We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Emily Rivera. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Emily below.

Emily , appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

It was October 2019, I’m a military spouse and like many other families that serve, it was time for another move. I was planning a farewell party with friends and while searching for ideas, I came across a video on how to make polymer clay earrings. I thought this would be a great activity to share with the group while each of us could take home a pair as a token of our friendship. I went shopping and gathered all the materials I needed and made a test batch. The results were amazing! My friends were in shock. So shocked that they ended up wanting to buy every single pair from me and not create their own as I intended with the activity. That reaction and support sparked in me the idea of a potential business opportunity. Arriving in California I was aware of the time it was going to take me to find a teaching job in a new city, obtain license from a new state all with a looming pandemic in the horizon. So, it came naturally, it was a way for me to express my creativity and at the same time help provide for my family and serve as an example for my daughters.

Emily , 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 journey with Inspirations Lenara started with an act of kindness. A way of creating memories with friends I didn’t know if I’d ever see again. Although not everything went according to plan, the situation brought me to discover a hidden talent I didn’t realize I had. I fell in love with the process of creating wearable art. I make polymer clay earrings utilizing a variety of techniques, designing original styles all while sourcing the highest quality materials. This way my clients will have a long lasting statement piece that they can use to level up any outfit or make the perfect gift.
Some of the things that I do that my clients really appreciate is the flexibility I provide while allowing them to customize an earring to fit their needs. From a specific color to match an outfit, shape to contour their specific face profile, among other fun orders I’ve received like a matching girls night out set, or birthday party themed earrings. I am grateful that my clients have trusted me with these projects while allowing my business to grow and evolve into what it’s become today.
I take most pride in my attention to detail. I like to create a variety of styles to make anyone in a wide age spectrum to stand out and get compliments. Allowing myself to follow my passion and staying outside of the comfort zone has been my driving force behind the success of my small business.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I stay active mostly on my social media Instagram and Facebook. I try to post engaging content once or twice a week. I hold Facebook live sessions two times a month to present new creations and collections for the season, or do promotion specials for my loyal customer base. I’ve also been invited to several art and makers markets where I set up shop around the greater San Diego area.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

I decided that using Etsy would be the more convenient way to sell my product. Some of the pros are that I could automate my listings, and the cost allows me to allocate a larger percentage of my budget towards advertising. Additionally, it allows my customers to provide feedback via the reviews section which I always read and take very seriously. My experience so far with the platform has been overall positive, the only con would be the additional fees charged by the service, which tend to cut into the profit margin. I do my best to not pass along that cost onto the consumer, but its the nature of business to walk that fine line.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.etsy.com/shop/Inspirationslenara
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/inspirationslenara?igshid=OGQ2MjdiOTE=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inspirationslenara