Janet’s Creative Cottage Wins the “Most Glamorous” Category
Congratulations to Janet’s Creative Cottage, located in West Palm Beach, Florida, for being named in the Top 10 for 2014 Home-Based 100 Business Winners. Janet’s Creative Cottage won the top spot in the “Most Glamorous Category”! We caught up with business owner and entrepreneur Janet Bernasconi and asked her to answer some questions and share some words of advice and inspiration with our StartupNation audience.
About Their Journey
StartupNation: What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Janet: My favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur is being my own boss and working independently and doing what I love.
StartupNation: To what do you attribute your success as an entrepreneur and business owner?
Janet: The support of my family and friends and my faith, and my wonderful customers.
StartupNation: What ignited the spark in you to start/select your particular business as an entrepreneur?
Janet: I was inspired as a stay at home mom with two kids by an episode of Oprah Winfrey about stay at home moms who invented products and became successful. So I decided at that moment that I wanted to be one of them and make a difference.
StartupNation: What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Janet: For me:
- It is definitely creating a marketable product.
- I believe that it’s important to research the field I am in to insure that the product I am offering meets my customers’ needs.
- And last I have to say that promoting and presentation is vital to success.
Words of Wisdom – Inspiration for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
StartupNation: If you had one piece of advice for someone just starting out, what would it be?
Janet: I would say that a good thing to do would be to test out the product you want to sell on places like eBay or Etsy or friends to see what kind of feedback you get. If all goes well, then start with a blog or website of your own items and market as much as possible.
Inspiration
StartupNation: Where do you find your greatest inspiration?
Janet: Most of my creations come from my faith and inspiration from God.
StartupNation: What is your favorite motivational/business quote as an entrepreneur?
Janet: Think Outside the Box is definitely true for me. I like to create things that you don’t normally see anywhere else.
StartupNation: A motto you live by?
Janet: With God All Things Are Possible
About Their Business and Experiences – Funding Their Startup
StartupNation: How did you get funding for your startup?
Janet: I sold on Ebay, Etsy and word of mouth.
StartupNation: Recommendations for others starting out?
Janet: Get involved in trade shows, contests, marketing and a blog is a great way to share what you do.
Marketing and Building Their Customer Base
StartupNation: How do you market and build your customer base?
Janet: Through my blog, social media, newsletters, magazine ads and networking with other women that do similar work.
StartupNation: Recommendations for others starting out?
Janet: I would say a blog first, social media, word of mouth and marketing.
Changes in the Business Market
StartupNation: What changes have you seen in your business market since starting?
Janet: The economy has definitely affected small businesses, but it’s important to not give up and find new ways offering new products and working your customer base.
StartupNation: What do you see coming that will impact your business?
Janet: I don’t really see anything coming that will impact my business because I focus on the positive and work hard to keep my customers happy.
StartupNation: Have a funny story about a client or business transaction that you want to share along with a key lesson learned?
Janet: One of the funniest requests that I ever got was to create a hippo with flatulence for a producer that works on NCIS TV Show. It was a challenge to say the least, but it showed me that you shouldn’t accept work if you are not sure you can actually create the product. You have to have faith in yourself and not compromise.
Learn more about Janet and other businesses that entered and placed in the competition by clicking here for the top ten and a full list 2014 Home-Based 100 Business Winners and entrants.
Do you have a startup? Are you a passionate entrepreneur with an idea that has taken off and want to share your success with others? Would you like your business to receive priceless exposure in the media and be positioned to take your business to the next level? Then join us this fall for the 8th Annual StartupNation Home-Based 100 Competition which ranks outstanding home-based businesses and the amazing people behind them! Watch for your change to enter! In the meantime, be sure to visit us daily for new content to support and grow your business!
