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How to Start an E-commerce Business for Your Home Goods

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Creating your own home goods is a wonderful achievement—especially if you’re a stay at home mom with a fairly busy schedule. It allows you to hone in on your craft, sharpen your entrepreneurial skills, keep occupied when the children aren’t around, and of course, bring in a little extra money.

Ecommerce Business for Your Home Goods
Homemade Scented Wax Candle

If you aren’t already making homemade goods, there’s still plenty of time to get going. And there’s an endless amount of things you can make, spanning the gauntlet for everything from homemade wax candles to homemade flavored shisha. The key is to create around your hobby, so that it rarely ever feels like work. Once you’ve decided what you want to focus on, you’ve taken the first step towards making it happen. Here’s a few tips for starting an e-commerce business:

Set Up Your Website

Of course, as an e-commerce business, one of the most important aspects you need to focus on is your website. You’ll need to choose a platform, and should explore each (and watch introductory videos). Two of the most popular platforms are Shopify and WordPress. Shopify offers a free trial with full features, which you should take advantage of. While WooCommerce doesn’t necessarily have a free trial, they do have more options for themes and customizable stores. And because your design creates the first impression, it’s crucial that you start thinking about what your digital aesthetic will look like beforehand. Although Shopify and WooCommerce make it easy for newcomers to jump in, if you aren’t web-savvy, consider hiring a freelancer on a site like Upwork or working with a web design agency.

Consider Listing on Dropshipping Platforms

Dropshipping makes it possible for entrepreneurs to sell products without ever holding any inventory. For example, as a dropshipper, you would list products on your website that you don’t actually have. You’d market them well so that they appeal to your target audience, and when an order is placed, it ships directly from the manufacturer.

As the creator of a product, you can opt to allow other entrepreneurs to dropship as well. However, keep in mind that you do lose some of your profit in the process, as it’s shared with the person who sells it. On the plus side, you can leverage the marketing expertise of many individuals who have the skills and know-how to get your product out there.

Don’t Forget About Your Marketing

Your marketing efforts set you apart from the competition, and get you ready for success. Think about your marketing as the story you create around your brand. As a homemade goods company, you don’t want your product labeling or website design to look mass-produced. All marketing efforts should be cohesive. Furthermore, your marketing language should emphasize your “homemade” tag, and poise your company as a lifestyle brand if applicable. You’ll also want to post plenty of high-res, high-quality photos. Make an effort to showcase products that your customers have purchased, and refrain from copying strategies that mass-produced companies employ.

Start a Blog

Once you’ve started your homemade business, a blog is necessary. A blog builds search engine optimization (SEO) around your brand, which makes it easier for people to discover your business. You can use your blog to not only post product announcements, but to detail your experience starting your own company. You never know what will attract readers and buyers until you test the waters and create a variety of content. By writing about your journey, you’ll also be humanizing your brand, which makes it easier to establish trust with potential customers. Furthermore, you’ll be helping other moms who hope to be in your shoes one day, too.

Take Advantage of Etsy

There are pros and cons to using Etsy as a platform, but when you’re selling homemade goods, it’s one of the easiest to put your work out there. Etsy makes it easy for homemade goods stores—no matter how new or established—to put their products in front of relevant audiences who are looking for products like yours.

The drawbacks of using Etsy can be balanced by having your own website as well. For example, Etsy doesn’t offer much creative control over how your online store appears, and they always show related products that make it easy for shoppers to stray away from your page. Furthermore, it may be difficult to capitalize on marketing potential, like creating an email list, but with a website, you can tip the scale in your favor.

 

Choosing The Best Metal For Your Engagement Ring

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Best Metal For Your Engagement Ring
Image credit: https://flic.kr/p/YtRJtK

When it comes to purchasing an engagement ring, there are lots of different choices to make. You can choose the style of ring, the settings, the precious stones, and the type of metal used to make the ring. It is an essential part of the process to choose the best metal for your ring, and below you can see some advice to help you make the right decision.

Gold

Gold is the traditional metal that is used for most types of engagement and wedding rings, so it is a firm favourite with people. There are different types of gold available such as yellow gold, white gold, rose gold, and green gold, and each of these has differing properties. You will want 70-75% pure gold, or 18 carats, as anything purer than this is too soft and will get damaged easily. Rose gold is an excellent choice as this colour goes with just about any skin tone. For a wide selection of rings in different types of metal, make sure to visit The Diamond Jewellery Studio in Brisbane.

