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

Melissa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I first knew I wanted to take my love for design from a hobby to a business after I had my fourth child. I had always been a creative person. I started out in college as a Graphic Design major but later changed my major and graduated with a business degree. After working in retail and then sales for about 6 years, I had my first child and then decided to become a stay-at-home mom. I still loved creating and would find time to design in some way while raising my kids. By the time I had my fourth child I needed something to call my own. In 2017 I took the plunge and made my business official. I have been working hard to organically grow Gold Arrow Studios. I love designing and have continued to educate myself in anything and everything to perfect my craft. My business degree from Cleveland State University helped me to properly build a sound foundation on the backend and now I have a business that my three girls and son can be proud of.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started Gold Arrow Studios in 2017. As a busy mom to four beautiful children, I wanted to create something that let me be home and raise my kids. I wanted to take my love for design and create pieces that resonated with that busy mom’s life. My family is my world and as a mom to multiple children, our schedules get insanely crazy. Between school, sports, dance, homework, etc I knew that accessorizing myself would be a challenge. Who has time to pick out jewelry when hopping from school to soccer to dance to football and then out in the evening for dinner? I wanted to be able in the morning to put on some jewelry (a pair of earrings and some bracelets) and not have to worry whether it will work in the evening. I wanted pieces that transitioned seamlessly, durable, chic, and affordable. Not only was I looking for transitional jewelry, but I also wanted to create pieces that served a purpose. Within my shop, I have pieces that give you the aromatherapy experience. If you love essential oils you love knowing you can take your oils with you on the go and diffuse them throughout the day with the lava or wood beads I have carefully included in the design. My jewelry also gives back to our planet. I have decided that from here on out I will take a percentage of my total sales and give back to an organization that helps to protect the gifts Mother Nature and God have provided us. For 2022 I am donating to an organization is focused on protecting through education our oceans and all the creatures that call it home.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

What is driving my journey with my business is having something my girls can see grow. I want them to know that being a stay-at-home mom doesn’t mean you cannot pursue your dreams, you just have to be a bit more creative in the process. I watched my own mom struggle to work a full-time job and raise my brother and me. It was by no means an easy journey for her but staying home was not an option being a single mom and at that time there were far and few opportunities to work from home. Today we are fortunate that technology has given us the ability to take our dreams and share them with the world at the comforts of our homes. We can now have our business and still raise our families and be able to volunteer at school, get our kids to doctors’ appointments, etc. If my girls want it all, a business and a family and be able to be home with their children then now know it is possible and highly achievable.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I want to relate back to when I was younger, before my adulthood journey because I feel this is how I became who I am. I grew up with my younger brother and my single mom. We lived paycheck to paycheck often times not knowing if power or water would be turned off. If it meant food or electricity, food of course trumped. I watched my mom grind it daily with her job, raising us, and then later going to college to earn a degree. I always knew if I wanted to go to college that it would be on me to get the money to make it happen. I was not an extremely smart kid so academics were not going to be the avenue for money. I was a super hard worker at whatever I did. I always wanted to have money so I held paper routes, babysat, and then once I turned sixteen I started working. I never was able to play sports because mom just could not be at two places at the same time between my brother and me. It was not till high school that I started playing. I started with softball my freshman year and continued playing that all four years. My school added a girl’s soccer team during my sophomore year, I jumped at the opportunity to play this sport. I was one of the worst on the team at the beginning, but through lots of hardwork and patience, by the time I gradutated high school I had a scholarship to play in college. It was the ulitmate dream for me. I worked so hard to get there and it all paid off. My persistance continued by playing a sport, working, and going to school full time. All of this I believe helped mold me into the person I am today. I never expect handouts, I am always working hard to achieve my goals, and all of this is what I expect out of my children. Work hard, do not expect things handed to you, and strive to be a better human.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.goldarrowstudios.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/goldarrowstudios
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/goldarrowstudios

Image Credits
Victoria Leigh Images