2023 Salvage & Shine Business Mantra
It has been one year since I opened Salvage & Shine. I was incredibly nervous. Would my products sell (yes!), would my community support my venture (not like I thought they would), and general fear of failure (the shame imagined if my business did not succeed). Now, that I have answers to some of my questions and fears, I understand that I was worrying about things that I couldn't control; I didn't need to worry about; and, that would resolve itself organically.
I, truly, believe in my venture, but it took me a year to learn how to properly sell my concept to the public. I did not anticipate that it would be so difficult to sell eco-conscious wearable art jewelry, but it was more difficult to explain than I had imagined. Today, I have found my voice and selected my 2023 business mantra.
My business creates jewelry that is handmade, eco-conscious art. Each piece has an inspirational design concept that would inspire its wearer to live and be better. I am, then, influenced by my design concept to select eco-conscious materials. These materials are often sourced from salvaged, recycled, and renewable materials. When I source materials, I always try to work with bead artists from local and developing communities. I limit myself from working with products that are toxic and harm the environment. These are statement pieces that celebrate innovation, multicultural design, and to show how easy it is to use your mind and hands to create.
My business mantra is a famous quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The quote perfectly expresses my dedication to do "great things" like protect my environment, reduce landfill waste, redirecting perfectly good materials from the landfill, and raising awareness through artistic expression. It also perfectly communicates my sober reality that my ability to do great things is limited because I am a one-woman operation who faced and faces a lot of adversity. Adversity which prevented me from doing "great" things at the pace that I dreamed to do them. Last year, I worked hard to circumvent adversity. This year, I must acknowledge adversity in order to set more realistic goals expectations for me as I continue to define Salvage & Shine.
This brings me to the second part of the quote and my commitment to do "small things in a great way." I vow to develop environmentally sustainable methods to manufacture jewelry and to structure my business. I will actively search for ways to build a collaborative business that empowers not exploits. But as long as there are institutions in society that preclude me from doing great things, I will resign myself to do small things in a great way...until we can all come together to empower each other to be our best, authentic selves. But, please understand that I am not complicit in maintaining the status quo.
I wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!
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