Turning Eight with Shop LC

My name is Darren Bogus. I’m your Content Editor. Besides writing, I work with an amazing team that creates the content you see across our website and this blog. I proofread copy, guide the team in developing stories, and help direct the focus of our written material. As a member of the “job hopping” generation, how have I come to be a member of Shop LC for eight years? It’s been a long, strange road.

I left my former corporate drone position from a lack of satisfaction. The work was fine, and I enjoyed it, but there was a banality to it that I couldn’t shake. It wasn’t for me, and I knew it. Still, I needed to make a living to get by while searching for my next opportunity. This led me to take a part-time position with Liquidation Channel. It was simple work, just taking orders over the phone.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to make of the place when I began. I got the position by answering a Craigslist ad, and my research into the site left me with more questions than answers. How could it be Liquidation Channel but not going out of business? Do they only do close out offers? Later on, I would learn neither of these was true.

Not long after responding to the job listing, I would begin my first day. I enjoyed how easy the work was, initially. It was refreshing to have such simple responsibilities after my former grueling routine. What excited me was the energy in the building. A bit Wild West, a bit entrepreneurial. In the early days, there was a buzz and energy to our purpose. We weren’t Delivering Joy yet, but it was already a part of our burgeoning culture. There was a lot of experimentation and willingness to try new ways of storytelling and selling as we were discovering our audience and they were discovering us.

The Liquidation Channel was so small! When I began in September 2010, we only occupied a single suite in a building of four identically-sized suites. It was all crammed in there – the studio, the Vault, our warehouse, and support teams. Today, we occupy that same entire building, with our warehouse operations operating from the three suites in the building next store! Back then, I knew just about everyone’s name. Today, it’s quite impossible, with over 500 employees (and counting!).

Thanks to the emerging Shop LC culture, our leadership was willing to take a chance on hardworking, loyal employees, promoting from within (which is still true today). This provided many opportunities to advance and to grow with the business. Beginning in Services, I would get opportunities to experience working with Sales, Merchandising, eCommerce and now Marketing. It’s provided a broad perspective on how this tiny niche industry works, and why it’s important to always pursue excellence. You only set yourself apart by providing a superior product, whether that’s jewelry, an entertaining on-air experience or excellent customer service. This is true for every industry, but, the smaller the field, the more it becomes obvious when your peers are doing well.

So much has changed along the way! We’re bigger and more successful than ever before. We’re reaching a broader audience and Delivering Joy with exciting new products and giving back through programs like One for One. We’ve had the pleasure of introducing exciting new gemstones and life-changing lifestyle products.

One thing that hasn’t changed? Shop LC continues to attract people who believe they can make a difference in pursuit of something bigger than themselves. The desire and drive to do better than the day before remains. These eight years have been a pleasure, and I look forward to eight more. Happy Birthday, Shop LC!