bolts of operating a business (from a paperwork, finances, marketing, and supply perspective), and I have a bunch of jewelry and art from the closing of the collective, so… why not sell it online?

Now, I could have easily started an eBay or Esty account. But that wasn’t really going to get me where I wanted to be, in my mind. I wanted a bit more involvement. So, I’m going to try to sell on the website I already have.

I didn’t start from scratch, exactly. My “real” job gives me experience how to start a business related to paperwork and the like. But reading about it isn’t the same as doing it. This is the first post of a few I’ll use to chronicle the launch.

Here are some things I’m doing pro-actively to prepare myself for this adventure:

• I’m actively reading and listening to non-fiction books that could help me along the way. So far I’ve logged, in recent months, Mindset by Carol S. Dwek, Atomic Habits by James Clear, Find Your F*ck Yeah by Alexis Rockley, and of course the ever-popular go-to entrepreneurial handbook: E-myth Mastery by Michael Gerber. I don’t expect miracles from reading one book; however, I like the inspiration and the motivation of many so-called self-help books and I feel like many of their messages carry over into all aspects of life.
• I’m organizing my stuff. By that I mean: setting aside an area of my house that’s for my “business”. Attempting to collect paperwork all in one place. Trying to get a handle on my expenditures; since making jewelry and art was (and, really, still is) a hobby, I wasn’t tracking purchases the way you should for a business. Setting up excel spreadsheets, trying to predict the things I’ll need if I really become the next big name in costume jewelry because my website went viral (my first thing: a lawyer).
• I’m taking a couple courses online which I believe will be helpful. This includes “Start Your Own Small Business” (a 12 week course) and “Power BI”, a course on using this Microsoft software to visualize and analyze data. I’m taking these through my local community college, and due to COVID, are completely online and convenient for me to attend.
• I’m going slow. This is a thing I’m doing for fun. It’s how I want it to be, at first. And, if I enjoy owning a business, then maybe I’ll think about a larger one. Or, maybe I’ll decide to live in an RV and tour the country. Who’s to know, really.

That’s it for the intro. Next post will cover the more technical aspects, from getting my name “registered” to setting up the website. You know, the really exciting stuff!