Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Thayer

Hi Amanda, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?

I started making beaded earrings as a coping mechanism while I was going through a major health issue. Sometimes you just need to keep your mind busy with something new while your body does the hard work of healing.

Turns out, I love making jewelry. I love the creative aspect. The wide range of colors, textures, and varying mediums that I can use make the process of creating a tangible object that can bring another person joy extremely satisfying.

I started making only beaded earrings but over the years I have added bracelets, hats with beaded hat bands and jackets with beaded fringe to my repertoire. There are so many possibilities and I really enjoy exploring all of them.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

No, it hasn’t always been smooth! The business owner life has been a challenging one. I still work a full time corporate job, I am a mom, and I’m a wife. All while trying to balance everything that comes with being a artist and small business owner.

When i started making jewelry I thought it would be so simple – just whip up a quick Etsy shop and off we go. Setting up the Etsy shop was easy but it turns out there is so much more to business than I initially realized. Besides the beading itself I had to quickly learn about bookkeeping, marketing, product sourcing, social media strategy, product photography, photo editing, and the importance of intentional networking.

There is also so much personal growth that is required when you have your own business. I feel like I have had to push through many personal hurdles along the way. I have had to push through social anxiety in order to go to networking events and also be able to chat with customers at in-person events. I have physical limitations that I have to be mindful of. I have had to battle the negative emotions that come from those times when I am not making many sales and I start to feel like I am not enough or this product that I have put so much love and time into is not enough.

I also feel like owning your own business can feel very lonely and isolating, in part because much of the process happens alone. It’s important for me to have my support system around me. My family is so encouraging. My daughter and husband help me with markets and listen to all my new product ideas. My mother in law helped me when i wanted to venture into clothing. My other small business friends are always encouraging when i have a slow month or a tough market. Those don’t make the difficult moments go away, but they all make it much easier to get through.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

All of my work involves some type of beading. Sometimes its glass seed beads or maybe beads made from stones or something else, but always beading. Some of my favorite items to make are animal themed. Some of my best sellers are my chicken earrings and my honey bee earrings.

I have been branching out from just making earrings. I recently started with wool hats that I make hat bands for and add colored feathers, lace or other accents to dress them up. I also began acquiring jackets and up-cycling them by adding beaded fringe and trim. I love the idea of using pre-owned jackets. Not long ago I read that 80% of all clothing ends up in landfills so if I can source my jackets from private sellers or possibly support another small business while keeping clothing out of landfills by giving them another life, I love that.

When you shop with a small business like mine you are helping to support a real person. Yes, a small business typically charges a little more than a big fast fashion company but those are missing a human touch. Significant thought, love, time and energy goes into making the products small businesses like mine sell.

Because of that I do my best to support other small businesses when sourcing my materials. I buy many of my miscellaneous supplies from a local Oregon business and Etsy sellers. I also have two favorite local bead shops that i purchase my stones and random treasures from. When I travel I am always on the lookout for local shops that might sell items i can use. It is a great way to support the local economy, meet new people and bring home new items with a fun story. Sometimes those are the things that spark great ideas and lead to beautiful products.

I also pride myself on offering a quality product. I intentionally select high quality materials for my ear wires. I want the earrings I sell to be beautiful but also gentle on the ears and long lasting. When I use natural stone I search for higher quality stones. This means more sparkle, more shine or more of the vibrant colors that make those stones beautiful. I continually use the beads that I’ve found to be the most consistent in quality and look, and it’s not uncommon for me to reject a bead, wire or even an entire earring because it’s just not working.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amandathayerdesigns.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandathayerdesigns

Image Credits

photo credit: Amanda Thayer