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

Koya, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Growing up with such a unique name as Shakoya, was challenging to say the least. With people constantly mispronouncing, misspelling my name, etc. Not to mention, my name could almost NEVER be found on the cute lunchboxes or pencil sets found in stores. When I got older, I made it my mission to focus on individuals who also shared this common experience with their name. Specializing in custom jewelry is amazing because I get to make personalized items with unique names just like mine. It brings me great joy to see the smiles on my customers’ faces when they see their name on jewelry, especially if it is their first time seeing such a thing. I made sure to incorporate metals and materials that were tarnish resistant as well, so that they will be able to wear their item for years to come. That is what makes it all worth it for me!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Koya Murphy. I am the owner of Koya Kollection, a jewelry company based in Los Angeles. I started my business 5 years ago with the intent to focus on custom jewelry. Growing up making jewelry has always been a passion of mine. I started in elementary making beaded earrings, necklaces, etc. As an adult, I began focusing on materials and metals that would last longer. I studied the industry in the LA jewelry district and had an amazing mentor from a local shop tell me all there was to know about the different metals and stones. With that knowledge, I was able to upgrade from tarnishing metals, to tarnish free jewelry. Recently I have even added a diamond collection that features solid gold and authentic diamonds. Even with this upgrade to my online shop, I wanted to keep items affordable for those that cannot afford solid gold but still want great quality, thus keeping my bling (Stainless Steel/CZ) collection. I love creating pieces that my customers cannot find in stores, and that is the beauty of custom jewelry to me. In the future I hope to open up a storefront to better serve my community with my services. Until then, I strive everyday to get my name out there in hopes of becoming a household name.

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

I think having a consistent online presence is essential if you want to build a reputable business. The more people see your face, posts, etc, is the more they will gain your trust. People want to shop from people, so building an online presence with your customers is essential. Whether that is on Instagram, Facebook, or my personal favorite, Tiktok! Without social media, I’m certain that my brand wouldn’t be as large as it is today.

Have you ever had to pivot?

2 years into my business, COVID-19 struck the world. Having an almost brand new business was extremely hard during these times. I went from doing pop-up shops and selling in person to absolutely nothing. There were times where I thought it was the end and that things would never pick back up. Instead of giving up on my dreams of becoming a jewelry business owner, I researched and found ways to flip the narrative. During this time EVERYONE was online because we were on lockdown. That’s when constantly promoting my business on social media hit me. At that time, I had lost my full time 9-5, so I had nothing but time on my hands to create create create. This pivot from in person selling to online selling changed my business for the absolute better!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.koyakollection.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thekoyakollection/