Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shae Rogers. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Shae, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea
I’ve always been a “do-it-yourself” person, artistically inclined. I recall scrolling Pinterest and seeing a post about Polymer Clay earrings. I saved it and thought to try it. I worked with the medium in high school and was excited to try my skills again. But between work and my volunteering- I didn’t have much time for hobbies. But in April 202o, after Covid hit, I was furloughed from my job in Purchasing and decided it would be a great time to start some of my hobbies again. So I spent time reading articles on the Polymer Clay medium, watched a few YouTube videos and had a better idea of the tools I needed. I was able to find mostly everything to start on Amazon and I just started! I experimented and created. I realized not after too long that I was pretty good at it and after discussing with my husband, decided to start selling my creations. I came up with a name that represented me and my culture, and Paper Papayas was launched in July 2020. I designed my own logo, business cards and packaging. Initially I started selling on Etsy, that served its purpose for almost a year. But I decided to create my own website as to have more control and customization options. I really wanted to build a brand. This required a lot more research, a lot of phone calls to ask the right people the right questions, but more than anything else, this required me to believe that I WAS capable, that I just needed to START and learn as I went. Its been a rewarding learning process ever since.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Paper Papayas is a small, black woman-owned business specializing in artisan statement jewelry. Our jewelry is handmade and Caribbean inspired. Being of Trinidadian decent, it has been my main purpose to share aspects of my Caribbean culture through my jewelry in addition to creating pieces that encourage confidence and boldness. We have such wonderful community of strong, beautiful woman that are drawn to the pieces as they are so unique- These are conversation pieces that tell a story. I have had the pleasure of working with various celebrity stylist and content creators that are honestly, icons in their industries. And it has truly been an honor to reach so many people with my art work. I hope to continuing growing and expanding in this small business – I am so passionate about it.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
The biggest thing I have had to unlearn is that, no one is your competition. I think when it comes to businesses, there is encouragement to know your competitor. But, in this small community of woman owned businesses, I have realized there is truly room for everyone. We have have something different to offer and there is plenty of space to share that authentically.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I take great pride in my product and presentation. I try my best to make sure I provide a quality product and a pleasant shopping experience. I always think to put myself in the shoes (or earrings in this case!) of my customer. I remain honest with myself and represent myself authentically with my customer base. I truly believe that is what helps my business continue to grow and how I stay in tune with my clientele. No doubt, there is always room for growth and change and I don’t shy away from that. But I love what I do and think that shines through.
Contact Info:
- Website: shoppaperpapayas.com
- Instagram: @paperpapayas
Image Credits
@kelseydashmarie Paper Papayas Ashlyn Darang