Hannah Nash

Hannah is the co-founder of Lucy Nash, a jewelry brand that takes its inspiration from her mother’s immigrant story. When Hannah was younger, her mother launched her own successful jewelry business, and Hannah always wanted to continue her legacy. So when she got older, she decided to get into the e-commerce scene. Initially, it was a lot of hard work—she had to learn how to build and design websites, create digital marketing campaigns, and manage online stores. She started this brand with her husband John and together they are focused on bringing new and unique designs to their customers. They want to offer the highest quality product possible to their customers. Where most jewelry brands sell cheap metals with nice metal plating, Hannah insisted on having sterling silver throughout.

Where did the idea for Lucy Nash come from?

My mother had a jewelry business, which she started when she had kids. She would help design and make the jewelry, and then sell it at craft shows. When I was a baby, she would put me in a carrier and take me to the craft shows with her. As I got older, I would help set up the booth and work with customers. After I got married, I decided that I wanted to continue my mother’s legacy and start my own jewelry business. Lucy Nash Jewelry was born!

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I typically wake up at 7am, make breakfast and pack orders for the day. I then spend most of the day responding to customers, looking for new marketing trends, and trying to think of ways to improve our business. I usually finish up at around 5pm, but I’ll continue working on my own if there’s something that needs to be done. I find it’s helpful to have a list of things that need to be done each day. This way, I’m always aware of what still needs to be done and I can better plan my time. And if something unexpected comes up, I can always move things around on my list as needed.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I bring my ideas to life by finding a talented partner who can help me make my vision a reality. We then put in place robust processes and timelines to make sure everything is completed on time and to spec. And finally, we always make a plan so that we know what our next steps are and where we’re headed.

What’s one trend that excites you?

I’m really excited about the trend of small businesses growing at a fast pace. More people than ever before are starting businesses, and this is great news because it means more innovation and more competition. I love the trend of short form video because it’s so engaging and fun to watch. It’s a great way to get information across quickly and effectively. I’m really looking forward to seeing where these trends go in the future!

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

One habit that makes me more productive as an entrepreneur is to focus on small steps towards my big vision. For example, I might break down a project into smaller tasks that can be completed within a day or two. This helps me stay focused and not get overwhelmed. Another habit that helps me stay productive is to exercise regularly. Exercise releases endorphins, which improve mood and increase productivity. Finally, I try to avoid getting stuck in distractions such as checking email constantly or browsing the internet for no reason. These distractions can often lead to wasted time and decreased productivity.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t be scared – everything is a learning opportunity. When I was younger, I was so scared to make mistakes, but now I know that’s how you learn. So start earlier – the sooner you start, the more time you’ll have to learn and make mistakes. And use everything as a learning opportunity – even the bad things can help you grow and learn.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

Over the last several years many disagree, but it doesn’t matter who the president is, you need to look out for you. No matter who is in office, it’s important to be proactive about your own life and future. Don’t rely on someone else to make decisions for you or to take care of you– that’s your responsibility. Take charge of your own destiny, and don’t wait for someone else to do it for you.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

I always evaluate my business as if it is brand new. This means being willing to pivot when needed. Too often, people get attached to their original ideas and can’t see beyond them. But the world changes quickly and what was a great idea yesterday may not be today. Being able to pivot shows flexibility and the ability to adapt – both important qualities in any successful business.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

I’d say that the most important strategy for me has been to focus on getting the word out there. I’m not shy by nature, but I used to be very reserved when it came to promoting my business. I was worried about what people would think or say. But then I realized that if I want my business to grow, then I need to take risks and put myself out there. That’s something that’s helped me a lot in social media. It can be a scary place, but you have to be willing to take risks and put yourself out there if you want your business to succeed on social media. Don’t be afraid to experiment or try new things. The worst thing that can happen is that someone decides not to buy or puts a nasty comment. That’s not a big deal.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

I once spent a lot of money on advertising, and it didn’t produce the results I was hoping for. It was more money than I could afford to lose in marketing at the time. I overcame this failure by doing more research into what kind of advertising works best for my business, and focusing on optimizing my website to make it as user-friendly as possible. I also made sure to only carry inventory that was in high demand so I wouldn’t be stuck with stock that wasn’t selling.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

One business idea is to outsource lead generation. In Canada, Canadian citizens can’t cold call, but Americans can cold call Canadians. So you could be a service for Canadians to outsource lead gen to someone in the US who can make the calls. If you’re good at sales, this is a phenomenal business opportunity with very little overhead.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

Recently, I spent $100 on a gimbal for my iPhone. A gimbal is basically a stabilizer that helps to keep your shots smooth, even when you’re walking or moving around. I decided to invest in one because I’ve been doing more video work lately for social media, and I wanted to make sure my videos looked as good as possible. The gimbal has definitely made a big difference; my shots are now much smoother and more professional looking.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

The best software or web service I use is SEMRush. It helps us find potential keywords to hit. We use it to make sure our content and marketing materials are optimized for the areas we want to target with search engines. Almost all of our sales come from search, so we want to optimize for that.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

It depends on what message you need. Everyone is at a different spot in life. If you want to go for something that is more philosophical and thought provoking, I recommend “The Beginning of Infinity” by David Deutsch.

What is your favorite quote?

“Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.”

Key Learnings:

• Do not be afraid to fail, focus on growth and learning
• Small businesses are growing rapidly and there’s opportunity everywhere
• Lean into your personality and quirks to make your business different
• Take responsibility for yourself and own your successes and failures