
Welcome to the Success With Jewelry podcast, hosted by Laryssa Wirstiuk and Liz Kantner, two experts passionate about helping independent jewelry artists thrive. Welcome to episode #105. We sit down with the talented jewelry designer and entrepreneur,...
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Larissa
Welcome to the Success with Jewelry podcast where we invite you inside our conversations about business success and marketing for jewelry designers and entrepreneurs.
Liz
We're Larissa and Liz, jewelry marketing experts with the combined 16 years of experience in jewelry marketing and proven track records and helping jewelry brands meet their goals. When you listen to or watch this podcast, you get an intimate and exclusive peek behind the curtain of all the things you wish you could know about earning success in this industry.
Larissa
Welcome to episode number 105. Today we're excited to be chatting with Christina Cobur, a talented jewelry designer and entrepreneur. Since launching her business in 2007, Christina has grown a thriving e commerce store. Her work can be found in over 90 retail locations, and she has built a team of three. In this episode, we'll dive into how she discovered her niche and steadily grew her business. Stick around for the bonus content where we'll explore the challenges Christina has faced and what strategies are continuing to work for her today. Hey, Christina and Larissa, let's get into it.
Christina Cobur
Hello.
Liz
We're so excited to have you.
Christina Cobur
Oh, my gosh. Thank you so much for having me. I am so excited. Like, I can't.
Liz
Well, you've been like a podcast star recently, so we figured, you know, we gotta get Christina on because she's in high demand.
Christina Cobur
It is kind of crazy. I've been since spent like, almost my entire career listening to podcasts, so now that I'm, like, on them, I'm like, this is weird.
Larissa
So once you start doing podcast interviews, though, you're like, I gotta do more.
Christina Cobur
It's kind of like, it's like, I need to get another one. I need to get that high again. Yeah, totally.
Liz
You keep chasing that first high, but.
Larissa
Then people are like, oh, I want to start my own podcast. And then you realize how much work goes into it.
Liz
Yeah, I don't think a good idea.
Larissa
At first, but I think that it's really valuable to chat with other jewelry designers and, like, for designers to hear from designers. And I think that's what I love about the communities I've built and the community Larissa and I built, it's like, people want to support each other, designers want to support each other. So the fact that you're, like, willing to come on and share when this industry has traditionally been kind of like more closed door, I think it's amazing.
Christina Cobur
For sure. Yeah, it's very true.
Larissa
Yeah. Well, let's start. Let's start with, like an intro. Why don't you tell everyone about yourself and how you kind of found your Voice as an artist.
Christina Cobur
Sure. So I started my business 17 years ago in 2007, which is crazy. I grew up working for my dad's jewelry supply shop. So we were kind of like an auto parts store for jewelers. We sold tools and equipment, and I had. At first, I had no idea what I was doing, and I would just, you know, like, be the little kid running around. And then as I got older, I was like, huh, These people are having fun. Maybe I'll just, like, take a class. So I started taking community jewelry classes here in Atlanta, and it was like, I was like, oh, my gosh. Like, why haven't I done this before? And I couldn't stop taking classes and to kind of pay for the equipment and classes I was taking, I was like, I'm going to start selling jewelry on Etsy. Because that was like, Etsy had just started, like, a few years before. And then I started having customers suggest to do art festivals. And so then I started doing any art festival that would let me in. And then I learned that that wasn't the way to do it. And then from there, I had people be like, oh, you should sell to. I mean, I literally was just like, whatever people told me to do, I would do it. So then I started looking into wholesale, and I was like, wow, this is a lot more expensive than doing art festivals. So then I kind of started doing more research into it and did my first wholesale show. And, yeah, and I kind of started with, like, when I started my business, my designs, I was kind of all over the place. I loved hammering, but I learned that my. My arms couldn't take it for, like, production work. So then I kind of got rid of more of the hammered pieces and started focusing more on stamp designs that have personalized messages and inspirational messages. And that's kind of where my brand has, like, led into.
Larissa
So when I think about your brand, two designs stand out to me is one is, like, the diamond finish, which is something that you really ran with and is so unique to what you do. And then two is the fortune cookie.
