We were lucky to catch up with Gwen Hughes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gwen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

I was a facilitator for a women’s small group at my church. We would meet once a month, and I would always try to give each lady an inexpensive but “thoughtful” gift that expressed my appreciation. Since I handwrite everything, I was able to personalize each gift. One of the gifts prompted one of the ladies to suggest that people would buy what I was giving to them.

After some very clear confirmation that this was going to become a ministry and business, I toyed around with some names. I have been collected heart-shaped items since I was in my early twenties, so one of the group members suggested I name the business From Gwen’s Heart.

Gwen, 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 Gwen Hughes, and I am the artist/President of From Gwen’s Heart. I was given the vision for my business in 2007, after gifting some stones with words of inspiration written on them to a small group I was facilitating. In 2009, I quit my full =-time, bill paying job to pursue my dream of owning a business. I left at the height of the economic downturn with no money in the bank to support the vision. But God!

My merchandise is all one-of-a-kind, with handwritten words of inspiration, quotes and Scriptures. The beautiful thing about what I do is that I can write on almost any surface that is hard, so your wish is usually something I can make come to life! I started out writing exclusively on stones. As my business grew, my media began to morph into something even more beautiful than I could have imagined. I was literally taking what the client envisioned and bringing it to life! I absolutely love what I do, still today.

I am most proud of the fact that even when the orders stopped coming in as frequently as I’d like, I never gave in to the temptation to “go back to work”. This is not a job to me. It is my passion and purpose. The amazing thing about what I do is that it has a domino effect on whoever receives the gift. Generally, the call or text will be, “I received one of your items from a friend and I would like to order some for others!” My “following” is mainly due to word-of-mouth advertising and referrals. I have several people who have been faithful clients for more than ten years!!

The problem I solve for most clients is that they can get a special order created within a few hours or a few days, depending on the complexity of what they want. And having them personalized really adds the touch of there being a lot of thought into choosing the gift! I can make you a hero, if you are a last-minute shopper! My brand is that everything I do is from my heart! There is nothing that I create that does not receive my VERY BEST! If I am not going to do something with excellence, I don’t do it!!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I am a person who never meets a stranger! When I work conferences, pop-ups or other events where I have the opportunity to showcase and sell my merchandise, it is more about me connecting with the people who come to my booth on a relational level rather than as a customer. I have had lengthy conversations with people who don’t purchase anything …THAT DAY! I love to laugh, and I love to listen. Some people just want to be heard, and my one good ear is always open! t There have been occasions where a person will come by my booth and begin to cry because of something they read that touched their heart. With permission, I will pray with them. As a business owner, it is important to remember that we are engaging with people, not money. If you do it right, the money will come1

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I have to learn to be obedient to the vision and not get ahead of myself! There was an occasion about ten years ago and I was preparing for an event. I came up with a GREAT IDEA for a new product!! After toiling and sweating for eight hours non-stop, I stepped back and looked at the fruit of my labor. I was pleased!! And then I heard a voice inside of me that said, “These are nice but what are you going to do with them? This is not part of the plan right now.” And ten years later, I STILL have some of that product on a shelf where I can see it to remind me not to get ahead of the plan. Slow and steady wins the race.

Contact Info:

• Website: Under construction/my original site got hacked
• Instagram: fromgwensheart
• Facebook: From Gwen’s Heart

Image Credits
photo credit: Me