Introducing Debbie Svay Savage, Founder of Baby Emi Jewelry

I first met Debbie Savage from our mutual friend, Heather Ledeboer of Mom4Life.com about
3 1/2 years ago.  Debbie was just starting her jewelry business and was excited to network and learn everything about business and how to distribute her product.  Debbie’s been a constant friend and supporter of Startup Princess.  I’ll never forget how she helped us get our Orange County Chapter off the ground in 2009 with some other top notch ladies I adore. And above all it’s been a pleasure to watch Debbie soar with Baby Emi Jewelry and share her love for her Cambodian culture.  Just 3 years ago she was struggling to get her first boutique and now she’s sharing her jewelry with Celebrities galore, been featured in dozens of magazines, and is being featured this month in the Sundance Film Festival gift baskets.

I love hearing what celeb baby is wearing her Cambodian ankle bracelets and how that has translated into massive sales for her company. Way to go Debbie! Enjoy her story here… she is truly a Startup Princess who understands what it means to “Make a Wish, Make it Happen.”

Hometown: Sandy, UT

Current Residence: Laguna Niguel, CA

Education: B.S. Brigham Young University, M.S. Utah State University

Professional Background: Cancer Control Specialist for the American Cancer Society, Sherman Oaks, CA.  I loved this job because everyday I went into schools to teach children how to live a life being cancer free through sound nutrition, regular exercise and staying smoke-free.

What you wanted to be when you grew up:  Miss USA

What you are: A happy mommy, blessed wife and successful entrepreneur.

Brief Summary of your Start Up: Baby Emi Jewelry launched in 2006 just a few weeks before my second daughter was born.  Thank goodness!  My online home business is named after my first daughter Emi.  Baby Emi Jewelry celebrates the love of motherhood and family through our Jingle Bells Jewelry.

Company Website? www.babyemijewelry.com

What inspired you? The birth of my daughter Emi and my Cambodian culture of jewelry gifting inspired me to start a business that honors a tradition that has been passed on for generations within my family.

How long have you been in business? 3 years.

How did you fund it? We funded our business with personal money.  Thanks honey!

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? Yes, so many and I wish I could name them all!  The two that stand out to me and that I admire greatly and know will be there for me at any given moment are Kelly Anderson and Heather Ledeboer at www.mom4life.com

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? Yes, Startup Princess Orange County Chapter.  I do enjoy networking and wished I had time for me.  Networking within Facebook and Twitter has proved to be beneficial as well (especially for stay at home moms like me who are often in their PJs!).

Current Business Challenge? Wow, I could go on forever!  My two are finances and lack of time.

What are you doing about it? I am praying!  This is what I do in times of challenge and blessing.  I am praying to be inspired to get new ideas, contacts, and leads to increase my sales.  In addition, I am praying and actively searching for a virtual assistant to help me with social media/marketing.  I have fantastic things happening with Baby Emi Jewelry (celeb/press for example) but lack the time and skill set to adequately promote and share the sweet successes.

Favorite motivational quote: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” -Marianne Williamson

Family? Husband, Albert of 7 years and going strong, Emi who just turned 6 on Christmas day and Chloe who is 3 ½ years old.

If so, how do you balance family and business? It is not really balancing for me.  I look at it a different way and it works for me.  I have tried to “balance” that and failed miserably.  When I evaluated my role as mother, wife and business woman, and started to frame my life around those priorities coupled with prayer, I find that I am much happier and at peace.  It’s a good thing!

Favorite book? Umm…It is the Twilight series!

What do you do to relax? Exercise and watch kids shows with the girls snuggling on our couch.

What do you want to change most about your world? Honestly, it is me.  Don’t misunderstand me this is not a self-hate thing but an empowering proactive realization that my world becomes a better place through me first.  I want to be a more loving, patient, easy going mother to my girls and a more cheerful, helpful, kind wife.  I find that if I want to see change in the world – I need to start with me.

