We were lucky to catch up with Ommeni Richardson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ommeni, appreciate you joining us today. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

The very first dollar that I earned as a creative was on Sunday, April 15th, 2012. While scavenging at yard sales with my father and brother I purchased a three-dollar craft box. In the car I began assembling pieces and my aunt bought a few pairs of earrings within minutes of us arriving home. I felt an immediate drive to create and sell more jewelry.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I was born and raised in Delaware. I began making beaded jewelry on a whim. The only prior connection to the craft I held was my personal accessories collection. Beforehand, I served at food pantries, clothing closets, and ran errands for others. Jewelry-making was the first solid skill that I identified as career related with the exception of creative writing.

OmmYuNique is the handmade art variety brand that I developed in 2012 at the age of 14. It began with making, repairing, and repurposing jewelry. Over time I have crafted other items though beaded jewelry remains as the primary focus. This brand provides low-cost fashion and bridge jewelry in countless designs. The main thing that sets me apart from others is ME! I am the only me that exists. Each piece is created with thanksgiving for the talent that God has gifted me.

I am most proud of myself and grateful to God for returning to this craft.

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

My creative journey is driven by “The Parable of the Talents” in the book of Matthew. In this story there are three individuals entrusted with gifts from their master: one with five, one with two, and one with one. The individuals with the counts of five and two went on to invest and double their gifts and the other individual buried theirs. When the master returned to settle accounts and the one individual did not have an increase, the master was disappointed. The gift was taken and given to the one with ten talents. It goes on to say, ” For to everyone who has more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away”, Matthew 25:29.

I have observed this parable in modern history. It is my mission to not only invest and multiply my gifts from God, but to help others do the same. This helped me to progress with OmmYuNique in addition to creating my second brand, Detoured By Purpose (2020). Detoured By Purpose began as an e-commerce dropshipping brand and has evolved to a service-based company. Some of the services performed include website creation, website management, graphic design, copywriting, consultations, and industry research. This brand is currently under construction and will be relaunched soon.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson that I had to unlearn was that it was improbable for me to become a serial entrepreneur let alone my living be sustained from entrepreneurship. This was seared into my subconscious in tenth grade when I failed an assignment that asked for our 5-10 year career goals. My plans were to own a plaza and each business on it. The instructor noted that it was unrealistic and she was disappointed. I had two similar experiences in Language Arts courses where I was accused of plagiarism due to my unexpected writing skills. In both cases I had to level down my vocabulary and grammar for the assignments to be accepted. I believe that I began continuously pushing out intermediate efforts in hopes of not being belittled.

I now know that I can and will become what I believe in; my life is as limited as my thoughts allow.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ommyunique.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/ommyunique
• Facebook: Facebook.com/ommyunique
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ommeni-richardson-a19184106
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzST18Q_2KjsmK9rg_DDQgw

Image Credits
Ommeni Richardson