Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jourden Gomes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jourden , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I believe I’m happiest as a business owner, but yes, I do occasionally think about going out and getting a regular job. Every now and then, the days where I am at home all day long, with no one to talk to except my 1 year old, feel endless, and at times, are incredibly lonely. Those days make me wonder what life would be like otherwise. Just a few weeks ago, I was running myself into the ground, working on craft market preparations, because I had booked myself in two pretty major ones and was working around the clock to get things done. I got pretty burnt out, and my husband, Chris, and I contemplated very briefly if I should maybe put my business to the side for a little while and get a part time or full time job. Ultimately, the answer was the same as it always is, absolutely not.
While the stresses of the busy times can get to me, nothing brings me more joy than creating, and doing what I do. My main thought is that, even if I went out and got a job, I would still want that creative outlet when I got home, and on top of that, time with my husband and child would be limited. So, why would I want to jeopardize the wonderful balance that I have already struck? The freedom to be able to make my own schedule, to do what I need to do for my family, and my business, is worth the momentary stress. No job will ever bring me as much fulfillment, because at the end of the day, it is so rewarding to be able to be able to do what I love, all while having the opportunity my little one grow up.

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?

When I was 15 years old, my mom started crocheting. She made all kinds of things. Hats, scarves, blankets, and little dolls for the kids in our church’s Sunday school. I was so intrigued that I decided to take one of her hooks and the closest ball of yarn and got to work. I gave myself the simple task of making a square. One hour of determination later, I held up my work, and my “square” had somehow ended up as a triangle..shaped..thing. Frustrated, I put the yarn and crochet hook away and tossed my project in the unfinished work pile. A few weeks passed, and I was so jealous of the beautiful work that my mom made, and I finally decided that I was not going to let that failure be the end. I Googled “How to Crochet” and watched all of the videos, and read all of the blogs that I could. My research led me to the technique called amigurumi, which is the art of crocheting plushies, and I absolutely loved it. Soon after, I made my very first plushie as a gift for my dad which was a Dwight Schrute from The Office, which he still has to this day.

The past couple of years has been huge for my business. Social media has been such an essential tool in helping to get my name out there and allowing so many opportunities to reach people who otherwise would never have known about me. Though my style and goals have changed over the years, my main objective has always been to create comforting items for my customers. While the majority of these creations have been plushies, I also crochet the occasional blanket, or comfy wearable item. I believe that a distinguishing aspect of my business, that I am proud to offer, is the ability to take an idea or a vision that someone has, and work with them to bring it to life in a way that makes them as happy as possible. As someone who puts a lot of thought and care into my work, I strive for perfection every time I take on a task. Since the start, I have created thousands of custom pieces for people all around the world! I like to think that a piece of me is with each of these items, and that they bring joy to the people who received them.
I am so happy for the decision I made years ago to pick up that hook again and persevere. I am so thankful for the opportunities presented to me to share my work. The chances I’ve been given to create something that is special and personal for my customers has changed my life.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media is such a finnicky thing to work with. When I was first starting out my business, I was so intimidated by the thought of social media. Back in 2020, at the advice of another larger creator, I joined Twitter and got plugged into the artist community there. Before that, I had no idea that Twitter would be so beneficial to my business, but after a while, it ended up being the main source of my customer base. Since then, my focus has switched to growing my presence on Instagram, which still proves to be difficult, but knowing your target audience, and how to cater to them, is one of the most important things to remember when trying to grow your reach. The most helpful advice I’ve received, that I always pass along is: Be consistent, connect with your followers, and make sure you’re taking and posting quality photos, especially if you are posting products.

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

I started out using Etsy, which was huge for me as a new businessowner and I will always recommend to anyone who is wanting to sell their items and doesn’t know where to start.
After I crafted an audience for myself through social media and began to have more customers coming from there, I moved to building a website through Shopify. Other than the few crochet patterns that I have for sale, which are listed on Etsy as well, I sell exclusively through my website. While I don’t have much personal knowledge about other e-Commerce sites that are out there, I will always recommend Shopify. They have a phone app that is easy to navigate and tons of specific Shopify apps that can be used to personalize the look and functionality of your site. There are a lot of pros, but in my opinion the main ones are the personalization and ease of use. As far as cons, the only one I can think of is price. I do believe that it is a little bit more costly than other options that are available, but it is worth it for me and my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://amethystcrochet.com
• Instagram: @amethystcrochet
• Facebook: Amethyst Crochet
• Twitter: @amethystcrochet