Vanessa Coppes on Why you need Passion to be Successful in your Business

Why You Need Passion To Be Successful in Your Business

Owen: Hi. My name is Owen McGab Enaohwo. Welcome to hireyourvirtualassistant.com, where we provide small business owners with exceptional virtual assistants. On our blog we have a show where business owners and experts come on the show and give you guys insights on what they are doing, different ideas and strategies that I hope you can take and learn something from. The reason I’m doing this is because I want you to feel that when you come to my blog, you can learn something new that you can use in your business.

Today, I’m interviewing Vanessa Coppes, owner of ENV, a jewelry line catering to highly fashionable women. She is very interesting in the sense that she started a business at the height of the economy going down in early 2009. With all the craziness going on, you have a small business owner just going ahead with the passion and say, “Okay. Today, I’m going to start my business and move forward.” She has been successful so far. With all that passion that she presents and all that passion that she has, I thought I should interview her just to get some insight. Hopefully, you learn something from the interview. Once the interview is done, I’ll get back to you.

Hi everyone. I want to introduce you to Vanessa Coppes. Am I pronouncing it correctly?

Vanessa: Coppes

Owen: Coppes, right. I brought her to the show because I feel that she has some insights that the audience needs to listen to. She started a business when the economy was going south. She has some useful insights that you will find interesting.

Vanessa, please, I want you to introduce yourself and your company. Just a little note on what you do.

Vanessa: Thank you Owen for giving me the opportunity to be here. Like you said, I am Vanessa Coppes. My business is ENV by Vanessa Coppes. It is a costume handmade jewelry line which I started June 2009.

As you said, despite the economy, the reason I begun this business was not even in composition with what is happening with the economy. It was initially trying to find something productive to do.

Owen: Okay.

Vanessa: Yes. Go ahead.

Owen: Okay. I forgot that I didn’t put on the light. Yes, go ahead.

Vanessa:  So basically, at that moment, the crisis had just begun. You can hear it in the news. You can read it in the papers. You could see how people began to save here and save there. But in fact, I do believe that depending on your market, targeted clients, on how you sell it. It would depend on how you think the economy was affecting you.

I had just started my business when all of these were going on. You have to understand that my business caters to women, fashionable women. My jewelry is something that all women go crazy over. It’s usually jewelries, handbags clothes, especially if it is at the right price. Which is where, the bottom line for my business was.

I want to make something that was beautiful but is also affordable. I, personally, would not go spend hundreds of dollars on a piece of jewelry. I want to wear something fun, trendy and what is in season or in style but it didn’t make me raid the bank while I shop for.

Owen: I’m sure your business being what it is, you have to be out there listening to your clients. What steps do you take to get feedbacks from your clients and see what you can design in your jewelry?

Vanessa: Basically, I draw a lot of personal inspiration. This is an art form. Jewelry making, just like painting a picture, is an art form. That is why it is different, it comes from something personal. When you find out that your personal taste appeals to other people that is where you are gratified.

You see what you are doing and say I like this and somebody else likes it. I found out that the more and more I wore my jewelry, the more they would stop at the grocery store, gas station, at a shoe store. No matter where I went because my jewelry was very big, very colorful, it is eye-catching. When people ask me, I simply say “I made it myself. Here’s my card.” So orders started rolling in.

I went in and did the next best thing. I got myself a good computer that allowed me, no offense.

Owen: I think you got a better computer too.

Vanessa: That allowed me to one, give or come up with pictures because I needed pictures to promote my business. And basically, that would allow me to create a website which was what I had initially intended on my business because I mainly work from home.

I have a son who is 20 months old. The reason why I started my business at the moment that I did was also because being a stay-at-home mom, I felt I needed to be a little bit more productive for myself. I have been blessed with a husband who supports and provides for my family but also I knew that being at home was not my calling. I had to get up and do something. Initially those were the reasons why I started my business.

Little by little, like I told you on the email I wrote to you, when you feel it within you and you feel what you are doing is right not only for yourself but also for others, slowly but surely good things come to you. That’s basically what happened to me for the last year. Slowly but surely people had bought and come by. People who had bought referred others.

Little by little it becomes a network. Then you find yourself with so many people that you have to start organizing and say “How am I going to be able to cater to all these people.” But you find a way and then you do it.

Owen: You said something I really enjoyed in your email. You said something about believing in your passion and regardless of whatever anybody says, go ahead and do it.

I want you to give some examples on how you got started. And how you drew from the passion for your business and just get things done.

