I often get asked what does my day look like. Well the fact is not every day is the same and I'm very lucky to have the flexibility in my schedule to go from one project to another.
So my days can be filled with making and completing orders, going to the post office, popping in to see Kerry at Love Locked who sells some of my pieces or going into the diamond district to drop off and pick up casts. Other days can be spent learning new skills, whether it's marketing, bookkeeping or 3D design software. And other days I'll simply be working on my website and/or Etsy, uploading new designs, photographing new pieces, sketching new designs and researching boutiques to approach, bloggers and magazines to write to, researching art and craft fairs (and preparing for them) and calls for entries for awards and general admin.
Owning a jewelry business, or any business for that matter, requires a lot of different hats and skill sets, most of which I've learnt on the job. People think owning your own business is easy, but to make it a true success requires long, sometimes unsociable hours. That's not to say I don't slack off at times and sometimes it's difficult not to procrastinate (seems I have a talent for that!) but ultimately, owning a business gives me the flexibility to take time off when I want and I love that freedom.
It gives me great satisfaction to know that I created a business from scratch in a country that is not native to my own. To know that I am making people happy with my designs and that people are giving me the opportunity and trusting me to create pieces that they wear on the most important day of their lives. It's truly and honor and not a feeling I would ever want to give up.
Every day I wake up grateful and I guess you could say I truly am living the American Dream.
Until next time!