Today we’d like to introduce you to Joanette Aird.
Hi Joanette, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a jewelry hobbyist turned entrepreneur. I am an immigrant from Jamaica and I moved to the US in 2007 and went to study engineering at Texas State University. It was an incredible opportunity I am grateful for today but my hobby has always been making jewelry. I would make jewelry at home between homework assignments, studying, listening to music and while watching YouTube videos. It was my ‘therapy’.
I started making beaded jewelry and eventually started making gifts for friends and family. Then I progressed to taking small orders and had my first jewelry show at my church in 2015. I took metalsmithing classes at Dougherty Art School and ACC, just for ‘fun’ and to learn a new skill. Life happened and I had a career as an engineer, but people were always telling me to start a business with my hobby, I never did …. until 2021.
Now running my LLC Joanette Collections, I design and make rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces for men and women in silver and gold. I also set stones into my pieces such as garnet, amethyst, peridot, opals and more in my kitchen! It is labor, but definitely a labor of love. Joanette Collections offers a collage of inspired stylistic options different from other brands. We offer an online eCommerce business website and a blog that educates our customers on various stones and products that we offer as well.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Definitely juggling a full-time career while running a business is a TASK. I have to set up pop up store events, create the inventory (jewelry pieces), blog to my email subscribers and film videos and pictures to post to social media. It’s hard sometimes, and sometimes I take a week long break if I can’t post to social media as often. I try to make it work, and give myself a pep talk, and jump back into the fire. The biggest pay-off to me is when people are learning new information they were not privy to, when they appreciate my designs, and most of all, when they buy from me!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I design jewelry in gold and silver. I do my own soldering and I set stones into jewelry myself. I create designer jewelry with semi-precious stones from around the world and inspire others to wear them. I am most proud of the journey and the fact that people think my pieces are unique and special. What sets me apart is that my business is ran by a Caribbean woman with a unique eye to create astonishing pieces of jewelry using semi-precious stones.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t rely on luck, but I do believe in faith and hard work for sure! You need to have faith in God and that there is an expectation for us to work at using our gifts and talents. If people (strangers included) are constantly telling you “you’re good at that, you should pursue this”, if it’s a dream that you have but will not leave you alone; I believe you should definitely look into those ‘nudges’ and at least try. I am grateful and fortunate enough to have people (strangers included) believe in me a lot more than I did in myself. Every support (discounts, encouragement & monetary support) pushed me to keep creating amazing work. That’s what pushing me forward today.
Pricing:
- Items start at $15 and up.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@joanettecollections.com
- Website: joanettecollections.com
- Instagram: @joanettecollections
- Facebook: @joanettecollections
- Other: @joanettecollections — TIK TOK