What are you most proud of? Just recently, we have been invited to participate in Park City TV’s Celebrity Swag Bag for the Sundance Film Festival 2010 and we are so excited!  It was stressful to figure out how Baby Emi Jewelry would gift 300 celebrities but we figured out a method and I’m so proud of the result. Thank you Start Up Princess for the connection! Also, my relationship with my sweet husband and our beautiful daughters are the things I am so proud of.  I am so blessed!

What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses? Believe in Yourself.  Never Give Up. Surround Yourself with exceptional people.

Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? My mentors and my support network.

If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? Lots and lots of diamonds!

Visit Baby Emi Jewelry and use coupon code SUP15 to save 15% on your purchases when you checkout!

Thank you Debbie for the wonderful interview!

Allow More Success – Pay Attention to Your 5 Energies

As your business grows and you experience more success it becomes increasingly important to pay attention to your 5 Types of Energy to maintain the growth and also to enjoy the journey. Your energy is Read more

Sharifah Hardie’s Radio Interview of Startup Princess Founder Kelly King Anderson

Sharifah Hardie interviewed Kelly King Anderson, the Founder of Startup Princess on her Blog Talk radio show Ask Sharifah on June 29th. Enjoy listening to the one hour interview about how Startup Princess was started and what’s next on the horizon. Please note that half way through the show there was a technical difficulty, so there is a pause for a few minutes, but hang on because we resume our conversation.  Sharifah Hardie is a new Fairy Godmother for Startup Princess and we’re excited to have her! Follow Sharifah on Twitter @asksharifah

My 8 Emphatic Suggestions for Rocking Your Business RIGHT NOW

I’ve worked with dozens of Fire Starter clients on career optimizing, transitioning, start ups, reinventions, product ideas, social media strategies and balancing it all without burning it out. {And I adore each and everyone of you. I’m thinking about you all right this minute and smiling hugely, because it takes kahunas to show up in the world and sell your soul with integrity, and to turn love into fat cash and ideas into fulfillment. Keep on moving.}

I’ve been hammering on the same concepts with lots of folks. I am known to hammer. I’m clear that I am not a coach – I’m an adviser, so I can get away with being passionately opinionated.

MY 8 EMPHATIC SUGGESTIONS FOR ROCKING YOUR BUSINESS:

1. ONE STOP WEB SPACE: SIMPLIFY AND LEVERAGE
Stop thinking of your site and your blog as separate things. Just stop it right this instant. There needs to be a paradigm shift whereby entrepreneurs create ONE on-line space for themselves that includes the “brochure ware” that is the critical function of sites, and regularly updated, juicy, and informative content, aka, a blog. Having a site with a “BLOG” button that pushes users out to a totally different space (usually not even reflecting the aesthetic brand of your primary website,) is like having one clothing store that just sells pants, and sending your customer down the street to your “other” store to buy a shirt. Keep your customers under one umbrella so that they can explore and utilize your universe.

Create a seamless one-stop portal of all that you do so you are capturing the various interests of your visitors in one fell swoop: to read inspiring stuff, to buy a product, to hire you as a speaker or for a service you provide. The more they know, the better. If you architect it with logic and simplicity, you can accomplish a lot in one space. Having a separate blog usually screams “after thought.”

Repeat: If you have more than one on-line space that is essentially talking about what you do or sell – collapse it all into one. This also helps with search engine optimization and ranking. And erase the word “blog” from your consciousness. Think in terms of regular, engaging content that you can deliver.

2. GIVE UP IMMEDIATELY
Stop doing what’s not working. It will feel amazing. It will free up energy to leverage the stuff that has the truest, greatest potential.

3. THERE IS POWER IN BEING SOLO
If there is no “we” to your company – if YOU are it, then just say so. People are hiring you. You don’t hear me saying “We at White Hot Truth…” Of course, if you need copy writers, or web designers, finance people, I’ve got a crew I’m always referring to, but, me is me, not we.

