Shownotes
Jen is such a great person. A real tough-as-nails business person but a soul as kind as they come. Jen has been through some tough times but has the optimism and enthusiasm of a 5 year old on candy. (She might disagree and say it is just a strong front) My wife and I have been fortunate to spend time with Jen (and a few other friends) a few times at a local gift show and have been able to watch Jen’s transformation from a shy and quiet seller to a person with a zest for life. She knows time is precious and there is no chance she is going to waste it. Get ready to understand it can and does happen to YOU! (She was You this time) Life can and does go on sometimes not as you planned.
Mentioned:
Sponsors
Gaye’s Million Dollar Arbitrage List
Transcript: (note- this is a new tool I am trying out so it is not perfect- it does seem to be getting better)
Stephen: [00:00:00] Wanted to take a second and recognize my sponsors this week. You know Gaye Lisby million dollar arbitrage as Edge and list. That’s a mouthful. It is. But guess what. It’s a great opportunity. You know you can build a big Amazon business. You don’t need a lot of capital when you start. I mean we all started you know most of us started selling books and then move into retail arbitrage. That is the place that you can turn your money. The vastness and online arbitrage. And so by having that skill set by learning those skill sets you can get the best bang for your buck. And so Gase group will help you learn online arbitrage. It’s more than just a list service they’re going to give you a whole bunch of actionable inventory every single day. Right. Monday through Friday.
Stephen: [00:00:50] However there’s also a mentor ship that goes on and that mentor ship is so important because sometimes it’s great to know what to buy but it’s more important to understand why to buy it. And it’s that you know learning to fish or just getting fed. You know you really want to learn because ultimately you want to strike it on your own. And this is a great way to do it. So how about seven days free trial how about a free trial. Right. Very very cool. So it’s amazing freedom to come forward slashes a mouthful the word momentum carries a hyphen. And you put in the word arbitrage. So it’s amazing freedom does come forward slash momentum dash arbitrage and you’re going to get a free trial in Gase group. You got to tell her I sent you right. I also have the link in the episode. But it’s such a great opportunity.
Stephen: [00:01:40] She is amazing amazing I’m in that group. So you’ll see me there an amazing amazing person who’s there to answer your questions who’s there to help lead you and help guide you and that’s what Kay does. She does it every single day. The testimonials are real. Go take a look. You will be blown away. And again it’s a free trial.
Stephen: [00:01:58] I have the link on this episode. Reachin you know Sellar labs Jeff Cohen and the team they have blown me away with this scope project. We use this all the time for our business. We do a lot of private label we also do a lot of wholesale and wholesale bundles you know or multi packs that kind of thing which a lot of people do but we use scope to help us figure out what are the key words. And so it’s really simple. You basically figure out where you’re going to sell what you’re going to sell what category find that like product. Find the top couple sellers and find their keywords. Boom magic. There you go. You copy the best because it’s working. And guess what. That’s a proof of concept and scope allows you to do that. So it’s Sellar Lapps dotcom forward slash scope Sellar labs dotcom buzzword slash scope use the code word momentum and you’re going to get a couple days free trial and you’re going to save a little bit of money and you get to get some free keywords.
Stephen: [00:02:57] It’s worth every penny. I’m in that group. Come and check me out. Celebes dotcom forward slash scope again use the word momentum. Solutions for e-commerce. Karen Locher great great great group. I’ve
Stephen: [00:03:11] been using them for a long time and I guess over 2 years and I’m in there and pages like everybody else. Yes she’s a sponsor of my show but she makes me pay. And I get the same 50 dollar discount that you can get. Oh by the way you’re going to get that through my link and my link only. Oh and you’re also going to get the free inventory health analysis. Great way to start 2018 get your inventory in line and Karen will help you do that. We use it for everything. I mean basically you know long term storage fees coming up. Guess what she will evaluate. She’ll make some recommendations. And also check check check take these out this return blah blah blah blah blah. And magically it’s done. I
Stephen: [00:03:49] love it. Love it. Love it. I love the fact that they take and get rid of stranded inventory for me. I see it in there. And then next time I go in and it’s gone. Love it love it love it. Got an IP infringement. She’s going to help you work your way through that. This is the kind of service that you get from Karen Locher that solutions for the number for e-commerce solutions for e-commerce dot com forward slash momentum. Right. So you got it forward slash momentum and you’re going to save 50 dollars a month six bucks a year by just clicking that link. She pays me. I want to hide that I never do. I’m always upfront about that but it doesn’t cost you anything additional. And you’re going to get that inventory Health Report the only way you get that is through mine link solutions. The number for e-commerce dotcom forward slash momentum.