Christina Cobur
Right, right.
Liz
Christina went viral on Pinterest with the fortune cookie.
Christina Cobur
Yes. Back when, like, Pinterest was new, and it wasn't like, you know, recipes all over the place. Yeah, My fortune cookie, it was. That was, like, the craziest thing that's ever happened, because that was the thing. Like, when I started, it wasn't like, I wasn't trying to do this to be my main job. It was just to, like, support my habit jewelry making. And then so I Didn't do marketing. I just did art festivals, handed out business cards. That was literally the marketing that I did. And I, I had sold a fortune cookie to someone to wear on their wedding day. They posted it on their blog, the blog got pinned to Pinterest. And then I was literally in a Judaism class because I was about to get married. And all of a sudden my phone starts like going crazy with the little Etsy noise that I was like selling stuff. And I was like, oh my gosh, I didn't silence my phone. It's 2011, like back when you didn't silence your phone. And I mean I started getting like 30 to 50 orders of fortune cookies a day. And I was like, what is going on? And like I figured it out. I mean it, it was so crazy. And then the diamond dusted texture was just something. I just love the look of subtle sparkle. And while I love diamonds and I, I mean I wear stones and I love stones, but I feel like when you have a stone, sometimes the metal work gets overlooked. That's around it. And the metal work is so intricate to get a stone in there. So I love doing the diamond dusted text because really it's all about the metal work because it's the imprint of a diamond in the metal instead of an actual diamond or stone in the metal.
Larissa
I was thinking about this yesterday because Taylor Swift wore these like glitter freckles by a small business to a football game. And the, the brand post it like they got like 40,000 orders of these like glitter freckles. I'm thinking about that with your fortune cookie. I know it's like not the same scale but still like, you know, how do you like quickly scale up like when you're not expecting it? Does that feel overwhelming to you?
Christina Cobur
Yes, it was very overwhelming because at the time I had, I still had a full time job. I was still working for my dad full time. And then I had an employee that was part time that was doing like pre production work. So she would get the fortune cookie necklace made to a certain point for me. And at that point I really only had the fortune cookie necklace design and like two other designs and that was it. So it was like, oh my God, you got to, you're going to have, can you work more hours? And then luckily I did work for my dad and he was amazing and gracious and let me come in late to work or skip days or if we were slow, he'd let me like package orders at work. But it, it was like one of those things where we went from like three orders a day to, you know, so many, which now 50 orders a day doesn't sound that much, but back then that was a lot for viral, you know, $80 necklace or whatever. Back then.
Liz
Yeah, you just got thrown right into the fire. I'm sure you learned a lot of business lessons that way, too.
Christina Cobur
I did. I did. I implo. I started because back then, nothing was really automated on Etsy, so my husband would send the shipping confirmations while he was watching TV at night and. Or my fiance at the time, and then he would download the email addresses of people and then put them into our email thing and then send. Add them to our email list. So it was like this whole, you know, group effort. I had friends coming over to help drill. I had customers on my dad's store to come over and help me stamp like it was nuts, but I had to get it done, so I did.
Larissa
Very cool. I was also thinking about what you said about how, like, when you first started, you were like, whatever anybody said to do or like, whatever advice I got, I did. And I hear that a lot with emerging brands or newer brands. It's like, oh, well, this person said this, I'm going to try this. This person said this, I'm going to try this. And like, they kind of keep jumping rather than like, okay, well, this is what I want to focus on, or this is who I am as a brand and this is what I want to do. And I think it's such an important lesson. And I know it's hard if you don't know, because you don't know what you don't know. Exactly. The more you can lean into, like, you know, the thing that you want to focus on and not like, you know, tune out the other noise, the more successful you'll be.
