We were lucky to catch up with Monica Markham recently and have shared our conversation below.
Monica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
Like many people, I found myself exploring new hobbies during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Art has always been a good stress relief for me, whether that be painting or beading, so I knew I wanted to do something creative. With that in mind, I combined my passion for jewelry and healing crystals into designing unique pieces for myself. I didn’t necessarily go into it expecting to make a business out of it, but when I first shared my original pieces on social media, the reaction was overwhelming! I literally cried because so many people were supportive of my work, and so many people were requesting custom pieces of their own! With that newfound confidence, I set into action, and Cancer Queen Collective, LLC was born.
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?
Cancer Queen Collective represents my own brand of creative chaos! We are a woman-founded, Native-founded, independent small business creating one-of-a-kind hand-crafted, Astrology-inspired, Crystal-based designer jewelry, all-natural conditioning soaps, and other unique crafts depending on the season, and my mood. For the most part, it’s a one-woman show. I work full-time but I make use of my free time to create. Luckily my partner is way more analytical than me, so he takes care of running the website and social media accounts these days. Every order is handled with love by each of us!
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
For me, the most effective advertising has been word-of-mouth! Whether that be wearing my own products when I go out, attending fairs and making connections with other creative types, handing out business cards anywhere I go, and not being afraid to ask for help. I know what I know, and I know where I can lean on others. The connections I’ve made along the way have been integral to my growth as a brand!
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
It’s funny, I actually first noticed my current partner on social media because he would always support my posts for my small business! We met through another shared hobby — pro-wrestling — so when this guy is blowing up my jewelry business account, I started to take notice of him! We started to talk more on Twitter, and finally, one day, we went to a wrestling show together, and the relationship grew from there. He has continued to support me along the way, helping me find time to be creative. I just re-opened the site after about six months of inactivity thanks to him. So, the future is bright for more creative chaos!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cancerqueencollectivellc.com
- Instagram: @cancerqueen92
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cancerqueencollectivellc21
- Twitter: @CancerLlc
Image Credits
First image: Deyi Medina Remainder: @CancerQueen92 on Instagram