Feel Confident in Your Smile

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in jewelry but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nicole Corvi, Owner of 1-800-TOOTHGEMS, located in Bridgewater, NJ, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My business is all about making my clients feel confident in their smiles. Tooth jewelry has been around for ages, but in recent years the trend has taken off. Tooth gems and charms are a quick, painless, damage-free service in which the jewelry is bonded to the teeth using a strong adhesive similar to braces. I use diamond, gold, and crystal to achieve the perfect set of bling. Depending on care, tooth jewelry can last anywhere from six months to two years and, in some cases, longer! All walks of life are welcome in my chair.

Tell us about yourself

In 2019 I started my first business. I was 18 and had just started my first semester at community college. At the time, I toyed around with the idea of taking my art career seriously. Thus, I began a small brand for my art under the name “NIFOLE” in hopes that this would motivate me to create more. I started out by building a website (www.nifole.com) overnight, listing original prints of my photography. Although my prints were selling, I could not help but feel like there was a minimal sensation of fulfillment.

It was not until the Summer of 2020 that I designed and launched my first ‘NIFOLE’ T-Shirt for sale on my website. I wanted to create something that my friends and I could wear and feel cool in. The shirt had a handwritten design on the front and my photography printed on the back. My friends started wearing them, then all of my friend’s friends started wearing them. In the blink of an eye, I had more strangers representing my name than I could keep track of. Through this, my name got out, and I grew closer to my community and worked with other local artists. I realized that no matter what, no work felt better than creating a vision for others to feel confident in.

2021 is when I discovered tooth gems. As someone who has always struggled with feeling insecure about my smile, I absolutely fell in love with the idea of having jewelry on my teeth. I started out as a client myself, getting three gold charms put on at a small studio in Manhattan (and they’re still on to this day!). As time went on, looking in the mirror every day, the more I kept thinking to myself, “I want other people to feel as cool as I do when I show off my smile.”

In December 2022, I received my certification as a tooth gem technician and went on to establish 1-800-TOOTHGEMS in January 2023. Nothing in this world motivates me more than the gratitude I feel after helping my clients express themselves confidently. It’s the feeling I’ve longed for the entirety of my creative journey.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

When it comes to being a business owner, I love being able to say that I started from the ground up with everything that I have created. I’ve established everything I’ve made by myself. I take pride in knowing that my successes are due to my own work and dedication paying off.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

From my experience, one of the biggest hardships that comes with being a business owner is being my own boss. It can be a challenge to stay motivated all of the time, especially as a 21-year-old girl juggling my tooth gem business, school, work, art, and all else that comes with being an adult. My personal growth relies on nobody but myself at the end of the day.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Get involved! Start attending local events, passing out business cards, creating referral programs, and collaborating with others. Guiding the spread of your business’s name through the grapevine inevitably works in your growth’s favor.
Social media is your best friend. The internet is extremely important in today’s world, so take advantage of it. Create separate accounts for your business, post content daily, and even boost your posts to get that extra advertisement. It works, I promise.
Do not be afraid to ask for help. Being self-reliant can be challenging. The world is a beautiful place filled with a lot of beautiful people. Let them come along and lend you a hand here and there. They rarely bite.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.1-800-toothgems.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1.800.toothgems/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nifolicita

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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