Christina Cobur
Right. For sure. Yeah. And. And, you know, like, when people started telling me to do art festivals, I was like, oh, okay, like, that sounds fun. And I didn't have a tent, I didn't have place like, you know, so it was like, people would tell me to do stuff, but then I wasn't, like, prepared for it, you know, like what I. What actually went into it. And that was really true for wholesale. Like, I did not realize what I was getting myself into when I started selling to stores like that. And I'm still learning from that because it's so expensive. And, you know, you're building partnerships with stores and, you know, but you also want to have your retail side in case stores, you know, some stores close or you Know, Covid happens and everything goes online, you know, whatever. So it was, it was really hard to figure out how to manage that. And there was a point where, I mean, I was literally just like a mess, like pulling out my hair, like living order to order because I didn't know, like the cash flow. I wasn't used to the cash flow of how wholesale works. And it's still hard to this day, 17 years in, I'm still like, sometimes I feel like I'm a newbie.
Liz
So what was the first wholesale show that you did?
Christina Cobur
The first wholesale show I did was ACC Baltimore. They used to do like a wholesale few days before the actual, like, retail show. So that was the first one I did. And it was very interesting because I didn't know what. I had walked New York now a few times, so I was expecting it to be more New York now. And it was very much more like a beautiful indoor art festival. And everyone. It. It didn't feel corporate and it was just such a different vibe than what I was expecting. But yeah, it was, it was quite the learning experience.
Larissa
That's such a huge misconception about wholesale. I find with emerging brands too, is that you think that you get into stores and you're set, but you have to keep reselling to them.
Christina Cobur
Oh my gosh.
Larissa
Yeah, it's doing well in the store. You have to maintain a relationship. It's actually quite a lot of work. Not to say that direct to consumer is not a lot of work because they both are, but in different ways.
Christina Cobur
It's. Well, you know, because you have people who are placing, you know, thousand dollar orders instead of like a one off order, you know, where you hope your retail customers come back. It's. In a way, sometimes it's harder to get the store to come back, you know, to make sure that they have a collection that fits for their customer. And you have to really get to know your stores, I feel, to understand who their customer is. So when they come in or they come to you and they're like, okay, what's new? You can say, well, this is what's new. But honestly, this is what I think would be better for your, your consumers because, like, I have so many different types of stores and what sells for one store is not going to sell in another. And like some of my designs, I only keep it because one store that's like all they sell and it keeps my numbers up on that piece. But like, I'm not selling it to anybody else, you know, so.
Liz
So interesting.
Larissa
Yeah, that's a Tricky part about wholesale, too, is that every store and store owner is so different. And yes, there's no, like, yes, there's best practices, but there's no, like, you do it this way every single time. And you also have to really think about your product mix. Like, a lot of times I'll hear from brands like, oh, well, I sell this to your point. Like, I sell this thing in this one store, but it doesn't feel like me anymore, or my margins aren't strong and I want to remove it. But then you're essentially removing that store.
Christina Cobur
Right.
Larissa
There's a lot of strategy and thought that has to go into everything.
Christina Cobur
Exactly, exactly. And, you know, I've. I've always struggled with, like, I'm a bridge line. I'm not fine jewelry, and I've always wanted to be fine jewelry, but I've struggled with that because I love my retailers and my customer base so much that I don't want to alienate them. But I love working in gold so much more than working in silver and, like, gold plated that it's really hard sometimes for me to, like, stay the course and, like, just keep my blinders on. But then, you know, I partner with some stores that are amazing and they want my silver line and then they want some of the gold pieces. So I do get that opportunity to work in gold.
Larissa
That's great.
Liz
That's a tough leap to make, especially, Especially when you personally want to, like, be going in different directions. But, you know, that'll just change your business so much and your relationships, and.
Christina Cobur
It'S scary, you know, like, it's always scary to make those jumps and you see other brands who have and, you know, it's on the outside it seems so successful, you know, but, like, whether they really were successful, you don't know. But it's. It's hard to not compare yourself and be like, well, why can't I do that too? So it's slow.
Larissa
I mean, it's a slow transition and anybody who leaps into it has some decent funding because you have to, like, make sure your clients coming with you. You have to slowly. You have to be thoughtful about inventory and how investing and all of that. I wonder, what would you say was the most impactful decision that helped your business grow?
