The Lonely Entrepreneur Interviews: Entrepreneur Ashley Connelly

The Lonely Entrepreneur Q&A is a new series that discusses the struggles, perspectives, and successes of starting your own business with other entrepreneurs. This week, TLE interviews Ashley Connelly, who is the founder and designer behind Wander + Lust Jewelry and the blog “Wander and Blush.”

TLE:   Ashley, as an entrepreneur, what do you consider to be your biggest struggle? What changed?

Ashley:  My biggest struggle is mastering all of the roles of running a business. From photography, graphic design, SEO, marketing, social media, filing taxes, packing and shipping, etc… I do it all! It’s tough to focus your time on just one aspect of your business when other aspects need attention as well. That’s my struggle every day.

I think what changed is that I realized I don’t have to become the best at every single aspect overnight. Knowing that the learning curve is going to be high, and accepting that.

TLE:   Sometimes, the best day can also be the loneliest one. What was your loneliest day as an entrepreneur? Your best day?

Ashley:  My days can get pretty lonely working from home, which I am actually fine with; I need to be completely alone to get the most work done. My loneliest days are when I am working really hard on something, whether it be great new photos I’ve taken of my jewelry, or a new design that I’ve just created that I’m really excited about, and my online sales that week are slow. Sometimes I have to remind myself that hard work isn’t going to pay off immediately.

My best day as an entrepreneur is honestly every day. I love being my own boss, the creative freedom I have, and the ability to set my own schedule. Most mornings as I make my coffee in my PJs, I have to stop and think how lucky I am. I love what I do and the flexibility my business allows me to have.

TLE:   We all remember our firsts: first sale, first customer, first time we were in the news. What is your favorite “First” moment as an entrepreneur?

Ashley:  The biggest moment for me was the realization that my business wasn’t just a hobby. When I first started Wander + Lust Jewelry, I wrote down my goals with hopes of quitting my day job in Human Resources and making this business my full-time career.

After about six months, I realized my goal could actually be a reality. The moment I made a plan quit my day job and work on my business full-time was one of the best feelings in the world.

TLE:   Being an entrepreneur is not a job, it’s an identity. What do you consider to be traits an entrepreneur must have to succeed?

Ashley:  Entrepreneurs should be inquisitive. Sometimes you think you may know all the answers, but you don’t. Asking questions gets conversations started and talking with people who are masters in their fields are critical to your business’ success. I also believe entrepreneurs have to be self-starters. You have to be able to push yourself to reach your goals because no one else will.

TLE:   Can you identify a damaging perspective that stifled your progress and how you were able to change it to make progress?

Ashley:  When I first had the idea to start my handmade jewelry business, I had never made a piece of jewelry in my life. At first, I had doubts. I thought, “How can I become successful with something I’ve never done before and have no knowledge or skill?”

After some time, I thought, well why can’t I learn this? What is stopping me from acquiring a new talent that can potentially lead to a successful business? The answer is nothing. The damaging perceptive is the thought, “I’ve never done this before; I can’t have a successful business using that skill or talent. I’m simply not good enough.”

It’s really all about hard work. So what if you think you’re not good enough? Work on it, improve yourself, and grow. Most people aren’t born talented with whatever they do. They have to continue to learn each day. I’m still learning new techniques all the time and I love that it challenges me every day.

Ashley Connelly is the founder and creator behind Wander + Lust Jewelry. Connelly created Wander + Lust Jewelry for the modern day free-spirited woman who has a strong desire to see the world around her while looking fabulous in the process. In her designs, she uses semi-precious gemstones from around the world. They all have their own individual color, size, texture, and look. They are just like you; simply unique. Learn more at wanderandlustjewelry.com.

Are you a successful entrepreneur interested in being interviewed for an upcoming TLE Q&A? Connect with us through our contact form or tweet @thelonelye.

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