Hisui is the creative behind her own brand, From Brooklyn With Love, and she creates pieces that are enough to stack and layer, or bold enough to make a statement. With a back story that is inspiring, we spent some time chatting with her to find out more about her brand, plans for the future and we got totally inspired by her favourite quote…

What inspired the creation of your brand, From Brooklyn with Love?

I’ve always been creative as a child. Some of my first memories of being creative are baking brownies with my grandmother, admiring her multi-birthstone family ring, and gold necklaces. I was in extracurriculars like “after-school crafts” from around the age of 5, and I truly learned the basics there. The first piece of jewelry I made was a necklace of tiny seed beads of all different shades and finishes. Even before high school summer and weekend jobs, I’d do odd jobs for my parents and neighbors in order to buy all sorts of gemstones, beads, wire, and stringing materials. I would replicate jewelry that I saw and loved. By college, I was creating original designs, and selling them to friends, family, and anyone who showed interest on campus. When I moved back home to Brooklyn, I started my Etsy shop, FromBrooklynWLove. I’ve always loved jewelry, and although I excelled in academia, being a creative always felt more genuine. Jewelry has always been a part of my life.

Tell us about any times that you have overcome failure.

I wanted to get into PMC, precious metal clay. At first, I was inexperienced, had none of the right tools, and spent a lot of money and time sourcing it from Japan. While it led to wasted product, and no recoup on the value invested, I ended up learning a lot about the medium, and plan on reintroducing it in the future.

What setbacks have you faced since launching your biz?

In 2017, we moved from Brooklyn, NYC to Portland, OR. It was a bit difficult at first, being in a city where we had no local ties, but slowly, we amended that. Maintaining a good relationship with our local NYC clients was somewhat difficult at first, but things have come around, and we’re the strongest we’ve been in the seven years we’ve been around.

Is there anything you would do differently?

Did I mention how expensive PMC is? Haha, but seriously, I don’t think I would change a thing because I wouldn’t be the jeweler that I am today. There’s so much that you learn through failure, and if the directions were pre-written, I wouldn’t be learning as much as I do on a regular basis. I worry about streaks that lack failures, because then there’s nothing to learn, and what fun is not learning?

What did you want to be when you were a kid?

I loved science, math, and surgery documentaries, so naturally, my parents and I thought that I wanted to be a surgeon. I think I’ve always wanted to work with my hands in a ‘tiny architecture’ type of way. It wasn’t until nearing the end of my undergrad, that I tried bringing the idea of me being a jeweler into reality. To me, a jeweler is the tiny surgeon of the fashion world, and the fact that I was able to marry the two, and make people happy, I find it fulfilling.

Tell us your favourite quote…

“Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

Who is your ideal customer?

Someone who appreciates the perfectionist level detail, and amount of care that goes into creating handmade jewelry from ethically sourced materials. The kind of person who notices the texture of the sparkly gold strip of ribbon across our minimal, stark black boxes.

What has been your biggest Girlboss moment since launching the business?

Managing 3 advertising campaigns in a single fiscal quarter. Going from bloggers and influencers, to Tatler, Vanity Fair, and Glamour, internationally renowned magazines.

What do you think are the challenges of running a business in 2019 are?

In 2019 you need to be and do everything. It is also the age of the informed consumer, so you must understand SEO and digital trends. Customers have so many options and platforms where they make their purchasing decisions. Retail is not dead, just evolving – so I have to constantly evolve with it!

What advice would you give to our readers who want to launch their own business?

If you know what you’re passionate about, do it. I think too many people place far too much significance on the failure part of business, rather than focusing on the fulfillment and joy that is the entrepreneurial journey. Will you make mistakes? Yes! Will you lose money? Absolutely! Will you have long, stressful weeks? You bet – but the joy that comes from chasing your dreams will be worth it!

In 5 years time, where do you see yourself?

I see myself managing a few combined brick and mortar / jewelry studios in my favorite cities. As a true New Yorker, I’m excited for our brand to express itself in one of the greatest cities on Earth!

Author

Northern girl Laura is the epitome of a true entrepreneur. Laura’s spirit for adventure and passion for people blaze through House of Coco. She founded House of Coco in 2014 and has grown it in to an internationally recognised brand whilst having a lot of fun along the way. Travel is in her DNA and she is a true visionary and a global citizen.

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