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| Lone Star Gemstones Interview |
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Today's interview is with Jordan, of Lone Star Gemstones.
1. Please tell us a little about Lone Star Gemstones.
Lone Star Gemstones grew from a love of all
things “Bling”. I've been in love with jewelry and all
manner of “sparklies” since the womb, I think. When I was
still working in the “outside world” before I opened my own
business, I regularly treated myself to new baubles and trinkets. I
have quite a collection.
I have always been good with my hands, and very involved in crafts, and
more traditional art. I suppose I got that from my darling Mama. She
was also an artist. She did work in pencil/charcoal and oils. I've
also worked with some drawing and painting, but couldn't stay away from
the jewels. I started making my own jewelry because I couldn't find the
pieces I wanted on the market. I'm drawn to the rarer, and more
unusual, gemstones, but you
rarely find these kinds of things in traditional jewelry stores. By
designing and making my own jewelry, I had complete control over the
materials, colors, and the quality of each piece.
2. When did you decide to start your own business?
I think that was my husband's influence. One
can only wear so much jewelry at any given time. But I was so enjoying
the designing and crafting of the jewelry, I became rather . . .
prolific. I just couldn't stop. The pieces started to mount up. Dear
Hubby suggested perhaps I could find a way to make my
“hobby” pay for itself. Many years later – here we
are.
3. Why made you decide to specialize in gemstones and jewelry?
How many times have you heard someone say you
should do what you love, and love what you do? If you love doing
something so much, you'd do it for free, THAT is what you should make
your life's work – if you can.
4. What is your favorite item that you've made?
Gee, that would be too hard to really choose. It would be like asking a
mother which of her children is her favorite. I do have several pieces
I've made recently that are the current “apples of Mama's
eye”: a green labradorite beaded necklace with a large
labradorite tablet pendant in sterling silver, and several gemstone
beaded necklaces that incorporate swags and Swarovski crystals.
5. What are your three most popular items?
The first would be our Treasure Chest. We
offer the opportunity to purchase genuine loose gemstones of nearly
every kind, for $1.75 per carat. You can buy any size lot from
one carat through hundreds of carats for that same, per carat, fee.
Since we choose, randomly, which stones you will receive, it's like
Christmas every time you purchase a gem lot.
The second would be our rare gem collection which includes labradorite
(including the über-rare red labradorite), kunzite, chrome
diopside, spinel, danburite, fire opals, and several colors of beryl.
Finally, it would be either our opals, or our CZ collection. Their
popularity is probably about equal. All of our white opals are solid
Australian opal, but we also carry black opal triplets. Our CZ line
includes designer CZ's such as Diamonique Signity ®; and BellaLuce
®.
6. Do you have a
hidden gem - a product that isn’t getting the recognition that
you think it deserves? Please tell us why everyone needs to know about
this product.
Wow! You're going to make me choose among my
children again? Hmmm, I'm torn between mentioning the green amethyst,
the white topaz, and the latte' quartz. All three are gorgeous in their
own right. The green amethyst (really a green quartz) can be anything
from a pale glass green, to a deep olive, or sage green. They are
almost always large and clear. The white topaz are a very affordable
alternative to diamond. They don't have quite as much fire, but they
still offer quite a bit of “flash for the cash”. And the
latte' quartz is relatively new to the market. It's a golden bronze
color that has to be seen to really be appreciated. But it's a
delightful gem, and
nothing else looks like it.
7. Where do you find the inspirations for your hand-crafted jewelry?
Just about everywhere. I've found inspiration
in magazines; books; on the street; in the movies. I keep a pencil and
pad by my chair because I'll see a necklace, or earring, or whatever on
TV, and I just have to hit the pause button and draw it. The recent
swag necklaces were all a product of watching a show set in England in
the 13th-14th century. The jewelry from that time period is large and
elaborate, but raw in a way, because it was all made by hand – no
machines or prefab parts. Gorgeous!
8. Are there any websites that you visit daily? If so, why?
Well, mine, of course: http://lonestargems.msmalls.com.
I also make the rounds of a lot of chat boards and group format type
venues such as MySpace, Squidoo, and Yahoo 360°. Some are to help
me keep up with industry changes, events and info, but some are for
marketing and advertising. In the e-market, it's all about getting your
product, your name, your website out there for people to see. If no one
knows about you, then you're just waiting for someone to accidentally
stumble across you in the dark. That's not a very good business plan.
9. Is there anything else that we should know about you, your business, your products, or your industry?
I really LOVE what I do, and I want everyone
else to fall in love with gemstones and jewelry too. Because this is my
baby, I am very protective of our customers and of our products. For
us, the very first thing is to obtain the best quality possible for our
customers, then to share that product with our customers for a
reasonable price with exquisite customer service.
10. Is there anything you wished you knew before you started your business?
I wish I had taken more business and marketing courses in college; but hind site's 20/20, right?
11. What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own business?
Again, if you can, do what you love. Second, learn everything you can
about your industry. Read everything you can find on the Internet. Take
classes; read industry literature; join several chat boards related to
your industry. If you're shy, or feeling a little out of your
league at first, then *lurk*. Read everything and absorb as much as you
can. When you feel more confident, join in the conversations. Don't be
afraid to admit that you are new to the industry, but eager to learn.
You'll come across a few folks who are snobby about their knowledge,
and only speak
to “equals”. Or maybe they're afraid of giving away
information because that might give away some of their
“power”. Don't let them even slow you down. Just (silently)
call them a jerk and move on. There will be plenty of open-hearted
people who remember what it was like to be in your shoes. They'll
answer your questions and offer advice and resources for learning more
about the industry. Third, get a job in that industry. If you want to
own your own jewelry business for example, get a job at a jewelry
store. You'll learn all about the different jewelry and
gems; you'll get insider access to information; you'll learn many of
the things that are required background and experience for business.
Finally, find a really great accountant and lawyer – BEFORE
– you set up a business.
Thank you so much for allowing Etailers Mall to interview you Jordan!
Etailers Mall is not
responsible for any transactions that occur after you leave this site.
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