Christina Cobur
Oh, man. I mean, there's. There's different things. I mean, so I would probably say when I really started investing in wholesale, I, like, at first I was like, yeah, I'll do the shows and, you know, I'll do this. But when I, like, actually hired A person to like, be our wholesale sales manager. And then I started. Well, I did like the Mastermind group through Flourish and Thrive and worked a lot with Robin Kramer, really learning understanding more of like the psychological psychology behind wholesale but investing in it. So it was. I was literally putting money towards it instead of just being like, yeah, I'll do it. You know, that made a huge difference. And when I really put dollars towards something, sometimes it's really hard to do that because I want to put dollars to coming up with a new design or a piece of equipment. But when I put dollars to wholesale or I put dollars to marketing, it usually really does pay off in the long run. It just take to see that return. So for me, definitely it was. The wholesale investment was huge because I'm still like, wholesale is still my like, main part of where I make money.
Liz
Yeah, we usually get woo woo in the insider episode, but what I want to say about that is, like, when you put money towards something, it kind of represents like an energetic, like, commitment toward it. And I feel like that is felt and you're like, you have a stake in it. If you're not like putting those dollars down, you're just wishy washy and not like choosing a lane then.
Christina Cobur
Exactly, exactly. And you know, like, one thing that has been consistently a goal of mine is to like, build my retail business back up. And I know, like, part of the problem is that I'm not investing the dollars in a true salesperson for retail and I just need to do it. But it's, you know, well, I have all this money going to wholesale and I don't have all this money coming in from wholesale, but I don't see it coming in from retail yet, you know, so, like, it's hard to justify putting that money there.
Larissa
That's such like a.
Liz
For any business owner, like, that balance between. Well, I don't have money, but I know I need to like, do this. Like, it's a chicken and egg thing. Like, should you just spend the money without having it because, you know, you need to like, get to that next level you.
Christina Cobur
Right. It's so hard. It's always so hard making those decisions and hiring and, you know, where do I invest and just figuring, you know, it's like a puzzle, you know.
Liz
Yeah. And you just brought on a new employee too.
Christina Cobur
I did, I did. Started this week, so it's been great. It's a jeweler, so not anything to do with sales. Yeah.
Larissa
It'll free up more of your time, which.
Christina Cobur
Yes. That's what I'm hoping, and I'm already feeling that, so it's been nice.
Larissa
Then you can do more podcast interviews.
Christina Cobur
Yeah. There we go. There we go.
Larissa
Yeah. Do you want to say, like, just because you mentioned Robyn Kramer, I do want to say that her Red Boot consulting program is really, really good. If you're looking to do wholesale, like, that's definitely something I. I think that is worth investing in.
Christina Cobur
Oh, for sure, for sure. Yeah. She's great. Like, we went from. I. I mean, our wholesale sales, like, doubled when I started doing what she recommended. And, you know, it's just. She's incredible. So.
Larissa
Yeah. And just to, like, highlight this point that, like, wholesale is a whole strategy, and so it's direct to consumer. So the clearer you are from the go, like, from getting started of, like, what direction you want to take and, like, knowing who you are as a brand and what your specific goals and values are, like, that helps you kind of decide all of this stuff.
Christina Cobur
For sure. For sure. And, you know, it's like, I work with Larissa, and it's a different. Like, when we're marketing to wholesale versus retail, like, we may be sending the same email, but, like, it's a different way to talk to people and it's a different. Like, you know, we're gonna. Usually for retail, we're expecting the customer to, like, see the email be like, oh, that's awesome, and they're just gonna go and purchase. Whereas for wholesale, it's gonna turn into a conversation. It's not necessarily going to be. They're going to go and purchase it immediately. So it's like a. It's a different way of thinking as well. Yeah.
Liz
Like, the wholesale is almost more awareness and just staying top of mind because ultimately, like you said, it's. The conversation needs to happen. And retail, it's like, we need them to buy right now. So the email or whatever marketing is.
Christina Cobur
Doing, like, buy the new shiny thing.
Liz
Yeah.
Larissa
I'm excited to get into. In the bonus episode, I'm going to ask you guys, like, what your strategy is now and what's working, and I'm excited to hear about that. But how, like, so much has changed since Etsy days. How have you adapted over the years? Like, has. We'll get into this more in the bonus episode, but can you share a little bit about how you've moved forward as things change?
