Archive for Jewelry – Page 2

Adelle Archer

Posted by clementsma1

· Friday, October 12th, 2018

· 2 Comments

Most people may have never heard of Adelle Archer. She is only 27 years old and she is the co-founder of Eterneva. Eterneva is a very unique company that takes people’s cremated ashes and turns them into diamonds. For $7,000 a person can have their loved ones ashes turned into a diamond. Sadly, Adelle got the idea when her business mentor died of pancreatic cancer in 2015. Archer wanted to find a special way to honor her mentor, and upon a discussion with a technician she discovered that a diamond could be created from ashes.

The 8 month process may sound a bit odd. Adelle addressed a very unique niche in the market. Sadly, people die at many different stages in their life. In the unfortunate event that a woman’s husband passes away, she could get his ashes turned into a diamond and carry him with her wherever she goes. This does not have to be a young woman or a married couple though. An urn of ashes is not going to be passed down for more than one generation, but grandma’s diamond would last many more than one generation.

This is also a growing industry, in 2015, the number of cremations surpassed the number of burials for the first time ever. Adelle has changed the relationship with loss. The loved ones who purchase the diamond are updated throughout the process. The small startup company did $280,000 in sales last year and is projected $2 million in 2018.

2 Comments

Categories : Jewelry

A Jewelry Empire At The Age Of 16 – Post #2

Posted by murphybm1

· Tuesday, September 25th, 2018

· 1 Comment

Amanda Thomas is a young entrepreneur who turned her dreams into a reality. In 2005, at the ripe age of 16, she created her own jewelry line called, “Luv Aj”. Jewelry had always been a passion for Amanda. During her teen years, she would return home from school each day and create new designs. One day, she saw an opportunity to turn her after school hobby into a business. By utilizing digital sites like Shopify and Instagram, Thomas was able to not only sell her creations, but also find creative ways to market them.

The unique aspect of Thomas’ business venture was how she capitalized on social media as a marketing tool even before the idea became popular. She was able to see the advantages of using social media as a vehicle to spread her message before most people were able to see them. This was due to her entrepreneurial mindset. Her open and creative mindset allowed her to identify problems before anyone else could and find solutions to those problems that ultimately benefited consumers. Thomas was able to use sites like Instagram to communicate with famous influencers who would then be able to share her products with their already established fan bases. A few of these celebrities included Beyoncé, Gigi Hadid, and Emily Ratajkowski.

Through these well thought out and developed marketing tactics, Thomas was able to expand her jewelry business to boutiques across the nation. She was recently added to Forbes ’30 Under 30’ list at the age of 26.

The most inspiring part about Amanda Thomas’ story is the fact that she was bold enough to act on her idea. She easily could have created her own jewelry line and only have sold it to her friends and family, but she was bolder than that. She not only took the risk of creating a Shopify account, but she also took the risk of reaching out to celebrities. This tactic clearly paid off as her business took off and she created a jewelry empire.

1 Comment

Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Blog, Creating, eCommerce, Fashion, Jewelry, Millennial Entrepreneurs, Online Companies

Tags : Jewelry, millennial entrepreneurs

Eterneva

Posted by ReynoldsAL17

· Monday, September 17th, 2018

· 1 Comment

Eterneva

“Makes memorial diamonds out of the cremated remains of loved ones.”

This startup was born from personal loss. The founder, Adelle Archer, lost her mentor to a battle with pancreatic cancer. She discovered the lack of options of ways to commemorate loved ones. The business Archer was working for at the time was researching diamond development that, combined with a trend in cremation over burials led her to wonder if the carbon from the ashes of loved ones could be used to create diamonds. She found a few other companies were successfully doing so and began working on her own way of sentimentally including passed loved ones in life. Eterneva sends a small portion of ashes to Amsterdam where the eight month process begins. Unlike competitors, Enterneva includes the buyers in the process by sending text updates throughout the eight months. They build close relationships with their customers throughout this time and appreciate the person being memorialized. Customers can also pick from a variety of colors- traditional clear, red, pink, yellow, blue,green, and black. Many families pick colors that were special to their loved ones.

Will this be an accepted way to move foreword in grief?

Admittedly, this does sound a bit strange at first. However, Archer explains, diamonds allow people to pass the memory of loved ones down generations where ashes in urns do not. At first I thought who would ever turn someone they loved into a piece of jewelry? The more I read about this idea, the more it began to make sense to me. Life is beautiful, why would we not want to commemorate it in a way that reflects the beautiful people we get to share it with? This is a deeply connective idea, I believe there is truth in saying the diamonds can be an excellent way to grieve losing a loved one and still feel connected to them.

What is the cost of Eterneva?

Diamonds made naturally are pricey to begin with, how does Eterneva compare? Eternrava asks $7,000 for .5 carat diamonds. It is in fact more expensive than natural diamonds, however these diamonds have a much more emotional factor to them.

