Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Wendy Varner. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Wendy, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I get my resilience from two people in my life. The first one is my mom. She is a beautiful person inside and out. She is super strong and confident. She is a wonderful person and always has fostered and supported my creative side. She purchased all of my arts and crafts projects growing up and, along with my Granny, taught me how to sew and crochet. My mother always put on her brave face when she had to do hard things, which was often. To this day she is my inspiration. The second one is my husband. Shortly after we were married, he lost his eyesight. He was in his early 20’s. I can’t tell you how many obstacles he faced while working, being a husband, being a father to 4 children and navigating life in general. He could have given up but because of the love he had for me and his family he not only rose up to the challenge, but he has conquered it. He is my rock and my ultimate support. He encourages me in everything that I pursue. I specifically love creating with polymer clay because he is able to “see” the textures and shapes with his hands.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a small batch polymer clay earring maker specializing in trendy and classic polymer clay hoop earrings and bridal bouquet replica keepsake earrings. I am located in Charlotte North Carolina. I’ve always been super artsy and crafty. I’ve always loved art, color and texture! I am a watercolor artist but when I was first introduced to the world of polymer clay art by my youngest daughter, I immediately fell in love. I quickly learned the techniques to make simple earring designs. Now I have a small business selling polymer clay earrings and I love it. I taught myself how to mix custom colors and simple florals for earrings and intricate 3D florals for bridal bouquet keepsake earrings. There is always something new and exciting to explore and learn. I specialize in trendy yet chic polymer clay hoop earrings. I am making plans to expand my YouTube channel to include long form videos where I will be teaching polymer clay tips and tricks along with interviewing other makers and clay tool product reviews.
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?
I believe that you have to be willing to do the hard things when it comes to learning new skills and starting and running a small business. You have to be willing to show yourself, all of yourself. The good, the bad and the ugly. Which means that you have to be willing to be vulnerable. Also, you have to keep in mind that it’s more important to do the thing than to be perfect.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I’m feeling overwhelmed which is often if I’m being completely honest, I rely heavily on list making and time blocking. Once I get everything that I need do to written down on a list and tasks added to my calendar, it just frees up the space in my head. It is so satisfying to be able to make things off of your list! I am always reprioritizing my list as I move along in my day and week and month.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wendyvarnerdesigns.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyvarnerdesigns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WendyVarnerDesigns/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@wendyvarnerdesigns
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