Meet the Maker: Q + A with Of Clay Jewelry
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For our readers that don’t know about you and Of Clay Jewelry, tell us a bit about yourself and your work.
I’m Lisa Nguyen. I was born and raised in Oregon. I grew up in the small town of Keizer, OR, before making the move to Portland about 7 years ago. I started Of Clay Jewelry in the Fall of 2019 with the hopes to create an accessible, slow-made jewelry line. I also dedicate my time to giving back to the creative community by creating accessible and educational, small-business resources.
How did the idea for Of Clay Jewelry get started? How did you bring it from dream to reality?
I absolutely love jewelry and supporting small businesses, but at the time I was a newly licensed Realtor and didn’t have the budget to buy small-batch, locally made items. It made me feel excluded from being able to support local business and I knew I wasn’t alone. I believe that when given the chance most people would rather shop small, but oftentimes the cost just isn’t feasible. Initially when I began to practice my polymer clay craft, I was simply looking for a creative outlet to help me through the upcoming gloomier months as well as a way to create jewelry I could afford to wear and wear comfortably. As I began to make pieces I was proud of, I’d share them on social media and wear them out and about. Immediately after, I had a huge positive reaction from others and I happily began creating earrings for friends, family, and coworkers. Eventually, people were asking to pay me so l began charging for my work! From that point, I decided to bring Of Clay Jewelry to life and bridge the gap between fast, affordable fashion and high-end, slow-made jewelry. I put together an Etsy shop, created my social media platforms, a business email, and got to work!
You also create free educational resources and do business coaching for fellow entrepreneurs, tell us about how that came to be.
I grew up in a household that championed hard work, excelling in school, going the extra mile, and getting a college degree. It was the only recipe for success that I knew. Unfortunately for me and many others, the path to higher education and a successful career can harbor a multitude of impractical barriers. Many if not all of the barriers I faced had absolutely nothing to do with my intelligence or capabilities. As a young adult it broke my heart to feel so stuck when I knew I could accomplish so much. It broke my heart even more to know that the problem didn’t end or begin with me. People--capable, creative, thoughtful, smart people are held back constantly due to unfairly inaccessible tools and resources. Since coming to that realization, it has been my mission to help others gain autonomy over their path to success. Right now, that means showing new creatives and business owners the ropes on how I got started so they don’t have to figure it out alone.
Your favorite thing about the work that you do?
Wow. There are so many things! As far as my jewelry business goes, I love that I get to be creative with every aspect of my business. I want everything to feel special. All. Of. The. Time. I’m not sure why I’m like this, but I do it all out of love and care. With educating and coaching, I love seeing my clients’ progress. It is incredible what we can do when we have the tools and resources we need!
Do you have any employees, co-workers or partners?
At the moment I am flying solo. I will be adding a couple of lovely ladies to my team very soon though! In the meantime, I have two honorary, furry assistants, Bambi and Beau that work with me in my office, my mom who is always eager to help with the logistics of lugging my displays to markets, and my fiance´ who helps me with final jewelry design decisions and my many runs to the post office!
What does your network look like and how did it come to be?
My network mostly consists of small business owners, creatives, and polymer clay artists. With Of Clay, I’ve always had a very clear idea of what I wanted to do and represent. What has helped shape and grow my amazing network is consistently providing value to my community and creating opportunities for genuine connection with me and the people within my network.
What advice do you have for new entrepreneurs who want to grow their network?
Always strive to provide value for others and create opportunities for genuine connection.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started this business?
Newbie or not, there is no good reason to have ‘imposter syndrome’.
Describe an “aha moment” that helped you grow as a business owner?
Imperfections, failing, set-backs and the like are all part of the learning process. Keep going. Keep trying. You’re only going to get better.
Your favorite “get sh*t done” song?
Cheesy, but I’m obsessed with Tiesto’s song, “Let’s get down to business”.
Your dream collaboration or partnership?
No specific person or business, but I would love to work with younger students in a workshop setting where they can learn about small business, creative work, and have fun!
How can people connect with you?
People can find me on social media with the handle, @ofclayjewelry, shop my jewels and book coaching sessions through my website, www.ofclayjewelry.com, and watch my videos at youtube.com/ofclayjewelry.