Cool voice guy: [00:04:39] Welcome to the e-commerce momentum podcast where we focus on the people the products and the process of commerce selling today. Here’s your host Stephen Peterson.
Stephen: [00:04:52] Welcome back to the e-commerce momentum podcast. This is episode 271 Jennifer simmers. This is a very special interview for me because I’m friends with her and my wife and I are friends with her and we become closer over the years. But it’s a story and when I was with John just this past week I said I want to bring you on because I want to tell the story of resilience and you know you’re here and that common theme for a lot of the successful sellers but Jane Jane got hit with some some tough news a while back and she came through it and we talked to after the call about you know that we didn’t harp on it because my comment to her and then she said I didn’t want to be defined as that is that that is not what defines her in my eyes.
Stephen: [00:05:41] Never did. It was a stage. And I think we handle it you know as well as I could because you know I’m uncomfortable and I don’t want to be. You know I have to try to be a little delicate but I’m not the most delicate person or know me know that. So I think we get through it in a great way as a segment of your life and I think that’s what you got to do is the challenges that come up in your life. You got to think of them as segments. There are moments in time they can define you if you let them. But do you want to be that defined by that. Is that really that important to you. Or are you deeper and are you much more than. And there’s no doubt in my mind that Chen is so much more than that.
Stephen: [00:06:23] I mean when I when she told me you know that she was diagnosed Lidiya a little bit there I knew that there’s no doubt in my mind she would come out on the other side of it. There’s just no doubt when you’re Noar you meet somebody you just know it. So is that the way. Now that I define her no defined or is this incredibly successful business person successful family you know a wife to a great husband successful mom two great kids successful daughter to an incredible dad. DAD. DAD You did well. I hope you hear this dude. I get choked up with that note. So anyway it’s a great interview. I think this is a great great listen to as a couple. Type of thing. Bring your spouse in and listen to this because I just think it’s such a great story. Let’s get into the pod cast. All
Stephen: [00:07:13] right welcome back to the conversation in a podcast very very very excited about three very excited about someone who I’m actually able to call a friend for my wife and I. We’ve got to spend some time with her.
Stephen: [00:07:26] I guess three maybe four different times. Jennifer simmers welcome Janet. Thank you again.
Stephen: [00:07:34] We were just together this couple a few days ago at the Philly Gift Show. I
Stephen: [00:07:40] look forward to it every year and sometimes twice a year because I get to see local friends and we have become friends. And it’s very least my world. I find it easy because we have so much in common to make friends in this world. Would you agree with that.
Jen: [00:08:02] I would absolutely agree with that. Some of my best friends are in the e-commerce world. It’s a really great community unlike any other that I’ve seen and it’s how about this. I
Stephen: [00:08:14] mean I ask you this is you’re a mom mom groups used to be this way I think. But were they ever as deep as this. No
Jen: [00:08:24] . I don’t think so. I never really was involved in any mom groups. I’m definitely friends with other moms and we do talk about our. But this is a little bit different. This is a little more exciting.
Stephen: [00:08:38] It’s exciting because you know the kids are one thing and don’t get me wrong I’m not downplaying that.
Stephen: [00:08:44] However you have an amazing impact on your family doing what you do. And we’re going to talk about some of that. But there’s not much else you can do other than go and you get a job and then and then you add a burden to your family right because now everyone is going to be out the door by a certain time oh mom can’t pick you up moms get to work late. Mom is going to do this in addition to Dad or vice versa whichever it is. That’s a huge burden. But because you’ve been able to choose this or chose you I think actually I would argue that you absolutely are an outlier. You’ve been chosen. I think it’s a different different type of thing altogether. Exactly
Jen: [00:09:24] . I completely agree.
Stephen: [00:09:26] I definitely think you’re an outlier. I’m going to stay with them. OK. So what I love about Jennifer’s story is Jennifer’s a story of triumph however not an easy triumph.
