We were lucky to catch up with Alexandria Buchheim recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alexandria, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

. It was in 2020 when I started my business during the pandemic because there were only so many tv shows to watch. I have ADHD and naturally gravitated toward doing something kinesthetic. I had seen videos on the internet of people working with polymer clay and how beautiful their earrings or jewelry would turn out. I went on Amazon and bought polymer clay which ultimately, was a child’s clay set. I tried rolling it out on my kitchen table. I ended up burning that tray but, this motivated me to get it right and make my first pair of earrings. I posted my earrings on Facebook eventually, started selling them to friends online. But even after those first sales, I was getting emails that earrings were breaking. I was super discouraged so I really buckled down and joined every polymer clay page on the internet. With the support of other artists that share their experiences online, I was able to really understand the ins and outs of the process. I did my first pop-up and I didn’t make one sale. My sister and I sat there for hours as people walked past and ignored me. I went home and cried a bit and then looked for new opportunities in Baltimore. I applied to B. Willow’s sidewalk pop-up, a local plant store in Baltimore & was able to network and build connections with local artists. I can’t thank Liz Vayda enough for the opportunities she has provided for Baltimore locals. I eventually just was able to find events through word-of-mouth and tried every event to see how successful I would be.

Alexandria, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

When I was younger, I would go into my grandmother’s jewelry box and try on her pearls, rings, and gems and pretended I had all the money in the world. I loved the way jewelry could brighten up an outfit and I always felt I was more beautiful with those pieces on. Ages 9-10 I loved buying bead kits and making family and friends bracelets, necklaces, and rings, or anything to accessorize an outfit. I had always dabbled in art but never found the right medium for me. I have been using polymer clay since 2020 and have worked tirelessly to try and understand how to make my product the most durable and safe for my customers. I have allergies to anything with nickel and majority of women I have spoken to, do as well. I tell people all the time my products are immediately tested by me as a “guinea pig.” Most of the items I make are larger and larger jewelry has been known to weigh down your ears and traditionally be uncomfortable. Polymer Clay gives you the access to wear statement jewelry without the weight. I have older clients that come to me often and share that their earlobes are stretched from years of wearing heavy stone jewelry. They usually try my earrings and come back over and over to look at new styles. I mainly have my customers find me at pop-ups and they get to know the person behind the product. The name of my business is “Authentically by Alex,” which I take pride in because I always try to embody my most authentic self even in the business world. It’s easy to put on your customer service voice and plaster on a fake smile but, my business gives me the freedom to make connections with others, more so than anything. I work as a teacher and do my business on the weekends. When my teacher hat is on, I’m usually energizer bunny trying to motivate my students and figure out the next task to do. When I’m making my art and talking to others, I don’t know what the next thing is that is going to pop into my brain. I make the products that make me happy and say the things that I’m thinking about while talking to my customers.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

I am very much a people person and have always and I am an extreme extrovert. I feel the most myself when interacting with others and making sure my product is not just earrings, rings, etc. it’s myself and the person behind the product. Every weekend I’m doing pop ups trying to meet new people. I have specifically been able to do really well at Fells Point Farmers Market which I do every Saturday. I get to have regulars that come by each week to buy a new item or meet someone from Denmark that is visiting their friend in Baltimore. The variety of people in a city is endless and since Baltimore is a destination with so much to do, I have had a ton of success growing my business here.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn was making items that pleased others and not myself. I tried going on the internet and looking for inspiration on other Instagram accounts to make pieces. People would like them but, I thought they were plain and kind of boring. I love the look of stone or flashy colors which if you come to my booth, I have plenty of. I try to pull people in with not only my energy but, I try to stand out amongst the crowd. It is scary to put your art out there and to feel rejected by others but, I’ve had to learn for every 5 people who walk past my booth and keep shopping, five more people come in to put their fourth or fifth pair of earrings on in my booth saying “I can’t wait to see what you have next!” Not everyone is going to like your stuff but, you have to make what YOU want or honestly the art isn’t a reflection of you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AutheticbyAlex
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authentic_by_alex/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/authenticallybyalexclay/

Image Credits
Kaitlyn Jones Photography