We were lucky to catch up with Apple Grace recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Apple Grace thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the best thing you’ve ever seen (or done yourself) to show a customer that you appreciate them?

Customers are more than customers to me. I had a pop-up location in Soho, NY for a few years and connecting with my customers in person was the most gratifying experience. I’ve connected with so many special people from all over the world. They’d come in and tell me their life stories, accompanied with laughter and sometimes tears (mostly from me). And from those shared life experiences, I’ve designed and created countless personalized pieces of jewelry. Whether it be a necklace for a brand new mother who failed to conceive after several rounds of Ivf, or a granddaughter who wanted to honor her late grandmother by wearing her name on her wrist everyday, these personalized designs were all created out of love for someone. I’ve stayed connected and even became friends with some of my customers. And I’ve let them know that if I can be a source of help or a smile, even in the smallest way, I am here for them.

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 Apple Grace and I’m a creative/jewelry artist. Creativity is my ‘religion’, therefore I’ve dabbled a lot in the artistic world–professional dance, screenwriting, and jewelry design. I’m currently a full-time handmade jewelry artist and work for myself/my small business. What I offer to the world are unique pieces handmade with lots of love, thought, passion, and meaning. A lot of my designs are deeply inspired by nature and themed with the word “love” because it’s my own little way of spreading love to others. I especially enjoy working one-on-one with customers/clients to create personalized and custom-made designs for themselves or a loved one. In my years of creating and designing, I actually invented and patented a line of leather bracelet accessories for cellphones. It had a small successful run until a personal tragedy prevented me from further fulfilling its growing demand at the time. Nevertheless, I’m pretty proud of myself for that very small accomplishment. As an entrepreneur, it’s so important to pat yourself on the back for every little thing, big or small.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I created and designed a line of leather bracelets that held flip cellphones back when those were in style. It all started when I made one for myself just for the sake of being able to easily access my phone while I ran my errands around NYC. I got so much attention for it and next thing I knew, I had a patent lawyer and a prominent cellphone company wanting to license my products. I was a professional dancer at the time, so I was able to get them in the hands of some celebrities, magazines and even celebrity gift baskets. But in the midst of its growing potential, my mother had a stroke and was hospitalized for months in the Philippines, where my family and I flew back and forth to stay with her. And then she was gone…we lost her. And my passion and will to do anything disappeared as well. I fell into a deep depression and didn’t work for months after losing my mother. I eventually had to force myself to get back to life again because I knew that’s what my mother would’ve wanted. And deep down, I wanted that too. So I tried to pick up the pieces from where I left off and started creating again, which is what makes me feel most alive. I eventually went on to have a pop-up shop in Soho, NYC for a few very good (but challenging) years. In my heart, I know that my mother was with me every step of the way and still is.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

It has not been an easy journey. Dancing was extremely hard to maintain and screenwriting was difficult to break into. And as far as being a jewelry designer, there were several times I had to freelance with other jewelry companies in order to support myself and my craft. Having a small location in Soho, NYC for several years was amazing and I loved connecting with the people who truly connected and appreciated my work. But it was also very expensive. I was paying two rents and the shop was more expensive than my home rent. Ultimately, I decided to try online business instead. I currently have my own website along with FB/Instagram shops and also Amazon Handmade. Maybe one day I’ll go back to having a physical location again. But for now, online is the main source and home for my jewelry (and other works). Crossing my fingers… Dance was my very first love, so I will always be a dancer at heart (and at parties!). As far as writing, I know in my heart that I’ll pursue it again. As long as I can continue being creative and sharing it in a way that positively affects others, then I’ll always feel purposeful with my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://applegracedesigns.com
• Instagram: applegracedesigns
• Facebook: applegracedesignsshop
• Other: Amazon Handmade/AppleGraceDesigns