In this interview, we hear from the founder of Jacx Carter Designs, a jewelry brand that creates unique pieces using mixed media. TieSha Carter, who is self-taught, shares that her passion for jewelry design started as a coping mechanism for anxiety and panic disorder.

She launched Jacx Carter Designs in 2021 on Etsy and later decided to build her own unique brand to stand out from the saturated market. TieSha prides herself on making every piece herself and supporting other small business owners when sourcing materials. Her goal is for people to feel confident and proud when they wear her jewelry, which she believes accentuates their personality and identity. TieSha is currently a part-time Senior Systems Engineer, but hopes that Jacx Carter Designs will one day become her full-time career. Her advice for aspiring designers is to bet on themselves and start small.

Ready to be inspired? Read on…

Tell us the journey that led you to launching your brand, Jacx Carter Designs…

Jewelry design and creation started off for me as a coping mechanism for anxiety and panic disorder. I would escape to my sunroom (currently my studio/office) and turn on youtube videos or attend online workshops to learn different styles and techniques for creating jewelry pieces (hence the self-taught). Eventually my creations started taking over the room and my husband asked what I planned on doing with them. He and other’s who saw the pieces I made were surprised at the quality and creativity and encouraged me to start selling. So, in 2021 I launched Jacx Carter Designs as an Etsy shop. In 2022 I decided to navigate away from Etsy and truly build my own unique brand leaving behind the platform of a saturated market.

The name Jacx came from the first and middle initials of my children’s name Xavier Julian and Chloe Ann. It is some that I wrote on a vision board in 2018 with no idea at the time what it would become. It’s amazing how vision works and manifests itself.

What sets you apart from other jewellery designs?

The biggest thing that sets me apart from other designs is that every single piece that I sell was made by me. My hands have literally touched every product that is in my shop. Because I love to explore all different types of materials, I think you will find a lot of mixed media pieces in my shop that you wouldn’t find anywhere else. I feel like a lot of brands are known for that one particular thing and that is not Jacx Carter Designs. You will find styles I believe can suit anyone’s personal style (maybe except for those that are looking for something more traditional). 

I also like to highlight that because I am as small business, I do my best to source my materials from other small business owners. I believe in supporting my community.

How did you first discover your passion for jewellery design?

I have always, always had a passion for the creative arts. I have painted, done photography, knitted on the side but nothing has stuck like jewelry design. It was something that seemed to come easily and allows me to continue to explore the other areas just mentioned all in one place.

I can also say my family has also been a big influence. My grandmothers would always dress to impress to include having shoes, purses and accessories to match. I remember watching them layout their outfits for the day and lastly picking out the perfect accessories to finish the look. My mother has always been into fashion as well. She owned a consignment shop and has been a personal stylist, so I guess it was hidden deep down in my DNA.

How do you want people to feel when they wear your jewellery?

When people wear my pieces I want them to feel confident. I want them to feel like they are wearing something that totally represents and accentuates their personality and identity. I want them to be proud that they have a one of a kind piece that they selected just for them.

Have you got plans to expand your range and launch other products in the future?

My father always teases me about not having anything to offer for men and so I have been thinking about pursing a men’s collection in the future. Right now, I am just doing some research on the demographic.

I have also been playing around with some simple wire wrapped rings. There is a possibility for a small collection of rings sometime in the future.

If you didn’t pursue this career, what else would you have liked to do?

Honestly this is not my full-time gig. I would absolutely love to get to that point. Right now I work part-time as a Senior Systems Engineering for a small business. I have both a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Computer Science. Jacx Carter Designs is my dream coming true.

What advice would you offer any aspiring designers who are struggling to get started?

Bet on yourself. My favorite quote is “You automatically loose the changes you don’t take.” – Unknown author.

Take the leap just get started and start small. Etsy was a great platform for me to see how my pieces would do and was not too overwhelming or to much of a learning curve.

Talk us through an average day in your life…

Mondays and Fridays are my days that are dedicated to Jacx Carter Designs (although I do small things throughout the week and on Sundays) while Tuesdays – Thursdays I am in the office performing in my role of Lead Systems Engineer. I am going to use Monday as my average day.

