Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mariel Lebet. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Mariel, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
My mission is to create beautiful, comfortable, wearable art, and leaving everyone better than I found them.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Mariel Lebet, I am the owner of Twisted-Wood. The name “Twisted-Wood” comes from the gorgeous curvy and twisted wood that can be found out in nature … it just brings me joy and makes my soul happy.
I have been into art for as long as I can remember. Coloring, painting, clay, pottery, designing, fashion, you name it … I dabbled in it. I got serious with the idea of an actual business when I had a health scare, and wanted to be sure to leave something tangible behind for my two boys, Trent and Brodie. Thankfully it didn’t end up coming down to that (at least not yet). As my health increased my time towards art became less and less, as I no longer needed it as a distraction from everyday life, (waiting on medical test results and the like). Fast forward a few years, and I found myself going through a pretty rough divorce, and you better believe … I fell right back into creating, at first to distract myself, and then to help the boys and I stay a-float financially, and now I continue because it brings me the most true joy to share my creations and meet so many amazing people. I’ve gone from strictly creating ceramics, mainly necklace pendants made from the impressions of my great grandmothers antique hand crafted doilies … each like a snowflake, totally unique. Then I moved into wooden earrings, and now I have even begun to incorporate the two mediums (ceramics and wood) together.
I have overcome some major business learning curves especially in inventory tracking and management, shipping, windy roadside markets, and I must admit I feel like I’m still constantly learning from everyone around me. On the personal front, I feel like I’ve been chewed up and spit out a few times over, and God willing I am still standing … still here, still creating, and leading with love and kindness and always finding a way to give back. A portion of the proceeds from each item sold goes towards doing good in the community. This shows up in may different ways such as, buying groceries for someone in need, donating to local students teams/organizations, taking treats to area public servants, and so much more.
I am truly most proud of being able to bring joy and help to those around me, and yes … also sticking with doing something I genuinely love and continuously challenging myself to keep pushing through all of the uncomfortable bumps along the way. I am still in constant awe that people have so much love for me, and something that I’ve dreamt up in my mind and then created with my very own hands.
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?
Ahhhh man!!! I remember stressing for weeks before I finally hit the button to make my website live. And then, I thought I was going to puke!!
If you know … you know. I kept letting my own fear and apprehension get in the way. Fear because let’s be honest … I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. I created things that I loved, but would other people like them? Would my friends and family tell me I was crazy for putting my humble handmade creations out for all the the online world to see and judge? Was the tax going to calculate correctly? Would shipping labels really generate? And don’t even get me started with the whole inventory and barcode hot mess.
But guess what … I lived!! The website performed just as it was supposed to, and people were truly interested in what I made and the history or the creative process, and my family and friends …. Wowza they still cheer me on and support me and remind me just how far I’ve come.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Honestly the best source of new clients for me has just been getting out there. Whether on social media or in person, letting people know what I am up to. Posting on social media and always … always having a business card on me. The icing on the cake for me personally has been wearing my own creations … and then fessing up and telling them that I made my earrings or that necklace that they were admiring or complimented. I am learning that it is A-okay to be proud of what I am creating and most rewarding when it is shared with others.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.twisted-wood.com
- Instagram: @twistedwoodpro
- Facebook: Twisted-Wood