Platinum

Platinum is also a trendy choice as this metal is very hard wearing, making it very durable. Usually 95% pure, platinum is a rare white metal which is also hypoallergenic, which means that it is safe to wear for even the most sensitive skin types. Although all metals scratch, platinum can withstand years of wear and tear, and very little metal is lost if it does get scratched.

Palladium

Palladium is a metal which belongs to the same family as platinum, which means this is also a hard metal which stands up to the test of time. It is a dense metal and rings are usually 95% pure, and this is also another rare metal and has a similar price to white gold. Palladium needs very little maintenance unlike platinum and white gold, and the silver coloured metal is perfect for diamonds and colourful gemstones.

Sterling Silver

Silver has been used for jewellery for thousands of years, just as gold, but is the most affordable of all the different precious metals available. It is usually 92.5% pure and is a hard-wearing metal that will require some maintenance as it is prone to scratching and can tarnish if not cleaned regularly. The colour of silver can vary from shining white to a greyish white, and you can have a shiny, smooth texture, or one that is matte.

Titanium

Titanium is becoming increasingly popular for engagement rings, and just as with platinum, it is hypoallergenic and very hard-wearing. The metal is surprisingly light and has a darker colour than platinum, and it is easy to keep in excellent condition. It is unlikely to tarnish, and if the ring does get scratched, you can easily have these polished out. For more information on this precious metal, you can check out online jewellery shops or contact a reputable shop.

To know more about the details of the different types of metal you can use for your engagement ring, you can check out metal glossaries available online. Above are some of the most popular metals that are used for wedding and engagement rings, but there are also others such as tungsten, zirconium, and even steel. Familiarising yourself about these metals will help you decide on what is best to use for the engagement ring.

6 Most Common Causes of Conflict in Marriage

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Marriage is a relationship where couples set aside their own interests for the good of their partner. Keeping the relationship positive and open will build more trust overtime. However, no matter how good the relationship is, conflict in marriage is common to all marriages.

Maintaining harmony in marriage has been so difficult to some couples. The series of events and disagreements that have been poorly handled deeply damages the relationship. The very reason why some married couples consider mediation to conclude their formal union.

To make the marriage work is to prevent conflicts in marriage. Listed below are the causes of marriage clashes:

Difference in Opinion and Misunderstanding

Difference in opinion like opposed ideas, stubbornness, pride and anger which always result to non-agreement. Most of the time unclear statements and confusion raise arguments.

When marriage communication breaks down, emotions run high, feelings are hurt, and solutions seem out of reach.  Effective communication can be achieved by ensuring clarity and communication lines kept open between the two.

Selfishness

Selfishness is a grave threat in marriage. It is when one party insists upon having his or her way all the time. It is when one constantly demands self-interest and always has the power over another.

Selfishness also comes in many forms like how couple divide responsibilities in the home, lack of self-giving and respect and being always self-preoccupied, always thinking of “me” rather than “we”.

Money

Money is the most common cause of disagreement among married couples. Especially when both parties have different approaches to finances, like how to spend it and how to save for things that really matter.

Broken trust, misused money, and debt can lead to a more serious marital discord.

Kids

The transition to parenthood causes profound changes in a married life. Raising children can become a great marital conflict when both parties always disagree on how they raise their children. This regards to how to discipline and how much to discipline their kid.

Work and Time Management

Working long hours means less time for the family. Too much work-related commitments can drown couple relationship, and leads to declining marriage quality.

In-laws

In-law problems sometimes create a marital nightmare. Couples may fight between themselves, over big things and small because it’s about family. Each has its own family norms and values which may be exactly opposite from the other family.

Conclusion

There are many other ways couples can run into problems and challenges in their marriage. Intensity of conflicts in marriage depends from how strongly we react to some wrong-doing. When one or both parties were already emotionally overcharged, it can create negative feelings which results to ineffective communication that can get blown out of proportion. The marriage path is determined on how well the couple approach the problem and handle things towards fair solutions.

 

image source: pixabay

A Brief Guide To Adulting

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Adulting is hard. When you’re a child, it always seemed like all grown-ups had their act together, and knew everything. As we slowly creep into adulthood ourselves, it becomes more and more evident that adults are just like us – making it up as they go along. However, there are some adults who have a much better grasp on living in the modern age. Learning how to live responsibly isn’t as hard as you think, it just takes a little planning. If you still feel like a child lost in the confusion of the modern world, below are some adulting tips that might transform your life.

