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

Kate, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

The mission for Kate and Mae is to inspire girls to shine their light. We believe shining your light means using your God-given gifts to bring light into the world. Not only does our mission make up all aspects of our brand but it is something Madelyn and I are so passionate about. To reach the goal of our mission we have implemented programs and activities into our pop-up events and company. Our Ambassadors Program, social media pages, and blog are ways we have inspired. Looking at all our social platforms you may have noticed that 60% of our content is about shining your light, the content is not only made by Madelyn and me but also by ambassadors and collaboration with influencers. The mission has inspired many girls to join our ambassadors’ program or add some form of “shine your light” to their Instagram bio. We have hosted events such as a Bracelet Making Party to share our shining mission with girls who need a positive reminder. Pop-up events are one of our favorite ways to share our mission, we get to interact with customers and share the mission whether it starts with picking out a charm necklace with a 4-year-old or helping a Mom pick a matching piece for her and her daughter to how our products can be a positive reminder to shine. Our products symbolize shining with bracelets beaded with the word “shine”, so many star designs and jewelry tags on the majority of our products remind the wearer to shine their light. Our mission encourages so many people to support our brand, our mission is the reason we run Kate and Mae and why it makes all of our hard work worth it.

Kate, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Kate Parsons and I am a Co-Founder of Kate and Mae. Kate and Mae is a jewelry company with a mission to inspire girls to shine their light. I founded this company with my younger sister Madelyn in July 2020 at the young ages of 14 and 9. I felt called to start a business and once seeing pearls at a craft store I knew it had to be jewelry; Madelyn wanted in, so it was Kate and Mae. Both of us grew up obsessed with all things fashion and started many “businesses” at home since we could remember: a coffee shop, hotel, book store, and hair salon. You name it we most likely made a pretend one at home and it like most was likely called Kate and Mae. At Kate and Mae, we offer a variety of products for girls and women of all ages. Charms is our girl’s collection. The line includes colorful chain necklaces and cute charms parents remember having as a kid, but they are as sophisticated as children’s jewels go, pastel, and make girls feel like princesses. Couture is a collection made for moms and daughters with Freshwater Pearls and 24k Gold, timeless pieces. The classy collection including bracelets and rings was made for special occasions and daily wear, dress it up or down the quality goes with everything. We also carry 24k earrings and necklaces as well as jewelry cases, surprise boxes, and the fan-favorite Bracelet Making Kit. Not only does Kate and Mae offer high-end products at an affordable price but the jewelry was made for girls by girls with a big mission in mind. Our goal at Kate and Mae is to inspire girls to shine their light in all we do. The mission is the reason for our brand: why we donate a portion of all proceeds every month to a chosen charity, why we have and how we run our ambassadors program, and how we run our social media pages. At the end of the day, our mission will be more important than a sale. It is what keeps customers supporting the brand and what makes the biggest difference in the world.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

One of my favorite marketing/sales stories has to be the making of ambassadors, The program was born in the Fall of 2020 as a marketing strategy but over a year’s time the program is one of the proudest moves I have ever made for the brand. Ambassadors are girls from all over the world that apply to the program and are accepted. These girls come from varying backgrounds yet they all have one thing in common: they shine their light. Our Ambassadors are all strong leaders in their communities for positivity and kindness; they use their platforms on and off social media to spread our brand image and inspire other girls to shine their light. Ambassadors have the opportunity to be part of our social media platform. Not only do the girls re-post content and are cheerleaders in the comment section but they have the chance to be a part of content creation. Girls can do an Instagram Take-Over and show how they shine their light throughout the day and/or make a post that inspires girls to shine their light. I have had the pleasure to work with these amazing girls online and at in-person events like our photoshoot. Our photoshoot combined the talents of upcoming artists and our ambassadors all working for one mission. It was a honar to work with the girls, cheer them on, and see them shine. The way the ambassadors’ program was created allows girls to interact and build friendships with other amazing girls across the globe. I know just how excited the girls are to be part of the program and it has been a true honor to have them as part of our team; we couldn’t run the company without their support.

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

Our brand has built our reputation within our market immensely. We are constantly attending events from farmer’s markets to festivals we keep our brand and mission in mind. The same brand customers see on social media is the same brand they see at events, answering their emails, and when opening their orders. The consistency of our branding and execution of our mission has built recognition more than any other marketing tactic. It is refreshing to see customers from one event at another event telling us just how inspiring their last visit was and how much their family member loved their charm necklace from us. At all our events thank you cards are included in purchases with links to our website and words of encouragement and inspiration. Once a customer visits our website they can see our blog, how to shine as bright as your jewelry hub. How we interact with our customers in person is the same way we interact on our social media page and illustrates our brand messaging on our website. I believe that we truly live out our brand image and mission in every aspect of our company because we have built a positive reputation in our market that keeps customers’ support.

Contact Info:

• Website: kateandmae.com
• Instagram: @kate.and.mae
• Facebook: @kate.and.mae
• Other: Pinterest:@kateandmae Tiktok:@kate.and.mae

Image Credits
Ambassadors & Kate and Mae holding sign with white studio space- Avery Jerina Photo