Christina Cobur
So Etsy has changed a lot. Etsy at one point was like its own machine. Like, I literally did not do anything to get sales, and it was incredible. And then sales kind of fell off. But before that happened, I forget who I had been talking to but there was someone who was like, okay, when you do art festivals you need to have your own website. And when you give out your business card, don't send people to your Etsy site, send them to your business, your website because then you know where your sales are coming from. And I was like, oh, that's a cool idea. So like I built a second like a real website and I started doing that and it was really interesting to see how people would come back and I could see where the orders were coming from and it would be like the towns and places that I did the art festivals. And like I never did SEO. I never did like I had no idea what I was doing. I was like, I like to make jewelry, I don't know what I'm doing. And then so that person told me that and then I had someone else that was like. Because like social media had just kind of started. So I had people be like, where the money is is sending emails. And I was like, okay, well I'll, I'll start taking people's emails when they purchase from me or you know, have an email sign up on my website. And I started sending, I mean I was so bad about, about emails. I would send like 1 in March and like 1 in May and like 15 in the summer because I wasn't busy and you know, like it was just nuts. And then Christmas, forget about it, no one was getting anything. And then like I realized like I needed to start having a strategy and for marketing. And then that's about when I started going into wholesale more and then retail kind of fell to the wayside. But I always tried to have a nice looking website so stores could go to it and see like what my product was and kind of getting off topic of what the question was. But, but it was always. I never wanted to have like just one way to make money. I always wanted to have multiple irons in the fire because as like when Etsy went public, I think that was the main thing. When they went public, everything really went to with them. Sorry if I'm not supposed to say that.
Larissa
No, you're good.
Christina Cobur
And it's. And if I only had my Etsy site I would never have made it. But I had my website and I had my art festivals and then I had wholesale shows and then you know, I was starting to do trunk shows with stores. So I had multiple ways that I was like getting new people and getting new faces or I. Computer screens, I guess. So that. Yeah, that was like, the main thing for me was always having a backup stream of revenue.
Liz
I'm sure that helped you during the pandemic, too.
Christina Cobur
It did. It was. It. It was very. The pandemic was very interesting because we literally had. Because right before the pandemic, I had been in Nashville, and my family moved back to Atlanta to be close to my family for health reasons. So I had set up all of these trunk shows for Mother's Day of 2020, and every single one of those got canceled. And I had built up all this inventory, and I was like, I have spent so much money, and now what am I going to do? So, I mean, I went crazy with emails, reaching out to friends, my personal Facebook, like, everything being like, listen, guys, like, we're not going anywhere. Buy jewelry. Please support me so I can at least somewhat survive. And unfortunately, you know, I had to let go of most of my employees at that point. I had, I think, six employees, and I had to let go of all but two, and that was really hard. And I still had a studio in Nashville where I thought everybody was still going to be making jewelry, and we couldn't do that anymore. So then I had a beautiful storage space that I paid for for a year that was unused. But, yeah, having the different relationships and ways to reach out to people definitely made a difference. And utilizing socials in various ways and really making it about, this is a small business. You support us and you make us be what we are, and you're making my dreams come true. I think really, like, touched people to help them keep me going, you know? Yeah.
Larissa
And it did turn out to be a big jewelry buying era. This is kind of off topic, but I've been having a lot of people ask me about trunk shows. Can you give, like, just a couple of tips to having a good trunk show?
Christina Cobur
Oh, gosh. So the trunk shows that I've done in the past, I mean, they go well, and they don't go well. It. You never know. And I just did my first one since COVID just, like, right before Helene came through in Charlotte, actually. So. But, like, the thing with them is you want to have prep work, you want to, you know, it. I mean, it's really up to the store to do the outreach, because usually you don't personally have, like, a huge following in that area, but it's good to, like, if you can, you know, find the people in your email list that are in that area and send them an email being like, hey, I'm gonna be in near you, why don't you come by and meet me and see my jewelry, See it in person. So, you know, outreach, talking to the store about things that they have thought about ordering and they haven't before to show them, like how those pieces would do or maybe they don't do well, and then also bringing stuff that maybe you think would do well but they haven't ordered. So like one thing in particular is I have some piece and this store, I have some pieces that are. That say the F word on them. And they have been very hesitant to order them. And they asked, I was like, are you okay if I bring this stuff? And they were like, sure, no problem. So I brought it. I sold out of every single thing.
