We recently connected with Shannon Thomson and have shared our conversation below.

Shannon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Seaglass Collections was first launched in early 2020. I’ve always been a creative person and so decided to use my creativity to share artwork, simple home decor and seaglass jewelry. The jewelry quickly became the focus, so I started to build around that. Learning how to wire wrap and then wire weaving is an ever evolving craft but the rewards are more than worth the sore fingers.

I was approached during the summer of 2022 by a woman who had seen my work on Facebook and asked if I would consider teaching the basics of wiring online. That was the beginning of my passion for sharing my wiring knowledge with others.

My hobby has grown into a business and continues to expand as I continue to develop new skills. I have both an etsy shop and sell privately. This still feels like the beginning of something much bigger. I’m excited to see where the journey takes me.

Shannon, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Over the last couple of years, I’ve learned some big lessons.

Seaglass is a beautiful gem through its own journey against the elements. It begins as a whole piece, is broken and tumbled in the ocean until eventually coming ashore to be found and transformed into a priceless gem.

This resonates for me as I used creativity to overcome depression and trauma. The parallels can’t be ignored.

My mission is to create and share beautiful pieces of jewelry with others while continuing to share both my story and my personality.

Instagram is a large platform that can feel overwhelming and over saturated. I’ve learned that people want to connect to a person. Not just a fancy account and another product that can easily found through a quick search. Rather, becoming a presence and sharing a story has made me authentic and unique.

I market my business successfully on Instagram because I’ve learned that while branding colors and an esthetic feed do matter, I am my brand. It’s my personality that speaks to my followers. I’m not afraid to get on camera and share what a special thing it is to have a one-of-a-kind handmade piece of jewelry just as unique as the person purchasing it.

I’m proud of how far I’ve come both as a jeweler and an entrepreneur. I work hard and love the process.

I pour my heart into each piece and want my customers to feel the transformation working with me provides. I am my brand and my story is my power.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

My mother was my biggest fan and purchased more jewelry for herself than anyone else I know. She was the driving force behind my business as my skills fascinated her. Wire wrapping was evolving at the time.

When she died in March 2022 I knew that Seaglass Collections would continue in her memory, but it did require me to pivot and learn something new. That’s when I began the art of wire weaving. I became enthralled with the endless possibilities. It completely changed my business.

I wasn’t creating just for me anymore. I’m now carrying on for the memory of my mother. She would be thrilled with my new skills and I’ll never stop learning new things to expand my business.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Using social media exclusively to build and market my business isn’t easy. A lot of the work is mindset and the drive to stay consistent.

The biggest mistake I see other entrepreneurs making is comparing themselves to another’s success and allowing that to hold them back.

Social media is all about connections and communities. The more you give, the more you receive.

Video and storytelling is crucial. No one else has your story. Others may sell a similar product, but no one else has your personality. That’s what makes you unique and that’s what makes you stand out as unique.

I learned to share my voice and face on social media. As a result, I have a growing account of engaged followers.

My advice to anyone new would be to ignore the competition and focus on building your own unique brand. Get on camera and showcase your personality. Show the person behind the avatar. People will buy from a person not an empty storefront.

Contact Info:

• Website: seaglassbyshannon.etsy.com
• Instagram: seaglass.collections
• Facebook: Seaglass Collections

Image Credits
All images are my own