CheapTweet Blog

Today marks the beginning of another CheapTweet blog feature – a weekly interview with a local or independent seller or small business owner.  We’re always looking for new people to interview, so let us know if you’d like to participate!

Our first interview is with Tracy Owens Chasteen (also know as @polishedtwo on Twitter). Tracy designs one-of-a-kind pottery shard jewelry, vintage-inspired earrings, and whimsical accessories in her Austin, Texas studio and sells these affordable handmade items through her online Etsy shop at http://polishedtwo.etsy.com.  You can also find her on Flickr and MySpace and see all of Tracy’s deals on CheapTweet.

1. How did you get started making and selling jewelry?

I started making jewelry about 10 years ago. I had been doing crafts ever since I can remember so it was just a matter of time before I got my hands on some beading projects. I tend to see interesting things in boutiques and think “I can make that!” I started out stringing beads on elastic just to make colorful stretch bracelets, but I had my eye on bigger and better projects. I really wanted to make chunky necklaces with big, bold pendants. I did some research on materials, read a lot of beading magazines and tutorials, and took an instructional class led by a jewelry-making friend. Meanwhile, I amassed large quantities of beads in every shape and color!

In the past decade, I’ve made thousands of pieces of jewelry. Selling these creations was just a natural extension of my hobby since I couldn’t possibly keep everything I made. My online shop opened less than three years ago when I realized I needed a venue that would accommodate my busy schedule with the added flexibility to sell worldwide. I still show off my creations to my family and friends and always hope they’ll buy from me, but my Etsy shop offers greater selling potential.

2. Tell us a little bit about your jewelry. What sorts of pieces do you specialize in?

I call my jewelry colorful and eclectic—with a bit of whimsy—but I really specialize in statement pieces. I’m a big fan of chunky, bold necklaces and love using large, colorful pendants as a focal point. I was drawn to Ming Dynasty pottery shards when I saw them on truly unique necklaces in a local boutique years ago. The necklaces were exceptional pieces that were out of my price range, but my “I can make that!” mindset set me on the path to make my own jewelry. I love to work with these colorful porcelain pieces because I can lay them in a pile of bead strands and see the designs emerge. Other designs come out of my own needs—like wanting to have a different pair of earrings for any outfit in my closet—or thinking of ways to recycle vintage pieces and parts from abandoned or long-lost jewelry collections that have been hidden away in a drawer for decades.

3. Where do you get your inspiration?

I’m often inspired by shopping trips, especially a long day at a big flea market. I have to bring a notebook with me! I’ll see lots of great vintage materials and find inspiration in their history. I have to jot things down so I’ll remember how I want to use them when I get back to my studio. I love working with vintage buttons and jewelry parts – giving them new life in a modern piece of jewelry. The quality of vintage materials makes them great for recycling into new designs. I really like to mix old and new, so I’ll combine vintage parts with new materials to get my latest inspired designs. I also get inspired by the chaos of life. Some of my best necklace designs have sprung from a wild mix of orphan beads on my desk after a long, busy week when I haven’t put everything away. It may look like a mess to someone else, but I tend to find the most interesting and unexpected color combinations in an intermingling, wild pile of beads!

4. How do you market or promote your store?

My best promotional tools are new designs and great customer service. I find that personally thanking each customer, offering quick and affordable shipping, and making sure I always have something new in my shop has kept my customers coming back. To get the word out and attract new customers, I generally rely on social networking resources to promote my store. They’re free to use, so I am able to keep my designs affordable by not having a big marketing and advertising budget. I do this by being active on the Facebook, MySpace, and Flickr communities.

5. How do you use Twitter to help with your jewelry-making and your business?

Twitter has been an amazing resource for my business as a whole by opening up a new community of networking. Twitter offers immediate information without filling anyone’s email account. I use Twitter to show off my new Etsy listings as I add them to my shop—and also to give a sense of my personality. I let people know what I’m up to and how my day is occupied, even when I’m not making jewelry. Before I discovered Twitter, I had opened up a traditional blog site, but I never felt like I was interesting enough or had enough time to write compelling content when I really just wanted to be making jewelry. Twitter is great because I can always answer the question “What are you doing?” and keep it short. I can make a quick connection with my network—posting what I’m doing and reading a few posts to see what others are Tweeting about—then run off and make something!

6. Do you have any tips or advice for someone just getting started with her/his own store?

My number one piece of advice would be “Do what you love!” I say this because when you open your own store, you are going to work at it more hours than you ever imagined. This is true with starting any business of your own. But if you love it, you can put your time in and personally feel the rewards of doing something that makes you happy. One other piece of advice would be to gain a true understanding of your target market and what speaks to them. If you want to sell what you have in your store, you have to be where your customers are. People who appreciate handmade are shopping on Etsy, so that’s where you’ll find me. And handmade buyers are active and vocal all over Facebook, Flickr, and Twitter—so when I’m not working/making jewelry, I’m interacting in those communities as an extension of my store. Be active in the communities where you find your shoppers and become a part of their networks. People like to buy from people they know, so making these connections is an important part of successful selling.

At CheapTweet, we love to talk to people who run their own businesses and sell things they make. If you’re interested in being interviewed for our blog, please send us an email!