LIFE

Need some mid-week motivation? We recently sat down with Dana Lande, self-made founder and CEO of jewelry design company Dayna U, to chat building a business and all things girl power. Read on for her four top tips.  

Don’t be afraid to try new things.

“You don't know what you're good at or what you'll enjoy until you try,” Lande says. When she was asked to create a line of University of Maryland Terrapin jewelry for new graduates, she took the opportunity and ran with it...and now she's working with over 100 colleges and sororities across the country.

Don’t give up, even if you are rejected again and again.

"If you are passionate about doing something, keep doing it—even if you don't succeed at first. Success comes to those who are willing to fail and try again," she said. “When I started applying for the licensing rights to produce school logos, I was rejected at first...many, many times. So I made cold calls and started going to the universities in person to speak with the licensing directors. After meeting in person, I started hearing 'yes' instead of 'no'.”

Capitalize on your best skills.

“I have a knack for sales, and was more successful when I started getting in front of potential customers and pitching my products,” she said. "It totally changed my business."

Define success on your own terms.

“For me, success means thinking through specific goals, and then working toward achieving them,” she explained. “My goals change all the time, but the fact that I'm actively thinking through decisions and then acting on them—that's success.”

Have you ever wanted to start your own company? What keeps you motivated? Let us know below.

Dana’s products can be found at www.daynau.com

by Ilana Bernsetein | 2/1/2016