Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in jewelry but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Karen Kueter, Founder and CEO of Lifetime Jewelry, located in Sunnyvale, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We sell fine fashion jewelry. High-quality gold and white gold plated necklaces, chains, anklets, earrings, and rings which have the look and feel of real gold at a fraction of the cost. Lifetime guaranteed.
Tell us about yourself
I worked in a high-tech firm for many years as an administrative assistant. I loved it but didn't want to be chained to a job that had a limit on my income. I began selling jewelry at flea markets and fairs and gradually upgraded to department stores and eventually online. Now we supply people with the finest fashion jewelry out there with a lifetime guarantee on everything.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
To have made this business grow into a top-tier company globally.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The buck stops here is a phrase that means, any problem that arises, I'm the one who needs to figure out how to handle it. Even if I don't know how and things look bleak, I have to find out how and meet the challenges in a successful, positive way. That's the winning ticket: to have an attitude that it can be resolved and it will be successful.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Learn as you go. Don't wait to know everything. You don't have to. Even if you have a degree in business, there's plenty you'll need to learn only by doing. So don't wait.
- Persist. The companies that won were the companies that had a "keep-at-it" attitude. The next "no" is closer to a "yes."
- Love what you do. If you're not interested in what you do, and can't create a passion for it, then you're in the wrong business. Find something you love, and go for it!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://lifetimejewelry.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifetimejewelry/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifetime_jewelry/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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