Diane Ashley, 1800PartyShop Consultant

Interview and Article by Alice Seba, Editor of InternetBasedMoms.com
 

Diane Ashley is a regular at our message boards and has always struck me as someone who has taken her business and herself very seriously. Well, after talking to her in a bit more depth, I can see this is true. Diane understands that a home business takes time to build and she has given herself just that...time. Combined with a lot of hard work and responsible financial investment, she is on her way.

Personally, she always hated going from store to store to get everything she needed. 1800PartyShop gave her and her customers the opportunity for one-stop shopping, without having to leave their homes. She is also excited about the new lines that 1800PartyShop has added including home decor, scented candles, gourmet foods and fundraising programs.

Even though Diane is working her business part time right now, she is careful to treat it like a "real job" and makes sure that her family also understands that this is a "real job" too. She makes sure that she does something with her business each day. Even on family days, she takes a few moments in the morning to check email in the morning before everyone gets up and then checks it again in the evening.

Diane firmly believes that if you are going to represent a product, you must also be consumer of that product. She uses supplies from her party store whenever she entertains and she gives gifts from her store as well. "If people see you suing your products and see you enjoying them, they are more apt to 'trust' the merchandise to be up to their own standards as well."

Because Diane does a lot of her business on the Internet, she makes sure to go the extra mile when it comes to customer service. She always sends a personal thank you to all her customers - either by phone or email. She follows up on all inquiries whether they be for her business opportunity or products.

Networking online is an important part of Diane's business growth. She says joining online communities is a chance to network with other business owners and fellow work at home moms. "By joining discussion groups such as these, you build friendships and by building friendships you again build that trust in you, your products and your business."

Diane's advice to anyone starting a home business or interested in doing so is simply put in this quote from Winston Churchill "At some time in everyone's life, they will stumble across opportunity. Sadly, most people will pick themselves up and walk away as though nothing had ever happened..."

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Diane lives on Long Island, New York and enjoys antiquing, the beach and entertaining family and friends. She has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and would someday love to teach special education. Right now, she has an "empty nest" as her daughter is serving with the US Army in Korea.
Visit Diane Ashley's Party Shop at http://www.ashleyspartyshop.com  and her Nouveau Cosmeceuticals site at http://www.bynouveau.com/1074