1 Comment

Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Art, Jewelry, Millennial Enrepreneuers, Social Entrepreneur, Women Entrepreneurs, Youngest Entrepreneurs

Alley Cat Designs

Posted by perrykb1

· Monday, October 9th, 2017

· 3 Comments

Jewelry for the Purrr-fect Touch

When Alyssa was a little girl, she always looked forward to the special times when her grandmother would visit, bringing with her a bag stuffed full of art and craft supplies. Alyssa was creative by nature, so it never mattered much to her what was in the bag – it was all about the joy and excitement of creating something new, something beautiful, something that hadn’t been there before.

It was during one of these afternoons with her Grandmother that Alyssa first discovered her love for jewelry making. On that particular afternoon, the craft bag was full of beads, string and jewelry wire, and as the two sat making Christmas presents for her mother, a new passion was born.

From that day forward, Alyssa wanted to do more than just make beautiful new things. She wanted to make things that made other people feel beautiful. Alyssa had always found joy helping other people feel as beautiful as they always were in her eyes, and with her grandmother’s beads in her hands, she realized that she now had the tools to do just that: make things that could help women see just how beautiful they really were. And she was right – ever since clasping that first bracelet of plastic beads around her mother’s wrist, Alyssa has been designing the type of jewelry that makes the wearer feel beautiful and which reminds everyone that it is the bird that makes the feathers.

Today, Alyssa is fresh out of Cornell University with degrees in Business and Sociology and is working to launch her jewelry company, Ally Cat Designs . What began as the passion project of a little girl in love with all things beautiful has grown into a business which has inspired and empowered women all across the globe. Alyssa spends as much time traveling as she possibly can, drawing inspiration from women around the world. Along the way, she supports local artisans by collecting materials to incorporate into her jewelry, all of which is utterly unique and designed around the women who inspire her.

Alyssa prides herself on not being limited to one style or aesthetic; instead, she has something for everyone: from classic to edgy, minimalistic to romantic, each piece is handmade and one-of-a-kind, made to reflect the individual beauty of every customer. Her designs also reflect her commitment to sustainability and accessibility. Fast fashion this is not! Each of her piece features timeless style and is made to last. But rather than using rare metals which are expensive and easily broken, Alyssa carefully selects materials which are more widely available and which stand the test of time. Great thought is put into each and every element of the design process so that each piece tells a story.

Alyssa likes to keep things personal; for her, it’s all about relationships. She is dedicated to her clients and designs with them in mind. Her favorite method of sales is house shows: by bringing clients together in an intimate environment, she gets to meet and be inspired by the women she serves. She mingles among her clients, getting to know them and helping them find that perfect piece. And if you come back to a second show, she is likely to pull you aside to show you something special she designed with you especially in mind!

As her business has grown, she has also adapted her model to meet the needs of a wider audience and has launched a website to make her work more widely available. But even with her expanding platform, Alyssa has sacrificed neither style nor substance. She still makes each piece by hand and each is one of a kind!

Down the road, Alyssa hopes to use her business as a platform from which to support other artists and to promote ethically sourced fashion. She is also passionate about social and economic development in impoverished nations. Having traveled extensively in both South Asia and Africa, Alyssa is committed to building supportive relationships with artists across the globe and using her work to empower and give back to women both at home and abroad.

It has been my great privilege to watch my dear friend Alyssa build and expand her business over the years, and I am so excited to share her story with you. Her’s is truly a project driven by a selfless passion to serve the women of the world, and the more her business grows, the more lives she touches. She doesn’t create jewelry for women to hide their insecurities behind; instead, she creates pieces that tell a story and celebrate the unique beauty of every woman.

3 Comments

Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Art, Fashion, Jewelry, Millennial Entrepreneurs, Social Entrepreneur, Upcycling, Women Entrepreneurs

Penny for Your Thoughts? Fighting Trafficking One Cent at a Time.

Posted by baileyaa1

· Thursday, October 5th, 2017

· 1 Comment

One penny may not buy a whole lot, but for Kendall Altmyer it is the key to a successful business.

After working with human trafficking survivors for three months in Greece, Kendall Altmyer knew she wanted to join the global fight against human trafficking. “I didn’t think I could make a dent in a worldwide injustice,” she confessed, “but doing nothing was not an option.” Using the resources and knowledge she had available to her, Altmyer created The Penny Story.

The Penny Story is an e-commerce store that sells small goods made from pennies. Some of her products include bracelets, key rings, and a “welcome box” with a variety of Penny goods. Each penny has the word “worthy” stamped into it, making a bold statement: it is not our material wealth that defines us, but our mere being, because we are children of God. This truth applies to those who are trapped in human trafficking, even though the world may tell them otherwise.

