Today I'm kicking off a new blog series that I'm very excited about to share with you all: Creatives in the spotlight!
I
had been playing with the idea to feature other people and their
business stories on this blog for quite some time now. I'm always amazed
by how many talented people sell their stuff on Etsy
and once I came into contact with several of them because they hired me
to do design work for them I just knew I had to share their stories.
The
stories of other people are always an inspiration to me and I get a lot
of my creative ideas from them. I hope this new blog series will be a
source of inspiration for all my readers. Maybe it's just that little
kick in the butt you need to finally open that Etsy shop yourself. Or
maybe you will find an amazing creative product through this series. Or
you will be inspired by some of the business tips that my featured
guests will share with us. Anyway, it's time to put the spotlight on our
first guest in this series: Brandi Flowers from Branded Blessings!
Please tell us a little about yourself Brandi!
My name is Brandi Flowers and I am from Northeast Arkansas. I am
actually a licensed Radiologic Technologist (fancy for X-ray tech) and
graduated from Arkansas State University in 2006.
You first contacted me to develop a branding package for your new business Branded Blessings. Under that name you make beautiful hand stamped jewelry. But what got you into making this kind of jewelry and building a business out of it?
My husband was diagnosed with Leukemia on April 7, 2014. That is when
our whole life changed. Throughout the process of treatment, I found
myself constantly looking for things to wear to show support for him.
That is where the idea to do hand stamped jewelry came from. I could
make something personalized, and more importantly personal, just for
that. It wasn't until I was faced with the reality of how life would be
different as we returned home from a 4 month stay at Mayo Clinic for his
stem cell transplant. He has to be seen once a week by his oncologist
that is an hour and a half away and has monthly visits to Minnesota for
checkup sand tests. Our life changed, so I had to find a way to adapt.
So Branded Blessings was born. It gives me a chance to be able to
actively be there for him every step of the way!
What kind of materials do you use for your jewelry and can you tell us something about the production process?
Most of the stamping blanks I use are made of Aluminum (a light weight
and tarnish resistant material), copper, brass, and NuGold. I have also
used stainless steel on occasion. I hand stamp each letter, symbol, or
character individually using a 2 lb. hammer.
What can people expect when they buy one of your products? And do you ship outside the US?
They can expect something they will cherish. I have designs on Etsy that
you can purchase but also really enjoy custom orders. When someone
comes to me with an idea and I can bring that idea to life in a piece of
jewelry that they love, it's a great feeling! Currently I am shipping
inside US only but plan to expand to other areas soon!
Starting a small business is fun, but also a lot of hard work,
especially the marketing part of it. I personally learn from my own
experiences and mistakes. Is there something you have learned in the
process so far that you would like to share with other people starting
up a small business?
One thing I have learned is to be patient. Most of the time things don't
happen overnight. It takes time to build your reputation and to get
your brand out there. Become very familiar with and use the power of
social media!
*****
I have to say that it often amazes me how a really bad situation can flourish into something positive as well. I hope Brandi's husband will make a full recovery and her business will be a success! Thanks so much Brandi for being the first guest in this new blog series!
If you have been inspired by Brandi's story and you would like to find out more about her beautiful hand stamped jewelry, you can find her over here:
And if you are a creative yourself and would like to be in the spotlight here, you can always contact me throught the contact form in the contact page!
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