We recently connected with Jessica Tremblay and have shared our conversation below.

Jessica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I’m incredibly lucky to be surrounded by so many smart, driven creatives who are passionate about their work and what they do. These are friends who own small businesses and love being their own bosses. It’s no mistake how that passion rubbed off on me to the point where I would eventually start my own business.

I definitely had my doubts in the beginning and threw every excuse in the book – “I won’t have the time.” “I want to make sure it’s done exactly right.” “What if I mess up and make a customer angry?” “What if they don’t like my stuff?” But, thanks to my supportive network of friends and family, those self doubts were almost immediately squashed. Josie and Pearl, my small craft and cat lady business was born!

The craft that was my initial go-to was polymer clay and handmade jewelry. I’ve always had an eye for design, and in combination with my art background, clay is such a fun medium to put my skills to the test. My good friend Dallas and I had many craft nights prototyping and trying out different techniques. Not only did I get to spend time with Dallas, but I also made some cool stuff with my hands. As someone who stares at a computer for most of the day, this was such a nice break from my normal routine!

I love working as my own boss, but I wanted to find a way to bring my mom into the business as well. We’re both craft ladies (and cat ladies!) in our own right, and my mother is an excellent seamstress. So while I specialize in jewelry and beading, my creative mother, Cathy, sews handmade cat kickers and crochets other fabulous cat-themed goods. We even grow our own catnip to dry out and infuse into the toys. If you ever have the opportunity to see Josie and Pearl out in the wild at a market, Mom will definitely ask you if you have a cat and strike up a conversation. She’s got “the gift of gab,” and she says.

I’m absolutely loving this new adventure my mom and I are on, and we get to meet so many fantastic locals and work alongside other creators. We wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the support from fine folks like Chris from Kaiju Cut and Sew who helped initiate us into the market scene, or Emlyn from Solid Soaps who gives us the download on what to do / not to do during markets.

I’m proud of myself for taking the leap of faith and going for it. Never in a million years would I have thought this was something I’d be doing, and mom and I are excited to see what we come up with next! Come stop by a local market we’re vending at and ask us about our cats!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

At Josie and Pearl, we specialize in handcrafted polymer clay jewelry but also dabble in other crafts. The business is owned by me, Jessica Tremblay, but I partner alongside my mom, Cathy Tremblay, who makes handmade cat toys and other cat-themed crafts. We both enjoy the creative process of making our inventory by hand, but also love getting out there in the community and selling alongside other creatives!

Right now, we mostly sell at in-person markets in the Austin, TX area but are in the process of beefing up our online presence. See something you like? Message us on Instagram, and we can work something out!

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

If there is something I’ve learned since starting Josie and Pearl, it’s that you won’t appeal to everyone and especially right as you start out. With jewelry, people’s tastes are different. Some folks might love the big, chunky, bright earrings and others prefer small pops of color. So when growing new clientele, the best way I’ve found is to ask around with other friends and family and even on social, “why does this appeal to you? Anything you’d like to see different that would convince you to purchase?” Doing the research to understand your customers led us to create different product types and to try new things out! Plus, that’s the fun, creative part.

Another thing we do is to attend different markets throughout the Austin area to see where our niche craft and cat lady products do best. We know not everyone is a cat person, so there are specific markets that we do better at as a niche business. Everything is a prototype! Some markets have been a total bust, but some we do great at. We make sure our socials are up to date with the latest market locations, and we promote new products that debut at certain markets too to draw in new crowds. But it’s all about experimenting, but at the same time staying true to you and your brand.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

While Josie and Pearl is relatively new to the scene, as a designer, I’ve built a network of creatives and makers over my 20+ years in Austin, TX. I’ve learned over the years that our industry is ever-changing and you need to keep up the hustle of meeting new folks and to see what is trending and selling.

The best part about the Austin scene is how incredibly kind and helpful our community is. We can lean on each other for feedback and support, and I am not shy about asking for help when I need it. So I’ve learned what works, what doesn’t, and I prototype whatever I can. I ensure my products are high quality, and also make sure my branding, photography and social accounts are super polished. I show that I put in the work, but not just take from the community. I share my own experience with other makers to give back to the community.

So make sure to network, ask questions, listen, and give back in return. That will show you are a good sport and willing to help out.

Contact Info:

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