A 10 Year Thank You

Did you know that I celebrated 10 years in business this past March? Probably not.

Why? Because I didn’t tell you about it.

In fact, my 10^th business anniversary passed without my noticing. I can’t believe it, but March came and went and in the shuffle of it all, I never even thought about it.  I should have been celebrating and shouting it from the rooftops! Staying true to yourself and working for your dream for a solid 10 years is noteworthy. 

Yet you probably know that making a big deal out of things like this is not really my style anyway.  

So instead, I’m acknowledging this milestone at the end of May (better late than never, right!) with a little reflection...

It has been 10 years since I sat on the green couch in my parent’s living room and told them that I wanted to be a jewelry designer. 10 years since I formed my LLC and setup my first studio in my parent’s basement.

Since then, I have lived in three North Carolina cities, Gastonia (okay, Gastonia is more of a town), Raleigh, and Charlotte.  I’ve had 5 different studio spaces, including that first basement one. My current space in South End, Charlotte is my favorite!

My jewelry business has taken me to New York, Georgia, Maryland, Florida, South Carolina, Arizona, and Florence, Italy. (A little teaser, in a couple of months I'll add Tennessee to the list.)

I have experimented with designs and techniques, trying to keep my work new and fresh. Some ideas were hits, others not so much. There have been times my creativity was in overdrive, and other times I couldn’t think of a new idea to save my life.

There have been times of abundance, and times of scarcity. Moments of bliss and satisfaction, and moments of tears and frustration.  Many times I seriously doubted if I had "what it takes" to be an entrepreneur, but kept pushing anyway.

In the early years I had other jobs so I could support myself while building my business.  In the later years there were times I wished I had another job, because it seemed "so much easier" than the path I had chosen.  

Then there were the times that kept me centered.  The moment I finished a piece of jewelry and thought "damn that's good".  Or when a customer tried on a ring and it fit perfectly, like it was meant to be.  Those are the times I loved the most!  Those were the times made everything worthwhile and filled my heart with joy.

I feel so grateful for these last 10 years.  Grateful that I get to pursue my passion and share my creativity with the world. 

Then there is the part of my business I am most grateful for.  

YOU!

Yes, you! You lovely people who cheer me on, believe in me, follow me as my work evolves, and love jewelry.

I make jewelry for you! So you can feel beautiful, confident and special. So you can feel unique and shine your brightest.

You keep me going and you inspire me.

You make me feel good about what I’m putting out into the world.  You make me feel that my creativity has value.

You are my clients, friends, and family. You are my tribe.

So in honor these 10 years in business, I say thank you! Your support means the world to me and I couldn’t have done this without you.

I’m looking forward to the next 10! 

Thanks for reading!

~ Claire