Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lin Olive. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Lin, appreciate you joining us today. Who is your hero and why? What lessons have you learned from them and how have they influenced your journey?
My son, who is on the Autism spectrum, is my hero because of his courage. I’ve been his mom for 10 years and still, he continues to amaze me with everything he overcomes, everything he learns on his own, and everything he teaches me. I’ve seen my son struggle with learning certain motor skills when he was younger but he never gave up, I’ve seen him frustrated with not being able to communicate but he continued to try. He has overcome so many things that seemed impossible at the time but the determination he has is one of the most inspiring things about him. He has definitely influenced my outlook on so much especially in my business! There have been times when I questioned if I have what it takes to run a small business or times I wanted to just give up, I’d think of everything he has overcome and I’d continue to try. And isn’t that what anything really takes? It just takes us trying and we can overcome anything.
Lin, 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?
As a single mom and after years of not creating, I decided to start painting again as an outlet for stress when I realized what I really wanted was to learn something new, something completely different, that’s when I found clay. I use a medium of polymer clay to create unique, lightweight, and one of a kind jewelry for everyday wear. Each piece is slow made meaning it’s designed, conditioned, sculpted, baked, sanded, and assembled carefully and wholeheartedly by hand with the customers’ happiness in mind. Everything I create is influenced from all the things I love: Texas, Mexican Folk Art, Plants, the Astros, and Autism Awareness.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
You know the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”? Well it has taken a village to start and continue this business. I have been blessed with two HUGE supporters by my side and without them, I could not have made it to where I am now and I still have A LOT of growing I want to do! These two people have been there for me when I second guess myself, when I need advice or to vent, but especially when I need help with any financial help or even financial setbacks. I say all of this to show you that its ok to ask for help, if I never asked then I would’ve never known they were willing to help me. Don’t ever be afraid to ask your family or friends if they could help you when you need it most, the worst you can hear is no!
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
My favorite way of meeting new clients is working markets! I love getting to meet people who are interested in my work and answer any questions they have! The best part of working at a market is that if someone is interested in my work but doesn’t purchase anything, just having them follow me on social media is great and helps my small business!
Contact Info:
- Website: theabstractolive.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theabstractolive/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abstractolive/