We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Caroline Tucker a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Caroline , thank you so much for making time for us today. We can’t wait to dive into your story and the lessons you’ve learned along the way, but maybe we can start with something foundational to your success. How have you gone about developing your ability to communicate effectively?
Effective communication is crucial in every aspect of my work. First and foremost, clear communication helps me understand exactly what a customer wants, which is essential to meeting their expectations. Confirming details with a customer when I am unsure prevents me from having to guess what they are envisioning or from producing a product they are unhappy with. In the long run, that saves me time and prevents redoing work if I take the time initially to communicate clearly. Good communication is also very important when working with team members. I work with temporary employees and it is important for them to know the process to create a design and engrave a product. If I can explain to them clearly, they can work efficiently. It fosters a collaborative and positive work environment while enhancing productivity. Good communication saves me both work and anxiety! By expressing my expectations clearly, I can minimize the need for constant follow-ups or corrections, which can be time-consuming and stressful for everyone! That also creates a sense of confidence within the team and for customers.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My husband, Chris, and I have two Etsy shops – CMT Impressions and One Dapper Gent. CMT Impressions offers a large variety of personalized gift items for occasions like weddings, graduations, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, etc. One Dapper Gent is focused mainly on gifts for men, including watches, cigar accessories like cases and humidors, and beard care accessories like razors and shave kits.
We are solely a husband-wife team with 1-2 seasonal employees. Every product goes through our hands. When a customer contacts us, they are speaking with me directly. When you order a personalized item, we are the ones handling the product and treating it as if it is a gift for our own loved one.
We are always adding new products to our collection, so stay tuned!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
First, I can’t say enough about hard work and perseverance. Nobody is going to put as much work into your business as you are. You are solely responsible for it’s success. There’s a quote I really like that says “You won’t get much done if you only grind on the days you feel good.” You have to put in the work that no one else is willing to each and every day.
The second goes hand in hand with the first. You have to always be learning and adapting. Maintaining a successful business over time involves constant market research about products and suppliers, ongoing scrutiny of what your competitors are doing to succeed, and reevaluation of how your current offerings can be improved.
Finally, surround yourself with people you can brainstorm with and learn from. Put yourself in the presence of those that are more successful and soak up any knowledge that you can. Fortunately, in my experience, these are also the people who have been the biggest supporters and encouragers along the journey!
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
I think it’s important to start by identifying your strengths and weaknesses and how they impact your role within your business. Showcase your strengths whenever you can. Take opportunities to improve areas where you struggle, but be willing to accept that you may need help. Once you’ve done that, find a business partner, teammate, or tool that complements your weaker areas. My husband is my business partner and we each feel confident in different areas of the business. We each take the lead in those respective areas and then play more of a supportive role in the others.
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