Instagram Equals Insta-success!

So, 10 year old Elizabeth started a new business. She is making beaded necklaces. I like to think I provided the inspiration for the name of her business due to my kazoo skills playing Michael Jackson's song "Beat it!" 

She named her little business "Just Bead It!" I shouldn't call it little because after posting a few of her necklaces on Instagram, she sold 11 in 2 days and made $95.00. Okay, "made" is stretching it a bit!! According to Sandy the orders started coming in so fast, she was overwhelmed and stressed! They have quite a bit of money wrapped up in supplies. They've been to Michaels 4 times in 3 days trying to keep up with demand. And, they've been downtown to purchase expensive (relatively) African beads at a specialty bead store. 

Here are some of her necklaces. She's quite clever in her marketing. The first one she listed as:

• just._bead._it._Red white and blue beaded necklace with pearl charm for Catholic and America🔴⚪️🔵$7 dm to order

  
  
  The "Catholic" she is referring to is the local high school. Those are the school colors.

When you get to the blue and black ones, she markets those as from her "Panther Collection" for the North Carolina Panthers football team.

On Wednesday after only 3 days in business, the sales slowed down. Elizabeth panicked and decided to run a sale on her excess inventory. This is the picture she posted and the following conversation ensued.

just._bead._it._These are my merchandise that hasn't sold yet necklaces are $6-$7 and bracelets are $5 dm to order

• avap3rryIf nobody buys it maybe lower the price because I know I can afford it
• just._bead._it._Which one?? @avap3rry
• avap3rryAny of then
• avap3rryThem
• just._bead._it._If you pick one I can tell you how much @avap3rry
• avap3rryI don't want any of them I'm just saying if they aren't selling maybe lower the price the like 5-6$
• just._bead._it._Oh @avap3rry
• orgnz4uThe trials and tribulations of the young entrepreneur!
• *******************************

I just died laughing. Kids are so hilarious! Sandy told me that this particular little girl had already bought 2 or 3.

Anyway, they went to dinner the other night and had planned to make a few deliveries on the way home. Besides the materials for the necklaces, now you have to add the cost of gas  and packaging.

On top of that, she's sold a few to some friends in Michigan, so now Sandy has to deal with mailing and shipping costs! 

The girls they tried to deliver to were not at home. Sandy said that no sooner did they pull in to their driveway than the girls called. Greg was exasperated when Sandy said they had to go back out. She told him that he did not understand little girls. They would want their jewelry as soon as possible. I'd say that's true for big girls too! In Greg's defense, visiting stores like "Claire's" and "Hello Kitty" was his own personal hell! But girls want what girls want!

The plot thickens. In order to keep up with demand, Elizabeth had to enlist the help of the whole family. They were sitting around the kitchen table the other night. Elizabeth was doing the beading, Sandy was doing the tying and Greg was putting a drop of glue on each of the knots. Mitchell was giving business advice while Victoria was trying to get a necklace for $3.50. Then she said, "Wait, I can just make it myself!" Finally Greg said, "Is this what we're going to be doing now?" 

But suddenly, there's a fly in the proverbial ointment. 3 of her friends have decided to cut in to her business by starting their own beading businesses! Even at 10, the business world is cutthroat! After only 5 days in business, she's being undercut by the competition! She's learning a valuable lesson---get in early and strike it quick!

So if you need the perfect accent for your new outfit, I can hook you up!