Traci Lynn Jewelry was established in 1989 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by its CEO and founder Dr. Traci Lynn. In 2008 Traci Lynn expanded the brand into a National Direct Sales company. She believes jewelry creates an opportunity for women to own their own businesses, balance their lives, and achieve financial independence doing something they love! Read her interview answers to find out how she became so successful and also learn more about her perspective:
What did you eat for breakfast?
I juice in the a.m. and have fresh veggies with apples.
What’s your workout?
5 Days a week 5:45am to 7:00am Cardio
What picture is on your phone’s home screen? Share it with us.
Tell us about your work.
I am the CEO and Founder of Traci Lynn Jewelry. A direct-sales company that offers women the opportunity to start their own business and achieve financial freedom through selling jewelry.
What inspired you to start your business? Where did you start and where are you now?
My entrepreneurial spirit came from my grandmother. At age 4, she recruited me to help her sell clothes out of the back of her car in West Philadelphia. While in college, I took a job as Investor information representative at the company, Vanguard, but during my time there I found myself itching to run my own business so I tried my hand at a few different enterprises before starting Traci Lynn Jewelry. I was looking for that one inspired idea and jewelry was it; I figured one size fits all, how could you go wrong? I started the company in Delaware with a small investment of $200 and it has grown organically into a multi-million dollar enterprise with nearly 35,000 independent sales consultants nationwide. We have also expanded to Canada, Puerto Rico and The U.S. Virgin Islands. Our jewelry has been featured in top publications like Redbook, Nylon, V, The Knot, People StyleWatch, Good Housekeeping and Family Circle.
What do you see for your future?
Expansion as well as continuing to empower my consultants and create a legacy business. I’m looking for the day of 50,000 consultants, then 100,000 and more. The sky’s the limit!
How large is your business? How many employees do you have?
Our Corporate office is located in Fort Lauderdale, FL with 20 employees. We have recently outgrown our current location and are getting ready to move to our newly purchased building of 20,594 square feet, which will now become Traci Lynn Jewelry Corporate Headquarters!
Tell us a success story about funding your business.
I used personal funds to finance the company and to quickly repay any short-term loans for inventory. I found financial stability easier to accomplish with organic growth. If you operate the way that we do, you always know you have a profitable business.
What do you see as challenges for you and your business? What are some opportunities?
Opportunities are everywhere. To be able to quickly scale up and to create scalable solutions for the business is an opportunity. One of the challenges for me and the business is outgrowing our space and the staff, this is why scalable solutions are so important.
Tell us a story about a success in your business or a mistake you overcame?
I developed a careful, slow growth strategy, inspired by a cover story I read in the Direct Selling News Magazine. I’ll never forget it. I still have it today. It had a picture of a flower in a pot made of money, and it said, ‘Organic Growth.’ It talked about how you could make a choice to organically grow the business at a slower pace, and long-term you would have more retention, more of a relationship with the field, a much deeper sales force, and much deeper roots in your culture.
What do you love about being an entrepreneur?
I love the freedom of creativity and watching the vision come to life.
What about your business matters most deeply to you? How does it engage your values?
My mission. I call it Passing The MIC: Motivating, Inspiring and Changing lives. My goal is to motivate people to step out of their comfort zones, inspire them to achieve greatness, and change their lives. Seeing people transform their lives through this business is what matters most.
What would you say is your “entrepreneurial superpower?”
X-ray Vision, the ability to be Flexible, you name it…I can do it all!
Who is the entrepreneur you admire most right now? Why does s/he inspire you?
I admire Oprah Winfrey, she is extremely authentic and never loses who she is. Her philanthropy inspires me the most. I love her boldness to conquer new things.
What’s the best and the worst thing about being an entrepreneur, as a woman?
The worst thing would be being underestimated. However, I have learned to use this as one of my strongest assets. One of the best things is living your dreams and having the power to bring people on the journey with you!
Do you think male entrepreneurs are “different” from female entrepreneurs, and if so, how? If not, why not?
One thing I think male entrepreneurs lack is the emotional connection needed to move things forward.
What the best advice you ever got, and from whom?
Life is full of advice. I believe my grandmother has said many intelligent things that have influenced who I’ve become. I think the biggest thing that always comes to my mind is to make time to smell the roses, everything that is an emergency today will not be an emergency tomorrow. Make time to enjoy the journey.
Connect with Dr. Traci Lynn on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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