Larissa
Oh my gosh.
Christina Cobur
So literally I came back and I had it order from them for like everything with F on it. And then I did another show a while back. This was before COVID and she only ordered stuff that had stamp messages on it. She'd never ordered anything with diamond dust because she carried some higher end jewelers and she was worried that it would like take away from people purchasing diamond jewelry. And I brought the diamond dusted pieces and they did really well. They. But it wasn't taking away. It was almost like people buy that diamond piece but then they might buy their daughter the diamond dusted piece or, you know, so it was, it was a nice like pairing and she actually stopped carrying all of the message jewelry and only carry diamond dusted after that. So, you know, I think working with. If you can work with the store to figure out a way to show them what else could sell because that also helps build your relationship with them. So those are. That's kind of like key to me is outreach and then work with them to figure out. Because you don't want to bring the same stuff that they already have. Like, that's silly. But if they need a restock, if you can plan it so that you could bring it to them and save them that shipping, they'll love that. They'll love you for it. So yeah, that's my other such smart tips.
Liz
I love all that.
Larissa
Yeah, thanks for that. Okay, last question before we move on to the bonus content. Okay. Running a business is a lot. And you have all of these different revenue streams and you have like obviously a personal life and you want to stay creative. How do you balance it all?
Christina Cobur
Balances? Larissa knows balance not. I mean, I don't believe in it. There. It's. There's this amazing quote that I read a long time ago that's about juggling. And sometimes you have, you have glass balls, you have rubber balls, you have all different kinds of balls. And sometimes you got to let them go. So that's one thing is like, you got to keep the glass balls going. So that's like my children, you know, my employees making sure that they're taken care of. My health and all the other stuff can bounce sometimes. So it's not always. It's never perfect. But, you know, I have like, lists of what I need to get done. Like, I use, I use Gmail and I have like, I use the tasks and, you know, I have like, dates that things need to get done. And I have some things that don't have dates on them because they're probably never going to get done. But that's kind of one of the ways that I kind of keep things organized. I even have personal stuff in there. But it's just a matter of really prioritizing on the fly because you also have things that come out of left field. And all of a sudden, you know, there's a jewelry emergency, which I don't actually believe that exists, but a jewelry emergency. And it's like, oh my gosh, I got to do this instead. So then you got to pivot and figure out how you can make everything else work. Or all of a sudden your kid's homesick. So then how am I going to make this work? Well, Grandma's sick too, so I'm going to have to take the day off, you know, and during nap time, that's when I'm going to get what I can done or I have to stay up late. So it's always. There's never a balance. It's just always adjusting. And, and I think anybody with a business knows you always are kind of readjusting and reevaluating. And another thing. So one of my good friends, I want to say her name, Laurel Denise. She's amazing. She has a planner company now. She used to make jewelry. She posted recently. And this just clicked for me this week. Everybody's definition of being done is different. But if you can have like, okay, today, this is what I want to get done, then you feel more like you can have a list a mile long and like you're going to feel completely deflated when you don't get anything done on that. But if I can look on that list and be like, okay, I want to get that thing done today. If I get other things done, amazing. But if I can get that thing done, then I'm going to feel accomplished. And it's crazy how just that slight change has made a difference just this week for me. So, like, figuring out what your definition of done is for each day is huge.
Larissa
So that's awesome. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for being here. Where can I find you?
Christina Cobur
So you can find me at my website, Christina cober dot com. It's C H R I S T I N a K O B as in boy E-R dot com. I'm also on Instagram at Christina Cobber and let's see, Facebook, Christina Cober designs and then Pinterest. So Those are my @China cover. So, yeah, that's where I am.
Larissa
Thank you for being here.
Christina Cobur
Yeah, thank you.
