We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Deidra McNish-Brown. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Deidra below.

Deidra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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?

My business – D’s Delights – is a handmade jewelry business. When I was first starting out and trying to figure things out, I was full of self doubt and that’s mainly how the name came about. I had so many internal arguments, LOL. I wasn’t sure if I should actually pursue the jewelry business or if I should make a business out of selling my homemade cakes. I also wanted a name that connected the business to me but wasn’t all about me. I decided to use my first initial – D – and then come up with something from there. I also decided to come up with a business name that could be used for either industry, just in case. I picked the word delights because it worked with “D” and both homemade cakes and handmade jewelry could delight customers/clients.

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.

Like many small businesses, D’s Delights was started in the midst of the Covid 19 pandemic. What’s different about our start is that I was working two jobs at the time – my 9 to 5 as a Clinical Analyst and as a Labor and Delivery RN on Friday and Saturday nights. I was tired and overwhelmed but I felt that I had to keep going.

The idea to start making jewelry came to me at 2am while I was at work. I didn’t understand why I felt compelled to take on a new thing but it felt right so I pursued it. I ordered some supplies based on my Google searches and taught myself how to make stretch bracelets. I would make bracelets on my bedroom floor during the few hours I was at home and I would sell to my coworkers.

In 2021 I decided that I wanted and needed to spread out so I started doing small pop up shops here in Brooklyn. After a few months, I set the goal to start expanding into bigger markets in 2022. I look at everything as a learning experience, so I reflect on each event and make necessary adjustments and improvements. I continue to strive to do better and be better.

The D’s Delights tagline is “handmade jewelry designed to capture your style and bring you joy.” I create pieces that stand out. I don’t want to create cookie cutter pieces that can be found any and everywhere. I love to work with color and texture. I work mainly with semiprecious gemstone beads and African recycled glass – the more vibrant the colors, patterns, and details, the better. I have definitely stepped my game up from those early days shopping at craft stores. I now source my materials from reputable vendors across the U.S., Canada, Ghana, and India.

When it comes to my style, I don’t adhere to one particular style. I believe there are a lot of people that are the same and that is the approach I take when creating. Most important for me is creating pieces that my clients connect with. I want my clients to feel seen and understood. When they see a pair of earrings, a bracelet and/or a necklace and feel instantly drawn to them, I am elated! Whether it’s a pair of hand painted wood earrings or an ornate necklace, I pour my all into creating each piece and nothing feels better than seeing the joy my pieces bringing to someone.

I think it is important to let people know that I was never encouraged to embrace my creative side. I knew nothing about running a business when I started. Also, I have always been a very shy and reserved person. Having this business has been a journey in finding my creative voice, learning what motivates me, and coming out of my comfort zone to connect with others. As I grow my business, I am also growing as a person. I openly share my experiences so that my current and potential audience and clients see that all things are possible. Others might not understand your journey, it might not be easy, you might feel unprepared, you might even want to quit; however, if you make up your mind about what you want to do, continue to work towards your goals.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I’ll start by saying that I am still building my audience. It took a lot of work for me to feel okay with being present on social media. As I said, I’ve always been a shy and reserved person. I am always wondering if people actually want me around or if they’re just tolerating me. I was letting those feelings keep me away from posting on social media. I was not happy about my nonexistent audience and after spending time over a few months watching other people on IG live, I realized that I had to get over myself. I made up my mind to start going live and I announced via IG and my email newsletter that I would go live weekly. I started to get more engagement from current followers and I grew followers. I then started to post reels more frequently and experienced noticeable growth since doing so. I remain true to myself and my business, sharing my experiences and insight. I steadily receive positive feedback from my audience.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

I made the choice to invest in videography for my business because I wanted people to see my creations on people, in movement, creating a vibe. I knew that I was growing and offering better pieces but I wasn’t equipped to present them in the best light to draw in an audience. I wanted and needed to enlist the skills of others to show my growth, my range. It was necessary for my growth. It was a big investment and I was extremely nervous about it but it was the decision I needed to make. I improved my brand’s visibility, I claimed my brand’s space, and I served as inspiration to other creatives.

Unfortunately, I am not currently able to maintain making that great of an investment. I had to make the difficult but necessary decision to scale back on videography services while I continue to strengthen my process and my product offerings. That was yet another lesson I’ve learned while on my journey – being honest about what I can and cannot handle. As a result, I have put even more effort into making myself and my brand more visible on a daily basis via posts, stories, reels that I make myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.DsDelightsBKLYN.com
• Instagram: @dsdelightsbklyn
• Facebook: D’s Delights BKLYN

Image Credits
Photo 1: IllFLIX Photo 2: Doer Productions