Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina Berenato.
Nina, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
After finishing fashion school, I moved to New York and found a jewelry designer who took me under her wing as her apprentice. I signed up to work for her unpaid for a year but ended up working under for the next six years in Brooklyn. It was with her that I honed my craft, working out of a community jewelry space where I had access to a group of mentors and all the tools I could ever dream of. I was able to take note of how she ran her business and what I would do the same or different. I made connections with shops around Brooklyn who would eventually carry my first pieces on consignment and met Jessica Goldfond of The Shiny Squirrel who became my friend and ally. She ran a small independent showroom and wholesale sales company and was integral to introducing my line to the world. While in NYC, I worked odd jobs like passing out fliers for a parking garage from 6am-8am before heading to the studio, bartending after work and working in a few retail stores on the weekends. I grew my wholesale business little by little, eventually stocking my line in 50 shops over the US and Canada.
Through the advice of a free business adviser through the NYC Small Business Association, I decided to move my focus to direct to customer. It was then that I decided to move to Austin. I created my first pop-up as a small kiosk in Barton Creek mall. It was there that I realized the potential the line had in Austin. Women all over the city would stop by the kiosk to see my designs. I decided that Austin was the right place, but the mall was not. I’d noticed all the food trucks and decided to create a jewelry store inside of a 1959 Airstream Bambi I found in Gruene, TX. I did pop-ups all over town and parked the trailer in a popular food truck park. Eventually, the business grew out of the trailer and I was able to move into a brick and mortar space. Two years ago, I was able to open up my dream store at Domain Northside, finally moving my production studio from my spare bedroom and into a formal space. At our store we sell my line, the work of other female artists, host classes and workshops and produce each piece of the collection.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
So many struggles. Too many to list here. This year I will have been in business for ten years and at this point, I have outgrown most of my mentors. So many times I have to just trust my gut on decisions or spend tons of time trying to research what I should do. Every year the business grows and there is a new lesson I have to learn. This year, the greatest challenge is expanding my team and learning how to manage different personality types. I take my business’ effect on the world very seriously and beyond selling a product, it’s important to me that it’s a company that offers something positive to everyone that comes in contact with it. Ensuring that is a heavy burden to bear and it requires a lot from me. The greatest struggles for me have been based in my own accountability that I have for myself and how hard I push myself to be the best I can be.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Nina Berenato Jewelry – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Nina Berenato is a jewelry retail and wholesale company. I personally make each and every piece of jewelry we sell and I use design to help women feel powerful and capable of anything. We are known for big, bold pieces that make you feel like superwoman when you put them on. We are also known for our community involvement and support for the female maker community. I’m most proud of the fact that we have grown to this level and I have not compromised on my core values, keeping the products American-made, woman-made and sustainable. I’m also really proud of the positive effect we’ve been able to have on our community here in Austin.
I also teach jewelry making classes each Saturday at my storefront and spread my love for traditional metalsmithing with everyone who attends.
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
Don’t let other’s expectations of you affect your path. Stay true to what YOU want to do and what makes YOU happiest. Find your own measures of success. They might not make sense to everyone around you but hold yourself to your own standards and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks.
Contact Info:
- Address: Domain Northside – 3200 Palm Way #152 Austin, TX 78758
- Website: ninaberenato.com
- Email: hello@ninaberenato.com
- Instagram: @ninaberenato
- Facebook: /ninaberenatojewelry
Image Credit:
Driely Carter; Julia Soniat
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