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

LaNika , appreciate you joining us today. What’s something crazy on unexpected that’s happened to you or your business?

I’ve always been a highly creative person and I’ve always struggled with finding the best way to fully express my creativity and get a release that truly feeds my soul. I’ve gone from, drawing as a young child, to getting my degree in visual communication as a young adult. Starting a make up artist business and even a photographer business with a friend. Finally after not sticking to any of these creative avenues. I randomly discovered jewelry making as a way to save money for a trip to Florida and create something that’s unique and also eye catching. So I started to take apart my current pieces of jewelry and design them into body chains to wear with my swimsuit. And my love affair with jewelry making began. I come from a highly creative family, My dad being an amazing carpenter and artistic painter and my grandmother having gifts with sewing and knitting. I’d finally found my niche, created a small business, got my license and almost immediately got noticed. With my pieces being sold at the cass collective in downtown Detroit. Inspire market place, formally known as Art is in Market. The E. Warren Farmers Market and now Fittheorem in Livonia. Losing my grandmother a few years ago was the biggest loss I’ve ever experienced in my life. She never got to understand how my creative talent had blossomed and grown into a business. I always wanted to make her proud. After preparing to lay her to rest. I borrowed a suitcase from her attic and packed clothes to travel to Alabama and bury her. Is wasn’t until we got to the hotel, I found a beaded necklace in a small compartment of the suitcase. I pull it out, and my aunt tells me that it was a piece of jewelry that my grandmother had made. I’d never known her to make jewelry and in that moment I knew I’d found my calling!

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?

After being selected by Alexis Mann, owner of Triple A Closet whom at the time was one of three businesses sharing a space within the cass collective in downtown Detroit. She reached out to me through Instagram and simply wanted to add jewelry to her custom wardrobing business. I showed her a few pieces she helped me with prices and it took off from there. Moving on from The Cass Collective and into the mall was a huge transition. Inspire Market Place formly known as Art is in Market had caught my eye while at an interview in Laurel Park Place mall. I went into the Artisan Market after my interview at a store next door, and asked how I could get my jewelry featured. I came back later in the week with a few pieces,showed the owner and she put me in all 3 locations at the time. The only difference was I wasn’t there to sell my jewelry and I hadn’t learned how to market my jewelry to attract my custom. After covid struck most of those stores went out of business and now my jewelry was packed up in my living room. Luckily I still had a relationship with Alexis Mann, and she gave me some information to be a vendor at the E. Warren Farmers Market. After being a vendor for 3 years now, I’ve worked with Michigan Women moving forward and Let’s get Digital, who supporting me with building my business step by step. I’ve learned how to market to my customer, build relationships, set goals, and create trends to elevate my business. Now being an instructor at Fittheorem in Livonia and quitting my career in retail, I am able to souly focus on growing my business within another business that changes lives Mind, body and spirit. I started out as a self taught, jewelry designer now I have a client base and I’m still learning and growing everyday! I’ve been an instructor at Fittheorem for over 2 years but recently started selling my jewelry there July 5th and have exceeded my goals every month since! I am currently working on a website and preparing to go into the holiday season. My jewelry focuses on the benefits of semi precious stones through the metaphysical benefits, color therapy and aromatherapy. Each piece is handmade so every piece is one of a kind. You can practice mindfulness with my pieces as well as wear your own personal piece of art. I can also recommend particular stones depending on what energy your aura seems to be lacking, I can determine that through an oracle reading. I’ve also taught jewelry making classes at Michaels and do jewelry parties as well. Custom body chains was something that I started with being inspired by lingerie and other types of body jewelry, so now I offer custom options as well.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Best source of new clients has been through my current clients. Making my current clients happy is my number one focus. Initially I had this idea that I knew exactly how my jewelry line was going to look. Gold’s with bold colors and drastic designs. However, now I’ve learned to do both, market to those who are looking for that specifically but also fullfil the visions that my most consistent and loyalty customer has. Which my be silvers and neutral colors. I use to fight against what people would say that wanted, and I’d say it wasn’t apart of my jewelry line. Now I listen and produce. I make my clients happy by acknowledging what they want and also showing them something that they didn’t know they wanted. So my current customers wear my pieces, get compliments from family members, and co workers and suggest my services with genuine excitement!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Once covid hit, I and I lost the ability to be in the mall, I had to start selling from home and had no idea where to start. So I turned to social media, started having live virtual showings and private virtual shopping experiences to comfortably sell from home and still be able to interact with customers individually. I went live while I was making jewelry. I was taking pictures while wearing my jewelry and posting constantly. I was my own model, brand ambassador, and marketing lead. I shared my lifestyle on social media.

Contact Info:

• Website: Auravibezjewelry.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/Auravibezjewelry
• Facebook: Facebook.com/Auravibez
• Other: Aura Vibez Jewelry is sold inside of Fittheorem in Livonia, MI