Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lauren Keplinger, Owner of LaurenKeplinger.com, located in Hendersonville, NC, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is LaurenKeplinger.com and the Crickets to Cha-Chings podcast. I help Etsy and e-commerce sellers build, grow, and scale their e-commerce businesses to a meaningful income.
Tell us about yourself
I got started selling on Etsy in 2012, making monogrammed baby gifts. After about six years of doing that, I started LaurenKeplinger.com to teach and guide other women entrepreneurs to build and grow their own Etsy stores while working part-time or balancing the juggles of business ownership and life. Since 2018 I've taught hundreds of sellers the ins and outs of e-commerce and still run both my e-commerce store (Funky Monkey Children) and the coaching and consulting side of the business.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I think having a hand in both pots of teaching while also doing the thing myself is extremely important. So many people come into coaching or courses and then stop doing the thing that they are teaching about (like if I were teaching about Etsy but not have an active Etsy shop myself), and so balancing the two of those, while challenging, is a priority for me. I have the longevity of selling online to be able to have perspective and actually work with people in a meaningful way.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
It is hard to balance everything. I have so many ideas and things I want to do in the business, so focusing on one area is tough for me.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be in it for the long game; don't expect overnight results.
- Be realistic about what it looks like to run a business (i.e., there is no such thing as passive).
- Think critically about your product and what it actually brings to the market -- there has to be something about your product that makes it different/unique/special; otherwise, you're trying to enter an existing market with no additional value-add.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.laurenkeplinger.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurenkeplinger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauren.keplinger/
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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