My alarm goes off at 6:30am I hop up and go to my children’s rooms to wake them up and layout their close for the day. While they are getting ready I had back to my room to throw something on and take a few minutes to read a daily devotional or a page out of my current bible study guide. Once everyone is ready then it’s time to head downstairs for breakfast, morning devotion with the kids and off to drop off at school. Once back home I finally grab a bite to eat while going through my list of things for the day prior to my weekly 11:00am meeting with my marketing project manager. Once the meeting is over, I knock out any action items I may have had and move on to the next part of my day. The next few hours (prior to 2:30 when it’s time to leave to pick up the children) I head to my sunroom (aka workshop) and work to finish up any pieces I may have started but not finished from the prior week and over the weekend. I also layout any designs I have in mind to start working on during the week. My day usually ends once the kids are home from school where I shift gears to focus on their needs, preparing for dinner or finishing up loose ends around the house.

I typically reserve Friday’s for photographing pieces, editing, and uploading to the website.

Looking back since launching the business, is there anything that you would do differently?

I started learning the business side of things after starting the business. I think I would have done a little more research on running a business first prior to just leaping in. However, I have learned at lot doing it the way that I did and am still learning.

Our readers love to travel, what destination is at the top of your bucket list?

My husband and I would love to do an extended vacation where we can visit Australia, New Zealand and the Fiji Islands.

Running a business can be non-stop, what do you do to switch off?

When I switch off from business mode I am typically spending time with family, bingewatching my favorite show on Netflix and/or Hulu or working on a puzzle.

What’s your go to quote when you’re lacking motivation?

“If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it, but if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.” – Romans 8:24-25

In five years from now, where do you see the brand?

My dream for my brand is to be seen on the red carpet and on runways both nationally and internationally. Currently I am a member of FlyingSolo NYC and you can find a curated collection of my pieces in their store. I want to continue to be a boutique brand and be able to collaborate with more boutiques worldwide.

Where can people find out more?

To learn more about Jacx Carter Designs you can visit our website at www.jacxcdesigns.com and follow us on Instagram @jacxcarterdesigns

In an interview with Amanda Caroline, she shared her inspiring journey to success. Despite facing setbacks like a skin cancer diagnosis and a divorce, Amanda has remained resilient and bounced back stronger than ever. She’s now the founder of her own successful skincare brand, Amanda Caroline Skincare, and is continuing to expand her range of high-quality, effective skincare products.

Amanda’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance, faith, and self-care.

When asked about her secret sauce, Amanda credits her physical and mental strength, faith, and the importance of keeping the right people around her. Her passion for mentoring others and sharing her knowledge and experience is a true testament to her character and dedication to helping others.

For aspiring business owners, Amanda’s advice is to map out your vision, understand your market, be passionate and confident about your product, and have a financial plan. Her story is one of resilience, perseverance, and pursuing your passion. Amanda’s journey serves as an inspiration to anyone facing adversity and shows that with hard work, dedication, and a little faith, anything is possible.

Ready to be inspired Read on…

Tell us about the journey that led to the launch of Amanda Caroline Skincare.

It began towards the end of 2016, and only upon reflection do I truly understand how I arrived here. Over the years, I worked as a model – a career with a short lifespan – and overcame skin cancer, which sparked my interest in skincare and epigenetics, the power of the mind, and staying youthful. I started investing more and more time in taking care of my skin and leaned into beauty as a way to relax and escape a difficult time in my personal life.

I struggled to find a skincare routine that addressed my own skin concerns, including pigmentation from sun damage and a damaged skin barrier from harsh products used in my teens. Everything I bought seemed to clog my pores, leading to further problems with congestion and dehydration.

I felt there must be a way to disrupt this cycle, creating products that were super hydrating, clearing, and brightening the skin, giving a more youthful appearance and slowing the ageing process. When my personal life improved, I decided to start my own company and find a cosmetic scientist and manufacturer that could turn my vision into a reality, and that’s how our Haute Lift Duo was born.

You were diagnosed with malignant melanoma skin cancer in your early thirties. How did you turn this difficult moment into something positive?

Overcoming this difficult time left me with an 8cm scar on my right leg that was quite prohibitive as I was a swimwear/fashion/legs model. Because my melanoma was so close to being fatal, I took a closer look at my life and made significant changes, giving up modelling and focusing on what was important. This led me to where I am now.

How do you want people to feel when they use your products?

It’s essential to me that people see immediate results, feeling refreshed, plump, and hydrated. I prioritize high efficacy high-quality ingredients and value for money. I oversee all product development and brand development and spend a lot of time researching the ingredients and developing the unique formulas with our world-class Cosmetic Scientists, all made in the UK.

