Getting Started....

[ClaireMalone]

So I had a lovely chat with a fellow WAHM member last night... she reached out to me to hear a little more about Stella & Dot and what has stuck with me is that she mentioned reading on one of the posts that the ideal start was to have 30 pieces of jewelry.

Well Ladies... I hate to shoot down that post but here's my story.

I absolutely Loved Stella and Dot from the moment I saw it online. It grabbed a hold of me and kept me coming back for more. I had never seen the jewelry in person and still signed on because I was "Stellerized": A little word that I have begun using to mean: Stella & Dot was in my mind and in my dreams. I could not stop thinking about it.

So.... budget just was not there to buy more than a "little" extra with my initial order and that put me at about 20 initial pieces for my launch. It has to be about what you have and not what you don't have. Not everyone has the budget to buy 100 pieces to show and not having it is OK. It is also about being duplicable- if you can do it and start your business with just 10-20 pieces then you can show someone else how to do that. More often than not that will be the case. Everyone has a budget in mind- work with it.

Not having the amount of jewelry, I felt I would like to have for my display made me work that much harder to earn my FREE jewelry in my first 100 days- and I did just that... It is so satisfying to earn it- isn't it?

So that's what I felt I had to share.... You can start where ever you feel comfortable starting- heck start with your initial $350 FREE if that's what works for you.
Make it work.
Those that succeed do not sit around waiting & hoping for thier business to florish and prosper. Hope will not put Money in your pocket- hard work and a will to succeed will.

Over and out

[cabimom]

Thank you for sharing that information because that is exactly one of the stumbling blocks for me in joining. I love the "look" of SD even though I haven't seen it in person. But I have felt that I just didn't know what I could choose for only $350 + a little that would give customers a fair look at the line. I only have about $500 to spend on starting up a business and that is pushing it- so pretty skimpy budget!

It would be great to hear from other SD reps to tell us how you started too! I think there are a lot of "fence sitters" like me who could easily be pushed if we could hear a little more about how you all started your biz. I would be interested in knowing how you prefaced your shows to your potential clients knowing you didn't have a lot of pieces to show.

Because most jewelry shows are "advertised" as a night with girlfriends, shopping and trying on jewelry, what if there isn't much to "try on"? Thanks for anyone sharing their story.

[ClaireMalone]

Delighted to hear this post helped you a little bit. For my initial launch I let people know that i was just starting out and would value anyone's opinion on which peices they thought it would be worth my while to have on my display. It makes people feel included and special to have theri opinion asked & valued. Afterall they are the customer.
I also let everyone know that what I did have was a great representation of the quality of jewelry that Stella & Dot has to offer. If this is what these peices look like in real life can you just imagine how amaizing some of the "show stoppers" in the look book look like in person. I NEVER apologize for not having everything. I have what I have and as my bisiness grows so will my display. I have yet to meet anyone who has not been understanding of that- if they are, they have not said it to my face: which works for me and keeps my confidence up

Starting a business with $500 is definately doable. That would get you another $300 in jewelry above and beyond the $350 FREE. I would say to select pieces that represent different looks and price ranges. The charm collection is very easy to "display" as a printed & framed picture. So are some of the larger pieces like the Garden Party. Having it to wear out is such fun as it gets great attention but I didn't get mine until almost 2 months into my business and then it was with FREE jewelry credits that I earned through hard work.
I am also interested to hear what other stylists have to say about their start as it is always nice to compare notes!
Always happy to share my story- Ask away... I'm an open Stella & Dot book

[bluvddavina]

My story is a little different, but in a lot of ways the same, so I will share

I have been with the company from almost the very beginning, before it became what it is today. We used to teach people how to make jewelry and we had to keep an inventory of beads, and findings and all the materials you need to make a necklace by hand. Then they decided it was in everybody's best interest to change the format and become Stella &Dot, which it was in everybody's best interest. But at the time I didn't have a lot of money to go out and buy samples of everything because I still had a lot of beading inventory. They had a contest to earn some jewelry for free, which I won, so I got some free jewels and then I bought what I could afford which wasn't a lot. I have slowly continued to build my display.

So you can definitely start out small and just grow from free jewelry credits and invest some of your party earnings in to the display too. Like Claire said when they see the quality of some of the pieces they have the peace of mind that the rest of the jewelry is of the same quality. I still don't have a huge display, but enough for them to get a good idea.

[cabimom]

Thank you so much for sharing your stories. It great to know that you can start with a small display. When I had my Silpada party (hosted) the rep had gobs of jewelry there, literally almost every piece from the catalog! It was really intimidating to see the hundreds of dollars of jewelry she was carting around! It made me think there was no way I could have a display like that!

