The VeryVera School of Home Economics has always incorporated entrepreneurship into their program. Vera‘s story is shared at the beginning of every cooking class with the campers to give them a background of the company, and of course, to inspire them!
At camp, students learn the importance of presentation and packaging by decorating each food item they take home. Customers always eat with their eyes first and we all know the first impression is crucial.
Over the years of working for VeryVera, she taught me the importance of communicating professionally in the business world as well as gaining and exerting confidence. Vera’s story of how she started her business was a true inspiration to me. When she was starting to make a name for herself, she had to face many obstacles, but nevertheless persevered and can be proud of what she has accomplished.
I have been honored to work alongside her and through all the skills I learned at camp, I decided to start a business of my own. I’ve always been crafty and loved design so I began making jewelry as a hobby. At first when I started up, I sold pieces to friends and family but never expected any more to come of it. As I got continuous positive feedback on my products, my clientele expanded and that’s when I realized I could make a real business from this hobby.
When marketing my products to boutiques, I employed the professional skills I learned with Vera to help me close important deals. Everything she taught me about professionalism has shaped me into an entrepreneur people are confident working with.
A couple years later, I have appeared in three local stores and am selling products off my instagram account.
If anyone were to ask me what my tips are to start their own entrepreneurial journey, I would say cultivate a product or service that appeals to a market you are inspired by. Loving what you do is the first step to having a successful business and Vera has definitely shown me that over the years. I hope that entrepreneurs continue to follow their dreams and create businesses that contribute to our community’s economic success.