The personal experience is all-encompassing. When I see customers excited about the texture, delicate rose fragrance, and instant/long-term results, it reinforces what I have achieved, and it signals to me that I’m on the right path. I’m passionate about creating a non-complicated, no-fuss skincare routine, and I believe my customers appreciate that, building trust and confidence in the brand.

You always seem to bounce back from adversity, such as your skin cancer diagnosis or divorce. What’s your secret sauce?

I consider myself both physically and mentally strong, and keeping myself at an optimum level in both areas helps me to achieve what I need to do in my business and personal life. Faith plays a huge part in my life, providing constant support and strength during challenging times, whether personal or business. When I’m going through a difficult period, I focus on looking after myself, and my health, and keeping the right people around me. It’s essential to have a trustworthy circle that cares about each other.

Have you got plans to expand your range and launch other products in the future?

I can’t wait to launch more products, we have so many plans and I have a huge vision for the brand, our plan is to complete the skincare, and facial routine first that be used at home or in spas so we will be launching our cleanser next. This is a beautiful addition to the range and another really unique and special texture that we have been working on for over a year, it also has our signature rose scent and plenty of actives whilst being very gentle. We also have a few more exciting products in and out of development so over the next 18 months will be adding to the range

If you didn’t pursue this career, what else would you have liked to do?

My dream in the mid-80s was to be an air hostess, this is what I told my careers advisor, they told me I was too tall but I applied anyway and ended up having an interview with Virgin Airways which was very new and glamorous at the time. Then I started modelling and decided to move to London and pursue this full-time. I also really love to mentor people from all age groups and have worked with people who are starting businesses or going through a difficult time. I love to share my knowledge, experience and passion for life so would love to continue this, later on, I would love to use my experience starting Amanda Caroline Skincare to help other women in business.

What advice would you offer any aspiring business owners who are struggling to get started?

It is important when you’re thinking of starting a business to map out your vision and understand your market. You need to be very passionate and confident about your product, if it’s not unique, how is it protected. You need to understand revenue and make sure you are going to make a profit after your outgoings.

How are you going to manage the day-to-day workload and who are you going to bring on board to support you? Burnout for CEOs of startouts is around 5 years so you have to be conscious of having the right level of support as the workload can be massive at the beginning. You need to understand resources and where they are going to come from as it’s always more expensive than you think and if you run out of money it’s game over. Most start-ups fail because they run out of cash so its vital that you have a financial plan.

Developing products has been a great joy in my life and the launch of these products was a pinch-me moment, switching on the e-commerce made it very real, when you start selling and realise there is an appetite in the marketplace for your products that’s very memorable and exciting, its huge!

Talk us through an average day in your life…

I like to compare myself in the mornings to Jeff Bezos who has said ‘I like to potter in the mornings’ I take time for myself, have coffee in bed, scan emails and social media, and I love waking up to orders, and making money whilst I sleep! I then either get ready for the day, a full outfit, hair and makeup which takes some time or go for a sporty look and walk or do some training. I like to do sports most days, lifting heavy weights, lap swimming and cardio which helps focus my mind and strengthen my body. I check in at the office and at my local retailers, I don’t believe in micromanagement, and I trust my team to manage their schedule of work.

I often have meetings with retailers, doctors, aestheticians, press and financial people and I’m always looking out for new markets, that’s a big part of my day. I always make time to visit my daughter Sofia Yeganeh in her art studio in Mayfair and then we go for coffee and catch up. I don’t socialize until at least Wednesday where I may have an early dinner with my daughter or some friends.

On a Friday I like to take a half day for a long lunch and on the weekends catch up with friends and loved ones, I love to visit art galleries, watch the ballet, shop for antiques in London and visit other cities around Europe. Looking back since launching the business, is there anything that you would do differently? I stand by my journey and all of the difficulties and challenges that came along, these have made me stronger and more resilient. Business as in life is a series of battles that need to be overcome and won. I have no regrets at all and am grateful for all of the experiences that have presented themselves during this learning curve.

Our readers love to travel, what destination is at the top of your bucket list?

I’ve always wanted to visit Australia and New Zealand, but I haven’t yet had the time. I would also love to see more of South America, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. I know that America is going to be a really big market for us and so I am really looking forward to visiting more of the States. Running a business can be non-stop, what do you do to switch off? I love entertaining in my beautiful new home, I love cooking, feeding people and hosting parties for people. I make the best margaritas in London at my bar, the Chez Amanda. I built my house to be the perfect, social and safe space for my friends to get together and open up.

