One of the best ways to enter the jewelry business world is to have worked with a jewelry company and as you work with them learn as much as you can as an employee. Observe business practices and methods and learn. Refine the information by attending business, advertising, and marketing classes to increase your knowledge base.

Note: Do not steal employees or clients from the company that you used as on the job training. You have already been compensated for your labor. The knowledge you learned, experiences you gained are yours to keep.

It is always exciting to go into business, but do not be quick to dispose of this company. There may be several ways that your new business and this company could work together and be beneficial to each other. One of those ways may be displaying or marketing your line of costume jewelry until you open your own location.

Imagine your surprise when you learn that this company has been watching you and now that you are ready to start your own business they may have some ideas or suggestions to not only help themselves to increase business, but to also help you in ways that you could not have imagined.

You are going into business not only because of the knowledge you have but because you feel you can do better for your future customers as well as to improve personal financial gain.

On the other hand if you have been working on a job which is unrelated to your costume jewelry business it is not a lost cause. Do not shortchange yourself into thinking that you do not know business.

Sit down with a sheet of paper and list all that you have done in your employment:

• List types of machines including serial numbers

• What types of office equipment have you used?

• What were your administrative responsibilities?

• What were your job responsibilities and job duties?

• What other job responsibilities not related to your job description did you perform?

• What in-house or seminar classes did you attend?

• What advancements or promotions did you receive?

• What was your starting pay, your ending pay?

• What business or craft experiences did you do?

After you complete this list you may be surprised by your talents and experiences in both the business and the arts and crafts industries.

After completing your list you will know what knowledge or experiences are missing. You may wish to correct your shortcomings, if any, by attending a local business college.

If a business college is not for you, there are other methods of learning how to make your costume jewelry business start and survive.