Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Beard.
Hi Jordan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always felt creatively driven. Since childhood, I’ve found myself obsessed with the concept of “turning trash to treasure” – finding beauty and salvage in the things that people don’t see as beautiful or salvageable. As a hobby during college, I would sometimes restyle or up-cycle my vintage pieces to wear around campus or to get-togethers or whatnot. Fast forward to the start of my brand, Borrowed Vessel (BVE) – I had just graduated college with the intention and set to take my LSTAT. Something I had planned on doing all throughout school. About a month out from testing, I felt something deep was missing in my life, and God began to give me a complete 180 from the plans I had made for myself. During this time, a friend of mine had started a jewelry company, and to make a little side money we decided to enter into a market together to sell her jewelry and some of the up-cycled pieces I made. This was the first time I saw what is now Borrowed Vessel absolutely shine. Within weeks of entering the market and selling my first pieceI started my company and completely shifted career paths. With the “trash to treasure” mentality I was able to take pieces that people did not want or find beauty in and turn them into a one-of-a-kind customized gem that allowed each of my clients to feel beautiful in.
The beginning of my brand was a true grind and test of passion for me. During the first two years of Borrowed Vessel, I was working two jobs and could only focus and grow my brand at night. Everything changed the summer of 2021 when I was able to solely make BVE my full time.
When I first started Borrowed Vessel, I was making pieces primarily for family and friends. Today, I sell pieces nationally and have been able to see this brand shine on people from all different backgrounds and walks of life. From Professional, Collegiate, and even Olympic athletes (and their families) to other creators, teachers, and front-line workers. Today, Borrowed Vessel is not just a brand, it has become a community. In the last two years, Borrowed Vessel has been able to not just create but create with purpose. Raising thousands for 5+ different charitable/ needed spaces, something I don’t think I could have ever done on my own.
With heavy challenges and tribulations along the way, one thing has absolutely stayed true: I love everything about this brand. I love the people I work with, the opportunities it’s given me, and the growth that I have found within myself professionally, and most of all personally. I have been able to work with some of the most incredible people worldwide who have platforms that inspire and encourage millions, and for that, I find myself constantly humbled and grateful.
Just like the clothes I create; I get to be merely a Borrowed Vessel to this space. Understanding how short time is, it’s so important to find the space in which you have passion for and be a Vessel in it. Not only to make it greater for yourself but for the community within that space. I feel grateful to be a creator and to have found a place that I belong in where I can make my difference.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. I think with anything worth it, there are challenges to be faced and trials to overcome. Most importantly, I there is a TON of growth to be had. One of the biggest struggles I faced was finding healthy balance between my work and my personal life. Being married, it was hard to set healthy work boundaries for myself and I think that can be very natural as a young entrepreneur. There is a hunger and a need you feel to take every opportunity, every inquiry, and every sale even if you have to work 24/7 for it. It took me a while to realize I can’t do it all, I am only human. I think it’s great to be hungry for success, but I also believe success looks completely different for everyone. I want to feel successful in my personal life first: as a wife, as a sister, a daughter, a friend, and a believer and once I found that to be the most important success, I saw a booming growth in where my professional success was heading.
The biggest struggle for me was not the tedious things to get past like sales volume, technology glitches, or even brand rerouting, it was definitely the toxic mindsets that I had to break from. That was the biggest life-changer, no doubt.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Essentially, I am a creative who up-cycles and customizes one-of clothing. I primarily work within the sports world, creating pieces for professional and collegiate girlfriends, boyfriends, fans, children, fiancés, wives, husbands, spokespersons, etc. (really anyone who loves their team!) When I am not customizing, I’m creating one-of creative pieces for my website. My goal is and has always been to give each client a sense of individuality. No two pieces are the same, there are aspects about them that are set apart from the next.
I would say overall, I am most proud of the way this brand makes people feel. Tailoring pieces to each client is so cool because it allows them to feel set apart in an industry as big as the sports arena. It gives each person a sense of individual pride to cheer on their people or walk out in their community dressing their most confident and feeling so unique in each. piece…
For myself, proud feels understated. Young me would not have believed I could create a brand and work with all of the people I have been able to work with. I feel proud of the connections I’ve created and the confidence I’ve grown in. Professionally, I feel so proud of how far I’ve come in creating something that people CHOOSE to wear and love to wear.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Not much makes me happier than beachside creative trips with my boo, but in the office – creating without bounds makes me the happiest. Working with so many people has made it become more and more rare to create for ‘fun’ rather than creating solely with intention. I love to make pieces in my spare time that have nothing to do with anything, but the mere fact that the idea sparked in my head. I obviously love creating for individuals and customizing to each want, but sometimes it’s so fun to sit down by myself and have sparks firing off in my head that are so crazy they just might look cool on a t-shirt canvas.
Pricing:
- Pricing per piece runs anywhere from $75-$275
Contact Info:
- Website: https://borrowedvessel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/borrowedvessel/
