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

Kym, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

I named my jewelry business Studio Two Eleven as a nod to my phenomenal grandmother whose birthday was February 11th. She left me with so many wonderful memories and nuggets of wisdom. Her support of me completely and fully encouraged me to be myself.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Kym and I was in a horrible job in 2020 and was really in an emotional slump. The pandemic hit and our kids moved out and on their own, one left for college and I was suddenly filled with a lot of alone time. I was on Tik Tok one day (as one does) and saw someone making earrings out of polymer clay. I was immediately intrigued and picked up a few bars the next day. That was August of 2020 and I launched my first earring collection in October of the same year. It’s been two years of learning, exploring, growth, surprises and happy turnouts. I quit that miserable job in April 2021 and it was the best decision despite the learning curves and social media demands.

This year I added a new product to my inventory, gold-plated rings with faux stone made of polymer clay. There has been a really nice response to them so I keep making them!

I’m most proud that I’m now designing my own shapes and printing my own cutters on a 3D printer. I’m learning how to make my own silkscreens and I’ve even started making files to have earrings made out of acrylic on a laser cutter. The growth possibilities are ENDLESS when you’re creating so even with this growth, there are 10M more things to learn and I love the high ceiling of never-ending options. Next year I want to add home goods like trinket trays, coasters and serving trays.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I was a photographer for many years prior to this business, taking photography in high school. When I finally launched a business 25+ years later, I knew all there was to know about photography and felt very confident and sure of myself. I launched this jewelry business very early into the learning process. I really had to learn how to be confident through the growth. I had to let go of the preconceived notion that I should make something I love on the very attempt. I’ve become much more patient with myself and do prototypes and take my time now and enjoy the process.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

It’s not a lie when people say sales ebb and flow. You can have the most successful week or month of your business and then have three days of no sales or even a week. It can really mess with your head and make you start to doubt your work. I refuse to give up though despite the challenges in maintaining exposure. I love it too much and I can’t see myself ever working for someone again.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thestudiotwoeleven.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/Studio.TwoEleven
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063993009967

Image Credits
I took all of the photos