When it comes to jewelry, customers often have to choose between quality and price. But the founder of ChainCustom thinks you should have both. Read about what makes this jewelry brand different in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.
What the Business Does
Offers custom name necklaces.
Founder Chris Gibson told Small Business Trends, “We sell custom jewelry, specifically necklaces that spell the customer’s name.”
Business Niche
Mixing quality and affordability.
Gibson says, “Our company provides high quality jewelry that is made by hand yet still affordable, costing only $18 a necklace.”
How the Business Got Started
To bring new value to the jewelry market.
Gibson adds, “For many years the jewelry business has been dominated by price scalping and taking advantage of consumers. Our black owned business decided we are going to provide people with the same quality product but for the lowest possible price point!”
Biggest Win
Spotlighting Black women.
Gibson explains, “I believe the biggest win we have had so far as a company is by empowering so many young African American women. For all of our photoshop tsp we ensure that minority women are represented and they are the face of our brand!”
Biggest Risk
Embracing their true identity.
Gibson says, “In today’s world minority groups often face discrimination, and especially in the jewelry market. But our company took a risk and decided to fully embrace ourselves and our beliefs. If this didn’t work out, our company never would have blown up.”
Lesson Learned
Learn the business side.
Gibson adds, “If I could start this business all over again, one thing I would do differently is prioritize what the business needs me to do over what I enjoy doing. This seems counterintuitive at first, because we believe that we start a business so that we can do what we enjoy. There are way too many startup failures because the founders keep their focus only on product development and not on sales or business development. Because that’s not something they enjoy doing.”
How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000
Expanding their warehouse.
Gibson says, “The money would go right into our warehouse so that we can make even more necklaces! Because all of our products are made by hand it is hard for us to keep up with supply! We refuse to make our jewelry by machine so that $100,000 would allow us to expand significantly!”
Company Mission
Helping young people.
Gibson explains, “We donate 10% of all profit to providing underprivileged teenagers with assistance for student loans!”
Favorite Quote
“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” —Frederick Douglass
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Image: Images: ChainCustom
This article, “Spotlight: ChainCustom Wants to Shake Up the Jewelry Biz with Custom, Affordable Pieces” was first published on Small Business Trends
