Earning a little, doing something I love

I've had so much positive feedback from some earrings I have made recently that I decided to start a little venture, that I love doing. I gathered together a few pieces of jewellery that I have made recently and got myself a shop on Etsy.com.  After a few hours work, I now have myself my own little shop.  I am so excited.  It still needs some work and the biggest problem that I'm finding is that I need to take photos in daylight, in terms of quality of light .  This is proving a little impossible at the moment what the current hours of daylight available and the quality of light in winter.  Still, I have a few pictures up with plans to upload some more imminently, once I encounter some real light.  One pair still to be added to my shop is:

 These particular ones have already been sold, to a colleague of mine who was looking for a Christmas present for her sister-in-law.  Mission completed (for her) and an order of a bracelet to match.  Another pair I made (below) inspired a friend to put in an order for two Christmas presents.  Two very happy customers and an even happier shop owner (that's me) as it seems I've started the ball rolling along with respect to living my dreams.

If you feel like you want to turn your hobby into a little business, then follow suit.  Sign up at Etsy, take some photos, add your descriptions and enjoy making and selling the things you love to create.  Please feel free to contact me, if you'd like some advice, just a chat or even some earrings, I'd love to hear from you. Visit my shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/Elltie

Rich v Poor

We all want to be rich, right! Well at least have more money.  So how do we get there?  Rich dad, poor dad tells us we need to not to work for our money, but allow our money to work for us.  Seems simple right.  The rich already understand this, but of course they have plenty of money to "play" around with.  There must be something that we are not understanding.  This is why I chose to attend a seminar called Rich Dad Stock Seminar.  I can confidently say that this was a very well spent one and half hours of my life.  Quite possibly the best, if I dare say.  My eyes have been opened to stocks, specifically spread betting.  I intend to make my fortune this way.  Well maybe not my fortune but most definitely an income to allow me to live the life I want to (in terms of work) and not be worried about whether I'll be earning enough to pay the bills, mortgage etc.  It's going to take a small amount of risk but I'm willing to take it.  If you don't take any risks, you don't learn anything new and therefore never gain anything.  What have I got to lose!  It may sound a little crazy and in order to make sure I'm well prepared I have opened an demo mode account with a web trading organisation and having some fun losing and making "money", I've ordered a spread betting book so I can learn all about it and I've enrolled on a Stocks Trading course.  Ready or not, here I come.  Don't tell me you're not tempted!

Wow

Every where I turn at the moment I see Wow Talks.  This is the organisation who delivered the absolutely amazing talk that I went to last week about business and start ups.  There were five people who each had 9 minutes to talk about themselves and their company, each committed to pursuing their unique dreams and interests. The idea behind this is that each person shares information about their company, in terms of how they set it up, what drove them to wanting to do this in the first place and  any challenges they have faced.  Ultimately they are wanting to inspire others to do the same.  The buzz and energy in the room was phenomenal, not just from the entrepreneurs who clearly love what they are now doing but from all of the audience too.  This is such an amazing idea and clearly the way that businesses need to be moving in the future.  What the world needs is much more responsibility from it's citizens and for their businesses to be sustainable.  That is, good for now and for the future.  Let's create businesses which allow talents to be showcased and for money to be made for the right things whilst at the same time not destroying our wonderful world.  I'd love to know your thoughts on this.  What do you see happening in terms of business culture in the next 20-30 years?

It's Just Meant To Be!

To help me, once I find my element, I'm arming myself with facts and tidbits to help me on my way to start my own business and to keep my inspiration up.  I'm doing this by attending various seminars, lectures, talks or whatever you want to call them.  They're either aimed at current entrepreneurs to keep them focused and driven or at wanna be entrepreneurs like me.  The last one I went to was at the end of last week, at Google Campus and was hosted by a company called Wow Talks.  This is basically a platform for inspiration.  To inspire others and to be inspired.  What an amazing night.  It all started with where we chose to sit.  When my friend and I arrived there were few spaces for us to choose from.  Without wanting to cause a stir, we sat at the back next to a woman called Deborah Webster.  We introduced ourselves and as we did so we realised there was a reason we had sat there.  She told us a little about her business which was aimed at budding entrepreneurs and the next generation in family businesses to find their role and ultimately map out their future.  She describes what she does as "helping people to do their best".  I explained, very briefly, that I was looking to leave my career as a teacher and wanted to pursue something with my talents.  She very calmly said to me "not necessarily leave, but I can work with you on that" or something to that effect.  Just in that one sentence I was left with hope.  Deborah, an email is on its way to you.  Whatever it may be, I am ready for a change.

A realisation

So what is it that I do?

Well, first and foremost, no, wait, scrub that, hello I’m Lyndsay.  I do lots of things.  I’m pretty good at most of what I do.  I would say that I’m no master of anything but I love all that I do.  I could easily separate what defines me into two things.  Professional and personal.  Professionally, I’m a teacher and this was, initially, how I was going to introduce myself.  Yes, professionally I’m a teacher and I give it my all (well 95%) but that is just a tiny part of who I am.  It also makes me so unhappy.  Unhappy that I put in so much effort, time and love and it seems to go totally unappreciated, bar a few.  Unappreciated by the people that I work for, the students that I teach and the government.  It is with this that I wish to find my element.  And hence, exactly what made me decide that I need to find my element.  My element being the thing that I love to do the most, which it not “work” at all.  It’s a tricky one, as I mentioned earlier I am good at most things I turn my attention to.  I sew, crochet, make jewellery with beads, also wire and clay.  I practice Reiki (on myself and others), I have taught and still teach myself Spanish (I took my GCSE last summer and achieved an A* - strangely satisfying as I’m in my 30s and never achieved an A in my GCSEs when I was 16).  I’m always itching to find/experience something new.  Does that mean I haven’t yet found my element or I’m spreading myself too thinly?  I honestly don’t know the answer to these questions but what I do know, is that I will find out.

I recently attended a seminar which was aimed at women only.  As I researched it I was immediately drawn to the concept.  I love being a woman, how many of us don’t?  Yes, it’s hard at times but  I would not change being a woman.  Anyway, I digress, the seminar opened my eyes to how I can make my money work for me rather than me work for money.  A simple yet so effective concept.  Why hadn’t I thought about this before?  Whilst my money is working for me I can spend my time finding my element or indeed actually “doing” or “being in” something I love whilst my money is making money, if you see what I mean. 

Obstacle #1 I have very little money to play with. 

Apparently, there are lots of options available in which you use other people’s money.  I like the sound of this.  I don’t know much more than that this just, yet but when I find out I’ll let you know.

Obstacle # 2.  I am a teacher, ”yes” I hear you say “you’ve already said that”.  The full seminar which I want to attend is based around 3 days, 2 of which are on a weekend – ah! I will find a way to make this work, fingers crossed there will be one available to me during some holidays.  So for this to happen, I just need some patience.  That I have plenty of – I’m a teacher.

In the meantime I’m honing my skills in blogging, learning how I can get my blog to reach as many of you as possible who may be in a similar situation as me, making contact with as many business women in London (worldwide?) and just getting myself out there.  I’m ready for the change.