Create Your Own Product Brand: Part I

If you've got a new product to promote, then read what Gift Therapist extraordinaire Jennifer Melnick Carota has to offer. I brought a Folkheart Press book to her attention and it was selected to be included in an impressive gift bag she made available to select attendees at a well-attended Family Expo in Pennsylvania.
Inclusion in this opportunity was a worthy news item that Folkheart Press was able to promote. Here is the first part of a two part series:

What do you get when you cross a mental health professional with a reformed shopaholic? Or when you cross a community organizer with an aspiring philanthropist? Roll all of those things into one and you get a Gift Therapist!

For many years I struggled with my career goals. I knew I was a “helper” at heart, but always had big dreams of using my myriad skills to touch lives all over the world. The Gift Therapist is my attempt to help consumers, corporations, and nonprofit organizations to work together for the greater good.

Fifteen years ago I fell victim to major credit card debt. After a thorough financial evaluation I quickly learned that I was spending far too much money on others and neglecting my own personal and family goals. The time for change had come…and it was not optional.

As a therapist, I coached myself out of debt by re-thinking my spending habits and creating a new shopping plan. I decided to put myself on a shopping diet of thrift shops and discount department stores for all of my necessities. When gift giving season came around, I would challenge myself to find great gifts at great prices. And I discovered more than I ever bargained for! Discovering the clearance racks for the first time was the tipping point. I couldn’t keep this secret to myself any longer.

Helping consumers give great gifts on a shoestring budget is only one facet of my mission. I also encourage consumers to do great things with the money that they save. As an avid “community champion” I encourage everyone to give back to people and organizations they are passionate about. My years working as a small nonprofit administrator have taught me that sustainable change only happens at the grass-roots level. And no donation is ever too small.

Although I am no longer bound by the shackles of credit card debt, using smart shopping strategies has enabled me to work part-time while I pursue my passion for community service…to give more to my community. And it also buys me time to work as the Gift Therapist and share helpful gift giving information to consumers who yearn to find a new way to give meaningful gifts without breaking their budget. I love my job!

My guess is that you have never met a Gift Therapist before? Do you have a new brand inside of you just waiting to come out? I encourage you to do so! Embrace the gifts that you have been given and shout them from the rooftop! I promise you, the rewards of creating your own brand far outweigh the risks!