We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melissa Matarazzo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melissa below.

Melissa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you’re open to it, can you talk to us about the best (or worst) investment you’ve made. What’s the backstory and the relevant context behind why you made the investment

The best investment I have made as a business owner, is investing in myself. I have expanded my skills to offer more complex jewelry creations, with materials that I dreamed of using, 7 years ago when I started. Serenity Threads’ original items started with hemp, cotton cording and glass beads. Now we offer stainless steel and 14k gold earrings, necklaces, bracelets and anklets! Serenity Threads was created in my dorm room at the University of Connecticut and launched May 24th, 2019. I wanted a backup plan, just in case my degree earned was not a field I wanted to work in. Turns out, that exact situation happened. The degrees I have earned, even though neither are in business, have helped me get as far as I have as a business owner.

Melissa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Melissa Matarazzo and I own Serenity Threads. Serenity Threads is a handmade, waterproof jewelry business that is plastic free and low waste! I started creating the concept of Serenity Threads in 2018. The name came from watching a sunset on my favorite Connecticut beach. The name encompasses the feeling of sitting on a beach- pure serenity. I wanted to create a business to showcase my passion for art and low maintenance jewelry. At the time of this interview, I am 27 years of age, and have been making jewelry for over 15 years. It all started with a jewelry set that I was given as a gift. Every item at Serenity Threads is assembled with the same pair of pliers, that came in that set. Not only are all of our items waterproof and durable, they are affordable and guilt-free! As a kid, I was notorious for jumping into all bodies of water, forgetting to take off jewelry that wasn’t tarnish-proof, constantly having green skin and ruined pieces. Serenity Threads primarily uses stainless steel, because it’s tried and true. It’s strong, durable and will last a lifetime without needing to be polished. We promise to never ship items to customers in plastic and all of our packaging is biodegradable. We offer repairs on our items and anything else you own. These repairs are offered through our Re-Thread program, more information can be found on our website https://serenitythreads.square.site/contact-us

We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.

I have always had my own website through Square P.O.S. I started my business as a college student with money I had saved up. I researched point of sale (p.o.s) systems and found Square, which offered what I needed, but with no monthly overhead, which was perfect! Having zero or low overhead at the start, was a great strategic choice that payed off.

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

The most effective strategy for growth, so far, has been in-person events. You can’t beat face-to-face interactions, with the physical products right there to see, touch, try on and have custom fitted for each person.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://serenitythreads.square.site/
• Instagram: @serenitythreadsofficial
• Facebook: @SerenityThreads18
• Other: Email: askserenitythreads@gmail.com
  Wholesale website: https://serenitythreads.faire.com/