Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Erwin.
Nicole, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Art and creativity have been an important way to express myself since I was a child. I have always enjoyed learning and growing as well. All of those things have come together to create Native Soul Jewelry. I was always making friendship bracelets out of embroidery thread when I was young. As a teenager, I got pneumonia and was bedridden for a couple of weeks. I remember I had one crate full of beads and wire and findings. I pulled it out and my creative outlet burst open and hasn’t shut since.
After college and throughout my teaching career, I have dedicated much time to find my favorite materials to use and the best practices when creating jewelry. I met Nicki Stahura a little over a year and a half ago and she was enthralled with the idea of having a creative outlet and being able to share it with our friends and family. She has joined me to increase our product inventory and designs some really interesting pieces. She has also brought her love and knowledge of crystals into the business. Together we have worked on creating meaningful experiences with our jewelry tribe and continue to grow as a company and friends!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road of life always has its bumps, but life is about learning how to stay calm amongst the chaos. Since jewelry started out as a passionate outlet, my business model wasn’t in the forefront of my brain. All I wanted to do was create. Then it got to a point where I had too much product! I began taking photos of the jewelry but soon realized I needed to learn about lighting and editing and such. Next came the website, listing products, and pricing. Shipping and packaging were a struggle for a while as well. We’re at the point now where we are learning about advertising and marketing. None of these things did we go to school for but diligent research goes a long way. We have dealt with some significant struggles throughout our time as well, all while navigating family life and careers. This business means so much to us that we can’t imagine being without it. So throughout the struggles, Native Soul Jewelry has kept us grounded, hopeful and positive.
Native Soul Jewelry – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
NSJ creates several styles of jewelry, including custom and unique styles. We use genuine materials to ensure longevity. With few exceptions, most pieces are designed, created, and packaged by either Nicki or me. What sets us apart from other companies is our customer service and reasonable prices. I once was sent a wrong item from another company and then was charged the difference when I notified them of the issue. We value our customers intensely and would never punish them for a mistake of our own doing. We would rather give you a free item just because we truly appreciate our customers. I like to see the jewelry buying/designing process as a bonding experience that leaves an impression forever!
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I don’t see success as a reachable level that you one day hit and then don’t have to worry about again. Success to me is consistently being better than you were the day before. If I go a day without learning something, then the day is wasted. I would love to eventually be able to depend solely on the jewelry business as a means to live. Creating is truly where my passion lies, but I also love to travel and would love to get time to do both of those more.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nativesouljewelry.co
- Phone: 8174378225
- Email: nicole@nativesouljewelry.co
- Instagram: Native_Soul_Jewelry
- Facebook: Native_soul_jewelry
Image Credit:
Nicole Erwin
Nicki Stahura
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