Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Merlynn Niebaum. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Merlynn, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
Mahal Made Jewelry came to be when I had to pour myself into something that allowed me to de-stress. Giving myself love but, because of my type A personality, I had to find a way to also be productive. I wanted to tap into my creative side, a part of myself that I haven’t explored in years. I decided to do something with my hands, something I can be proud of and be able to give away as a gift. I love earrings even though I’m the person that is less likely to wear jewelry. I love all kinds of jewelry, overall, but earrings are so versatile and I love the variety I can create with different materials. Because of the amount of love I give to each of my pieces, the love I get back from those who receive them as a gift, and the love I give myself by immersing myself in something enjoyable, MAHAL was the best word to describe it. Mahal, meaning LOVE, in tagalog covered all that I was experiencing and hoping for anyone to experience with my pieces. So I found Mahal Made Jewelry as the perfect name for my small jewelry business.
Merlynn, 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?
My name is Merlynn Atangan Niebaum. I’m a native of Olongapo City, Philippines and raised in San Diego, California. I found my soulmate and we live in the Midwest. I am a full-time mom to three beautiful boys and a stereotypical Filipina, working as a Registered Nurse and Nurse Instructor. To boot, I also own a small business making jewelry pieces, mostly earrings, for all occasions. I offer custom made earrings for bridal parties. I find it difficult sometimes to juggle full time work, part time work, and own a business, while still being a wife and mother. Despite the challenges, I enjoy my life and I love working on jewelry. The joy I get in making jewelry is different from the joy I get from being a nurse. In the same token, I think giving that love to others is what makes me passionate about every aspect of my professional and personal goals. One cannot be successful without love for whatever it is they are doing. I love being a wife, a mom, a nurse, a teacher, and a business owner!
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
One would think that starting out in polymer clay jewelry would not be so costly but, that’s not true. It can cost you quite a bit of money and it’s important to do your research before you start any business. You want the most affordable and good quality products. I started out with polymer clay, moved onto gold and silver plated pieces. Once I did my research, I found suppliers to get bids and worked out contracts to get the best deal possible. I set a maximum budget for supplies, marketing, and sales. It’s also important to set a maximum acceptable loss for the year. Once I had all this figured out, I set out to ensure I could manage this amount with the saved capital I had. Of note, I did not borrow any money from a bank or family member or used a credit card. I used my own cash to fund my business.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I wouldn’t say I had to unlearn how to market but, more like get updated in how to market. I’m middle aged and when I was much younger, marketing through social media didn’t exist. These days, it seems social media outlets are the best platforms to market your product. There are so many social media platforms that I had to really sit down and figure out which will work best for me and my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: mahalmadejewelry.etsy.com
- Instagram: @mahalmadejewelry
- Facebook: Mahalmadejewelry
Image Credits
Mary Frances Photography Cassidy Drury Photography Enlow Productions