I admire Altmyer’s honesty. The quote above was found directly on her website, letting all viewers know that she doesn’t have everything figured out. This reality applies to all of us; as much as we’d like to learn everything there is about starting a business or making a difference, we simply can’t. But that didn’t stop Altmyer. She is now selling thousands of penny bracelets, and funding one of our country’s leading anti-human trafficking organizations, A21.

How did she manage this? By doing something. Altmyer explains that change begins by realizing you don’t have to be significant to make a significant change. This makes me wonder: if everyone had this mindset, how much more would we create? How much more would we be willing to put ourselves out there and strive to make a difference, even though we don’t have all the answers? I think the effect could be tremendous.

The product itself is beautifully simple, and The Penny Story’s website reflects that. Altmyer offers only a few products, each one simple. The result of this is that customers don’t get caught up in the variety of stuff sold. Rather, they can see a clear mission through a few appropriate items.

I always appreciate seeing an individual who takes what he or she is passionate about and mixes it with innovation to create something new and effective. Altmyer has done this with The Penny Story, and she has created an outstanding example for young entrepreneurs who know they want to make a difference but aren’t sure where to start. Don’t be afraid to make a move – it’s common cents!

1 Comment

Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Jewelry, Millennial Entrepreneurs, Social Entrepreneur, Women Entrepreneurs

Tags : ecommerce, penny

Snap Caps – Maddie Bradshaw

Posted by Ryan Meyer

· Thursday, November 17th, 2016

· 4 Comments

Maddie Bradshaw was worth her first million at only 13 years old. At 16, she was selling over 60,000 of her unique necklaces a month and making over $1.6 million annually.

Her idea for these unique, interchangeable, bottle cap necklaces started out as simple school locker decorations. At 10 years old her uncle had given her 50 old bottle caps. She decorated them, attached magnets to them, and when her friends saw them they all wanted some. This inspired Maddie to create different designs with bottle caps.

She created Snap Caps. Snap Caps are necklaces with metal pendants on them to attract and magnetize bottle caps. Every bottle cap has some kind of symbol, letter, or design so that a person can swap different caps out depending on the style they want to wear for the day.

Maddie found immediate success with her necklaces. In nearly every store she launched them in they all sold out. As her business continued to grow and she made her first million at 13, she attracted the attention of the national media and ended up being interviewed on ABC and was able to pitch her project on Shark Tank. The Sharks loved her idea so much that THREE of them invested into her company!

Currently 19 years old, Maddie continues to grow and expand her business. She has said, “The great thing about our company is that it’s growing with me. As my tastes change, so will the products.” Maddie has also published a book called You Can Start a Business, Too. Her advise to other young entrepreneurs like her is to, “Follow your passion. If you come up with an idea and you love it, chances are other people will, too.”

4 Comments

Categories : Art, Beauty, Fashion, Jewelry, Shark Tank, Uncategorized, Youngest Entrepreneurs

16-Year Old Millionaire Necklace Maker

Posted by Jordan Hudock

· Saturday, October 3rd, 2015

· 4 Comments

Maddie Bradshaw is popular on the blog tonight. Like Grace, I researched Bradshaw for this post. I want to talk about her success from a slightly different angle, though. As you might have read from Grace’s awesome post, Maddie Bradshaw is a 16-year-old millionaire. She designs and sells Snap Caps, creative bottle caps that can be worn as jewelry. She has 25 employees and sells over 60,000 necklaces each month.

I found her story particularly interesting because she isn’t selling something that solves a huge, mind-boggling problem. In fact, she’s similar to Apple in that she’s giving people something they didn’t even know they wanted.

So, why are people buying from her? Anyone can make a simple necklace, and many companies do. What sets Bradshaw apart? She presents Snap Caps as the necklace that celebrates and brings out a girl’s unique qualities. Each necklace has a theme, whether fairytale or music or ladybugs or faith. Girls choose the ones they think fit their personality. Just like Zappos, she’s putting a bigger “why” behind a product most people don’t usually think much about.

Her approach fits right into the “conceptual age” idea we were talking about in class. To have a place in the market, products need to be more than just functional. They need to stand for something. Snap Caps stand for uniqueness.

Bradshaw’s success shines far beyond her net worth. She has appeared on multiple TV Shows, like The View and Shark Tank, and has even published her own book, You Can Start a Business, Too. Her biggest piece of advice to young entrepreneurs is to follow your passion. She says, “If you come up with an idea and you love it, chances are other people will, too.” I think people forget this a lot. They don’t work towards something they love because they’re scared it won’t interest others. That has certainly been true for me and many people I know. Bradshaw is a wonderful reminder that you can create a business around any passion. She took the risk most people wouldn’t have and it’s paying off for her in amazing ways.

