We recently connected with Daniele Klien and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Daniele thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

I started my small business during the Covid-19 Pandemic lockdown. While my corporate background / career is in Risk Management & Corporate Insurance, ,my passion has always been in the arts, so I began making handcrafted jewelry as a form of self care, while both my husband and I were working from home with a new infant daughter, and a son who would have to start kindergarten remotely.

At the time, I did not expect what I viewed as a relaxing hobby to become a business, but once interest grew and I made the decision to register my business so I could sell my creations, I decided I would name the business after my children, as this is something I would love to involve them in as they grow older. My son’s name is Tristan Joseph, and my daughter’s is Ellie Anne. This is how the name “Anne X Joseph” came about.

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.

I was born in Georgetown, Guyana (South America), and migrated to the US at age 16, where I spent most of my life growing up in New York. I attended St. John’s University, where I studied Finance. My passion has always been in the arts and design, however, I took the more practical approach to my education, which led to a fulfilling 20 year career in the industry.

My husband and I just celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary, and we are blessed with an 8 year old son, and a 3 year old daughter. Due to my husband’s job, we have been living an expat life for the past 7 years, moving from New York to Trinidad & Tobago, back to the US for a year during the pandemic, then off to the Cayman Islands, and now Ghana, West Africa. It has been a beautiful journey, experiencing new cultures, and giving our children the chance to do so as well.

Most of our family remains in New York, so that will always be our home base, but we are enjoying our current journey. The beauty of my business is that I create each piece that I sell, so I can operate from anywhere in the world, and I offer worldwide shipping.

I have always been into high quality fashion and accessories, and one of the driving forces behind my designs is sustainability. I spent months researching sources for the hardware I use to create my pieces, and through some trial and error, I am confident in the source and quality of the gold-filled chains, freshwater pearls, crystals, etc, which I use to make my jewelry. My goal is to create luxurious pieces at a reasonable price point, which, if properly cared for, will last a lifetime. Additionally, when I come across pre-loved vintage pieces of jewelry or hardware, I enjoy creating upcycled pieces.

My brand has grown at an incredible yet comfortable pace over the past 2 1/2 years, and I am proud of what I have been able to achieve in such a short period of time. While we are primarily online, we now have collections on display and for sale in both London and New York City. The ultimate goal is to continue to grow at a pace which allows me time to design and create quality pieces while continuing to provide the best customer service to my loyal client base.

I have recently grown my team by hiring a Marketing & Operations Manager, and with her valued support, there is a lot of excitement for the future growth of Anne X Joseph.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Providing consistent, quality customer service is key. The beauty of my pieces may attract a new customer, but the attention to detail I provide and level of communicating during the creation process, the care I put into packaging and shipping the final product, and the follow through matters. If there is ever a defect with a product, I am always willing to work with my customer toward a mutually acceptable solution. Not only does this build trust, it turns new customers into repeat customers, who are also happy to share about brand with their friends and family.

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

When I began my business, I used Etsy. It is a great platform for small business who want to expand their online reach but wo may not have their own website.

After a few months of selling on Etsy, I moved to my own website. This gave me much more control over the content, design, layout, etc, and cut out the fees charged by third party platforms. Once you are able to afford it, I would always recommend selling via your own website.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.annexjoseph.com
• Instagram: @annexjoseph

Image Credits
Mariya Nicole Duque Quarshire Myron Abbey Ocean-Marie Hall