Summer is approaching, vaccinations are increasing, and New York is ready to reopen on July 1. Local small businesses are returning to activity, and outdoor markets are popping up all over the city. One of these markets, ‘Spring Up’, is an immersive dining and shopping experience in Bryant Park until June 20. The market is a dynamic mix of original art, antiques, jewelry, and cuisines.
One of the many vendors is the local brand Yumi Jewelry + Plants, created by Yumi Chen, who has been selling at this market for over 12 years thanks to the unique approach of the market. “I think outdoor markets, especially, will be a good way for small businesses to recover during this challenging time. I have seen during this ‘reopening period’ that people want to shop and reconnect.”
Fully vaccinated, Yumi Chen is ready and eager to finally sell her products in person and adds that participating in a market offers a friendly way to connect with a steady stream of interested buyers.
Yumi Chen created her brand 17 years ago when she was recovering from a traumatic arm injury that compromised her right hand and wrist. Her hand therapist
suggested that she try making jewelry to help regain motor coordination.
“After that, a friend invited me to sell my jewelry at a trunk show, and my business was born. More than 17 years later, I am still designing jewelry as a form of therapy for my hand.”
However, like most small businesses, Yumi Chen had all her retail stores, events, and markets canceled and closed, which forced her to quickly migrate to a fully online sales platform and use her creativity to embrace her business.
“At the beginning of the pandemic, I wanted to help protect the community and frontline workers, so I started sewing masks full-time and donated my masks. I also sold my masks online and am eternally grateful to all my loyal customers who placed online orders and helped my business survive the pandemic,” says Yumi Chen.
Mrs. Chen’s advice for other businesswomen reading this article is: Be original! Follow your own path and keep your ideas. Work hard to achieve your goals, and good things will always happen! Happy creating!
From Texas to Bryant Park
Another brand participating in Spring Up came from Texas, called Aleja Avila.
Aleja Avila is a Colombian artist who uses vibrant colors from her Latin heritage to make leather bags and accessories. She has always showcased her pieces at art festivals, pop-up stores, galleries, and when the pandemic hit, it was very difficult, especially because much of her business comes from large outdoor events.
Aleja focused on social media ads and building a retail website during the crisis, which allowed her to maintain her relationships with existing customers and reach new ones.
“At first, the handbags weren’t selling, mainly because no one was going out. So, I started making more casual pieces that you can wear in the park.”
Aleja leaves the following message for other entrepreneurs: “If you are a small business and survive this crisis, you are focused on keeping moving forward, not just as a business, but as a human being.”
Starting a business in the middle of a pandemic? Yes, it is possible!
Lauren Sahagian-Massimo decided to create her cheesecake company, “Cheesecake and the City,” at the height of the pandemic.
She started baking several years ago when she brought a cheesecake to a company potluck, and her coworkers were ecstatic. “Some of them
sugested that I start selling them, which planted the idea in my head, but I never followed through. When the pandemic hit and I started working from home, I decided to start writing recipes, posting photos on Instagram, and see what happened.”
However, she admits that building a brand during the pandemic was a bit daunting.
According to her, the biggest challenge at first was getting a wide range of tasters. “No one wanted me to make deliveries, not even for free cake, due to so much uncertainty about COVID. It’s so important to have other people tasting my products. If several people make the same suggestions, I reformulate my recipe.”
In addition to having difficulty finding tasters, she also struggled to find customers. Fortunately, she had established recipes ready for Thanksgiving 2020, when her business took off.
Photo: Lauren-Sahagian-Massimo[/caption>
On the other hand, she learned some tricks. “I always casually shopped with coupons, but now I strive to find coupons. I also review promotions at my local supermarkets to plan bulk purchases.” And also how to do marketing. “I’ve been working with some food influencers on Instagram for marketing and outreach to customers. A woman I’m working with now is helping me with my photos and presenting my cakes better on Instagram. I’ve had very positive feedback from customers so far.”
She is entirely an Instagram business, taking all orders via DM and working to take professional photos to build a website. This way, she can reach customers who may not be on Instagram.
Additionally, she doesn’t stop there. Full of plans for the future, she says that after starting with street markets and pop-up locations, she plans to have a physical store, but not just a bakery, a bakery gallery.
Her message to entrepreneurs dreaming of starting their own business but feeling scared is: “My best advice if you want to start or expand a business is: just do it. I know it’s a cliché answer, but it’s so true. If you keep waiting for the perfect moment, you will eventually run out of time.”