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

Jessica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

I’m a big fan of naming businesses after exactly what they are. I create jewelry for surfers, so for me, Surfers Jewelry was an easy choice. I purposely chose a grammatically incorrect spelling because I wanted it to encompass both Surfers’ (all surfers) and Surfer’s (one single surfer). Plus, I thought omitting the apostrophe would save me a lot of hassle and confusion in legal documents.

Jessica, 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 Jessica and I am the founder of Surfers Jewelry, where we make waterproof, tarnish-free, hypoallergenic jewelry backed by a lifetime color guarantee, inspired by the beauty and power of the ocean. I started this brand because I was looking for durable yet dainty jewelry that represented me as a surfer, and I couldn’t find any!

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

I came up with the idea for Surfers Jewelry in July 2024 and jumped in with zero experience in manufacturing. I didn’t know any jewelry manufacturers, so I did what many founders do: I turned to Google. (The version of ChatGPT at the time was not sophisticated enough to deliver results that matched what I could find on my own using Google.)

Even if you’re fluent in Mandarin Chinese like I am, you should Google in English. I’ve learned that factories who invest in an English-language website and SEO are more likely to be experienced in working with Western brands — better communication, more cultural fluency, and a general understanding of international business standards. This is an effective filter for you when selecting your manufacturer.

After identifying three promising factories in China, I assigned each one the same task: produce a sample of my most complex design — the longboarder medallion necklace, which is currently live on my website as part of my launch collection. All three factories had in-house jewelry designers, which saved me from hiring one at the time (though I’ve since learned it’s much more efficient to work with my own designer and hand over completed CADs — and now I always do that).

This selection process cost me $250 per sample, so $750 total. All three manufacturers mailed their sample to my home in LA, and I inspected each piece. In the end, I chose my manufacturer based not just on quality, but also on their customer service, how well they communicated, and how reliable they were. Manufacturing isn’t just about the product — it’s about how they run their business. That’s why it’s important to evaluate your manufacturing partner as a whole — not just the end product. A great product isn’t worth the trouble if you don’t have confidence in working with them long-term, whether it’s because they’re difficult, unreliable, or anything else.

Another piece of advice I always give: attend a trade show as early as you can. The learning curve compresses dramatically when you’re immersed in the industry, even for just a few days – and as a founder in early stages, you want to compress your learning as much and as quickly as you can.

For me, the trade show to be at was the Jewellery & Gem WORLD Hong Kong Conference in September 2024, so that’s where I went. I sat in on panels, met suppliers face-to-face, and got to purchase pearls in person — something no online research could replicate. I also used the opportunity to capture a lot of behind-the-scenes social media content to kickstart my founder story. So the trip served a double purpose: I learned a ton and built out great content for my brand.

While I was in Hong Kong, I took the bullet train to visit my factory in Guangdong. Meeting them in person made a huge difference. It demonstrated that I was serious about my brand — and it gave them a chance to connect with me beyond WhatsApp messages and CAD files. That connection goes a long way. When your factory sees you as a committed, long-term partner — not just another customer — they’re more likely to prioritize you and go the extra mile. That kind of soft capital is powerful.

To summarize, here are a few lessons I’ve learned about manufacturing:

1) Give the same sample task to multiple factories before committing — it’s the clearest way to compare capabilities.

2) If possible, visit your factory in person. It fosters stronger, more collaborative partnerships.

3) Embrace the learning curve. You don’t need to know everything on day one.

4) For jewelry brands: own your design process early — it gives you more creative and operational control.

5) And finally: go to trade shows. They accelerate your learning in a way no research ever could.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think what’s helped build my reputation is that my brand is genuinely rooted in the surf lifestyle it represents. But it’s not just for surfers — the word “Surfer” in Surfers Jewelry carries a few meanings: (1) it reflects the customers who wear the jewelry — people who love the ocean, beach life, or simply feeling connected to the water, whether they surf or not; (2) it speaks to the durability of the pieces — they’re tested and trusted by surfers, which means they’ll hold up for everyday ocean lovers and land dwellers alike; and (3) I’m a surfer myself.

The lifestyle content I share — both on my personal public profile and the Surfers Jewelry account — revolves around surfing. When customers see the jewelry in the ocean, worn while surfing, or styled on a longboarder surfer like me, it builds a sense of trust. This isn’t just a brand inspired by surf culture — it’s built by someone who lives it.

The brand’s story began from something personal: I wanted a longboard necklace that reflected who I was as a surfer girl, and I couldn’t find one. That first design became the seed for Surfers Jewelry, and it’s still part of the launch collection today.

I also started Surfers Jewelry because I wanted to surf more — and make more surf friends. That spirit of connection led me to host monthly surf meetups for female surfers, which has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. Community has always been part of my brand vision.

On a personal level, one of my top love languages is gift-giving — and that naturally shows up in how I treat my customers. Every online order includes a small gift — right now, it’s a travel-sized sunscreen I personally purchased (not sponsored, not gifted — just something thoughtful I bought at wholesale). I want customers to feel like they’re receiving something special, not just a product.

That intention — to give people something meaningful — shows up in the in-person moments too. One that I’ll never forget happened recently at a pop-up with a customer who purchased several pieces, one of which was a pre-order item I would mail to her later. After paying, she shared that she had recently lost her home in the Altadena wildfires and was slowly rebuilding her jewelry collection from scratch. She told me the jewelry bundle she bought from Surfers Jewelry was the first nice thing she had bought for herself since the fire. Her voice started to shake and her eyes welled up — and I instinctively gave her a hug. My eyes welled up too. That pre-order item ended up giving me a chance to include several more jewelry pieces in the package I’ll be mailing her. I don’t know what that hug meant to her, but for me, it was a powerful reminder that jewelry — as small as it is — can carry real weight. It can be a piece of joy, a symbol of healing, or a small way to reclaim your sense of self.

These are the relationships and moments that have shaped the brand’s reputation. It’s not just about surf-inspired jewelry — it’s about showing up with heart, building community, and staying true to where it all started.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.surfersjewelry.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surfers_jewelry
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/surfersjewelry
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/surfers-jewelry/