Today we’d like to introduce you to Bethan Edwards
Hi Bethan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My shop, Piggle and Pop, features handcrafted floral hair accessories and beautifully unique jewelry; all handmade designs or curated vintage finds. Currently based in Frisco, TX USA. My shop was established in 2011, and has always been owned & operated solely by myself. I have a wide variety of interests, and as a one-person business there is truly never a dull moment. I hand make all my jewelry designs, carefully restore the vintage pieces, I do all my own styling & photography, graphic design, maintenance of marketplaces and social media, packaging and shipping of orders just to name a few.
I believe jewelry and fashion should be fun and accessible and Piggle and Pop has an eclectic mix for all.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest challenges for me have been evolving with seller platforms and social media over the years and having limited hours in the day. Every online platform and tool has dramatically changed over the thirteen years Piggle and Pop has been in operation. I am also a mother of 4, so my shop has ebbed and flowed with me as I’ve grown my family. After every addition to our family I would “come back” and everything had changed, and I would have to relaunch my shop and learn new features and change with the times. These changes have further pushed me into evolving my shop and brand, and forced me to really put myself out there to compete to be seen. My website, photography and products are at a place now that I had originally envisioned all those years ago, and I am very proud that I have built it all on my own.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Piggle and Pop is a shop of handmade and vintage jewelry and accessories, but what sets me apart from others is the products I make and my photography style and shop vibe. I love to connect with other creators and artists and I hope that energy of positivity comes through. I think jewelry and clothing should be an expressive burst of who we are, and accessible and fun for everyone. I like to incorporate and mix lots of vintage styles and eras and I think that sets my shop apart from others. Jewelry and accessories are the icing on our fashion cake, and I love being a tiny part of making others shine bright in their own unique way.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I feel calculated risks have been crucial to my success. I have made a variety of leaps in my career after graduating with a Biology degree- I started off in pharmaceutical/cardiac research, but realized it wasn’t a good fit for me. I always had a passion for cooking, and enrolled in culinary school at night, graduated and left my corporate job for a line cook position at one of the best restaurants in America (Zahav). After a few years I left the restaurant industry and fell back on my bio experience to work a remote cardiac job. During this time I had a creative itch that needed to be scratched and launched my handmade jewelry business. My current career as owner of my shop, Piggle and Pop, has weaved in and out of motherhood with me over the last 12 years. Even though my career trajectory sounds disconnected on paper, I have gained skills in each endeavor that have contributed to my current success as a business owner. Each leap had its own set of risks and consequences but I have no doubt each step was the right one at the right time. My husband has similarly taken risks and jumps in his career which has led our family from Philadelphia to Cincinnati and finally to Frisco where we have lived for the last 4 years. Risk is a driving force to keep moving forward. As a one-person business the risk is all on me, so it can be very personal. This aspect has fueled a lot of personal and professional growth over the years, which I am thankful for.
Pricing:
- $30-$250
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.PiggleAndPop.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piggleandpop/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PiggleandPop/
Image Credits
Bethan Edwards, Piggle and Pop LLC
