They say if you choose a job you love, you never have to work a day in your life. If that’s the truth, it’s safe to say Kathy Sheeran of Shopping Confessions will never have to work a day in her life!
Kathy managed to turn her passion for shopping into a career when she founded a website that shared the best designer deals with women looking to score a bargain. Today Shopping Confessions couples a blog about Kathy’s most fabulous purchases with a weekly magazine outlining some of the hottest online deals so you can get your fashion fix without breaking the bank.
We spoke to Kathy about how she created a career from her shopping obsession, her advice for start-ups, her career highlights and regrets, and (naturally) her favourite places to shop online.
RESCU: While most of our online shopping habits have led to us spending money, you’ve managed to turn your love of online shopping into a career! Can you tell us about what you were doing pre-Shopping Confessions and how Shopping Confessions started?
Kathy Sheeran: For 20 years prior I was a Finance Broker, a very male dominated industry back in the 80’s and 90’s but I just loved it. I am a numbers & stats girl but I also have a creative side and never felt 100% balanced. Hubby calls me the fad girl, I’d try different things get bored and move onto the next, I think it’s an Aries thing. Shopping Confessions was born 3 years ago and I haven’t looked back. I have always been a shopper especially online, I have been shopping online for 10 years. I was always asked where I bought things from and realised people need to be educated about where and how to shop.
RESCU: Was there an ‘aha’ moment that made you realise your idea was really going to work?
Kathy Sheeran: Sure was, the day I picked up a parcel from the post office and couldn’t wait to get home to open it so sat a cafe next door ordered a coffee and ripped open the box. It was 5 gem stone pendants valued at over $10k and I paid only $1k. Why 5 you ask? Well at that price it would be rude not to buy more than 1. Two ladies were staring at me and asked if they could have a look they said the look of excitement on my face intrigued them. Then they started asking questions about the gems and what I was wearing which I still remember was a Victoria’s Secret cashmere tracksuit I got on sale for under $60. That night Shopping Confessions was born.
RESCU: We often spot you on TV and in the papers — how did you get your foot in the door with these types of gigs?
Kathy Sheeran: One of the best things I did was pay someone to write a press release and distribute to all media channels. Channel 7 called the next day and I thought it was a prank call. They asked if I would be interested in doing a segment on The Morning Show, I accepted straight away. I have a confession the day I drove in there I was vomiting all the way in, I had never done TV before. But I loved it. Then not long after I was contacted by The Sunday Telegraph and for 2 years I was their shopping queen with my own half page column.
RESCU: What’s the average day in the life of Shopping Confessions look like?
Kathy Sheeran: This is really hard as no 2 days are ever the same.
Things I have to do every day:
- Check emails this is becoming more difficult as I receive up to 300 emails a day with questions from consumers, new websites, new products, invitations to events
- I spend a lot of time on Google looking for new online stores from around the world
- I’m always looking for new content for our online magazine which is relaunching end of November
- I have to go for a stand up paddle at least 4 times a week this is my mediation and clears my head
- Walk Maui my pooch everyday
- Attend product launches and product reviews
- Test products. I will not write or promote a product on TV unless I have personally used or tested myself. I even shop under an alias name so I don’t get special treatment. I need to know what the service is really like.
- Best thing of all I shop everyday without fail.
- I’m also involved with a Miami swim wear label Martha Rey for the la Boehme.
RESCU: Do you have any advice for someone who wants to start up their own business?
Kathy Sheeran: Research everything and don’t think you can do it all yourself. That was my biggest mistake. I grew too quick too fast and trying to do it all on my own. It does cost money to outsource certain jobs but in the long run you will save you money. I made some big and costly mistakes trying to do everything myself. Stick to what you are good at and pass the rest on. The most important thing is you have to be really passionate about what you do, love & passion needs to come before money. As they say if you love what you do it doesn’t feel like work.
RESCU: And any advice for someone looking to start up a blog or website?
Kathy Sheeran: This was a costly mistake for me when getting my website set up. Don’t always go to the cheapest. I was promised the world and delivered an atlas. I was told $600 and they could do everything I wanted. Well, that was not the case. Website looked cheap and nasty so I had to start from scratch, this cost me time and money.
RESCU: Can you share three career highlights to date?
Kathy Sheeran:
- Would have to be my first appearance on The Morning show, I’m just a girl from the ‘burbs who loves to shop
- This sounds a big daggy but all the great people I have met
- Doing what I love to do every day is a highlight for me.
RESCU: Any regrets? Be honest!
Kathy Sheeran: I made a lot of mistakes in the early days especially starting something else before finishing what I had started (my head goes at 100 miles an hour) I have learned to control this but as my wise father always said don’t regret what you have done regret what you haven’t done.
RESCU: What’s in store for the future of Kathy Sheeran and Shopping Confessions?
Kathy Sheeran: I have an app for iTunes and android coming out soon which is a directory and I can’t say too much but there may be a TV show in the very near future and of course lots more shopping. One thing I would love to do is a collaboration with someone for homewares. Homewares are my weakness and I would love to incorporate my island style which I get asked a lot about. I think I was a wahini in a past life.
RESCU: And, we have to ask, your top three places to shop online?
Kathy Sheeran:
Only 3 – I have to give you 5
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