Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in jewelry but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sangeeta Nair, Founder of ember&onyx jewelry, located in San Diego, CA, USA.

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

I create 14kt gold-filled jewelry using metal fabrication techniques, which means all of our jewelry is handmade from wire and sheet metal to retain the high quality of the material. Gold-filled jewelry will act a lot like solid gold and is a great option for folks who want to wear their jewelry every day (unlike gold-plated jewelry). My customers are folks all across the country who love wearing dainty, minimalist gold jewelry but are also busy people who can't be bothered to remove everything before showering or working out! We offer high-quality, gold-filled pieces without the hassle that won't tarnish or turn your skin green- and you'll always find natural gemstones in our jewelry that are often consciously sourced.

Tell us about yourself

Though I'd been making jewelry on and off for over 10 years, ember&onyx was founded in 2017 while I was living in Birmingham, Alabama, and working on my Ph.D. in neuroscience research. I struggled to find support and community within my university and noticed I would look forward to coming home to my metalsmithing bench as a creative outlet after long days in the lab. It wasn't long before a cute, locally owned shop offered to sell my jewelry. I was accepted as a vendor at our weekly farmers market. Connecting with folks on the weekends at events became the highlight of my weeks, and seeing people in my jewelry (and loving it!) was instantly so rewarding.

Most of my motivation for new pieces comes from jewelry I would like to wear, but a huge factor behind what I do is being able to offer practical, everyday jewelry to people at a reasonable price point that will act a lot like solid gold without breaking the bank. Gold-filled jewelry has to be handmade (not cast or mass-produced) and, in some ways, really is a labor of love. Though I also work on fine jewelry pieces in solid 14kt and 18kt gold, my goal is for gold-filled jewelry to always be a major part of my line because of the practicality and longevity of the material. Especially with gold-plated jewelry being the most commonly available alternative to solid gold due to the ease of production, It's important for me to consistently offer gold-filled pieces while spreading awareness and education about the difference in these materials.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

As much as I love meditative, solo time at my jeweler's bench, 2022 brought so much success in an unexpected realm: Teaching ring-making workshops at local coffee shops, wineries, and breweries around town. I never would have predicted my formal background teaching in academia would eventually pay off by teaching folks how to yield a micro blowtorch and make rings of their very own! These ring workshops nearly always sell out, and due to their success, I'm currently working on a few more jewelry offerings for our workshop series.

The really exciting news is that I was recently approached by The Crafters Box, a one-stop shop craft marketplace with craft kits and expert-led video tutorials, to create a stacking ring kit and instructional videos that will be available to people all over the country. This idea of scaling my workshops to be more accessible to folks nationwide with such a successful and well-known group like Crafter is a huge accomplishment. I'm excited to see where this opportunity leads!

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

I decided to focus on ember&onyx full time after completing my doctorate studies in late 2021, and I would say that one of the hardest things about being a small business owner is navigating each day alone. Ironically, this is one of the things I'd say was also the hardest while finishing up my Ph.D. remotely during the pandemic.

Being a solopreneur means the major vision I have, the goals I create to align with that vision, the steps it takes to reach those goals, and the everyday routine and structure that helps support those goals are all left to me to figure out. While it's easy to dream, it's harder to link the daily agendas and to-do lists to the bigger picture. As someone who loves to collaborate with and learn from others, social support is something vital to my productivity and success.

The good news is that by identifying a need (community & social support), I can go out into my world to seek out this support. I've found support not only within the small business community and other entrepreneurs in San Diego but also in finding a community around my hobbies, like my climbing gym.

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

  1. Find a diverse community. I know this can be so hard, but I promise that the connections that will support you along your journey are out there. Attend local markets and events, reach out on social media, and try to connect with other local entrepreneurs in person. While there is a wealth of knowledge that is easily accessible online (which you should take advantage of), learning from others in your community is the best way to get the ball rolling and find opportunities in your area. It's also really nice to have a maker friend to grab a drink and decompress with after a long market day!
  2. This one is pretty cheesy: I want you to believe in yourself. While I absolutely recommend surrounding yourself with people who support you, build you up, and bring the stoke when you need it most, what's even more important is that YOU believe in your vision and your journey. I believe the work it takes to get to a place where you can believe in yourself is mostly internal- finding time and space for myself to reflect, journal, and connect with nature has helped me stay aligned with my vision and trust my journey (even if it takes me someplace unexpected).
  3. Be kind to yourself. Finally, it is easy to feel stuck in a rut, especially when you need to find motivation daily. Something else that has helped me with this is giving myself grace when I need it. I had to learn that each day is not created equal- some days are filled with productive, positive energy, and some simply aren't. Negative self-talk and beating myself up about what I couldn't get to or didn't do were not serving me or helping me reach my goals. Now I try to take each day as it comes, with an overarching routine and schedule that keeps me grounded and focused. Life also can throw us some curve balls- as you're hustling to your own finish line (which always keeps moving, by the way!), show yourself the love and grace you would give your friend. Oh, and celebrate those wins, big and small! I promise you; you deserve it.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.emberandonyxjewelry.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emberandonyx
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emberandonyx/

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.