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Essential tips for establishing and re-invigorating e-commerce

An expert insider provides some advice on moving through the digital e-commerce pathway.

Investors are pumping millions of dollars into encryption as unease about data security drives a rising need for ways to keep unwanted eyes away from personal and corporate information — © AFP
Investors are pumping millions of dollars into encryption as unease about data security drives a rising need for ways to keep unwanted eyes away from personal and corporate information — © AFP

When it comes to building generational wealth, having multiple streams of income is one of the most commonly listed recommendations from financial advisors. One route to this could be with establishing an e-commerce business.


This is the approach from Olivia Starling, founder and CEO of jewelry brand Starlette Galleria. She notes that whether a person is selling handmade earrings through creative TikTok videos, or moving thousands of dollars worth of product via a fulfillment service, there are a few things that every e-commerce business owner should keep in mind to expand their business.

Starling tells Digital Journal: “Starting an e-commerce business is overwhelming. Making decisions on products, platforms, and people to follow means the abundance of choice is real and often leaves new entrepreneurs down rabbit holes that they don’t need to go down.”

New ecommerce businesses are popping up daily, but only about 80 percent of them will experience success.

Starling’s top five tips that have allowed her to stay the course with her ecommerce business, which allowed her to grow and scale quickly. These are:

Tip #1: Pick something and stick to it


Many entrepreneurs suffer from shiny object syndrome. Every little snag in their plan makes something else look more desirable and “easy” to do. The truth is, you will never find a perfect product, an easy business model, or something that will go exactly to plan. Truly successful entrepreneurs stick to one thing and work through all of their problems instead of jumping to the next shiny object.

Tip #2: Pick a platform and learn it inside and out


Whether you are looking at Amazon, Etsy, Shopify, or some other selling platform, start with one and learn everything about it. If I were to do it over again, I would have started my e-commerce business on Etsy because they drive traffic and have great social proof. They are an entry-level platform and there are so many skills like SEO, product photography, and even ads that can be learned from Etsy. I started my business on Shopify, and while driving traffic and learning how to build a brand was helpful, I believe my transition from Etsy would have been easier instead of going the other way around.

Tip #3: Do something for your business every single day


When I started my ecommerce business, I was a busy working mom with a full time corporate job. Some days I could do more than others, but I made sure that every day I did one thing for my business because that was a vote for my future. Each of the small steps you take will compound on the next thing, and overtime that will lead to success in your ecommerce business.

Tip #4: Invest in a mentor


Find someone that is doing what you want to do, and in a place you hope to be in someday, and pay for their time and learning experience. Some of the biggest investments I have made in my business were in coaches and courses that put me years ahead of where I would have gone on my own. You might be looking at the cost of a course or a book, but you need to consider the cost of being in the same place 1 year from now. Which is more?

Tip #5: State your intention out loud


There is nothing more powerful than saying what you want to achieve out loud. Whether you tell a friend, an accountability group, or do what I do and state your big crazy goals to thousands of people on an Instagram page (@oliviaisnotaninfluencer), you are more likely to follow through when your goals, intentions, and dreams are said out loud to at least one person, but in my experience, the more the better.

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Written By

Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

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