Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Mary Van Oostenbrugge, Founder of Rowenmade Creations LLC, located in Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Rowenmade Creations is a lifestyle, travel, and DIY blog, as well as a handmade jewelry business. We bring content to our community to provide travel and home hacks, DIY projects, and handmade gifts for your loved ones!
Tell us about yourself
I was born and raised in MI, where I met my husband and best friend. Shortly after we were married, I started my handmade jewelry business simply as a hobby. It took a lot of work to promote my products and establish regular customers, but when I put that work in, it blew up, and sales were coming in every single day. Then, a few years into our marriage, my husband decided he wanted to take on travel nursing, and I tagged along for the ride. We travel a lot, whether we are hiking or snowboarding the nearby mountain range or flying to a warm beach to get away from the cold. With the travel nursing journey came journaling. I wrote about our experiences and what our favorite things in each location we traveled to were. I figured, why not share this with the rest of the world so they can maybe enjoy these beautiful places we have visited too? So I transitioned Rowenmade Creations into a blog platform and began sharing our favorite travel spots, travel tips, new recipes, projects, and our favorite brands, and boosting my customer base for my jewelry through it all. When I started getting feedback and messages from my readers and customers, I realized that I was making an impact by sharing these things on my blog. That's where my motivation comes from. I aspire to help people to grow into the best versions of themselves, and if sharing a little part of my journey here on this earth helps with that, I'll do it!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I feel like most people would say their biggest accomplishment is the money they earned or the number of followers they have, but I don't think I say that and mean it. Sure, the income is great. And yes, the number of followers is nice, too. But at the end of the day, if I am not serving my community with quality content, products, or services, I am doing it all wrong. I personally don't think I accomplished anything if I am not bringing joy, encouragement, or helping those around me grow. So I would say that my biggest accomplishment is when I receive positive reviews, comments, and messages from my community and customers because that's what encourages me to move forward.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Personally, I think the hardest thing about being a small business owner is managing time between personal life and business life. Sometimes they end up flowing together, and I cannot tell which is which. But that time management is also a blessing because it causes you to focus on what is important in both aspects of life. To sit down and really process the value of personal time vs. work time. And when you find a system that works for you (HELLO CALENDAR), stick with it!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Don't let all the mistakes you might make along the way deter you from starting or continuing on your journey.
- Never stop taking opportunities to grow, whether that be personally or professionally. You will never regret learning new things and opening new doors.
- You don't need to have it all figured out right from the get-go! I didn't know what I was doing when I started, but it's amazing what tools and resources you can find for free on the internet. Put in the time and the work! It's worth it!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.rowenmadecreations.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rowenmadecreations
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mvanoostenbrugg3/
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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