Hi All,

[bryan]

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Hi All, it was recently suggested to me that I get online and start looking for "my community", and landed here. I recently left behind a fairly successful remodeling career to pusue my passion- to make my art and make a living at it. It's been an interesting year, I'll say that. I have a website( no idea if anybody visits, just kinda sits out there in the ether) at http://bryanappletondesigns.com/ and have some photo files of the furniture I make at http://www.michaelrauner.com/appleton_html/index.html. What I do is create furniture from architectural salvage, old house lumber,antique hardware, you name it. If its old and visually unusual in appearance, I like it! I know from my experiences selling at the local monthly antique fair (Alameda Point Antique Faire) that other people are enthusiastic also. What I'm looking for from this community is feedback/advice. I'm interested in pursuing the internet as a resource to advance my business, and I'm REALLY NEW at this, so please take a minute and check out my website and give me the benefit of you're 2 cents! Happy Holidays and Peace to All, Bryan This is the text I wrote over in the other forum, Thankyou to chyna for directing me here. I am looking for other entrepreneurs to network with, not sure if I'm in the right place. If not here then maybe some of you know of other forums? Thanks and happy holidaze to all, bryan

[chyna]

Good to see that you followed my advice, you would be waiting a really long time for anyone to respond over at CL. :) I will have to be sure to check out your site since I love the idea and use of architectural things. Ultimate recycle in my eyes. :cool:

[RoseMary]

Hi Bryan, welcome to the forum. I looked at your website~WOW! I love all the things you make. What a great business to have!

[Lisa S]

Welcome, Bryan. You're an artist!

[Evelyn]

Welcome Bryan. I checked your website. Beautiful furniture.

Evelyn

[Lynzee]

Hi Bryan. Welcome. Your furniture is beautiful!

[Zuzu's Garden]

Hi Bryan,

Your work is beautiful! If you are serious about I'm interested in pursuing the internet as a resource to advance my business, and I'm REALLY NEW at this, so please take a minute and check out my website and give me the benefit of you're 2 cents! then I'd be happy to offer my 2 cents. I used to test websites for a living, and have a small online cottage biz myself, so perhaps some of these comments/ideas can be helpful to you:

1) First Impression: Nice looking, professional website. Love the logo artwork and logo. Clean, easy to use navigation. Great use of text at top of page for SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

2) A Few Suggestions: IMO, the text font color is too light - perhaps use a slightly darker gray? There is plenty of white-space, so please consider larger images - your work is wonderful and we want to see MORE details. :) You could add mouse-over text to all your images (including your logo) to enhance SEO. It would be great if your navigation buttons were still available from your online store page.

3) Regarding looking for other entrepreneurs to network with, you might consider exchanging links with others. This networking was very helpful to me when I was first starting out. Just Google for sites that your visitors would enjoy visiting and that would complement yours, and ask if they'd like to exchange links. I hope you'll visit here often. And please feel free to visit my site (http://www.ren-prod-inc.com/zuzus_garden/) and give it your 2 cents. It has been terribly neglected while I've been building a house, but I'm looking forward to jumping back in and building it back up again. Any suggestions that you might have for me are very welcome!

:)
Zuzu

[Breezy]

Hiya Bryan & welcome!:)