All That Glitters Dreaming of starting your own jewelry business? Be prepared--it's more elbow grease than glitz and glamour.

It's making something glittering and beautiful. It's creating a sparkling necklace or a pair of earrings. It's designing and manufacturing jewelry to your heart's content--while making profits at the same time. Think you can handle the glamour of running a jewelry business and seeing your creations adorn the rich and famous? Then prepare for the serious hard work it will take to get established.

"Sometimes [jewelry entrepreneurs] try to go too big, too fast," says Ann Barber, director of membership benefits at the National Craft Association, a professional trade association in Rochester, New York, for the arts and crafts industry. "One way to start is doing craft shows so you can get direct customer feedback." It's not just about setting up shop with your wares and expecting people to buy them--it's about researching the styles people buy, the prices they're willing to pay and what works in a particular geographic area. A key to success in the jewelry business? "Make sure your designs are unique," says Barber, "not something you can buy everywhere."

Once you set yourself apart as a hot jewelry designer, you'll be ready to approach trendy boutiques to carry your wares. First, create a catalog of your designs or sell sheets with your designs and wholesale pricing information. "Send the packet to the buyer from a particular shop, and then make an appointment to meet," says Barber. Many buyers have specified days and times to meet with new jewelry vendors. According to Barber, "When you go in, have everything ready on [your] order form so you can speed right through the process."