We were lucky to catch up with Lihi Orbach Forney recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lihi Orbach, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I officially launched my business in February 2021, but the development started in 2019 from a deep desire to create more meaning in my life. I worked in a completely different field for over 20 years – post production sound mixer – and felt that i wanted to express more of who i was becoming. I was searching within myself for the next thing—the thing that would spark my creativity and passion.I’ve always been fascinated with meaning, self-development, and inner reflection. I love aesthetics and design too and i have a very specific eye, for better or worse :) A friend opened my mind to jewelry, and everything changed from there.
I said yes to an idea that was totally new for me, due to my deep desire for change and meaning.
I started with what i connected to first, which was where I came from and my roots.
I’ve always loved wearing pieces that had a story or a meaning.
I wanted to create pieces that symbolize something, and every time you look at them, you get encouraged and reminded of what’s important to you and what you want to focus on.
I believe that thoughts create reality and my jewelry can become one of the tools that people use to create that reality.

Lihi Orbach, 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?

I am a Jewelry Designer. Each piece i design has a meaning and purpose. The meanings are inspired by Mysticism, Symbolism, Nature & my Jewish roots.
I like to call it ‘Self Care’ Bling .I want my jewelry to spark internal reflection.Life is messy and complex and my hope is that my pieces serve as a tool in people’s tool kit to help them get where they want to go.

I had no jewelry experience before this. I had the help from people in the business to guide me and my inner truth and belief in my designs and what they represent. There was and still is a lot of trial and error. These things take time and patience, something i am constantly working on 🙂

Being in a field you know nothing about can be very challenging, learning all the technical aspects of making jewelry, what you can and can’t do is knowledge that is ever growing.
Being a small business owner means i do it all myself – being in charge of the production, marketing, photography, advertising, developing new collections, packaging etc. It can get overwhelming. I find that getting support from my fellow women business owners is a hugh help and having a place to vent and share resources make all the difference.

I design and create everything right here in Los Angeles. Staying local, using upcycled materials, and using minimal recyclable packaging is very important to me.
My designs are meant to be worn by everyone, though my main goal is to help women.
The amount of joy i get from hearing my customers feel strong and empowered when wearing my pieces is the reason i do what i do. Making a difference in people’s lives, even if it’s really small, is what it’s all about.

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

I sell on my own site, through the Shopify Platform. I was thinking deeply about this as i had peers that loved shopify and those who found success on Etsy.
I listened to a lot of youtube videos :) and talked to whomever I could.
The pro for Etsy is that it’s part of a marketplace that has large visibility and is used by millions. The con is that Etsy’s goal is to sell, doesn’t matter if it’s your brand or someone else’s; they recommend other jewelers too.
I ultimately decided to have my own website and build my presence gradually. I think it fits better with my brand and even though it might take people longer to find me, when they do, I have their full attention.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

I design my jewelry and make it in downtown Los Angeles. I have vendors that do the wax printing, carving, casting and finish. I started this business without knowing anything about the process except the ideas I had in my head that I wanted to bring to life.
I had a friend in the business who helped me out with resources to get me started. There is so much learning and so much trial and error. It can get very frustrating, but like anything, you learn from every project, not just about the manufacturing process but about yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions, even though they might sound ridiculous. That’s a great way to learn, and most people are very happy to help. I switched vendors a few times, to find the ones that not only do a great product but are a pleasure to work with. That’s really important to me, especially when my whole philosophy centers around intention and meaning.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.loveleeor.com
• Instagram: @loveleeor
• Facebook: @loveleeor
• Other: Pinterest: @loveleeor

Image Credits
jeff forney