Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kelly Konis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Kelly thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Silverwork Studios, a make your own jewelry studio in San Rafael, California, was co-founded by best friends, Amy Fitzgerald and Kelly Konis, who met on the high school swim team in Amarillo, Texas. Amy and Kelly both went on to successful careers in the corporate world before founding Silverwork Studios as a major career change for both of them.

Launching a brand new enterprise with no formal experience in the jewelry business was a bold move. Making your own jewelry is a new concept, adding to the risk. But they had done their homework, planned to offer workshops, and cater to beginners. They knew they wanted to bring the creative experience of guided jewelry making workshops into the world, and they believe everyone can be creative. So they decided to take the risk together and launched the studio in 2022. Their partnership is based on a shared vision for what they wanted to create, a growth mindset, mutual trust and a commitment to relentless adjustment along the way to make it work.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

The co-founders of Silverwork Studios are best friends and both art lovers. They took a jewelry making class on a whim and were thrilled with the pieces they each made. The friends were inspired and excited about the possibility of opening their own studio and set out to create an experience for people to be able to make their own jewelry.

Silverwork Studios now offers guided workshops where complete beginners learn to solder and create one-of-a-kind silver gemstone jewelry. Each “maker” gets to be a jewelry designer at the studio and learns to create a stunning ring, bracelet, necklace or earrings uniquely their own. The studio also offers personalized permanent jewelry bracelets, anklets and necklaces.

Silverwork Studios offers fabulous jewelry-making parties that are great for birthdays, showers, celebrations, and team building in the studio or as a remote pop-up. At Silverwork Studios, we help you design jewelry uniquely your own that you’ll absolutely love wearing.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

We are really good listeners. We listen to each one of our customers to help guide their jewelry-making in a workshop. And periodically, we stop and try to synthesize what we’re hearing overall and what our data tells us, e.g. What do customers really want? What do they like best? What isn’t working? Why do they come? What else might they like? What do the reviews say? This kind of analysis and thoughtful reflection guides us, inspired us and has led us to develop new offerings like the Artisan program for makers who wanted more studio time, for instance. Listening to your customers/clients in whatever way works for you is very telling.

Almost all of our reviews are 5-star. People usually have a great time at the studio, are thrilled to create something with their own hands, and love what they make. While we set out to create a jewelry design studio, what we have actually created is a haven where anyone and everyone can be creative and where happiness abounds. When the customers, aka “the makers”, are happy, the partners (the “maker mammas”) are also happy, building the reputation for the studio and each of the founders individually.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Social media, word-of-mouth and experience marketing have been the formula to date.

We have a steady stream of social media content that comes out of the makings and goings on at the studio. It’s mostly jewelry and gemstone imagery, so neat to look at and just fun stuff to check out. We encourage our makers to follow us and tag us before they leave the studio after a workshop. And occasionally a post will surprise us and go viral.

People who have come through a workshop at the studio are messengers for us. They love to tell their friends and family about making jewelry, about the studio, about the laughs we all had and what fun it was. The word-of-mouth has been a tremendous help in building more awareness about Silverwork Studios. We love our makers, and they love us.

People are looking for new experiences. We have found success in partnerships with experience marketers like AirBnB Experiences and with local retailers and clubs where we can take our jewelry-making experience to the people!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://silverworkstudios.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silverwork.studios/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silverworkstudios
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/silverwork-studios/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/silverwork-studios-san-rafael