Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in jewelry but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Shannon Marie Svensson, Owner of Celtic Copper Jewelry, located in Snohomish, WA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
At Celtic Copper Jewelry, we specialize in solid copper jewelry, chains, and copper jewelry-making supplies. Our customers are interested in high-quality hand-crafted jewelry design that delivers the natural health benefits of wearing solid copper jewelry.
Tell us about yourself
The only thing that really makes me happy is being an artist. My jewelry arts teacher and my parents cautioned me strongly against becoming a freelance artist. I emptied my bank account, bought silversmithing tools, and never looked back. There was nowhere in my area to sell my wares when I began, so I banded together with two other jewelers and a farmer to create a Farmers' Market. Then I built a website before the word Etsy was ever invented. Celtic Copper survived the dot com crash of 2000 and kept on going. Besides the satisfaction of making fine things, it is the freedom that comes with running your own studio that endears me in my life as an artist.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Some of the sweetest victories in running my own jewelry studio haven’t been financial. Some of the best rewards are in the kind words of our customers. To have crafted someone’s new favorite piece of jewelry is a special honor. To have made a wife cry with joy with an anniversary gift the husband purchased from us almost brings a tear to my own eye. (And I own my home outright – mortgage free!)
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Being an artist is the easy part. The hardest thing about running a business is always the paperwork. Being your own promoter, manager, financier, and tax consultant can be enough to give you gray hair if you’re not careful.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Three top tips for long-term success from the Elves of Celtic Copper:
Start small and keep learning. Build your style, build your skill, build your business, and you will create a successful career. - Hire a bookkeeper to pay your state taxes and keep your financial records sorted.
- How you spend your days is how you spend your life. Ask yourself who you are and what you really want to do with your time on earth. Continue to ask yourself this question as you go along. It will guide your path as an artist.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.celticcopper.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CelticCopper/
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.