Alex Andon, Founder of Jellyfish Art

Alex Andon, owner of Jellyfish Art created his own job by solving a problem for potential customers–giving people what they need to safely and creatively enjoy live jellyfish in their homes.

In this interview, Alex shares some practical tips and resources for getting your small business up and running!

TheCareerCreator.com: What is your “job”? Please tell us a bit about
your company and what you sell or what service you provide?

Alex Andon: Jellyfish Art makes jellyfish tanks and supplies them live
jellies from a global catalog.  I started this business making
high-end custom installations but I just started selling a desktop
jellyfish tank online for $249.

TheCareerCreator.com: How long have you been in business?

Alex Andon: Since September 2008.

TheCareerCreator.com: You had a natural interest in ??? that is now
the basis of your job?

Alex Andon: I studied marine biology in college and wanted to be a
marine biologist for a while.  Scientists only recently discovered how
to breed jellyfish in captivity, so I wanted to push the envelope in
jellyfish research.

TheCareerCreator.com: Tell us a little about how you got
started…give us a bit of your Once upon a time… What was the
turning point where you decided to turn your interest or hobby into a
career?

Alex Andon: I started Jellyfish Art with the full intention of turning
it into a business from the beginning.  People were getting a huge
kick out of the jellyfish exhibits at public aquariums, but you
couldn’t have a jellyfish in your home.  It seemed like if I figured
it out, jellyfish could be the next big thing in ornamental aquariums.

TheCareerCreator.com: What were some of the materials or technology
you needed to get started on a very basic level?

Alex Andon: I worked out of my cousin’s garage, tinkering with tank
designs from parts I picked up on craigslist.  I kept the jellyfish
breeding tanks in a shed in her backyard.  There are solar-driven
algae ponds on my roof right now, which I use to make food for the
jellyfish.

TheCareerCreator.com: The best part about creating your own job? (Or
any really cool moments that made creating your own job completely
worth it?)

Alex Andon: If I don’t have any meetings, I don’t have to wear a shirt to work.

TheCareerCreator.com: What’s the toughest hurdle you’ve encountered in creating your own job…and how did you overcome it?

A Jellyfish Art Tank

Alex Andon: I was installing a large custom aquarium in Seattle right before Christmas so I had to meet the deadline in order to make it home for the holidays.  I had to drive all my equipment through mountain passes during a blizzard with triple the maximum payload in my truck.

Once I got to the install location, I slept at the renovation site to save time and avoid the icy roads.  I finished the installation just in time to drive 23 hours back to San Francisco and make my flight by half an hour.
I kept my resolve by remembering that every hurdle makes a good story. (See above paragraph.)

TheCareerCreator.com: Any words of wisdom or encouragement to anyone wanting to create their own job?

Alex Andon: It’s a lot simpler than most people would have you believe.  Simple, but not easy.  I hope you like roller-coasters because you can go from the highest highs to the lowest lows in a few hours.

TheCareerCreator.com: Any favorite resources you recommend to other entrepreneurs? (Products, supplies, tech tools, etc?)

Alex Andon: There are tons of great free resources out there and it’s
worth using them before you jump into starting a business.  Everything
is online:
http://www.sba.gov/
http://www.tannedfeet.com/
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/
http://www.guykawasaki.com/
http://www.workhappy.net/
http://www.elance.com/

More About This Company:
Company Name: Jellyfish Art
Founder: Alex Andon
Products or service offered: Jellyfish tanks and live jellyfish
Website: www.jellyfishart.com
Twitter: @alexandon
Facebook: Alex Andon (San Francisco, CA network)

Thanks, Alex for sharing some good really good advice!
We think it’s really cool that Alex found a niche that could use his expertise and offered mainstream consumers a cool product that they might not have the luxury of being able to own before Jellyfish Art came along! If you’re starting a business, don’t be afraid to focus on a small niche and go from there.
And, if you haven’t already, check out this video of Jellyfish Art’s desktop jellyfish tank!

More to come…stay tuned!

~TheCareerCreator.com

Lisa Price

Entrepreneur and author Lisa Price is the founder of Carol’s Daughter, a very successful line of skin and hair care products she began mixing in her kitchen.

