We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carter Eve. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carter below.
Hi Carter, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump right into the heart of things. Outsiders often think businesses or industries have much larger profit margins than they actually do – the reason is that outsiders are often unaware of the biggest challenges to profitability in various industries – what’s the biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?
The biggest challenge to profitability in my industry are rising cost of materials (specifically gold) and rising labor costs. I make all of my jewelry here in LA, and with the rents continuing to rise, the cost of labor has also risen. It is tough to compete with jewelry companies that are manufacturing overseas, however I think it’s important to maintain an excellent level of craftsmanship and quality in each and every piece I make, so I would not go that route even though there are most certainly higher profit margins.
Carter, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a fine jewelry designer who specializes in custom engagement rings and custom wedding bands! I also design a line of fine jewelry that can be viewed on my website www.carterevejewelry.com. My fine jewelry line can be found in retail stores in NY, CT, GA and CA.
I love designing and making custom jewelry pieces! It’s so special to be a part of the process of bringing my clients visions to life, and creating pieces that commemorate such an important milestone in people’s lives.
I started making jewelry in high school, and after that received my BFA in Jewelry + Objects from Savannah College of Art and Design. I have continued to hone my craft all of these years and I just love working with precious metals and gemstones. It is important that my pieces are made to last for generations to come, that they are future heirlooms.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
I first launched my fine jewelry line/business in 2013, after graduating from college. I was commissioned to create a custom wedding band set with sound waves engraved right after starting on my own business which was so exciting and motivating! However, I quickly realized that the work coming in from clients wasn’t enough to sustain me in a full-time capacity. So I worked for other companies as a jewelry designer until 2016 when I ventured out on my own again. At that point I had an office and I designed an entire new collection, professionally photographed my pieces and created a website. But after the “launch” I once again found myself in a position where I had to get a full time job and work for other companies as a jewelry designer and creative director. I continued to build on my line and company on the side though. Finally, in 2020, I decided to just go for it. I figured if it didn’t work out I could always get another job. And I actually did take another job in 2022 for a brief period. I was so busy with my business at that point in time that it almost felt like I was afraid to do it full time, like it was really the fear that was holding me back more than anything else. I am so proud that I have been working full time on my business since the summer of 2022 and it has been been able to keep going and growing. I am so grateful that I never gave up.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I built my audience on social media by posting consistently and for years. There were times when it felt like, “What is the point? No one is seeing my content.” However, there have been clients of mine that reference something they saw on my social media and I realize that it actually is working! The biggest advice I can give is to post consistently, and to show your personality. Also, it’s good to try many different social platforms to see where you are getting the most visibility. That way, you can find your niche.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://carterevejewelry.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carterevejewelry/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carterevejewelry
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carter-eve-27968158/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarterEveJewels
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz4mbNogxc9yp7bnVeyf9ww
Image Credits
Lauren Alexandra Grant Puckett