Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Markland
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
When I was 18 years old, I was working as a nanny and attending college in Southern California, and I answered an ad in the Pennysaver to sell makeup. I thought, “I can do that!” and I thought it’d be fun to earn some extra money. Fast forward four years, I managed a team of over 200 women in my region by the time I was 22 years old.
So my story begins with me accidentally falling into the direct selling world. I look back and think how cool it was that I was coachable and fearless enough to essentially start my own business at such a young age.
I was always business-minded—I was the little girl selling lemonade on the sidewalk in our neighborhood and I’d negotiate with my mom to pay me for certain chores or tasks that I’d propose to her.
When I finished college in 2008, the job market was slim pickins’ in the middle of a recession, so instead of entering the “traditional” job market, I decided to continue on this path.
Little did I know that I’d be at the forefront of a rising jewelry brand and I’d spend eight years building a team with over $3.3 million in annual sales. Later in my career, I’d be recruited into a corporate position to build out go-to-market strategies, head up sales and marketing teams, and train on stages.
Fast forward to 2018, I decided to move to Austin and buy my first home. Just three months after moving here, I was suddenly let go from my corporate job. It felt like the rug was pulled from under me, but I knew I needed to replace my income right away.
I had to pivot, again. After talking to several peers and friends, I created my own marketing agency, and I found my first marketing client within weeks of being laid off.
For six years, I had a full client roster and a waitlist of projects. I helped my clients grow 7-figure and 8-figure businesses, helping them with everything from business strategy, social media management, marketing communications, and more.
After a rough year with my clients (the sales and social selling worlds had a lot of challenges through 2023), my client list was dwindling. On January 1, 2024, I found myself on a Zoom call with what would be my very last marketing client. All of my clients had pulled back from marketing services or were closing their businesses altogether. I felt the same way I did when I was laid off years before—concerned about where my next paycheck would come from and questioning what I even wanted to do.
It was at this time that a thought hit me like lightning. I remember thinking, “Now’s the time to finally start the business you’ve always wanted to do. The path is clear for you.”
It was right then and there that I decided to create my own jewelry brand, something I wanted to do for years. And VEITA Jewelry was born.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There are always struggles. It’s business! It’s life! I say this with a wink and a laugh, because I now expect hiccups, and even if I’m not prepared for them, I can approach them with a positive mindset.
Now that I’m approaching my one-year mark with VEITA Jewelry, my biggest struggle at the moment is capital and cash flow. And really, it’s to be expected, as I knew this may happen in a bootstrapped company with only one employee (me! haha).
Because I’m in the start-up phase, my mindset is crucial. I stay nimble. I laugh at the hiccups. I learn and pivot quickly. I take in feedback and quickly make adjustments. I think because of this approach, I’ve turned the road bumps into a smoother road.
At the end of the day, I believe we need to stay rooted in our values and desires. You can let the wind blow around you, but you don’t need to let it get you down (or keep you down).
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
VEITA Jewelry is boutique-style and demi-fine jewelry, but even more than that, it’s jewelry to light you up, so you can light up the world.
I created VEITA rooted in the sentiment that when someone feels confident, joyful, and can show up authentically, then they allow for others to do the same. And how magical would it be if we all showed up in this way?
Jewelry is the mechanism to help others feel more confident and joyful. It’s a way to light them up so they can then take that positive energy into the world.
With VEITA, we focus on boutique-style and demi-fine jewelry pieces. We carry earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and a few accessories. Most of our jewelry pieces are stainless steel with 18kt gold plating, which is naturally hypoallergenic, as well as tarnish-resistant, sweat-resistant, and water-resistant.
I also have an eye for finding pieces that have a unique, organic, artistic edge — perhaps something you wouldn’t find just anywhere.
Additionally, it’s important for me to storytell with jewelry. Each collection I launch includes a combination of stories about how I named the pieces, how I curated them, and why. My goal is to evoke an emotion and a “vibe” for each collection, so you feel like you’re transported away, even if for a few minutes.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Random fun fact: I’m scared to ride a bike, even though I’ve jumped out of an airplane. (And I’d do it again.) And I’m a terrible singer…like, Lucille Ball looks great next to me, haha.
Additionally, I think people are always surprised to learn that I built my website myself and I do every single aspect of my business myself.
Pricing:
- Jewelry prices range from $18 to $118
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.veitajewelry.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veitajewelry
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556074232712
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinmarkland
Image Credits
Ashley Risien Photography