Vanessa: Jewelry making was not the channel that I intended for my life. My first career was design, which was the way I did. Then, I taught for several years. Then, I got married and career was put on hold for a while.

But the artistic expression was always within me. I always wanted to be able to express myself artistically, whether it be in my home. Whether it is styling’s and helping somebody find what to wear, etc, etc. But I also did not want to stray from my priority right now which is my son and my family.

The dream was there, it was beating in my head and heart. I had the idea but I had to find a way to get it out there, which is where social media came in. Networking through all the social networks that are out there is where I was able to reach so many more people that I had expected.

Today, I can tell you that when you feel within you that you are meant for greater things. That what you are doing is right because, once again, you have a voice inside you telling you if the steps you are taking are right. You do have to take risks because with the risks come

Owen: reward

Vanessa: reward. But you have to take risks. You have to sacrifice. My sacrifices have been consistently very late, waking up very early. Possibly ordering out when my husband was expecting a home cooked meal.  But he understood that I have to hand in 25 orders the next day.

It is a matter of finding what works, making it work and scheduling your time. I can tell you this, within the next couple of weeks it is going to be a year for my company was established.

Owen: Congratulations.

Vanessa: Thank you. I have not taken a day off in that year. Hopefully in 2, 3, 4 or 5 years, I will be saying “It has been 5 years… It has been 10 years… but I have not taken a day off.” Because when you believe in something, you have to work at it every second.

You are your best salesperson. I do not leave my house without a piece of my jewelry on. Because you’ll never know who you’ll meet, what you’re going to see out there, who’s going to stop you or not, who’s going to catch an eye.

I told my husband jokingly the other day that I would put a bumper sticker on my car to keep promoting my business because you’ll never know. You have to be ready. You have to be prepared because you’ll never know when you’re going to meet the person who is going to open the next door for you. That is basically what happened.

Going back to your question, again, if you believe in it, you also have to stay focused. You have to be prepared because there might be that one day when you’re out there at a grocery store and you meet one person, but you if don’t have your business card with you, that person will forget you.

Owen: Always have your game face. Always be prepared.

Vanessa: Always.

Owen: You said something earlier that interests me is that you started to use social media to market your business. Because the old ways to do your business is doing direct messaging and tell them, okay, this is what I do, this is what I provide, buy my service. It doesn’t work that way anymore. Now, it is social media marketing, wherein you create content around your product. How exactly do you use social media to get the word out there?

Vanessa: When I first started my business, I started using my personal FaceBook page as my platform. I had not really launched a professional website until actually after a couple of months ago when it is actually taking the shape that I wanted. I didn’t have a website for within 2 months from starting my business. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted but I still had because when I gave a person my details, you can look me up and they have something to see. They can refer to something. It is never like, I saw a person wearing a beautiful piece of jewelry but I don’t know where she is.  You guys can add me in Facebook. You can just look me up Vanessa Coppes. Immediately I was getting requests from people.

Initially in Facebook, I was very selective. I was very reserved. I don’t want my information out there. But once you’re in a business, forget about it; throw it all out in the window. What you don’t want people to know, don’t publish it.

I started my group. I recently started my page as well because they now started with the business pages. I have joined every social media out there, Twitter, Digg, you name it, and I’m there. Through some person, when one friend likes you, the other friends will see that. They will think, why does this person like person? Let me go find out. My personal profile picture immediately became my logo. Any comment I make in somebody else’s photo, what they see is not my face but my brand. That is what I want them to see.

It’s free. It’s free publicity, marketing and it allows you to put yourself out there as much as possible. Even while you’re sleeping, your logo, brand is out there and working for you. Someone once told me that all of these social media outlets are like your own little personal sales reps.  If you develop them, it’s a lot of work, it’s ongoing, and it’s every day.  Sometimes I have my computer glued to my hand because I start getting messages as soon as I wake up at 5am in the morning. I hear the *ding* messages, emails. But that’s what I’ve created…

Owen: It’s the passion that keeps you going.

Vanessa: My husband said what I created was a monster. I’m sorry…

Owen: That is the passion that keeps you going all that far. If you don’t love what you are doing, how are you going to be able to do all that? You have to be passionate.

Vanessa: Exactly. It is so gratifying when you see comments. I’ve had customers who tag me in pictures where they are wearing the earrings or a necklace and say “Vanessa, look how I great I look”. It just brings a smile to my face knowing.

At the same time, they are promoting you. It comes with the territory. You have to grab it by the horns and make it work for you.

Owen: You said you gave products for free. Explain that. Let me see and understand what you meant by that.