Stephen: [00:09:40] Very difficult challenging. Last year and change and I want to get there. But I first want to go to the I want to build it up because it was a great run. Up
Stephen: [00:09:52] until that moment fair.
Jen: [00:09:55] It really really was.
Stephen: [00:09:57] So let’s go back and start. You went to school what were you going to be.
Stephen: [00:10:02] Oh my gosh we’re going back going back F.R. you’re not that old you’re younger you’re way younger than I am I got socks older than you.
Jen: [00:10:10] I I went to school too. As a history major. Yeah. It really doesn’t excite me to even say that right now.
Stephen: [00:10:20] What were you thinking then. I mean you know where are you going to go into politics where are you going to go into law what were you going to do with a history degree. I
Jen: [00:10:29] think that I had a really good high school AP history teacher so I thought I wanted to be a history teacher. But it turns out I just went to class.
Stephen: [00:10:39] OK. So that was cool. Did were your parents any were any way entrepreneurial or even grandparents.
Jen: [00:10:50] Well now that I think of it yeah I suppose my grandfather did own his own business.
Stephen: [00:10:56] Grog’s Grogs did that rub on you at all. I mean when you think back now knowing where you’re at now and knowing that I mean to me this is Steve on the outside looking in now knowing him for several years. This is and I want to say easy you make it look easy. I’m sure it’s very difficult just like it is for all of us. But you make it look very easy. It’s like very natural for you. Do you think that that’s possible that that rubbed off on you. I
Jen: [00:11:22] think it is. And it’s funny that you say there because I realized that my grandmother were also entrepreneurs.
Jen: [00:11:29] You know ever stopped to think about it before but they owned a dog grooming business.
Stephen: [00:11:34] And so when you went there they probably had joy. I mean you know think let’s face it generally most dog groomers are pretty happy people you know they get to you know enjoy the good ones. You know I’m sure they get a vicious one every so often but generally they look pretty happy they get you know to make something you know really cool and somebody who goes picks up. Oh my gosh. And they love their animal. And so they get to be a part of that. I think that’s pretty cool.
Jen: [00:12:00] It is pretty cool. It was actually my first job when I was 13 working for my aunt and the groom shop. Also a very dirty job.
Stephen: [00:12:07] Oh yeah. No chance I’m washing anybody. I wouldn’t wash my own. Well we don’t have a penny more. But I don’t like washing dogs estimate they’re not like in my face. I’m kind of a German phobe so freaks me out. I wouldn’t do well in that environment for sure.
Jen: [00:12:23] Yeah it wasn’t some place that I wanted to stay for sure.
Stephen: [00:12:26] Well what what did you learn though. I mean did you learn something that you know hard work pays off. I mean what was it.
Jen: [00:12:32] Oh absolutely. That was something that you know my dad definitely instilled in me from a young age. That hard work pays off. It’s a work ethic. He really passed down to his children.
Stephen: [00:12:47] When you look back when you said hey I’m going to go to school dad and mom and I’m going to be a history major. Is there any chance that you remember that conversation was her satisfaction because you chose something or was there hmm. What are you going to do with that.
Jen: [00:13:03] Jan No. I think that you know I think that my dad was okay with that and Dom I don’t know but I think he was okay with that. I
Jen: [00:13:17] think he has he has been incredibly supportive of me and he is really a special person in my life I have a letter here.
Jen: [00:13:28] Actually he just made me think of this idea that you’re crying you’re going to get me correct. Go ahead. Now it’s a very short letter. I’m choking up.
Jen: [00:13:37] You gave it to me with a birthday present a couple years ago and he said Dear JEN as I look back over your life you always had a resilience to excel in your endeavors. Your successful business is another example. I’m very proud of you and a very proud father to have an entrepreneur in the family love Dad.
Jen: [00:13:57] That’s the most special letter I’ve ever gotten. And I keep it right beside my desk so I definitely have family support that is so powerful to think about.
Stephen: [00:14:09] Well let me let me go here. You’re a woman. And for a man to accept that and to basically say you did it and probably he’s probably a little envious sometimes of your lifestyle. Would you agree with that.
Jen: [00:14:27] I don’t think so.
Jen: [00:14:28]...