Booming Carmel Businesses

Amanda Newman, co-owner of Amanda's City-Chic Consignments, is proving that success in the recession is possible.

On a chilly fall morning, Amanda Newman begins her day by sweeping the leaves from the front porch and sidewalk of her store, Amanda’s City-Chic Consignment in Carmel, a consignment store specializing in reselling furniture, home décor, and art work. “I wouldn’t say that people are spending more than in years past,“ states Newman, “but there are more customers coming into the store this year, both to purchase and consign their items.” The consignment business is one among a handful of small businesses that are not only surviving in the recession, but also experiencing growth. By getting creative in their business plans and providing affordable and satisfying services to cautious consumers, these local business people are proving that success during a down economy is possible.

Newman and her husband Jeff own Amanda’s City-Chic store, in addition to Carmel Consignment, which specializes in women’s clothing, and The Designer Men’s Room, located in Broad Ripple specializing in men’s clothing. Their shops have performed well this year, despite the economy, and Newman has a theory on the reason for this increase. “We have done more advertising this year in an effort to reach a broader client base, which has been successful. But I really feel it is more about people being creative in how they are making extra money and saving money. More people are staying home and looking for inexpensive ways to improve their homes, and they are also looking to reduce waste and not just throw things out. Consignment provides a solution to all of those issues.” Newman also believes that the economy has motivated people to spend more money locally in an effort to keep their money close to home and support their community, which results in increased shopping at independently owned stores such as hers instead of larger chain retailers.

Cherine Perrine's glass bead business has grown this year due to her marketing strategy on the Etsy website.

The idea that consumers are choosing to spend their limited extra cash more carefully and on items that have greater personal meaning may explain the success Cherine Perrine has seen this year. Perrine is a Carmel stay-at-home mom with a unique talent that she has transformed into a thriving home business. Perrine is a lampwork artist, working with a fueled torch to melt rods and tubes of clear and colored glass and then forming the glass into beautiful beads. She began making glass beads in 1999 after becoming so transfixed by beads she saw in a shop that she was motivated to take a class to learn the art form. She started selling her beads through craft shows and on ebay, and in 2007 she opened her internet shop on Etsy. Etsy (www.etsy.com) is a website dedicated to enabling people to make a living making things, and to reconnecting makers with buyers. The website is a global location to sell or purchase all things handmade, and Perrine’s business has thrived there. “Everyday I check my sales statistics expecting them to be down, but to my surprise they are not. This has actually been a good year for me in terms of the bead business.” The decision to expand her business by selling on Etsy was an easy one to make, “Ebay raised their fees, and I had to compete against mass market bead makers in Asia. Etsy makes it so simple to set up a shop and sell your goods, and I love the spirit of the handmade community that is encouraged by Etsy.” Perrine is not the only one making money on Etsy. According to the Etsy website, $16 million of goods were sold in September, up 7% over the previous month. “You get out of it what you put in," states Perrine. “I spend about 20 hours a week in my studio working and I spend a lot of time frequently listing items for sale in my shop. I could put more time in and make more money, but this is the right balance for me between work and taking care of my family. Lampworking is my passion, and I feel very lucky that I can make money while engaging in that passion.”

Julie Evanson attributes the feeling of well being her products create for her business success this year.

Finding a passion and then working to make it into a successful business is a theme shared by other Carmel residents enjoying success in today’s financial climate. For many of those, the passion comes from selling products through network marketing. Network marketing companies, such as Arbonne and Silpada, channel goods or services from the manufacturer to the consumer through a “network” of independent distributors or consultants. Julie Evanson started selling health and beauty products for Arbonne in June of 2004, and was made Regional Vice President in 2005. Her position allows her to share the Arbonne products with potential customers through in-home parties, while simultaneously recruiting new consultants who express a desire to sell Arbonne. She currently has 10 consultants selling under her, and has seen no decrease in those interested in signing up to begin selling products for Arbonne. “When people find a skin care line that works for them, they view those products as more of a necessity and less of a luxury,” says Evanson as explanation for her continued sales success, “I also think people right now are more willing to sign up to represent Arbonne products because it gives them a sense of control that other jobs can’t offer. There are no lay-offs, and the sky is the limit in terms of the potential income.” Evanson echoes Perrine’s philosophy of “getting out of it what you put in,” emphasizing that there is the opportunity with network marketing to make a lot of money if you extend the effort to do so, but also the possibility of making a little extra spending cash if you have less time to dedicate to your sales. “I think another reason business has been good this year is that our products make people feel good, and feel like they are really getting a quality product for their money. And I love what I do because I feel like I am helping people by offering another source of income.”

Setting down her broom and surveying her store full of home goods, Newman says with a smile, “People are still being cautious about how they are making purchases, especially large purchases, but they are still buying.” It would seem that with the right combination of value, creativity, and pursuit of a passion, it is possible to sweep away the negative effects of a down market like sweeping fall leaves from a sidewalk.

• Amanda’s City-Chic Consignments is located at 210 E. Main St. in Carmel. Hours and information about their other stores can be found at www.indianapolisconsignment.com.
• Find Cherine Perrine’s beads at www.flamecrazy.etsy.com. Perrine will also be participating in the International Bead Show in Cincinnati on November 21 & 22 (www.beadshows.com)
• For more information about Arbonne, contact Julie Evanson at juleschas@yahoo.com.