After Experiencing Deep Trauma and Quitting Her Business, This Designer Rediscovered Her Passion and is on Track to Triple Her Sales This Year
Erin Kandoll first discovered her passion for jewelry making after experiencing a deeply traumatizing life event.
““I found solace in the gentle glow of silver and the dance of a torch. Turning to jewelry making became my refuge, a way to navigate through the depths of grief and find healing. Little did I realize how profoundly I would fall in love with the art of jewelry making.””
Erin Kandoll of Twisted Ginger Jewelry is a self-taught metalsmith. In her own words, she used to be an “expensive hobbyist” for years until she discovered Flourish & Thrive through the Thrive by Design podcast.
Erin Started Making Jewelry to Help Her Heal from a Traumatic Life Event
Coping with her grief and living on an island with not much else to do, Erin chose to cultivate her creativity through her twisted wire jewelry. She was also selling her work at a local art gallery, at live trunk shows, and at in-person events. But after a few years and barely covering the cost of her supplies, she got burnt out.
Then, during the pandemic, while she was pregnant, Erin decided to close down her “expensive hobby” business and sell off everything.
Rediscovering Her Passion for Jewelry Making
Not long after closing her business, Erin realized how much she missed making jewelry, and that’s when she stumbled on the Thrive by Design podcast. But Erin knew this time around she had to find a way to turn her passion for jewelry making into a profitable business.
“I had no business skill sets whatsoever, and when I listened to you, Tracy, I was totally inspired and believed that I could make something out of my passion.”
With no clear direction for how to turn her expensive hobby into a profitable business, Erin took the leap and signed up for Flourish & Thrive’s Jewelry Brand Makeover Bootcamp and then enrolled in Laying the Foundation (LTF), followed by Train Your Customers to Shop Online 12-week Accelerator (TYC).
How Erin’s Business Has Changed Since Taking TYC
Now, after everything Erin learned and implemented in TYC, she has the tools and the confidence to create her ongoing sales and marketing strategies.
Before TYC, Erin admitted she didn’t even have a sales and marketing strategy…
““Within a year of implementing just a fraction of what I learned from the [TYC] trainings, my business has skyrocketed. In the first three months of 2023 alone, my online sales surpassed my entire earnings in 2022, and that's not even considering wholesale orders and in-person shows. I now have more business than I can handle on my own.” ”
Since taking TYC, Erin has:
- Launched an entirely redesigned website
- Created templates for email campaigns
- Sold off inventory that was collecting dust on the shelves
- Created new strategies and incentive programs for her clients
- Started consistently blogging
- Set the foundation for unlimited business growth
“My business continues to grow faster than I can keep up with and with the help of TYC I’ve created some new ideas to maintain my customer base while I catch up on the work coming in.”
The Impact of the TYC Mentors, Coaches, and Community
Beyond her individual accomplishments, Erin has been inspired and motivated by the community inside TYC. Living on a remote island without a supportive community of artists can feel very isolating. But watching others succeed in TYC has helped Erin to believe in her own ability to succeed.
““I’ve always been the kind of person who is relished in the success of others. It brings me absolute joy to watch others succeed, so being introduced to a community of like-minded humans that have the same drive to turn their jewelry into a thriving business has been absolutely priceless.””
How Erin’s Business has Skyrocketed
Beyond the business success and being on track to triple her sales this year, Erin shared that it’s about more than just business.
““My business is flourishing faster than I could’ve ever imagined or would’ve ever dreamed would happen. But even more than the joy of a successful business is the joy of watching my family be proud of me.””
Now Erin feels confident in her ability to run and operate a business built on her dreams. Her husband who has always been supportive of her heart, even when she wasn’t earning, now has a renewed enthusiasm for helping her grow. Together they are building a studio for Erin, by transforming an old shipping container into her new workspace.
They can now clearly see the potential Erin’s business has to offer for the financial well-being of their family, and it’s exciting. And Erin is incredibly proud that she can set an example for her children…
““There are times when I have mommy guilt for spending time in the shop, and then I think to myself, what a gift it is to give my children the gift of seeing their mother flourish and succeed at what she loves to do. I’ve always wanted them to believe in themselves and follow their passions.” ”
Laying the Foundation and Train Your Customers: 100% Worth the Investment
““I 100% recommend [LTF and TYC], and in fact, I’ve been sort of a walking infomercial for Flourish & Thrive within my silversmith community of friends on Instagram. The tiny investment it took to start has already paid itself off in such a short amount of time. Everything I’ve learned has landed me where I am today.””
The future looks bright for Erin and Twisted Ginger Jewelry. Equipped with the tools and confidence she needed to turn her expensive hobby into a thriving business, on track to triple her sales in 2023, Erin is a testament to investing in the right programs at the right time.
We can’t wait to see what Erin accomplishes this year and beyond.
You can find Erin on Instagram at @TwistedGingerJewelry and her website: twistedgingerjewelry.com