Vanessa: Basically, I told you, a month ago, I launched my website, my professional-looking website. One method that I have used to track customers on my website is for example is providing them with a $50 gift certificate.

What has that $50 gift certificate benefit me?  It attracts more people to my products regardless of the fact whether they like it or not. My name is there. They can see it and it attracts people to the products. It gets known. I have done a couple of benefits where people had asked me to donate either a product or a gift certificate.

Everybody says it is different. So I say gift certificates product percentages. For me, personally, when I get a discount, I appreciate it and like it better if it’s free. I’m serious. If I am getting to know a product, why are you giving me a discount, I don’t even know who you are. If I get it for free, I am going to appreciate it more. I’m going to try it. Then next time when I go to shop, I got this one for free, I’m going to buy it, which is what happened.

My father always used to tell me there are no free lunches. Therefore, when you’re trying to get someone to work for you, you have to give something in return. For some people, giving away your product may seem like a loss. But in the end, you’re establishing a relationship that you want for a lifetime, the rest of your company life.

Remember, that person who is going to give referrals about you or your products to their circle. Their circle is 2 to 300 people. That 2 to 300 people are the people you can attract to their business. You have to try to make that work. Try to be democratic about it, To me giving discounts, gift certificates, free necklace, earrings. I also do jewelry parties which is also part of my business.  For the hostess, they love it because a lot of people tend to do parties where the hostess has to pay. Why do I have to pay when I am giving a party for you?  What are you giving me in return? Automatic, I give them choices. I tell them it’s 15%, you can use it towards your purchases or you can have it in cash. I give them the option. You’re empowering people to work for you basically.

Owen: You also said something about your product having Dominican flavor into it. Please explain it.

Vanessa: Well, I am Dominican. Growing up in the Caribbean Islands with limitations when you went around getting yourself ready for a party, there wasn’t much money to go around. Therefore, you have to work with what you have.

I remember going to my closet, taking out a dress I had worn to a previous party and said, “Well, I can’t wear this because I have worn this before.” So what I have to do is tie a ribbon here, get a different belt, just making it different and making it works for me. That is what necessity brings out creativity to the table as well. It makes you be creative.

Therefore, purchasing gold, diamonds, and pearls is not the trend for people in the Caribbean Island. Pearls, fresh water pearls, which are more expensive, leather, shells, are more suitable for us. Now the trend is the big, bold type of jewelry where immediately I was able to grab the trend. And say, “Well, you know, this is what we wear. Mix it with the current trends of fashion and be able to provide something different. Something unique to a person out there who is looking for a different, unique piece of jewelry.

Owen: Wow, I like the fact that your history plays a part into your product. That is good.

Vanessa: definitely. I am very patriotic. I’m living here in the US now. I am married to an American man. The US had definitely given me the opportunity to establish my dreams but I bring that with me, it’s in my culture, blood. It is undeniable.

It is something I want to characterize my jewelry with. You can even see the colors on my logo, website, it’s very colorful because I’m Caribbean. That’s what I’m used to and that’s what I love. That’s what I bring to the table, color and brightness and happiness, basically.

Owen: That’s good. What’s the future for you guys because I see you going places.

Vanessa: Hopefully that’s it. Going further than where we are at right now. It seems remarkable now when you look back and never recall you never had a day off in a year. You’re exhausted, you’re tired.

Just like today, I received an order through Facebook actually for hair accessories that I had to do by tomorrow.

You simply stop, give thanks to God that I’m still doing business.  Basically, overreach the world, that’s what we want.

Owen: I really like your story. How can people get hold of you? Your website, your FaceBook?

Vanessa: My FaceBook page is ENV by Vanessa Coppes. My website is www.envjewelry.com. You can twitter me envcoppes. Just look me up by my company name and you will find me.

Owen:  So thank you very much for the interview and I hope that the audience sends you emails, direct questions. If they want to contact you directly, what would that be?

Vanesa: It would be vcoppes@env.com.

Owen: Okay, thank you very much for the interview.

Vanessa: You’re very welcome Owen, thank you.

Owen: And there you have it. We have finished the interview. I hope you enjoyed the interview with Vanessa Coppes. If you have any comments, suggestions or anything about the interview, please let me know by leaving a comment below.

And also, I also created an ebook entitled, “The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Running a Business in a Cloud”. If you want to get access to that as well as my newsletter, go ahead and leave your name and email address in the signup form below.

I look forward to providing you additional content like this. The whole idea around this is that this is a business community catering to small business owners. I want small business owners like you to come to this blog and always find that content you are looking for.

This is the beginning and I hope to continue doing this in the future. Bye.

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