We were lucky to catch up with Brian and Jessica Henry recently and have shared our conversation below.

Brian and Jessica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Frankly, our life together has been built on taking substantial risks. Against the tide of unwelcome advice, we married young—at 21 and 24. Struggling to find our footing in Southern California, we decided to embark on a backpacking journey across Europe, seeking a broader perspective. Returning months later, we made a bold, immediate move to Texas, with no jobs or prospects.

Brian quickly secured employment, but he encouraged me to follow my creative passions. Having studied business and accounting in California, I was ready to dive back into that field in Texas. In high school, I had a part-time job at a local bead and jewelry supply shop, where I learned the art of crafting beautiful wire and beaded jewelry from some wonderful women. I never stopped making jewelry, so with Brian’s support, I created a store on Etsy and started doing local shows around North Texas.

One day, while browsing a bead supply store in Carrollton, I stumbled upon a set of metal stamps. It was a spontaneous purchase; I hadn’t known such a thing existed before. I envisioned large machines stamping out hand tools or car parts, and at best, I thought it might be fun to stamp my name on something. After experimenting, I created a few metal bracelets and keychains with my favorite words and quotes, listed them on Etsy, and to my surprise, the response was incredible.

Within a year, we made the daring decision to start manufacturing the metal ourselves. Brian quit his job, fully immersing himself in equipping us with the workshop needed to support our growing business. While risks were a significant part of our journey, there’s also a recognition that a touch of luck played its part. Whether stumbling upon those metal stamps or finding unexpected success with our initial Etsy listings, we acknowledge the role that fortunate moments played in shaping Tesoro Jewelry. These risks, coupled with a bit of luck, have not only defined our personal journey but have become the very essence of Tesoro Jewelry, reminding us that success often involves a blend of calculated risks and fortunate twists of fate.

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.

As jewelers who specialize in creating personalized pieces, we put a lot of emphasis on understanding what each customer wants and always aim to exceed their expectations. Some of the projects we’ve really enjoyed involved engraving the handwriting of loved ones. We take the actual handwriting from a note or card and turn it into a font. It’s a bit of work, but the emotional payoff is incredibly rewarding.

Communication is key when working on these special pieces, and we genuinely enjoy listening and problem-solving to bring each person’s vision to life. With a wide range of options available, we recognize the importance of working closely with our customers to make sure the process feels collaborative rather than overwhelming.

Many of our best ideas have come directly from our customers. People approach us with requests, and some of these ideas have turned into our most popular items. Recently, there has been a growing interest from local customers in permanent jewelry pieces, with our hand-stamped customizable charms as a popular choice. In addition to offering the permanent jewelry experience at local markets and pop-ups, we are humbled and excited to be included in many of life’s special moments, such as birthday parties, bridal showers, and anniversaries. Sharing the moment of receiving their special pieces with family and friends adds an extra layer of fun and joy to our work.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

We actually met online (before it was cool and all the apps). A mutual friend said we should talk to each other so we began AIM-ing (who remembers that?!). Our first meet up was at Jessica’s work and as they say, the rest is history.

Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?

We heart Etsy! Our business started and grew on Etsy and is our biggest revenue stream. Etsy has been so awesome in getting our name out there and getting our products in front of customers. Etsy has a lot of tools available for sellers (and buyers) that were not around 10, 15 years ago. It’s been challenging at times to grow with and adapt to them. Discipline, motivation, and consistency is essential to selling on the Etsy platform. The hardest but one of the most vital tasks is staying on top of customer communication.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tesorojewelry.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/tesorojewelry
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/tesorojewelry
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@Tesoro1Jewelry
• Other: https://tesorojewelry.etsy.com