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

Jacque, 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?

My name is Jacque (pronounced like Jackie). Before starting my jewelry business, my best friend and my now husband started calling me Jaxs. The name caught on, and soon everyone was calling me that. When it came to figuring out a name for my business, I knew I wanted to go with something simple. That’s when I thought of Jaxs Jewels. It’s straightforward and lets potential customers know what my product is just from the name.

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?

Five years ago, I discovered my passion for jewelry making. It started with a birthday gift from my husband, who signed me up for a jewelry-making class. Since then, I have been enamored with the process. I attended the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), where I studied computer-aided design. I love how versatile CAD software can be. The software allows me to create almost anything from my computer, although I mostly focus on engagement rings. Since then, I have been able to work individually with many clients using this method of craftsmanship. I would say my style leans towards simplistic designs that highlight the organic and natural elements of a piece. I take pride in being transparent and providing my clients with the necessary information to help them make informed decisions that best suit their situation. In my experience, working for other jewelry companies, I have observed that the industry sometimes can be misleading to their customers.
If there is anything I have learned, it’s that jewelry is oftentimes much more sentimental than we think. There is usually a story behind every piece that is accompanied by memories. I feel very honored to be included in the process of creating such priceless memories.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

I am pleasantly surprised at how much my client list has grown in the last year, mostly due to positive word-of-mouth referrals. However, I am content with being a small business in a large market because it allows me to focus more on providing my customers with personalized attention. I am a part of every step when creating a piece. I value this to be important because it ensures only the best quality. I have always felt that your reputation is everything, so I strive to provide my customers with only the best. My goal for the future is to expand my business solely based on excellent reviews from satisfied customers.

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

I use Etsy as my main e-commerce platform for my standard inventory. All of the jewelry listed on Etsy is available to the public and is not exclusive to any, one client. I created this line with the intention of pairing items with my higher-end, custom jewelry designs. In conjunction with the Jaxs Jewels Etsy shop, I’ve created jaxsjewels.com as a separate engine to showcase and design all of my custom, high-end jewelry. If my clients have a request for custom Jaxs Jewels jewelry, this is the best way to get in touch for additional details.

Etsy Pros: Etsy makes it easy to reach new customers without investing heavily in marketing. Etsy also has a very low barrier of entry, which makes setup cost-effective. This allows me to focus more on my clients and their custom pieces versus the inventory that I keep in stock.

Etsy Cons: Without “high sales volume”, Etsy can make it difficult to reach a broader audience. In some ways, Etsy’s pros are also cons. With a low barrier of entry, this creates a larger pool of competition, which creates a tougher marketplace as a whole.

Eventually, Jaxs Jewels will be only available via jaxsjewels.com, however in the meantime I want to continue to grow my brand and exposure through Etsy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jaxsjewels.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaxsjewelsco/
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/JAXSJewelsCo