EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: MESHE DESIGNS

Meet Shelly from MeShe Designs and find out what inspires her and how she got started doing what she loves.

1. Who or What inspired you to start a business?

About five years ago I worked in a metaphysical store, surrounded by gorgeous handcrafted jewelry all day and night. I was truly inspired by my surroundings of luscious stones and silver to begin creating my own visions. Many people along the way have kept my inspiration fully charged, and allow me to continue to be inspired.

(I just LOVE her hair!!! )
2. How did you get started?

When I worked in the metaphysical store. We sold oodles of gorgeous handcrafted jewelry from different artists around the world. I was in love with jewelry display, the origins of the stones themselves, and the unique craftsmanship that was put into these treasures. Selling jewelry was second nature for me, my boss recommended for me to start creating some of my own designs. She started her business with making jewelry and it developed from there. So she provided me with a bead catalog and my affair with making jewelry began.


3. What tip or advice can you give someone starting out who wants to follow in your footsteps?

From a young age we may not know exactly what we want to be, but we sure do know what we love. I feel everyone is built with a particular specialty whether that’s drawing, speaking, nurturing others, playing sports, or taking charge. You want to develop those strong points, and utilizing them for the career you choose. If you love it follow it, there are so many variations you can use your gifts to make a promising career. Do what makes you feel good, what makes you smile whether in love or life. That’s when you truly reach satisfaction at anything including a job, always listen to your intuition.

4. What inspires you everyday? Where do you find your inspiration?

My passion for people is what inspires me; I love anything about communicating with others. I like to see others get joy and excitement out of the creations I make, it keeps me going even if the sales aren’t rolling in by the dozens ;) You see the appreciation and like a nurse when you make someone feel good, it soothes the soul. I have a great family, amazing friends, and a soul mate that I never want to do without. All these things create inspiration with there support it makes what I do easy. For creating, just about everything inspires me, my favorite inspiration for a necklace was from a bread tie. I was twisting and turning the bread tie until I came up with a bow. I then brought it to life with the original MeShe The Bow Necklace.

5. Who are your role models and why?

My mother and step father, we are a quirky family with unusual dinner table manners but we understand each other. My mother is superwoman if any one asks that’s who and what she is. Loving, lovable, understanding, appreciative, humble, and such a pain (that’s why we love moms!) My step father is an amazing man that has grounded my life in a time when I needed it most, forever a father in my eyes. He is the more business side, gives me the suggestions I sometimes don’t want to hear but I know are right. Tells me how to save money, and budget. When I really want to say I know that, when I don’t. Between the two of them I find the right balance of support.


6. How do you find a balance for running your business in your busy schedule? What does your daily schedule looks like?

I’m still working on the balancing issue; scheduling and timing are things that are always being reevaluated in order to utilize my time. Sometimes I don’t have enough time, but the harder I work now the more time I make for myself later. I recently have been working full time again so I can afford to invest in a treasure chest of tools and supplies.

Typical Day:

Coffee

Work 9-4:30

Drive home and jam out

Pictures

Designing

Uploading/Renewing/Updating Etsy

Ordering

Thinking

See my boyfriend, or friends or both and by this time im exhausted


6. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 to 10 years?

In the next five to ten years I see myself successfully running my own business, complete with wholesale accounts, consignment deals, jewelry parties, and a busy Etsy store. I would like to travel a lot with my lover, we enjoy our time together so anywhere and in between. I want to laugh forever because that’s what he makes me do, a house by the water in New York with a hammock, a backyard studio and one dog.

7. Can you give us some word of wisdom for success? What are your biggest business triumphs, success, and mistakes? Have you ever made a business decision in the past that was a mistake? What are some of the BEST business decisions that you have made?

Words of wisdom, I would say planning whether its a formal business plan or simple outlines. These tactics are a great way to organize your thoughts and objectivly see the outcome of the changes you implement. Having an organized agenda allows you to stay focused and streamlined, and really see whats working for your business. The biggest mistake so far, is that I ignore the more mundane tasks. Whether that be inventory, filing, updating spreadsheets, or organizing my space. Its easy to get caught up in the designing, creating, uploading on to etsy, but ignoring simple paperwork can make for a lot of loose ends. The best decision I made to far is that I have made my Etsy shop a priority. I really try and update my facebook, twitter, and shop frequently during the week. I have noticed a significant difference in hearts, views, and sales.

I have a whole other side to my spare bedroom with beads and storage, but I am currently re organzing that space.


SHOP: http://www.etsy.com/shop/meshedesigns
BLOG: www.meshedesigns.blogspot.com
TWITTER: www.twitter.com/meshedesigns
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/meshedesigns

***I love to feature many different handmade artists on my blog. And this week, I have a wonderful friend and jewelry artist that I am so excited to feature on here: MeShe Designs. I hope that you have been inspired like I did. Please leave me comments and feedback to let me know what type of artists you would enjoy reading about and if you would like to be featured. And also, let me know if you enjoy reading about other artists and how they got started. Thank you.