I'm an Italian jewelry designer for my brand Maiden-Art and a Fashion professor in several Fashion Academies in Milan(10years and counting). My goal was to create a platform Ebooks4fashion.com that could help fashion entrepreneurs to start or grow a profitable, successful fashion business and live the life of their dreams. As a course instructor and a professor I’ve taught more than 3K+ students and as a business woman. I’ve turned my dreams in fashion into successful and profitable fashion business, living the life I’ve always wanted. But things weren’t always so smooth, TRUST me. I want to share with You - my personal experience in the fashion industry and what I learned over the 10 years plus running my jewelry brand Maiden - Art. When I started with my fashion brand - I was creating clothes and accessories. The best way to sell your collection back then, was at a trade show or to find a showroom/rep. Trade shows were so expensive, from $5K to $10k per each show and if you were accepted after sending your application at least 6-8 months before, you had to book your space, paying at least 50% of the fees first and the rest a month before the show. Can you imagine how much money you spend before any trade show - booking a space, excluding the expenses to stay in a hotel and the travel cost, with no guarantee if you will find buyers interested your my collection. When I started there were NO Facebook, Social Media, E-commerce, etc…The only way to be seen, heard of is via trade shows. I am grateful for every step and stumbles along the way...to get to my current destination!!!
How did you manage to get to this level?
A) I invested in myself : What I mean is: I started to learn more of what I didn’t know at all: MARKETING & SALES (I come from a creative background, I’m a visual designer and a fashion designer) AND also I learned to shift my mindset. I took as many online courses as possible about marketing/sales and I started to follow inspiring people that could keep me on track.
B) Understanding every little thing I need know about my dream customers: I focused my attention to understand more who they were, their problems, how I could help them with my products, how I could satisfy their needs.
C) Building my EMAIL LIST of potential customers interested in my jewelry collections was key: I focused more my attention online, but never forgetting the offline world. Every occasion, where I could find my dream customer, was the perfect one, to offer value in exchange for my audience’s email list. Every day, I focused my attention to build my email list and to grow the relationship with my dream customers. In this way, I could get back on track in my fashion business, but with a more deep knowledge of myself and more confident on what my dream customers really needed. This is what I teach in all of my courses. You have come to the perfect place to create the Fashion Business and the Life You have always DREAMED of.
If you want to rock your Fashion Business, You MUST TAKE ACTION NOW!
What three pieces of advice would you give to college students (young and old) locally or internationally who want to become entrepreneurs? Don’t give up on your business, stay focused on your dream customers needs, provide them great value for free, build a true relationship with them and grow your email list every day!
If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
I would definitely start with investing first in myself, changing my core believes first, in more personal self development courses and marketing courses.
What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
You need to be:
- Focused on your goals
- Consistent in what you do
- Be fearless, taking action always
