YGG: Jane Allen Designs
Jane Allen is one of my favorite small businesses! She is a jewelry design with gorgeous, timeless pieces. All of her pieces are 925 sterling silver with a very highly plated “Jane Allen gold finish.” Her products are absolutely stunning and I can’t wait for you to get to know her better and get an inside look into her business! Jane is graciously giving you a sneak peak at her New Arrivals that will be released in October, they are highlighted at the end of the post.
Let’s get to know Jane, and learn more about Jane Allen Designs!
Meet Jane!
Q. How did you know you wanted to start your own business?
A. I have always loved accessories and know how much they can either make or break an outfit but if we’re being honest, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever become a jewelry designer much less start a jewelry company. As a stylist, I kept finding the need in the market and after 5+ years I got tired of looking and made things happen.
Q. How did you decide on this niche?
A. It really all came to be while in my client’s closets.—Different situations: we were packing them for a trip and they didn’t want to bring their nice pieces with them, their husbands would give them pieces of jewelry that was pretty but not really wearable or versatile so they were left feeling guilty when they never could wear these pieces . They had all this costume jewelry that together added up in $$ but never really had any longevity and looked poor after just a few wears.
Q. What was the hardest part about starting your business?
A. As a very wise woman once said about being an entrepreneur, “You may close, but you never dose”. Starting a business is so tough! Every minute can be spent wearing all the different hats of the business—creating, accounting, planning— literally learning something every minute but you can’t forget there are still other things in life. In my case the hardest has been stepping away from the needs & demands of Jane Allen and remembering I’m not just a business owner—I’m a wife, mother, sister & daughter too. Trying find that rhythm isn’t easy.
Q. Where do you gather inspiration?
A. Everywhere! We focus on trying stay timeless especially in our core collection pieces so we look to what we think is timeless—churches, architecture, things of the past.
Q. What has been your biggest achievement within your business thus far?
A. Delivering a product I believe in. Unless you are familiar with the process of bringing any tangible product to market, people have no clue the steps and hoops you have to go through to balance out the quality vs price equation. We’ve gone through tons of manufactures & industry leaders to get to were we are now and I am so grateful to all of the people & team members who have gotten us here.
Q. What are your current goals/plans for your business?
A. We are such a new brand that our main goals for 2019 & 2020 is to continue to get eyes on the Jane Allen Brand & grow organically from there.
Q. What missions and values do you align with your business?
A. We are meant to live this life with joy. Jane Allen is all about making your life easier, more practical and just down right prettier. We design pieces that you will pick up everyday and feel instantly & effortlessly put together. We all have to get dressed. Our days start in our closets and we want to take the guessing game out of your morning styling session so you can get on with living and live well.
Q. What is one piece of advice you could give other women who are wanting to start their own business?
A. The day you plant the seed, is not the day you eat the fruit. Patience and persistence. Learn EVERYTHING you can at whatever it is you are doing right this moment and when you feel good (doesn’t even have to be great) about the direction you’re going in, jump off. Believe in yourself & whatever it is that you're doing. The stars are not going to align just right. You WILL have major speed bumps but just keep going- one step at a time.
Thank you, Jane, for giving us an inside look at Jane Allen Designs and what drives you as a business owner! Here are three of the stunning new pieces that will be released in October, along with five new earrings, three necklaces, and one bracelet!
Check out Jane on Instagram to stay up to date on her new products!
There’s always Something to Style Over!
xx, Lea