When was the last time you were thankful for life? In a world where everyone seems to have a never ending schedule of appointments and no time to relax, the days tend to slip by unnoticed. Sometimes we forget to stop for a moment and remember that each day is a gift, although it’s not always easy to see. That is where Cheryl Nordyke and Kim Wierman come in.
Cheryl and Kim have partnered up to launch Waves of Gratitude, a business that will help people bring a little gratitude into each day. Through their inspiring jewelry and apparel, they hope to give each and every individual a chance to remember that there is always a reason to be thankful.
Tell us a little about Waves Of Gratitude.
Waves of Gratitude was created when we were looking for jewelry to remind us to find gratitude on a daily basis even when faced with difficult situations. The jewelry was designed by Jessica Fields who has an artistic flare with using nature to inspire her pieces and we knew she would be able to translate our ideas into beautiful pieces of jewelry. Beyond our store, the Waves of Gratitude website is developing a connection to people who want to be inspired or share their gratitude. We do this through our Inspired Thoughts blog, and plan to build on the inspirational aspect of our community.
What inspired you to become partners and launch your business?
We had worked together at another company and were actually working on another project when we came up with the idea for Waves of Gratitude. Our strong desire to have a career that allowed us time with our family made the choice even easier.
What products do you currently offer? How many items are listed on your website, on average?
Our Branches of Hope pieces are available in two sizes and can be worn as a pendant or charm on a bracelet. The jewelry has a beautiful style while still being inspirational. The waves are available individually or in combinations and each one represents a different attribute of inspiration. The six waves are: Health, Gratitude, Accomplishment, Nature, Serenity, Strength and together create other configurations. Again the inspiration here was the ocean and as the tide flows and combines with other waves you get the different pendants.
What are some of your top selling products?
Branches of Hope and the Gratitude Wave are our top sellers. There is a connection of the Branches of Hope to the Tree of Life and the Gratitude Wave resembles a wave which we think enables people to connect it to gratitude. To us the wave circles back which is what happens with gratitude, when you give gratitude and live gratitude you get gratitude.
Now that we’ve entered a new year, do you have any business “resolutions” for 2010?
We have committed to give $3 of each sell of the Branches of Hope to the Get In Touch Foundation as well as blog every day of 2010 about inspiration and gratitude.
What are some of your more long term goals?
We feel strongly about giving back and hope to take our business to the point that we can donate funds to an organization that ensure every woman in the US receives a mammogram. We have an idea for a non-profit that could tie to some of the programs we are currently working with that would generate funds to assure this happens.
What are some of the lessons your business has taught you?
The first and foremost for us has been to have tenacity and faith. When the door would close we didn’t quit we just looked for another door or a window to open and the faith that we had the idea of this business and the business had been brought to us for a reason and we needed to keep that faith until we had everything we needed to see it reach success. While we haven’t turned the corner to being a self sustaining business as of yet, we were able to find and investor that helped us get here. Now we are putting all of the products out there through various channels such as social media and partnerships with people like Mary Ann Wasil Nilan from the Get In Touch Foundation to help promote it we will reach our goals. We have learned to be flexible and always willing to redirect your aim. Marketing a business requires planning; however, it also requires readjusting and reanalyzing you targets.
What is the hardest part of balancing your time between business and your life? Do you have any tips or tricks that help you find that balance?
It isn’t as much balance as give and take. There are days we have to work harder and put in more. There are deadlines, phone calls, opportunities and then there are days we are able to slow down a little and enjoy the true value of owning your own business which is flexibility. For example we committed to blog everyday of 2010 there are some days I am blogging at 1am and other days I have time in the early evening. It also helps when you really love what you are doing. It doesn’t feel so much like work.
Do you have any advice that you’d like to share with fellow entrepreneurs that are just getting started?
Be willing to go all the way, there was a point when we wondered if we had done the right thing. Fortunately for us it was when we had already invested all that we had, so we were at the point of no return. For us we believe this will pay out in the long run. That extra time allowed us to secure an investor and selected to be featured in Grand Magazine as well as working with the Get In Touch Foundation and a campaign we are on to raise $150k for her organization. Had we quit we would have missed these opportunities. In our case we had a strong network for friends and business professionals cheering us on so we are happy we stuck with it and excited to see where it takes us next.