Finding Zen: How Jiang Yuan Balances Working Full-Time and Running Her Jewelry Business

Jiang Yuan first found her passion for making jewelry while juggling part-time design classes with her job as a Fashion Merchandiser. Her pieces are influenced by the Zen philosophy of China and aim to inspire positivity in her customers. 

It’s been a gradual journey from changing careers to finding the confidence to start her own business, but with her first collections finished, Jiang is ready to share them with the public! 

We spoke with the budding entrepreneur about making the transition to launching her own company and her favorite time-management strategies. 

Name: Jiang Yuan

Business: Nine Hope

Started: Summer 2016 

How did you come to create your awesome job? 

I initially studied Fashion Merchandising at the the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, then moved to New York six years ago to start a job at Coach as a Merchandiser. While I was working full-time, I studied jewelry design on the side at the Fashion Institute of Technology. It was there that I fell in love with the craft. 

One of my instructors, Dominic, was a senior designer for Harry Winston. He taught me a lot and made me want to pursue a career in the field. I gradually built up a portfolio, then got a job working as a Designer and Production Manager at a jewelry company for around four years. 

While there, I gained a lot of experience. Once I felt I understood the industry, I decided to go it alone. It took a long time for me to figure out what I wanted to do and to have the confidence to start a business, but eventually I just did it!

When did you know your business was going to work?

When I first registered the company, I decided that I wanted to be an entrepreneur and do something on my own instead of working for other people. I started making my samples and getting good reactions, so after that I registered the company to make it legal and start selling. 

I knew it would work eventually because I was going to do my best to make it work, no matter what!

Who was your very first customer?  

When I first started making samples, a friend of mine told me he would really like to get my Buddha pendant for his mother for Christmas. Also, the photographer I hired bought one of the bracelets he was taking shots of. 

Now, I use email marketing to find new customers and I go to jewelry and business events to network with people. It's all about networking, both online and offline. 

How do you price your jewelry?  

The value of the 14K gold I use is the base price, combined with the cost of labor, design and marketing. Generally, I follow the markup of a regular jewelry company. Some companies double or triple the cost, but I go lower than that. 

For me, taking into account the time I spend designing is really important when pricing. I have to remember that I'm selling my ideas and inspirations as well as the value of the gold. 

I'm actually developing products with a lower price point at the moment. Right now my pieces range between around $200 to $2,000, but I'm currently working on a lighter-weight range at $100 to $300 to make more affordable, delicate everyday wear. 

What's been the biggest surprise so far after starting your business? 

At this stage it's just me running Nine Hope and I’m 100% in control of it. My biggest surprise was that I could handle so many aspects of the business and not get burned out! 

I found it was very important in the beginning to control my budget and to do as much of the work myself as I could. So, as well as the jewelry design, I also did the graphic design and built the website on my own. I felt like I could hire others later, once the business started working. 

What does a typical day look like for you? 

At the moment I'm running my business on a part-time basis, as I still have a full-time job. I go into the office from 9.30am to 6.30pm, so I run my company on the evenings and weekends. I give myself two hours each day to work on my own line, usually at night. 

Right now my collection is finished, so I'm focusing on digital marketing and promoting my products. Generally, I'm very organized and I have a whiteboard where I write down everything that I need to do from morning to evening. I also normally set a weekly goal, as well as have a daily plan of what to accomplish.  

If you could go back in time, what's the one thing you would do differently when you were just starting your business? 

I wish I had hired an accountant early on. As a small business owner, I encourage others to consult with one at the very beginning to help create a business plan, otherwise it could result in a waste of investment. 

I also wish I had found a great design agency that could have helped more with building my website and collaborated with me on my online store.  

What would you like to learn today from a community of other small business owners and self-employed professionals? 

I want to find out if there are any other small business owners who have expertise in digital marketing, and if they could help me further with learning how to promote my products online.

Do *you* have expertise in digital marketing?

Calling all marketing specialists here in OWN IT! Jiang needs *your* help with spreading the word about her products. 

If you have expertise to share about digital marketing and online advertising, share your ideas in the comments below! We can't wait to hear from you. :-)