Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Tse-Wall.
Hi Lauren, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Tse-Wall started during the beginning of the pandemic. My sister and I graduated from college, I had a full-time job and Brianna didn’t know what she wanted to do after college. She didn’t feel her major aligned with her creativity and love for fashion. Being stuck at home, she pursued her passion of jewelry making and started selling the “Fuck Yeah” ring that she made a summer prior. Building Tse-Wall was the answer to a lot of questions, like “What should I do with my life?” “How do I become a working adult after college?,” and “How can I teach myself during a hiring freeze and during a pandemic?”
It became a platform where we could voice reminders for our community to prioritize mental health. When we started Tse-Wall, we lost a close friend to suicide. At the same time, jobs were few for graduates. You could say a lot of our friends were lost. We saw the majority comparing themselves to others, especially those who were employed. The ultimate impact of Tse-Wall is to serve as an everyday reminder to practice love and compassion for oneself and celebrate each other’s distinct identities. And this is what motivates us to create more jewelry, and continue working on our companies, despite both of us having full-time jobs.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. Our first bump occurred last year when I moved down to Austin. Living in the same house while working on our business made communication easy. Now on opposite sides of the country, we continue to work on our communication, especially now that we both work full-time jobs in addition to Tse-Wall. On top of communication, I’m sure all entrepreneurs can relate, but there are many unseen days of feeling lost and being anxious about failing. Every day we learn to be a little more resilient by telling ourselves to keep going and that it will start to make sense along the way.
As you know, we’re big fans of Tse-Wall LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Our business, Tse-Wall specializes in making high-quality, sustainable jewelry for everyday fashion. We have unique customizable pieces, pieces perfect for layering, and one-of-a-kind pieces. Our brand is different because we attach meaning to our jewelry. Our main goal is to advocate for mental health and celebrate our communities’ identities, so we try to do this through our pieces and our messaging. We also try to educate our community on what makes jewelry high-quality and how they should take care of their jewelry. There are so many brands out there offering lower-quality jewelry that’ll tarnish and are often thrown away or forgotten about within a year.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I would look at the process of finding a mentor the same as the process of business development. Be clear of your goals for mentorship and research people on LinkedIn (or other channels) who are aligned with your goals. Systematize the process to become super-efficient. But most importantly, be genuine when you show up in your messages, on zoom calls, or on phone conversations. Experienced people love to mentor those who are just starting but don’t like to be used for their knowledge and connections. Of course! Ask around! Don’t be afraid to ask your friends or if they know anyone who can give you advice. I feel like a lot of people equate asking for help or advice as a sign of weakness or failure and it’s not! One of the biggest things we’ve learned is that the only way to fail is by not trying.
Contact Info:
- Website: Tse-Wall.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tse_wall/?hl=en
Image Credits
For the picture of my sister, Brianna and I, the credit goes to Mia Boloukos.
