Meet Vanessa Craven, a retiree with a flair for music, photography, writing, and more. Vanessa's journey into the world of entrepreneurship showcases how, with the right guidance and digital solutions, even retirees can revamp their passions into thriving online businesses.
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Acoustic Sessions: The Fusion of Arts, Music, and Entrepreneurship
Acoustic Sessions is more than just a business; it's a vibrant tapestry of Vanessa Craven's diverse talents. As a musician, singer, songwriter, photographer, writer, and poet, Vanessa has woven together her passions into a beautiful, harmonious digital venture. Her business is centred around selling products that reflect her artistic journey, including CDs, books, calendars, cards, art, and mounted photographs. With a strong online presence, she can now share her creations with the world.
Bridging the Digital Gap: Vanessa's Journey from Art to Entrepreneurship
Vanessa embarked on her entrepreneurial journey motivated by a deep passion for her art. Her self-published children's book, "Birds In My Tree: The Magic of Birds and the Joy of Singing," became the catalyst for her business venture. During the challenging days of Covid lockdowns, she found solace in the company of wild birds, inspiring her to create a book accompanied by a song and music notation. This endeavour led her to rethink her website and explore ways to market her products effectively.
Vanessa faced several challenges along the way. From a tired and outdated website to the need for logical product placement and the integration of e-commerce functionalities, she realised the importance of digital transformation. SEO, social media marketing on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and mastering various digital tools became essential aspects of her journey.
Navigating the Digital Universe: Vanessa's Leap into Effective Online Marketing
Recognising the need for a digital makeover, Vanessa decided to join the Digital Solutions Program at Melbourne Innovation Centre. Her primary goal was to enhance her digital presence and effectively market her products and gigs. With the help of her mentor, Clay Ravin, she aimed to refine her website, monetise it through WooCommerce, and harness the power of MailChimp for email marketing.
One of the Melbourne Innovation Centre mentors, Clay Ravin, played a pivotal role in her transformation. She gained insights into improving the look and functionality of her web pages, learned how to monetise her products, and effectively used MailChimp for email campaigns. Logical product placement on her website became second nature, allowing her to offer a more enjoyable browsing experience to visitors.
Quantifying Success: From Website Revamp to Online Sales
The impact of the Digital Solutions Program and support provided by Melbourne Innovation Centre on Vanessa's digital presence is evident. She has transitioned from an outdated website to one that brightens the digital canvas. Her dedication to her online journey has yielded measurable results, with online sales of her products, particularly her book and calendars, gaining momentum.
Through the program, Vanessa has gained more confidence in online marketing and promotion. Her journey into the digital world is showing promising results, not just in terms of digital growth but also in generating revenue from product sales through her website.
Vanessa recommends the Digital Solutions Program at Melbourne Innovation Centre to fellow entrepreneurs. She emphasises that the program provides access to exceptional mentors who can help overcome significant business challenges at reasonable rates. The government-subsidised program offers invaluable support, making it an opportunity not to be missed.
“Give this amazing program a go. You can only benefit from it and grow your business aspirations.” Vanessa shares.
Vanessa Craven's journey with Acoustic Sessions showcases the transformative power of joining programs through Melbourne Innovation Centre. Her ability to reimagine her artistic talents as a thriving online business reflects the boundless opportunities available in the digital age. Vanessa proves that age is no barrier to entrepreneurship when driven by passion and supported by the right tools and guidance.
The Digital Solutions Program is funded by the Australian Government and delivered by Melbourne Innovation Centre across Victoria. Join today to unleash the full potential of your small business in the digital realm.
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