After reading your stories, it makes me think Stella and Dot is actually doable. I'd love to hear the other stylist's stories about starting too! Thank you so much ladies for being so nice and sharing!

[sdElise]

I started with 16 pieces and had not seen in-person, either. In fact I was the first stylist in MT. I invested $100 on top of what I got free=$350. And worked like crazy to sponsor-you can earn $500 free with each new stylist in your first 100 days when she 'qualifies' for her Jump Start. All told, I earned $5500 free!

And i would like to mention, Claire has earned $2000 free with the ability to earn another $1000 free!!! You also can earn free jewelry credits each month.

I am rushed to get to bed-big day tomorrow.

Claire-please share how to set up a gorgeous starter table!! I loved what you shared the other night. You are so good! I just love your attitude. Thank you for your encouragement today!

Davina-can't wait to see you on Fri!!!

[cabimom]

Ok, I am back. I have never waffled so much in my life!! I usually can make a decision. I almost signed and then "life" happened and I didn't have the money. Then I started to wander again, looking at other companies (stupid) So, the other night I emailed a bunch of my friends with 3 companies to look at and tell me which one they liked and would wear and buy. Overwhelmingly, they chose S& D!

So, now here I am wanting to start again, but have even less money than before. I really can only afford the $199. I blew it cause of the sign up special last month, but didn't have the choice.

And what I am hearing is I can start with as litlle as 10 pieces and make this work? You really think so? I 'd love to hear some ideas as to how I can display such a meager sampling and still make it presentable. Thanks ladies. I am going through with it this time!

[sdElise]

I thought we had lost you! So glad you are back! Now, do you have a sponsor? She needs to coach you on getting shows on your calendar ASAP!!! Maybe, challenge yourself to book the 3 friends that you asked for their opinions?? That way you can maximize your Jump Start. And add a considerable number of pieces to your display + earn all of the free biz supplies!

I will let Claire answer for the starter display, as she is a merchandising maven! If I were you, I would choose a charm necklace, and one or two other complete sets, ie-necklace, earrings, bracelet. So you can display them together. Then print some of our promo-pics from the back office on photo paper and frame them. Voila! Gorgeous Display!! That is how I started. Now, I have SO much jewelry, I can't bring it all to a show. And I joined last April. You will too.

Now, hurry up and join before you back out again!

[jennlovesvintage]

Cabimom...I am where you are....I wish I would have signed last month, that extra 100.00 would have meant a great deal for my starter kit.
I'm signing up this weekend as soon as I talk to my sponcer (hopefully she emails me back!....I'm dying here!)

I really can only do the initial sign up and maybe 1-2 extra pieces at 50% off...so I figure I will have maybe 8 pieces, according to what I have jotted down in my notebook. I have tried to pick pieces that I love...because I'm planning on wearing these babies everywhere and everyone that asks about them....I'm handing a business card and telling them I sell it!
I'm spending about $100.00 to do an expo show here in March...because I think people will be blown away when they see the pieces, and this is a big show and they don't have a rep yet....so this is my chance

I have thought this through really hard, this is what I'm planning to do for me lack of display....hopefully it's ok. I bought the Instyle and O issues for March in which S&D has pieces, and I plan to show those, I bought some vintage style picture frames, and I am going to put some "celebrity styles" in them...so people can see how they are worn and who's wearing it, who's talking about it. And I bought a vintage style bulliten board and I will hang my pieces on that so people can see them. I think it is about presentation, and product...and just because you only have a limited product, if the quality is there and the passion is there it WILL speak for itself.

And since there's almost nothing i don't love in the look book...I will be working as best I can do earn some more free jewelry!

Good luck, I really do think it's doable.....really

[ClaireMalone]

Jenny: I like your ideas for how you are presenting your pieces. Will your sponsor be able to help you out at your launch party and lend you some pieces? I would also suggest framing the Charm collection- the new Look Books are soooo beautiful that you can literally take a couple of gorgeous pages out of one, frame them and add that to your display. Always ask your guests for their oppinions "What are some of your favorite pieces that you would like to see me add to my display as I earn my FREE jewelry". You are asking them for personal input- taking the focus off what you don't have and putting it on what should I add. Also opening up the conversation about how you earn FREE jewelry with the comapny.
I think having a couple of lower priced items is always a MUST on your display... the impulse add on buys that are $22-$44. There might also be those that have a budget within that range and showing them what they can get for their price point is a good idea. Take a look on Stylsit Space once you are a Stylist and download some of the fabulous documents that have pieces under $50 is something along those lines.
Good Luck ladies- this is just the first step! Book your calendars full now before you even launch so that you can hit the road running and earn all that FREE jewelry that you want so badly.
Have a great weekend.

Claire