T Jamaica Pogue presents the Lula Marketplace

So many artists and small business owners are one or two-person operations. They may have a product or service that they are very passionate about sharing with the world, so they invest time, money, and energy into learning how to do that thing. This could include training, certification, buying materials, renting out space, marketing, keeping track of inventory, and a whole laundry list of other day-to-day things that would be needed to get the business going and keep it running. When you are doing all of that on your own or with very little help, it becomes a full-time job just to keep up with something that was once a thing you loved. Many become discouraged or continue their businesses at a loss because they simply can’t NOT do what they are passionate about.

There are some pretty big names that are popular platforms that have given individuals the ability to reach a wider audience with their products and services, however they do nothing to support the business owners in growing and sustaining their brands. They give you a platform because they are able to make money from your profits, however they also have internal algorithms that suppress those that don’t make them as much money as others. This leads to additional difficulties for small businesses that are in constant competition with the “big guys” with no hope of fighting against the system. Unethical or mass-produced products and companies take precedence over the mom-and-pop shop. This just goes to show you that opportunities are just as important as talent, a lesson I’ve carried from my youth.

So, what could I do about this? Well, I saw the problem – small business owners having to compete with multimillion-dollar machines on their own…on their own…THAT was the real issue.

There are literally thousands of small business owners with their own Facebook, Instagram, Etsy or Amazon pages where they sell and market their products. They spend hours posting about their products and trying to recruit business from their existing pool of supporters, hoping they will invite more people in. They have to combat the ever-changing algorithms and glitches of inconsistent social media platforms that work overtime to beat back the competition. They are talented, hardworking, and very passionate about their craft and I believe they deserve the opportunity to make money doing what they love and not have the experience of being a business owner defined by stress, need and lack of support.

Welcome the birth of The Lula Marketplace!

I started the Lula Marketplace as a space to build a community of like-minded creators with a desire to help each other grow.

The Lula Marketplace is an online marketplace where sellers and artists can sell their products and/or market their services. There are no transaction fees for the seller. All items or services are entered into the Lula Seller Portal. The Seller sets the price for the item / service and also enters in the cost of their packaging materials, if applicable. Once the item is posted to their Lula Shop Page, it will be listed at the Lula Selling Price – which is determined based off of the price the Seller sets. Once the item sells, the Seller will receive their asking price for the item, plus reimbursement for their packing materials. They will receive an invoice with the customer’s mailing address and full order information. They will also receive a link to download their prepaid shipping label – which will be generated once the seller confirms the final weight of the package.

 Some of the additional perks available to all Lula Members is access to free business planning and coaching resources, including but not limited to:

·         Quarterly shop analytics – detailed reports of your shop sales, trends, and how your shop is performing in relation to other shops of similar size and category

·         Networking and cross promotion – programs to organically grow your shop’s audience through building a network and incentivizing cross promotion within shops of similar categories / themes

·         Bi-annual Lula Panel Conferences – opportunity to attend a Zoom meeting with a panel of Marketing professionals, Business and Financial Advisors, and small business owners, who will answer your questions and provide feedback and coaching that will help set you up for sustainable success

The Lula Marketplace is 100% free to sign up. In addition to no transaction fees EVER, we are inviting members to join at no cost and are providing the first 6 months for FREE. We believe in giving people an opportunity to shine.

We are CURRENTLY READY TO BEGIN Beta testing Lula Shops - with the goal of being ready to go live by 2023 - but we need your help getting there. We are asking for your help with hiring systems admins and customer service staff. They will be responsible for assisting Lula Sellers with setting up their Lula Shops, answering questions and providing troubleshooting assistance for Lula Sellers and shoppers.

We are also ready to launch our marketing campaign. Your contribution will help us purchase the promotional materials and advertisement space to spread the word about the Lula Marketplace, our community and vision for helping small business owners and independent artists grow.

Thank you so much for taking the time to check out a little bit about me and my dream. I appreciate each and every one of you. I believe in this dream and your support means the world to me. Each and every supporter will be listed in the inaugural Lula Marketplace Newsletter and will receive an invitation to the first Lula Retreat – tentatively scheduled for 2024 (COVID willing).