Adulting

Are you Ready?

Although more young adults are having to stay living in the family home, those that do have the chance to move out can be hit by immediate problems. This is where they realize that they know nothing about being an adult. Be responsible, and don’t move out until you’re ready for being in charge of your life.

Managing Money

Money is always going to be an issue, so you have to be responsible. Curb your spending habits, and make sure that you’re investing in you and your future. Adult things like life insurance might seem like unnecessary costs, but those monthly payments will pay off. Look at sites like Insurance Geek and make sure that you get the best deal with the lowest monthly premiums. Nothing feels more adult than preparing responsibly for your future.

Time Worries

Being a full-time adult means making some changes to the way that you plan your days. It can be a shock to the system when you lose the timetables of full-time education or the rules of your family home. Procrastination can become a serious issue, and even simple things like making sure that you get out of bed on time to get to work can be difficult to get used to. Plan a weekly schedule and stick to it.

Learn from mistakes

Even the most experienced adults make mistakes, and the chances are that if you’re living independently for the first time, then you’re going to make them too. Don’t look at your mistakes as failures. After all, you’re still learning! Instead, look at your mistakes as learning opportunities. The bigger the mistakes, the less likely that you will ever repeat them again!

Focus on Growth

Personal growth should always be a goal in your life, but never more so than when you’re living out in the big, wide world on your own. Never say that you don’t know how to do something. Say that you don’t know how to do it yet, and then commit to learning. The more that you focus on your personal development, the easier your transition to adulting will be.

Look after yourself

Eating healthily and making sure that you get the right amount of sleep is a good way to introduce structure into your life. Learn some healthy and easy to cook recipes so that you’re not tempted to have a takeaway every night, and make sure that you have a good sleep regime in place. Any exercise that you can do is good as well and will increase your energy levels, motivation, and positivity. Even going for a casual stroll is better than flopping on the couch for another rewatch of your favorite TV show.

Living on your own after a lifetime of having your decisions made for you is always going to be a challenge. You’re an adult for a long time, so the more that you practice the most basic of adulting skills, the more you can be proud of your own attempts at being a responsible individual in a high-pressure world.

Image source: pixabay

Tips For New Sports Coaches

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While coaching a sports team is a fun job, it can also be quite a challenging experience. Luckily, there are tips to help you as a new coach not only find success but also get some enjoyment out of your position.

New Sports Coaches

Avoid worrying about failing and instead focus your efforts and energy on what you can be doing in the present moment to turn this into a thriving hobby or career. Keep in mind that it’s a process and will require a learning curve before you feel completely comfortable in your role. Enjoy what you’re doing but also take your coaching job seriously, so you and your team have a positive outcome.

Be Prepared & Organized

As a new sports coach, it’s extremely important for you to be prepared and organized. This goes for practices as well as games and all that occurs in between. Know exactly what drills you’re going to run with your team and how you’re going to help them develop their abilities. Get to know your players personally and always have a game plan for how you want to approach each new match or opponent.

Know Your Rights

The reality is that you may come across some unfortunate or sticky situations as a sports coach. It could be anything from contractual to criminal matters and you need to know your rights. It’s in your best interest to work with a sports law barrister who understands the law and can help guide you through your case if you have one. Never assume any information and instead gather the facts by consulting with a specialist so you can achieve the outcome you desire.

Invest in Your Development

Know that you personally can always be learning and improving your skill set right along with your players. It’s important to not only get the required licensing you need to coach, but that you also go a step further and invest in your personal development. Use your free time to go watch other coaches you admire in action or take an extra course that’s going to help you improve your skills.

Remain Patient

Patience and staying calm is essential when you’re taking on the role of being a new sports coach. You need to practice it with yourself as well as with your team because not all is going to go as planned along the way. Some days and games your players will perform well and other times they’ll likely make mistakes you’ll need to deal with. It’s important you learn how to properly communicate and get your message across clearly so that you or your players aren’t repeating the same errors as time goes on.

Conclusion

Be proud of yourself for being willing to take on the position of being a new sports coach. It’s a great opportunity to challenge yourself and also have a little fun. Keep these tips in mind as you get started and begin to make a name for yourself with your sport of choice.

 

Image source: pixabay