We toast 2021 with you! Here’s a big welcome to a fresh start. With that, let’s get down to business and help you start yours! Whether it’s your first business or a restart or just an idea, we are here to share what we know and lift each other up. Did you know we started Mojo to support small business? Everything we do is about freedom. Freedom to not only wear what you want but more importantly, do what you love. Here’s 5 top tips for starting any business.

JUST START.

A lot of people talk about what they want to do some day. When I was starting Mojo, I wanted to have 500 products, all made into thousands of pieces of jewelry shown in stunning lifestyle photography. If I would have let this goal rule my world, it would have crushed me and I never would have opened our doors. Instead, I got halfway there and called it good enough. Thank goodness because I learned a ton that made the second half better. 

If you know your solution solves a real problem that customers will buy from you, start. Just start. Let your passion motivate you – not your fear of what could go wrong or what isn’t perfect!

USE WHAT YOU HAVE.

One of the reasons people don’t start is because of the money. It’s easy to get caught up in all the things you need. You’ll need the best camera equipment, the ultimate office setup, and a big team to make it all happen. Not so! Let that idea go and focus on the best products.

At Mojo, we spend all of our time and money on our products. We have built a nice corporate office, but it evolved piece by piece over two years. We started with kitchen tables, old desks and used computers. We also STILL use our Samsung phones for all of our pictures and videos. Use what you have, and invest your money back into the business.

CONSIDER GETTING STARTED ON A MARKETPLACE.

I am all for having your own website but in most cases, it’s not where I’d recommend you start. Websites take a while to build and even when you do, it’s hard to get traffic because you are a new website in a world of a billion sites. Instead, consider starting on a marketplace like Amazon, Ebay or Etsy. These sites bring millions of buyers right to your doorstep the day you open. Get started there, bring in money to pay your bills, and build your brand all while building your own website in the background. 

PAY ATTENTION TO THE NUMBERS.

Creative minds are genius, but so are financial minds. When building a business, both are important. Look to the data and let it do the talking. In jewelry, we see lots of business owners who lead with their passion for style. That’s a great start but look to the data to ensure your business can sell what you’re making. That means looking at the bestsellers of big brands. Look at how many people have items in their carts on marketplaces like Ebay and Etsy. Look at overall market data so you know where the market is headed. At the end of the day, starting a business that becomes financially healthy is required for sustaining you, your employees and your mission.

CREATE A SIMPLE BRAND GUIDE.

Focus on getting the best product possible for your customer, then give them an experience. Part of this is branding and many overlook it. Branding doesn’t have to be done by a marketing agency or some creative genius. Start simple. Name your company and consider trademarking it (more on that later). Create a logo. Decide on a couple fonts. Pick a handful of colors. Put it on a page and stick to it.

I hope that helps give you some things to think about and motivation. Above all else, remember- just start!