(Image: The Toggery)

4 Comments

Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Art, Beauty, Blog, Fashion, Jewelry, Millennial Enrepreneuers, Millennial Entrepreneurs, Youngest Entrepreneurs

Tags : bradshaw, necklace

Stinky Feet Gurlz?

Posted by Elaina Kimpel

· Friday, October 3rd, 2014

· 4 Comments

When I first came across the name “Stinky Feet Gurlz” I was like “Yes! Something that I can put in my track shoes for when it rains and they are smelly”. Little did I know that this company had nothing at all to do with smelly shoes or feet at all. Stinky Feet Gurlz is a business that was created by Asya Gonzalez at the 14 that involves apparel and accessory items. These items are fun, simple, and cute clothes and accessories is designs based off of the 1940’s. These clothes and accessories include t-shirts and a different variety of knitted hats.

Aside from the clothing and accessories, Gonzalez reaches out to people all over the country. She speaks to large groups of students and teachers about following their dreams with Independent Youth; a peer-to-peer mentorship program that empowers today’s teens to become tomorrow’s business leaders. She also is actively involved in being a teen radio host that gives teens advice and talks about almost anything.

Other than running her own business at a young age, talking to people about following their dreams, and speaking on a radio show, another thing that makes Gonzalez unique is that she donates a little bit from ever sale to her charity She Is Worth It!. This charity is about bringing people aware of child sex slavery. She Is Worth It’s goal is to “have an educational program in EVERY school across America exposing the dangers of trafficking, warning girls that these Pimps are calling themselves “boyfriends” and what our youth and our public MUST know to alert to the issues.” I think this is so awesome because after recently watching that video about this topic last week, it is a true motivation to see that someone so young is supporting such a great cause.

If you think any of Asya Gonzalez items are cute, I think you should definitely invest in her products! Not only are you supporting her growing business and getting cute items, you are supporting to the cause of raising awareness about human trafficking. Happy Blogging!

4 Comments

Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Beauty, Fashion, Great Ideas, Jewelry, Millennial Enrepreneuers, Uncategorized

Origami Owl – A story In A Necklace

Posted by olsonaa1

· Saturday, November 16th, 2013

· 4 Comments

Origami-Owl-Design_thumb

Isabella Weems wanted a car, and her parents told her she needed to earn the money on her own by starting a company. At the age of 14, most kids would sell lemonade, but Weems ended up creating a huge business, Origami Owl. She wanted to create a business to allow people to express their dreams. Origami owl is an addictive site that offers customizable lockets and necklaces. A customer picks a locket they would want to buy and then they selects from many different charms to customize their locket. People use Origami Owl to tell their stories, remember a loved one, or to celebrate all the big moments in their lives.

Origami owl now has thousands of independent consultants who host jewelry parties. In 2012, Origami Owl made $25 million. According to Forbes, the company hopes to reach $250 million this year.

Isabella not only created a huge company, but also started a fashion trend. Many people have copied her idea, and now when you go to any type of craft show or shop on Etsy, you can find hundreds of companies just like Origami Owl. I love Origami Owl and have spent way too much money on the site. I recently made a locket to remind me of my trip to Haiti and to help share the story of so many orphans around the world.

4 Comments

Categories : Jewelry, Millennial Entrepreneurs, Uncategorized

ModCloth: eCommerce at its best!

Posted by SmithMM1

· Friday, November 1st, 2013

· 2 Comments

ModCloth is an online retailer that specializes in vintage , vintage-inspired and indie clothing, accessories and decor. ModCloth was started in Pittsburgh in 2002 by Susan Gregg-Koger and her then-boyfriend, now-husband, Eric Koger. Eric started a web development business in 2000 and used his knowledge to help Susan launch an eCommerce site for the amazing pre-worn vintage items she’d found at vintage sales. The company began in the Kogers’ college house basement at Carnegie Mellon where they employed a student part-time to help with packaging and shipping. It now has, however, 450 full-time employees across offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh. It is one of the fastest-growing fashion and home eCommerce ventures to emerge in the past decade and the company did more than $100 million in sales last year.

ModCloth is extremely popular with fashion bloggers, vintage lovers, and online shoppers in general because there are up to 50 new products a day on the ModCloth website. That fresh content is essential to making browsing the ModCloth site a daily habit. Also, ModCloth’s Be the Buyer program allows customers to vote on which designs are created and sold by ModCloth. Combine all this with ModCloth’s great customer service and it’s no wonder that in 2010, ModCloth was named the #2 Fastest-Growing Private Company in America according to Inc. It was also named to Forbes 30 under 30 list for Technology in 2011 and for Art and Style in 2012. ModCloth also made No. 19 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies as well as No. 14 on the Most Innovative Social Media Companies list by Fast Company in 2013.

2 Comments

Categories : College, Decor, eCommerce, Fashion, Jewelry, Millennial Enrepreneuers, Vintage, Vintage Clothing