We were lucky to catch up with Elissa Nation recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Elissa , thanks for joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

A Nation’s Charm is very special to me because I feel it is connected to who I believe I am as a person. The simplest answer I can give is my last name. My business is attached to my legacy, my family name. Throughout my life, many people would tell me that my name was cool, and I hoped to see it attached to something amazing one day, but I didn’t want to wait until I had a degree or some accolade to define me. I created it with faith that a Nation could be a household name. On the other hand, A Nation’s Charm is meant to reflect and showcase who I am as a creative. I hope to be a lawyer one day, but more than anything, I love to create. Whether those creations come in the form of singing, songwriting, crocheting, drawing, jewelry making, poetry, or whatever it may be, I have an outlet that makes room for creativity to thrive. The “charm”comes from within in my opinion. It was one thing for me to be smart, but with creativity breeds innovation. A Nation’s Charm was created at a pivotal point in my life where I had to figure out who I wanted to be, or rather prepare for college admissions and declare what area of study I’d pursue that aligned with that of most success. I picked Political Science because I knew three things for certain (1) I was smart,(2) I enjoyed writing, and (3) I’d make a great lawyer one day. However, I didn’t want to let go of the creator. A Nation’s Charm has allowed me to hold on to my creativity in a beautiful way. Why choose when I could make space for both?

Elissa , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Elissa Nation, and I am a recent graduate of The University of Alabama with a B.A. in Political Science, and a Master of Public Administration. I know, very off topic right? I am also a creator. I founded A Nation’s Charm in 2018, before graduating high school, with a passion to create accessories filled with memories and meaning. Adding my personal touch inspired me to incorporate more handpicked items that leave customers feeling loved, valued, and beautiful. I found that college women find themselves in a variety of settings. From business professional to trendy casual looks, A Nation’s Charm understands the value of having a little bit of everything. We offer accessories to fit a variety of occasions and styles. “A simple charm can go a long way” is a slogan that I believe empowers people to embrace their natural charm and highlights the company’s primary focus. Never lose sight of the personal charm you have as an individual. A Nation’s Charm aims to add something to every style with plenty of options just in case you’re not sure.

I have been most proud of my perseverance and grace with my company, especially when I’m tackling multiple dreams at once. I know that A Nation’s Charm will always be mine because I created it, and in that comes so much freedom to crawl, walk, and run proudly as I move to grow my business. Less pressure, more peace..

Have you ever had to pivot?

Honestly, I’m always pivoting. I created A Nation’s Charm in high school, so I have changed so much within my business model, and I know I will change more. I find joy in the brand discovery process because I am able to build upon my why with wisdom, experience, and collaboration teaching me more about the direction of A Nation’s Charm and the overarching story behind it. The story of my brand at year 5 will look much different than year 50, and I have embraced that truth. A mentor of mine by the name of Gina Simpson helped me develop my brand, but more importantly, she questioned all of my decisions. Not because she didn’t trust me, but rather because she wanted me to trust myself and confidently push those ideas that aligned with my brand and trash the ones that I couldn’t clearly explain. She said to me, “Life is hard; change your approach.” I immediately wanted to start over, but I soon realized that there was power in the pivot. I didn’t have to throw it all away, but rather adjust and shift as needed. Balancing college, extracurricular activities, and volunteering challenged me to pivot from the start, but doing so intentionally within my business was just as important.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built my audience on social media with the help of my village. I received so much support from friends, family, mentors, classmates, coworkers, etc. These individuals constantly share their love for the brand via social media and word-of-mouth. Some of whom supported my business before it began because of genuine faith in its potential, while others supported because their friend showed them my new crochet hat. Either way, I’m always so grateful for our support system. There is so much power in the tongue and connecting with your audience in a positive way helps them share your story in that same fashion. I will say maintaining your audience is much easier than increasing your engagement, which comes with consistency, creativity, and collaboration. I have always served as the face of my brand, so I make a habit of using my personal platform to promote my business on social media. As we have moved towards the influencer/creator culture, I would encourage adding brand ambassadors and marketing teams to platforms to help increase traffic on a more organized and consistent basis. A Nation’s Charm will be moving forward with ambassador applications in the near future, which I am extremely excited about!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.anationscharm.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/anationscharm
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elissa-nation

Image Credits
Cameryn Robertson (3/9 photos)