Many of my local fans, family & friends know how hard I’ve been working to create a real presence on the web for Manda Panda Creations, and what really prompted that action. For those of you wondering why so many things are started but not yet completed, I’d like to allow you ‘Behind the Beaded Curtain’ on this topic.
In 2006, I became a mother and down shifted my efforts significantly and basically changed my job title to “CEO & CFO” of our household. As a new mother, I needed that break to figure out how to do the hardest job in the world. All the while my hubby regularly traveled cross country for his job. All the time apart was not ideal, but we made it work. Fast forward 1.5 years: Hubby’s travel schedule is less frequent and more predictable and when he is home, he’s working from home. Things are great! One year later, my husband becomes another victim of the bloody economy. The job market is pretty dry for him so hubby starts a consulting firm which means money is not only tight but unpredictable.
It’s late October and I decide there’s plenty of time to get busy and take advantage of the 2008 holiday season. I set up a number of local sales, but I’m still the sole caregiver for our then 22 month old so I can’t just follow my old recipe for success. I decide to just set up a website. Easy right? Well… not exactly.
I’ve been a hand-crafted jewelry artisan for nearly 20 years and I can speak on quality of materials, gemstone properties, and explain as well as illustrate how to determine excellent quality finish work and so much more about jewelry design, materials, etc. etc. etc. I begin attempting to express all this knowledge on my site and my mom agrees to write it for me. I quickly find it’s much easier to speak than it is to write it all down and pretty it up for web consumption. Then I get advice from experts in web marketing and I’m told that I need to have a presence on multiple artisan sites, blog, promote myself through social media … “which is what exactly??” … lots of free or semi-free channels to raise brand awareness instead of hiring a PR firm.
Nearly three months later, I’m still trying to complete this setup process. Sleep is still quite literally only a dream for me but I’m exhilarated. With the support of my family, especially my mom and my beloved husband as well as my friends, I’m reaching the point of completion of my site, have experimented with a couple blogs, am in more than a dozen networks with my contemporaries, and not only know what social media is, I’m quickly becoming a pro.
To be honest, I’m happier creating than administrating; and I’m definitely a better jewelry artisan than I am a writer. This will probably always be the case, but I’m thrilled with the journey and so abundantly thankful to all who have accompanied me so far as well as those who will join me in the future.
