We recently connected with Sharhonda Henry and have shared our conversation below.
Sharhonda, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
It’s really all about your attitude. I love a good affirmation quote and one of my favorites is that “that the best is yet to come!” Every day I get to wake up and have the opportunity to choose how my day will go. We get to choose if we will have a good day or a great day. Life happens and it throws you curve balls and sucker punches. But you choose how you respond. Expect the speed bumps and hurdles and adjust accordingly. I don’t want to get too caught up in the hustle of life, so every day I think of three things for which I am grateful. I started this practice a few years ago. At first it was a bit of a challenge, but after a while it became easier to name more than just three things. Optimism and gratitude truly takes practice and consistency. It will all work out in the end. If it hasn’t worked out, it’s not the end.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a wreath maker. I have been doing this for over 10 years. Back then I remember when I saw this orange and blue wreath that I thought would be perfect for my door. Then I saw the price and thought “no way”! I said I’d make one myself. And that’s what I did. It turned out cute and people saw it and wanted one too! So I started making and selling them. The rest is history.
For me, the most exciting thing about making wreaths is that it taps into my creativity. I love experimenting with different color combinations, material and textures. I get to create something special that clients can use to welcome guests into their home. I feel that a beautiful wreath on your door is a warm invitation into your intimate space.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I say that you really have to have a passion for doing this. Wreath making taps into your creativity, and that’s very important if you want to create a unique product that will stand out against the competition. It’s also important to use good quality materials. That is going to help enhance the beauty of your product, as well as the longevity. As far as areas of knowledge, it’s important to understand your target market and then create a niche in that market that sets you apart from others. Usually there will be trends that will come and go, but the key to success and longevity is not following the trends but establishing and enhancing a classic and quality brand.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
Definitely go all in with your strengths! You have spent so much time perfecting that skill or that craft, and you have developed it as a strength, so why not? It’s what you’re good at so definitely go all in with whatever you are strong at doing. For me I make wreaths. I make several variations. I use different materials. I’m good at what I do and I do it well because I’ve spent so long perfecting it.
If you ever want to expand your business, then you could look into other things that still align and build on your core skill. I would definitely say take some time to learn and perfect before you launch. If you’re good at the new venture then that becomes another strength. Focus on your strengths because it’s better to excel at one thing than to be average at several things. Then, go for it!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: craftydivawreaths
- Facebook: Crafty Diva Wreaths
