Today we’d like to introduce you to Shadran Franklin.
Shadran, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
After recovering from Covid, I wanted to take on a new hobby that would allow me to relax in the evening once I would get off from my job as a RN Case Manager. Since the world had opened up again, I decided to take a basic bracelet making class at a local craft store. That was all it took to get me hooked. Every evening after work, I would sit at a table and make bracelets while relaxing. After ending up with more bracelets than I could possibly wear, friends encouraged me to start selling my products. That is when I started participating as a vendor in local festivals, fashion shows and weekend markets. In order to reach more customers, I opened an online shop on Etsy: WristVibesDesigns.Etsy.com. Today, my bracelets have shipped to places as far as Canada, Australia and Germany, in addition to many states throughout the USA. My goal is to reach even more customers in other countries.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I definitely have had my share of struggles during my startup. There were a lot of trials to discover how much to stretch the elastic before stringing beads down to what size of elastic works best. I have also learned that I need to know the size of the bead hole before I make a purchase because not one size fits all. There have been many times I purchased beautiful beads but wasn’t able to use them in the way I wanted because the elastic did not fit in the hole.
Now that I am getting more custom orders, I am forcing myself to move away from the pen and paper records to using software that will allow me to be more organized. That area is still a struggle for me!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am known for expressing positivity and encouragement. Many of my bracelet sets will display Christian based themes, crosses, words of encouragement and women empowerment. I believe that we should always think positive thoughts and speak positive words to others. When a woman wears one of my bracelets, I want her to be able to look at her wrist and get the boost she needs to get thru her day.
The way I interact with my customers is what sets me apart from others. I hand write thank you notes to include in the boxes before I ship them and I also make sure to respond to customer questions and requests in a timely manner. Every time I create a custom order for a customer, I always send pictures to them to make sure they approve of it prior to mailing the package. I want my customers to be excited when they see my signature pink mailer in their mailbox. This practice is why I continue to have many repeat customers.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I don’t see any big shifts happening soon in the jewelry business because there are so many options to fit so many people and their tastes. Elastic beaded bracelets are very affordable and very versatile that someone can have plenty of them in a variety colors to match their outfits.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://WristVibesDesigns.Etsy.com
- Instagram: @wrist_vibes_designs
