FAILURE, AND HOW IT IGNITES INNOVATION

Over the summer, I started my own earring business on Etsy. Throughout the course of running my shop, I learned a lot, mostly how I would do things differently in the future. My Etsy endeavor lasted from July until December, which is the longest any of my business pursuits have ever lasted. I’ve been starting small ventures for as long as I can remember and looking back at my childhood, it’s clear that I’ve always looked in unexpected places to create entrepreneurial pursuits. At eight years old, my neighbor and I used to gather up random toys and trinkets we didn’t want anymore and sell them at the end of my street. Sometimes, in the bloom of spring, we would stumble down the valley in our backyards and collect tadpoles from the river to sell to the other neighborhood kids. I was always on the hunt for a good sell. I still am. I think these experiences and their inevitable failures continuously helped me become more prepared for each endeavor I embarked on next. Now, after my most recent failure, I am more determined than ever to innovate and create something that lasts.