Hiiiii TJ! Thank you so much for allowing me to interview you on the blog. I’m so grateful for the connection.
But, before we begin the interview, I want to give a little history on how I came upon TJ and Chains Charms Love. I’m positive that TJ doesn’t even know this.
Back in February, I was working with my tarot and oracle cards doing an ancestor reading. During my reading, I learned that my “grandmother” was one of my ancestors divinely supporting me.
Butttt, I didn’t know which grandmother. In my spirit, I knew which one, but I needed confirmation. So, I asked for a direct message on which grandmother it was. Soon after on February 11th, I was scrolling Instagram and a bracelet surfaced in my feed with my grandmother’s name, Bertha.
The bracelet was from Chains Charms Love. Ever since that day, I’ve been a regular at checking out all of the creativity from TJ.
On top of that, I recently won a handmade Junk Journal from a Chains Charms Love giveaway. I love it! I’m still deciding on what I want to fill it with.
But, enough about my experience, let’s get into this interview.
Brennon: Again, thank you for your time with this interview. Would you mind telling us a little bit about yourself?
TJ: I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and I now reside in Atlanta, Georgia with my husband of 9.5 years and our fur babies. One dog, one cat, and one bird! Huge animal lover’s in our household! In my free time, I like to enjoy a good suspenseful novel, cooking, walking and spending time with family and friends!
Brennon: Awww. We enjoy Atlanta. Is that where Chains Charms Love started? Can you tell us about that?
TJ: Yes. I started Chains Charms Love a little over 10 years ago as a hobby to escape from the outside world. I came up with the name of my business one day while admiring my work, realizing that most of my pieces consist of chains and charms. I added the word love, because I absolutely love what I do!
About a year after making jewelry I reached out to a few local coffee shops asking to set up there and sale my bracelets. After much success I had my jewelry sold and displayed here in Atlanta at two local gift shops. Both shops closed after a few years and that is when I joined online selling. I sold on a few different online platforms and in November of 2018 I made Etsy my final home.
Brennon: That’s awesome that you were able to get into local shops! Is Etsy your only online presence, or can you be found elsewhere online?
TJ: Currently, my business is only accessible through Etsy, however, I also share my work on Instagram @chainscharmslove.
Brennon: Yes, we gotta love Instagram! Speaking of “the gram”, I’ve heard pros and cons regarding small business operations during COVID-19. How has COVID-19 impacted your business?
TJ: At the start of COVID-19, there was a huge impact on my business. I went from daily sales to no sales! Thankfully, my sales are almost back to normal.
Brennon: I understand. I really do. As a blogger, I work with a lot of different companies. And, when COVID-19 came, my partnerships dwindled and I had no work. But, over the past few weeks, things have been picking back up and I am so thankful.
So, now that daily operations and sales are picking back up, what are your goals for your shop moving forward?
TJ: My goal for Chains Charms Love is to expand into new avenues besides jewelry. I just started making Junk Journals; which are handmade journals made of card stock, paper and plenty details.
They are used as mini scrapbooks, holding all your greatest memories, goals, photos, etc.
I also started making jewelry for kids about a year ago, and that has taken off more than I ever imagined! I have so many repeat customers with requests from their kids, and it’s such a joyful experience!
Although I have no plans to stop selling on Etsy. I do plan to be back in small boutiques again. Either my own or another local Atlanta shop!
Brennon: Wow! That’s great! I really admire your Junk Journals. I love all the details and creativity that goes into them. You mentioned, charting new territory in terms of your business ideas. So, let me ask you this.
What have you learned so far about your business that you would have liked to know prior to getting started?
TJ: I have learned that less is more! When I first started selling my jewelry I was big into adding three to four charms to a bracelet. However, over the years I have learned that my biggest sellers are those with just a clean simple look.
I have also learned that presentation is bigger than the product itself. I would get so many private messages from my customers raving about how cute the gift wrapping is!
It’s the little things that you would never think matters, but those are the things that matter the most!
Brennon: I definitely agree that details matter. I am very detail oriented, so I am always looking at the details. Speaking of details, I think we were able to dive deep into the details of your Etsy business, Chains Charms Love and learned quite a bit, TJ. So, thank you.
Thank you for sharing about yourself, as well as your business.
For those interested in checking out the shop, visit Chains Charms Love on Etsy or follow TJ on Instagram @chainscharmlove.
