What it's Like to be an Online Entrepreneur

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/ty/ar5l13k6p7zglpbg4hty.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/ty/ar5l13k6p7zglpbg4hty.gif" /></a></div>The essence of SheFinds media is wrapped up in its tagline: "What to Wear, Where to Get it." The blog/online shopping companion provides everything a time-crunched fashionista needs to stay current on top trends and budget-buys; from shopping guides categorized by price range to featured sales and "where to buy" information. <br /><br />The site is the brainchild of Michelle Madhok, who started SheFinds.com in 2004 after stints as both the entertainment marketing director at CBS and women's content director at Aol. Since then, Madhok's SheFinds websites (which now include Shefinds.com and sister sites MomFinds.com and BrideFinds.com) have become some of the web's most popular shopping resources. <br /><br />Below, Madhok tells us how she began her budding online media empire. <br /><br />CareerBuilder.com: You're the owner of SheFinds Media. What is a typical day at work like? <br /><br />Michelle Madhok: I lead a team of online shopping experts. My company publishes websites that help busy women shop online: SheFinds.com, MomFinds.com and BrideFinds.com. We have six full-time staffers and about 20 freelancers across the country.<br /><br />What made you decide to start a shopping website? Where did your career start and how did you end up where you are now? <br /><br />I spent five years overseeing the women's audience for Aol, which at the time had 35 million subscribers -- 50 percent of which were women. I sat through numerous focus groups ... What I learned is that all women were starving for products that saved time. Women felt they were operating at a dizzying pace and didn't have time for the self-care. They had money but no time. <br /><br />Meanwhile, I was doing a lot of shopping for my friends. I'd go to the outlet malls for my friends who didn't have time. eBay and iVillage were becoming popular, and I knew the power of the Internet and realized that on the Web I could take this personal shopping to the next level. No one was telling you the best place to buy black pants on the Internet. Shopping magazines like Lucky were popping up, but the online content did not exist, so I created SheFinds.com.<br /><br />When you started SheFinds back in 2004, did you know that the "blogosphere" was going to be this big? <br /><br />When I started SheFinds, e-mail newsletter sites like Daily Candy were the hot thing. However I quickly realized that blogging was taking off and getting all the media attention so I set-up a blog and got going. <br /><br />It seems like things in both online media and fashion are always changing. How do you keep up?<br /><br />I have over 100 blogs in my RSS reader and I skim them all day long. If a trend is building I can usually see it by how many bloggers are talking about it. <br /><br />Recently, it's been said "bloggers are the new fashion editors" and the AP officially began crediting bloggers as sources in news stories. Has this improved perception of bloggers changed your business in any way? <br /><br />It's changed it for the better. When I started, bloggers were looked down upon -- the great unwashed masses of regular people. PR people didn't want us fraternizing with the editors and getting samples was like pulling teeth. The fact that now bloggers are getting their due respect has helped my business leap ahead.<br /><br />What about the recession? Has is affected your business?<br /><br />The first quarter was a little scary. We are well financed so personally we don't have a problem, but many of our regular advertisers -- mostly small online boutiques went under. Some holiday advertising checks bounced and things were quiet until March when we started to see a rebound in bigger advertisers wanting to spend their money on SheFinds and MomFinds.<br /><br />What is the best part about being an online shopping expert? <br /><br />I get paid to surf the web and shop -- my two favorite things.<br /><br />What is the toughest part? <br /><br />Running a company can be a challenge. I have to keep a lot of plates spinning and grow traffic and sales on the sites.<br /><br />What qualities do you have that make you good at your job? <br /><br />I'm passionate about the topic and the industry. I'm impatient and innovative when it comes to getting things done. I am curious about what's next so I'm constantly asking questions and meeting people to make sure we're on top of the trends.<br /><br />Any advice for people looking to break into the fashion or media industries? <br /><br />Get experience. Intern and if you are too old to intern launch a blog, read-up, learn how to write for the web. You can't come in cold and expect a company to train you from scratch. There's so much information available on the internet there's no reason not to self-teach the skills you need.<br /><br />By Kaitlin Madden writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow @CBForJobSeekers on Twitter.

What it's Like to be an Online Entrepreneur

The essence of SheFinds media is wrapped up in its tagline: "What to Wear, Where to Get it." The blog/online shopping companion pr...

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