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

Hi Abby, thanks for joining us today. Parents play a huge role in our development as youngsters and sometimes that impact follows us into adulthood and into our lives and careers. Looking back, what’s something you think you parents did right?

Embracing creativity was a key tenant of my upbringing. My dad is a musician, and my mom is an upcycler…though you wouldn’t know that right off the bat! They both have always maintained day jobs & found time after hours to pursue their passions. It was imperative that I had a creative outlet.

They constantly signed me up for recreational activities – youth theater, choir, sports, art competitions – if I showed even the slightest interest in it, they wanted to support me.

When I was living at home after college & feeling stuck, my mom brought me down some boxes of beads she’d kept for years. I think she just wanted me to distract myself, but I found purpose in the craft. And, years later, that simple action led to (what some would call) a fully-fledged business.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Abby Schreiber, and I’m the Founder & Artist behind Turned Turquoise.

I started making jewelry as something to fill my time during one anxious summer several years ago – since then, I’ve ebbed & flowed through periods of creation, but jewelry has always been a surefire way to ease my anxiety. And, in November 2019, I truly launched Turned Turquoise.

When I started making jewelry, I had no idea what I was doing – I was truly just winging it. But I think, even then, I was trying to fill a gap in the market. I wanted to make jewelry that was affordable & accessible, that could be worn every day while also making a statement. Would I recommend selling jewelry for $10 to others? Probably not. But I wouldn’t change it.

Having those early months of experimentation and, for the first time, validation that people would actually PAY to wear my pieces (albeit >$20, but still) laid the foundation for what Turned Turquoise would become.

My slogan is more of a mantra: Jewelry for every mood & moment. I use a combination of stones, brass, and ephemera to complete my pieces, including vintage postcards, dictionaries, and textbooks. No two are exactly alike, and many are intentionally one of a kind (especially pieces that include the ephemera). I want everyone to find something in my shop that speaks to who they are.

While natural stones have always been a key component of my pieces, it’s the vintage ephemera I’m most proud of. When I started dabbling in resin in 2020, I had only really seen two things done with it: alcohol ink & botanicals. It felt hard to break into a niche while I was still finding my own voice, so to speak. The one thing I’d never seen, though, was the use of book pages.

To be clear, I’m not saying I invented this style. I am almost certain I didn’t. I don’t even know how you’d track something like that! What I DO know is that I’d never seen anyone do anything like this. The idea came straight from my own brain. It was the first time I felt like, “Hey, okay, I have a voice here. I have my own things to say.”

Since then, it’s become a staple of my business. There’s something incredibly special about creating a piece and knowing, for better or worse, the piece I’m making is one of a kind. It can’t be replicated. It’s a mini piece of art.

This makes mass production impossible for me. I don’t know that I’ll ever be successful in wholesale or gift shops, and I don’t think I need to be. I’m filling my own niche.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

A healthy combination of Instagram & word of mouth. I started out with just a few sales through people I knew. Then they shared with their friends, who shared with their friends, etc.

The art community on Instagram comes with its own toxicities, like everything else. Still, I’ve found such meaningful connections there. Befriending fellow artists & small business owners is a really beautiful thing. Not only does it make this business feel less alienating, but the mutual sharing of work has brought me more clients than I can count.

I think COVID saw a surge of small businesses operating out of their homes & a newfound appreciation for shopping small. Seeing the way Instagram worked to build community & uplift creators during that time was really a sight to behold. Of course, I can’t say the same for 2024 Meta, but it doesn’t change my gratitude for the groundwork it helped me lay.

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

“It’s business, not personal.” Small business is, inherently, personal. It’s why people choose to shop with you and not Wal-Mart.

I don’t know that this is the most effective strategy for skyrocketing your business, sure, because by adding in the “personal,” you’re bound to insert opinions that some potential customers disagree with. But I still wouldn’t change my thinking.

By making my business personal & showing more of myself, my beliefs, and what goes into my craft, I’ve been able to build true rapport with my clients. They don’t just see me as a machine, constantly cranking out pieces to fulfill their needs. They recognize the effort that goes into my work, the thought process behind it, and they see me as a person.

I think that’s the other lesson: if you are a small business on the internet, you need to have a backbone. People will just say whatever they want in the comments – just click the comments on one viral video & you’ll see what I’m talking about.

So, for me, it is business AND it is personal. I want my clients to know I made this piece. I imagined it, from start to finish. I’ll take the loyalty & continued support of my customers over something fairweather any day.

Contact Info:

• Website: turnedturquoise.com
• Instagram: @turnedturquoise
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turnedturquoisejewelry

Image Credits
The photo of myself was Rachelle Horning Photo.