By: Elena Yearly, Owner, Nostalgia Baskets
If you asked me this question six months ago, I likely would have given you a quizzical look. While I was preparing to speak at recent international gifting conferences, I came across this very interesting concept. I owe a special thanks to Susan Friedman, Author and Coach. She coined this term, had it trademarked and introduced this concept in her book "The Riches in the Niches".
In a nutshell, nichepreneurs® are specialists and experts. They offer something unique and different. They control their own destiny. Whether you own your own business or work for someone else, this concept applies. After taking a simple quiz from Susan's book, I was surprised to find that I am a nichepreneur®. I admit that I did not answer yes to every question. Yet, I am definitely in this category.
Now, let's turn to you. Do you consider yourself a nichepreneur®? Take a minute to an answer these questions and then count how many "yes" answers you come up with:
Now that I have introduced this concept to you, I wanted to share what being a nichepreneur® has meant to me and my business. For instance, I came to the conclusion that I backed into being a nichepreneur®. Much of what we have been doing with my business over the years from an intuitive standpoint fit very nicely into the nichepreneur concept. Here is what makes me qualify as a nichepreneur®:
If you asked me this question six months ago, I likely would have given you a quizzical look. While I was preparing to speak at recent international gifting conferences, I came across this very interesting concept. I owe a special thanks to Susan Friedman, Author and Coach. She coined this term, had it trademarked and introduced this concept in her book "The Riches in the Niches".
In a nutshell, nichepreneurs® are specialists and experts. They offer something unique and different. They control their own destiny. Whether you own your own business or work for someone else, this concept applies. After taking a simple quiz from Susan's book, I was surprised to find that I am a nichepreneur®. I admit that I did not answer yes to every question. Yet, I am definitely in this category.
Now, let's turn to you. Do you consider yourself a nichepreneur®? Take a minute to an answer these questions and then count how many "yes" answers you come up with:
- Is most of your practice focused on one specific topic?
- Do your peers call you when they have questions on this topic?
- Have you written a book?
- Do reporters regularly call you for quotes?
- Do you speak at industry events?
- Does revenue from your area of expertise provide at least half of your income?
- Do your peers regularly refer clients to you when they need your special expertise?
- Can people tell what kind of work you do by reading your business card?
- Do you write a regular column for an industry publication?
- Do you love your work?
Now that I have introduced this concept to you, I wanted to share what being a nichepreneur® has meant to me and my business. For instance, I came to the conclusion that I backed into being a nichepreneur®. Much of what we have been doing with my business over the years from an intuitive standpoint fit very nicely into the nichepreneur concept. Here is what makes me qualify as a nichepreneur®:
- Nostalgia baskets specializes in customization and personalization. As you're probably aware, we customize gift baskets around people and their lives and interests. Thus, we are specialists and experts in this area.
- Our tag line, "Celebrating life in a gift basket", is written on my business cards so people know instantly what our concept is. That opens doors and is a conversation starter.
- Over the past six months, I began speaking at industry gifting conferences which has provided instant credibility and now my gifting peers are turning to me and my company as experts in handmade, custom and artisan gifting.
- Our business has also made it into various local and national publications as now we are getting interviewed for various types of articles due to our unique products and services, our independent owner expansion program and our recent participation in the Hollywood swag bag for the Oscars®.
- We love what we do! We were recently featured in the Washington Business Journal and the reporter said it perfectly “we bring tears of joy” to people and their lives. How many businesses can truly say this and claim it sincerely!
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