4. TALK TO ME: WRITE IN FIRST PERSON
People are hiring you, paying attention to you, coming to see you. So they want to here from…YOU. This is the stale old 80’s approach: “Danielle is a former think tank executive and communication strategist, who now works with entrepreneurs to develop their careers.” This is the magnetic/heart approach: “I ran a DC-based think tank for futurists, helped put a few authors on the map, and now work with entrepreneurs to rock their careers.” Who would you rather hire?

Besides, anyone you want to work with is smart enough to know that the third person copy is probably written by…You.

5. TURN THE MUSIC OFF
If you have music that automatically starts playing when people log on to your site – turn it off. It’s annoying. People are working in shared spaces, have their own music playing on i-Pods and radios, and don’t need the interruption. If you simply must have music, at least give users an obvious icon to click it off or adjust the volume.

6. WORK WITH A WRITER FOR A BIT, EVEN IF YOU’RE A GOOD WRITER YOURSELF
Working with a talented copy writer can create quantum leaps for you. They will “interview” you and tease out angles, bio points, and creative notions that you may not have seen yourself. The right writer is an essential creative partner when you’re packaging yourself and/or designing your services. In the past two weeks, I have recommend the following ladies at least four times: Grace Kerina , Lindsey Lewis, Emma Alvarez Gibson.

7. BUILD IN WORD PRESS
I’m religious about Wordpress and refer to designers who are masters of it: Paul at twothirty, and Sarah at S.JoyStudios , and Kate at ThreeSquare Design.

{it bears mentioning: I don’t get/accept kickbacks for any service referrals, ever.}

8. BLOW YOUR HORN
Look, I’m tellin’ you: you are amazing. I don’t care who you are, you’ve got something to give. You are likely an expert in something, a gifted contributor to some form of life or avenue of industry, you’ve probably been around the block a few times and as a result, have much to give. And if you’re a newbie starting out, you sure as hell have passion to burn.

So sell it, baby, sell it. Stand in your place of knowing and contribution and give it. The world needs you.

xo
Danielle

Danielle LaPorte is the founder of www.whitehottruth.com and the lead author of the bestseller, Style Statement: Live By Your Own Design. A former think tank exec, she helps social entrepreneurs rock their careers and creativity with her signature Fire Starter Sessions. A speaker and media personality, Danielle has been featured in Elle, The Huffington Post, Vogue Australia, The National Post and Domino. She co-founded the popular site, www.carrieanddanielle – she left in 2008 to go solo. You can reach her at d(at)daniellelaporte(dot)com

22 Free Things to Manage Your Business & Your Life

Boeing to chop 10,000 jobs. Starbucks closes 300 stores & cuts 6,700 jobs. Caterpillar laying off 2,000 more workers. AOL axing 700 jobs in cost cutting move. U.S. Postal Service considers cutting delivery to 5 days. Circuit City lets 34,000 people go & enters liquidation. Intel fires 6,000 workers. Economy shrinks at fastest clip since 1982. Recession appears to be picking up steam.

We all know that America is going through an economic crisis and most of us have probably been affected by it in some way. Times are indeed tough.

But as mom entrepreneurs, we’re a tenacious bunch who isn’t likely to give up that easily. We’re going to keep building our businesses, even if we have pinch pennies, go at a slower pace and do much of the work ourselves. Read more

Video Clips from Provo Startup Princess Lunch & Suntweet

What a whirlwind of events this past week…I’ve been trying to capture some of the great people attending events. Enjoy these short fun/casual videos:

Provo Lunch speaker, Tara McCausland, Life Coach, Allison Czarnecki, Petit Elefant and April Atwater, Sweet Life in the Valley

Suntweet sponsor, Jeremy Hanks co-founder of Doba and Kelly King Anderson, Startup Princess talk about Launchup.org

Suntweet panelist, Jyl Patte of Mom it Forward and April Atwater of Sweet Life in the Valley