Letting off steam with my close friends is very important and helps me to unwind at the weekends. Like everyone else, I also love TikTok, watching Netflix, and keeping up with current trends. Swimming is a big part of my life and really helps me to relax during the week and find resolution. Sport helps keep my mind focused and allows me time away from my phone and emails. I’m also a big part of the church community.

What’s your go-to quote when you’re lacking motivation?

Like every true entrepreneur, there is always an element of self-doubt that can creep in, this is normal and very healthy. I just find a way to push through, punch through… there is always a way. Again this is where my faith helps and I am able to reach out to my community for support and advice. Asking for help is a vital part of being a business owner and it’s always humbling and it’s a relief when people respond to that.

Five years from now, where do you see the brand?

I have a very clear vision for the brand, skincare for the face and then we will work on body care, I would love to create a perfume as I am really passionate about the scents in our products and love to mix my own perfumes together for a signature scent, supplements, makeup, to be in every top spa in the world, doctors offices, luxury pharmacies, beauty clinics, pop-ups in major cities and an Amanda Caroline skincare flagship store and spa. As a digital business, we are growing our online presence.

Where can people find out more?

You can visit our website and shop at www.amandacarolinebeauty.com On Instagram and Tiktok we share a lot of behind scenes and have a great community of followers @amandacarolineskincare My personal Instagram is @amandacarolinecronin I want people to know that I’m really approachable and read all my DMs, I love to connect with anyone that follows the brand and is or wants to become a customer. Our products are also available in Fenwick stores and online, and at Saksfiftheavenue.com.

Get ready to be inspired by the story of the unstoppable entrepreneur behind Abyssal Blu, a sustainable swimwear brand that is shaking up the fashion industry. In this exclusive interview with House of Coco, Marley-Kate shares her incredible journey towards launching her brand, fuelled by her passion for sustainable fashion and her unwavering determination to make a difference. She talks about the importance of being eco-friendly and how it inspired her to create a luxury, eco-conscious, and unique brand that stands out from the crowd.

Her words of wisdom and encouragement for aspiring entrepreneurs are nothing short of inspiring, as she urges them to take the leap and just go for it. With her commitment to sustainability and her passion for fashion, she is setting an example for others to follow. If you’re looking for motivation to pursue your dreams, this interview with the founder of Abyssal Blu is a must-read. Get ready to be inspired and make a splash in the world of fashion!

Can you tell us a bit about your journey that led you to launch your brand Abyssal Blu?

I always wanted to start my own brand, so I started by doing a diploma and advanced diploma in fashion design. Studying the fashion industry helped me form the idea of a sustainable swimwear brand and develop how I position my brand in the industry.

Being sustainable and eco-friendly is at the forefront of what you do. Why was this important to you?

The fashion industry is a major cause of waste and environmental destruction. Looking to the future, I think it’s important for all fashion brands to adjust and take on an eco-friendly stance.

Describe the brand in 3 words?

Luxury, eco-conscious, unique.

Tell us about your ideal customer?

Our ideal customer is confident, prefers to own unique pieces, and stand out from the crowd.

How do you want women to feel when they wear your designs?

We want anyone wearing our pieces to feel confident, radiant, and drop-dead gorgeous.

Tell us what a typical day in your life looks like?

A typical day starts with walking my two dogs, then making a quick breakfast. I will pack any orders, schedule some social media posts, check emails, and marketing targets for Abyssal Blu, then head off to my day job. I usually finish the day by winding down in my garden.

Since launching the brand, what has been your proudest moment?

My proudest moment would absolutely be my first sale. It really cemented the reality that I was now a business owner.

Who/what inspires you?

One of my huge inspirations in business is Karina Irby. Her story has really encouraged me to follow my dreams, and her confidence is out of this world.

What are your plans for the brand in 2023?

I am currently developing the next line of swimwear with some new styles, colors, and prints. With slow fashion being our focus, we will only be producing very limited numbers with no restocks.

Did you always know that one day you would be an entrepreneur?

Yes, I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur and be my own boss.

If there’s one entrepreneur activity you could get better at, what would it be?

Social media. It’s a daily struggle.

For people aspiring to run their own company, what advice would you give?

Take the leap and just go for it!

Where can people find out more?

To find out more information about Abyssal Blu and to purchase your piece head to www.abyssalblu.com.