Lisa shares a bit about how she got started and then gives some sage advice about sticking to your vision and goals.

TheCareerCreator.com: What is your “job”?  Please tell us a bit about your company and what you sell or what service you provide?

Lisa Price: My job title is President and Founder of Carol’s Daughter Inc.

I am also the author of “Success Never Smelled So Sweet”, a memoir that chronicles my transformation from a young black
woman deep in debt to the president of a multi-million dollar
business.

Carol’s Daughter is a complete line of hair and body care
products made with love and natural ingredients. From the brand name and its products, to the delicate care and attention mixed into each recipe, its heritage is a treasure that I have set out to share with the rest of the world.

TheCareerCreator.com: How long have you been in business?

Lisa Price: I officially established Carol’s Daughter in August of
1994 and opened the first free standing Carol’s Daughter location in
Brooklyn in 1999.

TheCareerCreator.com: You had a natural interest in ??? that is now
the basis of your job?

Lisa Price: I had a longtime hobby, love and interest in mixing up
fragrances and creams at home, which has in turn channeled into this
beauty empire.

TheCareerCreator.com: Tell us a little about how you got
started…give us a bit of your Once upon a time… What was the
turning point where you decided to turn your interest or hobby into a
career?

Lisa Price: For as long as I can remember, I had an inherent love of
fragrance. My mother, Carol, always encouraged me to use my knack for
mixing essential oils and my innate feel for fragrance to create gifts
for family and friends.

Inspired by my mother’s words, I began whipping up products right in her kitchen that became an instant hit with loved ones. In the early 1990’s, I branched out and sold my homespun hair and body products at local flea markets and crafts fairs, turning my longtime hobby into a career.

Soon after, my products had a dedicated following. A few years later, I opened my first boutique in Fort Green, Brooklyn.

TheCareerCreator.com: What were some of the materials or technology
you needed to get started on a very basic level?

Lisa Price: I started selling at local church fairs – all I needed was
change, a positive outlook and some sort of branding.  It’s important
to keep track of funds and exactly what you sell so that you can adapt
to your environment and always stay fresh.

TheCareerCreator.com: The best part about creating your own job? Or
any really cool moments that made creating your own job completely
worth it?

Lisa Price: Knowing that I’m actually touching my consumer is my
favorite part.  To bring something that I always dreamt of creating
and seeing how it affects customers – wow! I love when women tell me
I’ve changed how they feel about themselves with products.  I get that
all of the time with Hair Milk.

TheCareerCreator.com: What’s the toughest hurdle you’ve encountered in creating your own job…and how you overcame it?

Lisa Price: Managing my time – and knowing how to balance work with
family life.  When you are an entrepreneur there are certain
sacrifices you have to make – both in personal and work – in order to
keep your sanity.  It’s tough but very rewarding.

TheCareerCreator.com: Any words of wisdom or encouragement to anyone wanting to create their own job?

Lisa Price: Stay true to your vision … Often times I see
entrepreneurs change their vision to accommodate what people say, how
they feel, etc. and they end up with something that is so different
than their dreams.

They lose interest, their heart isn’t in it and it doesn’t work.  I say, stay authentic and adapt to your environment.  Never lose sight of who you are and where you are going.

TheCareerCreator.com: Any favorite resources you recommend to other entrepreneurs?

Lisa Price: Anything you need to help you turn from entrepreneur to
mom, dad, sister, brother, daughter, son.  Whatever you need so that
you can switch and balance your life.  For me, it’s a special mix of
music I keep with me.

More About This Company:
Founder: Lisa Price
Company Name: Carol’s Daughter
Products or service offered: Natural Haircare, Natural Beauty
Products, Natural Skincare
Website: www.carolsdaughter.com

Lisa, your story is very inspiring and we are very thankful that you took time to help encourage future “kitchen table entrepreneurs” who may be wondering how to bring their products to a wider market.

~TheCareerCreator.com

Photo Credit: Chris Moran

You’re a pro at starting with a blank slate and seeing a project grow.

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Start sharing your creations with the world at large and reap financial awards in the process.

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