More Than Two Cents: The Story Behind Sharonda's Six Cents and Perfect Potion Designs

Welcome to Sharonda's Six Cents!

You've probably heard the phrase, "Here's my two cents."

Well, around here, I like to think I have a penny more than a nickel to spare.

Welcome to Sharonda's Six Cents—a place where creativity meets entrepreneurship, lessons learned meet real-life experiences, and where I share a little extra insight from my journey as a maker, small business owner, and lifelong creative.

Through years of crafting, creating, building a business, and learning plenty of lessons along the way, I've picked up a few things worth sharing. This blog is where I offer my six cents on crafting, entrepreneurship, branding, creativity, personal growth, and building a business you genuinely love.

Whether you're a seasoned maker, a new entrepreneur, or simply someone looking for inspiration, I hope you'll find practical tips, encouragement, and motivation to help you continue creating and growing.

Who Is Sharonda?

My name is Sharonda (pronounced shuh-run-duh), and I am the owner of Perfect Potion Designs, a home-based creative business in Shreveport, Louisiana.

I say "currently" because one day I fully intend to be writing this blog from a beachside home with my husband and son nearby.

I've been creating for as long as I can remember—probably since around the age of seven. Creativity has always been a part of who I am. While my professional background includes Social Services and Human Resources, my heart has always been drawn to helping people grow, celebrate, and navigate life's most meaningful moments.

Whether it's welcoming a new baby, celebrating a graduation, honoring a retirement, recognizing a milestone, or creating something meaningful for a memorial service, I love being part of the moments that matter most.

Crafting has given me an outlet to express my creativity while solving problems, bringing people together, and creating experiences that leave lasting memories.

How My Journey Started

When I think about my earliest crafting memories, my mind immediately goes back to making jingle bell necklaces to give away at nursing homes and carefully applying iron-on letters to my Christmas robe on Christmas Eve.

My grandmother played a major role in introducing me to crafting. Looking back, I believe it was her "diva-tude"—that's diva attitude—and her love for fashion that sparked my creativity.

She had a way of making ordinary things feel special.

And if there's one thing she unknowingly passed down to me, it's my love for sparkle.

You can't tell me anything about sequins.

Seriously.

Sequins are one of my many obsessions, right alongside beautiful fonts, printed ribbon, and the color pink. If it sparkles, shines, or makes a statement, chances are I'm going to love it.

Those early experiences planted seeds that eventually grew into the business I run today.

The Story Behind Perfect Potion Designs

People often ask me where the name Perfect Potion Designs came from.

The word Perfect represents my desire to deliver the very best experience possible to every customer.

The word Potion is what makes people curious. A potion can be magical, mysterious, powerful, or transformative. It immediately sparks interest and makes people wonder what's inside.

And honestly, that's exactly what I want my business to do.

I want people to experience something special when they receive a product from me.

The word Designs simply reflects what I create.

My business slogan is:

"Perfectly Designed With YOU In Mind."

Every design decision I make starts with the customer.

How will this make a toddler smile?

How will this make a parent feel?

How will this comfort a grieving family?

How will this celebrate a retiree's accomplishments?

How will this create a memorable experience?

Those questions drive every project I create.

Because nothing is more rewarding than hearing a customer see their order and say one simple word: "Perfect!"

The Lessons I Learned Along the Way

Now let's be honest.

Starting a business was not perfect at all.

Like many new crafters and entrepreneurs, I learned a lot through trial and error.

In the beginning:

• I didn't understand pricing.
• I struggled with difficult customer situations.
• I didn't manage my time effectively.
• I often found myself balancing work, family, and business in unhealthy ways.
• I had no idea how to say "no."

That last one was probably my biggest challenge.

I wanted to help everyone.

I wanted to accept every order.

I wanted every customer to be happy.

But sometimes growth comes from learning boundaries.

Many of the lessons that shaped me couldn't be learned from a course or a YouTube video. They had to be experienced firsthand.

Ironically, some of my best work—and biggest breakthroughs—came from mistakes.

Every challenge taught me something valuable.

Every setback helped me improve.

And every lesson made me a better business owner.

What You Can Expect From This Blog

This blog is designed for makers, crafters, entrepreneurs, and creative dreamers.

Here you'll find:

• Crafting tips and tutorials
• Small business advice
• Branding and marketing insights
• Customer service lessons
• Product spotlights
• Behind-the-scenes stories
• Entrepreneurial motivation
• Real-life experiences and lessons learned

Most importantly, you'll find honesty.

I don't have everything figured out.

I'm still learning.

I'm still growing.

And I'm still making mistakes.

But I believe there is value in sharing the journey.

My hope is that we can learn together.

My Philosophy

One of the most important lessons I've learned is that talent alone isn't enough.

I've watched creators with fewer resources, smaller audiences, and fewer products experience tremendous growth simply because they remained consistent.

Meanwhile, there were times when I had strong designs, competitive pricing, quality products, and great ideas—but I lacked consistency.

Consistency is often the difference-maker.

There are courses that can teach design.

There are classes that can teach pricing.

There are tutorials that can teach branding.

But no one can teach you to consistently show up and do the work.

That requires action.

It requires discipline.

It requires commitment.

Whether you're sharing new content, reposting older projects, or simply taking one small step toward your goals, consistency matters.

Progress will always beat perfection.

A few things I'm still actively working on include:

• Protecting my peace
• Supporting fellow makers
• Learning from mistakes
• Celebrating wins of every size
• Choosing progress over perfection

And if I'm being honest, I'll probably be working on some of those things for the rest of my life.

Join Me on the Journey

If you're a crafter, maker, entrepreneur, side hustler, creative thinker, or someone simply looking for encouragement, you're welcome here.

I hope you'll follow along, subscribe to updates, leave comments, share your experiences, and suggest future topics you'd like me to discuss.

I don't have all the answers.

What I do have are lessons learned through experience, mistakes that taught me something valuable, and a genuine desire to help others succeed.

So pull up a chair and stay awhile.

Let's create, learn, grow, and build together.

After all, I've got a penny more than a nickel to spare.

That's my six cents.