Larissa
All right, what did you learn from Christina's experience? Let us know. Visit successwithjewelry.com and if you love the podcast, we'd love to hear from you. Send us a message or leave us a review. Thanks for being a part of our community.
Success With Jewelry Podcast: Episode 105 Summary
Title: Success With Jewelry
Hosts: Laryssa Wirstiuk & Liz Kantner
Guest: Christina Kober
Release Date: October 21, 2024
In Episode 105 of the Success With Jewelry podcast, hosts Laryssa Wirstiuk and Liz Kantner sit down with Christina Kober, a seasoned jewelry designer and entrepreneur. With over 17 years in the industry, Christina shares her journey from humble beginnings to building a thriving e-commerce store featured in over 90 retail locations. This episode delves into Christina's strategies for discovering her niche, scaling her business, and navigating the challenges of the jewelry market.
Christina Kober launched her jewelry business in 2007, inspired by her early experiences working at her father's jewelry supply shop. Initially uncertain about her path, she began taking community jewelry classes in Atlanta, which ignited her passion for design.
Key Points:
Notable Quote:
“I couldn’t stop taking classes and to kind of pay for the equipment and classes I was taking, I was like, I'm going to start selling jewelry on Etsy.”
— Christina Kober [02:34]
Christina experimented with various designs, initially focusing on hammered pieces before pivoting tostamp designs featuring personalized and inspirational messages. This shift allowed her to streamline production and develop a distinct brand identity.
Two standout designs, the Diamond Finish and the Fortune Cookie necklace, played pivotal roles in Christina’s brand recognition. Her Fortune Cookie necklace went viral on Pinterest, leading to a surge in orders that overwhelmed her initial capacity.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
“I started getting like 30 to 50 orders of fortune cookies a day. And I was like, what is going on?”
— Christina Kober [05:16]
“So shop tells me to manage that. And it's still hard to this day, 17 years in, I'm still like, sometimes I feel like I'm a newbie.”
— Christina Kober [10:32]
To cope with the influx, Christina relied heavily on her family and part-time employees, highlighting the importance of a supportive team during rapid growth phases.
Transitioning to wholesale was a significant milestone for Christina. Her first wholesale show at ACC Baltimore provided invaluable lessons about the complexities of selling to retailers versus direct-to-consumer channels.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
“When I really started investing in wholesale... I was literally putting money towards it instead of just being like, yeah, I'll do it.”
— Christina Kober [16:43]
“She's incredible. So.”
— Christina Kober [20:41]
Christina emphasizes the importance of investing in wholesale, not just financially but also by dedicating time and resources to understand the psychological aspects of B2B relationships.
Christina discusses how changes in platforms like Etsy and unforeseen events like the COVID-19 pandemic impacted her business. Diversifying revenue streams proved crucial in navigating these challenges.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
“I always wanted to have multiple irons in the fire because as like when Etsy went public... if I only had my Etsy site I would never have made it.”
— Christina Kober [25:40]
“The pandemic was very interesting because... I'm not going anywhere. Buy jewelry. Please support me so I can at least somewhat survive.”
— Christina Kober [26:28]
Christina shares actionable tips for conducting successful trunk shows, emphasizing preparation and collaboration with retailers to showcase unique products.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
“I brought it. So literally I came back and I had it order from them for like everything with F on it.”
— Christina Kober [30:31]
Balancing the demands of running a multi-faceted business with personal responsibilities is a continual challenge for Christina. She employs strategic prioritization and flexible planning to manage her time effectively.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
“There's never a balance. It's just always adjusting.”
— Christina Kober [35:36]
“Figuring out what your definition of done is for each day is huge.”
— Christina Kober [35:36]
Christina Kober's journey offers valuable insights for jewelry designers and entrepreneurs aiming to build and sustain a successful business. From discovering her niche and scaling operations to navigating wholesale complexities and maintaining work-life balance, Christina's experiences underscore the importance of adaptability, strategic investment, and strong relationship-building in the competitive jewelry market.
Connect with Christina Kober:
Stay Tuned for Bonus Content:
In the bonus segment, Christina shares her current strategies and what continues to work in her business, offering listeners actionable advice to implement in their own ventures.
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