I Quit My Day Job! Article by the Lovely Laurie Barron, of 3 B Street

It Is With Great Pleasure To Welcome This Week's

'I Quit My Day Job'

Guest Writer Laurie Barron, Founder of

3 B Street



3 B Street Founder, Laurie Barron

I had a great job as an accountant, but it was time to go, and I was ready. I took a risk and quit my corporate day job in Indianapolis, Indiana, on October 27, 2006. I packed up my house and moved to California less than one week later. I left the security of a world I’ve always known to join my future husband.

I knew moving to a small town would be challenging for me, but I make friends easily and had the luxury to take some time before looking for a new job. Aside from the fact that I constantly kept myself busy building a new life, I was still unfulfilled and unsure what career path to take. When I was younger, I was always creating something, contrary to my left brain symmetry. Per my request, my family bought me a Cricut® for the holidays, and my obsession began. I became so obsessed with crafting again that I made everything I could, from greeting cards, etched glass, painted coasters, sewed t-shirts, and made magnets. When I realized I had SO much stuff, I decided to show up at our local farmer’s market with a box of creations in hand.

Being a rookie, I had no idea I was to supply the table, skirting, and tent to shield the CA sunshine. But, the lady in charge found the perfect spot for me and my nice, new neighbors at the farmer’s market gathered their leftover boxes and draping and created a quaint setup for me, which I have since improved. Although this was in 2008, I still regularly attend these markets and enjoy the camaraderie, sunshine, extra cash, and pride in selling what I create.

3 B Street Logo

However, I still lacked a greater sense of purpose, and started digging into what would complete that void and fulfill my intrinsic need to give back to others. After watching the film The Social Network, I had an epiphany: what do I KNOW how to do and what can I do BETTER than someone else? Immediately, I thought of other handmade sites, and my mind began spinning. Due to my own frustrations with use of other sites, their over population, unattractiveness, combined with a serious lack of quality products, I took a huge leap of faith, my next tremendous risk, and the formation 3 B Street began.

Using my college degrees in Accounting and Computer Information Systems, I could combine my passions and create something entirely on my own. My first step was to carefully listen to other handmade crafters and artists and quickly recognized the opportunity to help them succeed. I took a deep breath and plunged forward.

Even though I always wanted to work for myself, I was afraid to start a new venture, blindly unaware of future challenges, lessons, and hopeful rewards. I started drawing prototypes, hired a lawyer, a programmer, a designer, and the process began. After about a year and a half of hard work, numerous frustrations, dedication, and trial and error, 3 B Street officially launched in October 2012.



Homepage for 3 B Street



Throughout this process, I thought I had to be silent for fear of somebody “stealing my idea” such as the movie implied. However, I learned several things along the way:

1. Start ups take time, money, patience, determination, timing, support, ideas, persistence, hard work, and expertise just to name a few. Not everybody has that.

2. Networking and professional advice is essential.

3. Piggy backing others’ ideas is healthy. That’s how ideas begin, inspire, and evolve to become your own. Go ahead…create something new, as it’ll still be different from the original.

4. Combine and follow your passions.

5. Feel free to make your own rules and you’ll inspire and empower others.

6. Take a risk. You’ll never know true success if you don’t try. There is no failure, but considered lessons learned, which in turn can make us smarter and stronger.

7. Dream and hope. This journey has been longer and taken more finances than I bargained for, but I keep my head up and my chin down. I’m determined and constantly finding ways to make things work. I allow no other option.

We now have an amazing service to offer for both buyers and sellers! 3 B Street offers an exclusive site, where sellers are carefully selected through an application process to ensure the highest of quality, authenticity, and integrity of handmade. Combined with a unique shopping “experience” like no other site, users will be enlightened and visually stimulated creating enjoyment and ultimately finding the perfect product to purchase. 3 B Street is still new and still growing, and we’re hopeful that the rewards of this journey will have been worth every step.

Meet Laurie and Learn More about 3 B Street

 

Laurie's Links:

www.3bstreet.com
www.facebook.com/3bstreet
www.twitter.com/3bstreet
www.pinterest.com/3bst
info@3bstreet.com

**If you know / or are someone who left their day job to pursue a full time creative business, and would like to be featured on my blog, please contact me: alisasteadyart@gmail.com***