I've been going through some stuff lately. Health concerns with my grandson. Mother-in-law who is recovering from a stroke. And lots of travel for those as well as my business. It's enough to make a girl crazy! Which is why I'm so glad I have friends to keep me going. Friends like Lisa Price. She has been through some "stuff" of her own. And she uses her experience to teach others how to revive and thrive! Just what I need! Everyone, meet Lisa Price!
1. Lisa, tell us about yourself.
I’m a ‘do-er’. I have a creative instinct which is a therapeutic way for me to focus.
I enjoy making things with skills I have developed over the years, especially since I was diagnosed with heart failure.
2. Tell us about your business
I create genuine gemstone jewellery that has physical and mental healing benefits. The natural elements within the stones contain vibrations from the earth with colour and pattern that make every stone unique. Jewellery containing natural gemstones is an attractive way to carry natural support for healing.
I wanted to take healing a step further and introduced coaching for women to overcome illness, to not let illness define you and to inspire women to pursue their dreams.
3. Why did you start your own business?
I began making jewellery as a pass time while I recovered from a heart attack a few years ago. The ability to lose myself when creating jewellery helped me to overcome my anxiety and depression.
I received admiration and requests to make jewellery for others too.
When I was made redundant I was not mentally prepared to face the stresses of work which I had previously experienced, and was too qualified for work that my body could cope with. I saw an opportunity to make circumstance work for me and took it.
4. How did you choose this particular niche?
I’ve been in the position of needing support following illness. It can be a hard step to seek counselling, but when you do it means you’re ready to talk. The down side is that there is a waiting list for counselling, first to receive your initial call of assessment to join the waiting list, and then another 10 weeks or so for the counselling process to start. This waiting period is frustrating as you’re ready to talk and no one is listening. With my coaching, you don’t have this waiting period. You receive three months of transforming support as soon as you’re ready.
5. What do you like most and least about being your own boss?
Working from home gives me freedom to start my day early and to work late when inspiration hits. It also means that if I’m having a period of excessive tiredness I can adjust my schedule, and pick up the pace on my better days.
Avoiding distractions can be tough though when you scheduled admin for the day and a jewellery design is bursting to leave your mind.
6. What personality traits and skills are needed to run a business?
Passion and motivation keeps you interested in what you are doing, while organisation helps with the detail stuff. I am empowered to use my experience with coaching as life immediately after illness is diagnosed is so unfamiliar and you can lose sense of who you are. With jewellery, style can be adapted to suit changing fashions and individual personality, which is why I love creating bespoke pieces.
7. What has been the most difficult part of being an entrepreneur?
Having clarity about what I share and who I am serving. For a long time this wasn’t clear and I struggled with direction.
I have felt much more comfortable addressing the troubling doubt of angst we feel since discovering that my niche is ‘overcoming illness’. I too have lived under that cloud of self judgement and I will happily share my experience to inspire other women to overcome their illness too.
8. Do you have any resources that you have used to build your business that you would recommend?
Join groups of like minded people and introduce yourself, join conversations, share experiences and create value. The lessons you learn will build your confidence and generate ideas and new ways of thinking.
9. Do you have any tips to share on promoting yourself?
Be the nice version of you and do not pretend to be something that you’re not.
10. What other advice would like to share with someone starting their own business?
Research your audience and give them what they want. Don’t fuss about the prettiness of anything, and don’t wait for perfection. Show up and deliver quality.
11. How can we contact you to learn more about your products and services?
I’m on Facebook talking about ‘overcoming illness’ at lisalureviveandthrive and explaining the benefits of healing jewellery at lisalujewellery.
You can also email me at lisa@lisalu.co.uk if you want to chat with me about any of these, I’d love to catch up with you there.
12. Is there anything else you would like to share?
You are amazing at what you do. Share your experience so we can all learn.
