We were lucky to catch up with Emily Reed recently and have shared our conversation below.

Emily, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

After a string of abusive bosses, I had finally had enough. I wanted to build something that was entirely of my own creation and that no one could take from me. I wanted to see a more direct correlation to my results—monetarily and objectively. There’s nothing more tangible than dreaming up a new design, putting in the work to bring it into reality, and selling it directly to a customer at a market. I am finally in control of the whole process, from start to finish.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was laid off from my journalism job during the Covid-19 pandemic and was offered free classes at my local community college, so I signed up for a Jewelry course. Soon, my weeks were centered around going to class and soaking in as much knowledge as I could. I started making jewelry for friends and family and made the leap of starting my business in November of 2022.

My work focuses on providing elevated everyday essentials—meant to walk with you through every phase of life. In a world of chaos, I hope to remind you to cherish simplicity. I work with recycled materials whenever possible and utilize my own metal scraps to melt down and give them new life.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think humans get so stuck in their way of life or thinking—the monotony of the 9-5 grind teaches us to put our heads down, put ourselves second, and plan for retirement. I’ve had friends and family say things like “I could never work for myself, you’re so lucky” or “It’s so nice you have so much freedom” like I’ve unlocked some secret back door to hacking life. Here’s the real secret: no one knows anything about anything. Most people are making it up as they go along, it’s also their first time being a human. Once you get comfortable being uncomfortable, life becomes a lot more free.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I’m a dreamer at my core. Owning my own business allows me to chase those dreams unchained by corporate structuring or bulky chains of command. I have an idea and I get to explore it wildly and brashly. I take a design to market and I get immediate feedback from customers on what’s working and what needs more development time. I love being so close to the whole process.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emilyreedjewelry.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyreedjewelry

Image Credits
Alexandra Cancro