We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shelly Nelson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Shelly , thanks for joining us today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

I wish I would have started my business courageously when I heard the very first time, “You should sell your jewelry!” Life wise, I followed the college path. Then I left college to, “find myself.” I went abroad and then moved to Hawaii. All in search of who I was and to rid years of “programming.” It was Hawaii that my real butterfly jewelry idea bloomed and Hawaii that I took my first Metalsmith class. With a lot of “you should sell your jewelry,” comments I still had many engrained thoughts and worries. There was immense fear, worry, self doubt, and a lot of programming that I couldn’t be an artist. If I started earlier I think I’d be different. And the truth is we can never know where we’d be. I wish I would have had the courage and tenacity that I have now. So, on all I think everything is as it should be.

Shelly , 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?

I’ve been a creative and nature lover for as long as I can remember. From mud pie making, to making jewelry out of found treasures. I’ve always loved to work with my hands. I left college on a sabbatical to find myself. I found my toes sandy and my heart full in Hawaii. After years of soul searching Hawaii, has had the biggest impact on me. My idea of real butterfly jewelry hit me and I took my first Metalsmithing class.

I help people feel beautiful and special. Through creating organic, modern bohemian jewelry. It’s that special adornment that’s added to your outfit that makes you feel complete, stunning and glowing. Jewelry lights smiles and has the power to give you a little extra confidence. It brings uniqueness to your outfit. Stones and crystals have certain energies they carry with them and give to the wearer.
I also help people see “beauty.” I use many natural objects, from Lake Superior stones to quail eggs, to snake skins and even wasp nests. I help people see there’s more than what our past judgements and ideas of “beauty,” are. And help them open and break past fallacies of what we have been taught to fear. Like snakes, snakes are a reminder in the simplest terms to shed your old skin.
The day that someone said at a art festival, “Wow, you really see the beauty in everything,” That day, I was the proudest id ever been. I was able to help them see beauty in odd places and appreciate our natural world. I think that’s my purpose, to help people see what a incredibly beautiful world we live in and all of its creatures play vital roles in our own life. We need the bees more than they need us. Without them we wouldn’t have any food. We need bees more than we need a perfect green lawn. When we see beauty, we might fall in love. When we love something, we protect it, we nurture it and we ensure it’s survival for our future generations to come.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I’ve been your cliched , “starving artist.” And I’ve had to use alot of creativity. As a modern, organic, bohemian jewelry artist I’ve sourced some of my happenstance findings from the beaches of the world, butterfly road kill(sorry for the crudeness) and local dirt roads and beaches for agates. Many stones have been with me for years as I’ve always been drawn to beautiful crystals. I slowly collected beautiful gemstones from many travels out west as a kid, local bead shops, rock shops and even museums.
As far as actually tools go, I think my mothers love of Macgyver, yes the TV show in the late 80’s, that has fueled a bit of, “you can make anything.” My jewelry torch was a gift from a dear friend and many of my starter tools and displays were very creative Macgyver ideas. An example is earring and bracelet mandrels. Most jewelers use steel or even premade wood. I started out and still use a old recycled wooden baseball bat that I thrifted. I sawed off the handle so I could utilize the smallest part of the wooden bat. Or most jewelers have a fancy flex shaft. I use a dremel with a attachment. I’ve slowly upgraded here and there. Thankfully my creativity and my curiosity lead me to inspiring places.

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

The lesson that I’ve had to unlearn and I’m still very much working at it is, “You can’t be an artist.” The lesson, Don’t believe all your “programming.” Since high school years I desired to attend art school. I never did. I went for a more practical approach, college. I found myself changing majors and entirely confused what it was that my heart was telling me. I attended on and off and eventually quit. This confusion lead me eventually to plan B or “after graduation plan.” I left traveling, abroad, to “find myself.” I was awestruck, in wonder with the beauty and cultures. So I love, that I stayed longer, actually on each trip abroad. And each time funds became low, real low. But I had some jewelry that I had made. Slowly yet surely I gained confidence in selling my art. Sure, it was cause wanderlust had struck me but it was the perfect catalyst to teach me, I CAN BE A ARTIST. Alan Watts, “What if money was no object,” continues to inspire me and remind me that life is happier following your heart.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Www.Instagram.com/shellysellsseashells