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I Shop @ Home - June 2009 |
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Company Sista of the Month
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Have
you ever enjoyed your favorite product from the Avon Lady at the job or
the Mia Bella rep down the street? Or perhaps enjoyed the new
kitchenware your Pampered Chef rep at your church displayed every few
months. Suddenly, you move, they move or you lose touch. Your missing
your favorite product and can't find a representative in your immediate
circle. Necessity is the mom of invention and this former financial
adviser's frustration was the foundation to create I Shop at Home in 2003.
I Shop at Home
now makes it as easy as a click of the mouse to find Canadian direct
sales companies, their representatives in your Canadian city or province or even
become your own representative. The website provides useful tools
for vendors and provides shoppers the safety to know they are buying
from well established companies and legitimate representatives.
Owner Imie chats with ITCOS and explains how it all began, her philosophy and advice:
Ishopathome started as a small
online shopping directory. That directory grew larger and by the second year, it
had become a full-time job maintaining it. That was when I realized its full
potential and developed it into an online marketing business with a mission of
helping businesses promote their products and services online while providing
shoppers an easy access to unique products.
Have
you come across any obstacles from vendors, financiers or customers being a
woman or of color?
I would say no. That is probably because I never pay
attention to it. I am focus on doing well with what I do and treat everyone
equal respect so I expect to be treated the same way. I can only recall a small
incident when I started Ishopathome.ca where I felt the first male webmaster I
hired didn't take me seriously. I immediately told
him how I felt and found someone else. I am not sure
if this was due to my color or gender but I didn't classified it as such. I just
knew he was not giving me the service I deserved and moved on.
I fully
believe that it becomes an issue if you make it an issue.
I feel really
lucky being part of the Asian community and I think it has helped my business
grow. I take part in many community activities which help me get my name out
there. I sit on the board of several ethnic groups and participate in various
advocacy. To me business, community and family are all key components of a
balance life.
What
would you do differently had you had the opportunity regarding your business or
what was a lesson learned?
The only thing I think I would do differently is to
learn from the pro which would have cut my learning curve in half. I started
Ishopathome which is primarily an online business while learning the internet at
the same time. As a result, it took longer to accomplish my goals due to many
road blocks and frustrations.
What
words of encouragement do you have those venturing into entrepreneurial
waters?
Every woman of whatever color or background can do well
on anything they set their mind to. Your ability, knowledge, and dreams don't
have any color, background or expiration date. You have to dream and keep on
dreaming until you accomplish your goals and when you accomplish one goal, make
another one. Be part of your community, participate in issues that matters and
allow your community to help you grow. Take business building as a journey not
a destination. Because you will encounter defeats, twist and turns everyday, but
if you know that it's part of the journey, then the journey becomes easier.
You also have to enjoy what you are doing, because that will keep your
mind and soul balanced.
Consequently, how does a women with
such sound advise and years of finance, direct sales
marketing and over 10 years experience of working (and shopping) at home
herself expound on her talents? In 2008, Imie launched Red Hot Media Mavens; a communication company with a mission to
help clients promote their business online through media outlets.
I
Shop at Home is truly a resourceful website for Canadian shoppers and worth the
business membership for referrals, business exposure, tips or to increase
one's down line. Join the affiliate program and the membership plus all the
perks one would receive from it will pay for itself one hundred times over and years to come.
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