EP338 The Structure That Helps You Reach Your Goals with Joel Ingwaldson
Even with over 25 years of experience in the jewelry industry, Joel Ingwaldson was struggling with her business because she didn’t have the proper systems in place.
Unfortunately, Joel’s story is pretty common.
One of the biggest reasons creative businesses fail is that they aren’t structured properly from the beginning.
You cannot achieve sustainable, long-term growth without the right systems in place to set you up for success.
On today’s episode of Thrive by Design, I’m talking to Joel Ingwaldson about her story of leaving her corporate career in the jewelry industry to build a wildly successful jewelry brand.
From Healing to Full-Time Jewelry Brand
Long before Joel stumbled upon Laying the Foundation, she was enjoying a thriving corporate career in the jewelry industry. For more than 2-decades, she managed retail and bridal stores, oversaw jewelry manufacturing and design, and traveled overseas as a U.S. buyer for Pomellato.
One day, following a routine mammogram, Joel received an unexpected call from her doctor. She was stopped in her tracks by a health scare.
She was shocked at the news. Joel had always been disciplined about her health and led a clean lifestyle. She knew then that something in her life was out of alignment, and that she needed time to heal, both physical and emotionally.
Joel took an extended leave from her job and during this time, between surgeries and medical appointments, she rediscovered her love for jewelry design as a way to express her creativity.
She started putting pieces together, posting pictures on social media and selling her jewelry to friends and family. Her little side hobby was quickly growing into a profitable source of revenue.
Without ever intending to start a business, Joel took the leap and committed full-time to building her jewelry brand.
How To Overcome A Sales Plateau
Joel was running on pure excitement for her first three years. She was doing her own thing, making good moneyher own money, and totally crushing it!
But when Covid hit, like many businesses, Joel’s sales started to dwindle. She’d relied on in-person pop-up events and yoga festivals to sell her jewelry. She was running her business like the “wild, wild west” without a plan for growth or a structure to predict and sustain her sales.
She had a website that wasn’t performing and she didn’t know how to leverage the online tools to reach her dream client.
Joel was humbled. She had decades of experience under her belt and she knew she wanted to have a sustainable business and a laid-out plan.
Initially, she ignored the Flourish & Thrive Academy ads on social media because she thought it was for beginners, and she knew what she was doing.
But the ads for Flourish & Thrive Academy programs like Laying the Foundation and the Jewelry Brand Makeover Bootcamp kept popping up in her feed and once she set aside her ego and pride there was an “opening.”
Building a Solid Foundation Consistent Implementation
When Joel finally enrolled in Laying the Foundation and accessed the Diamond Insider’s community, everything shifted. She zipped her mouth and just listened… to the modules, the podcasts, and the mentors.
Joel said there was SO much information, she couldn’t possibly take it all in at once. So she “scooped the cream.” Whatever resonated, she scooped it and then implemented it.
She learned quickly to use Laying the Foundation in the way that it was intended; as a resource to go back to over and over.
Joel finally learned how to build a solid foundation for her jewelry business by making quarterly goals and implementing them properly. She learned to slow down, reel things in, let them sink in, and craft a clear vision for her business.
Why Laying the Foundation is Key for Growth
Through Laying the Foundation , Joel found support she describes as “priceless.”
She found joy in uplifting fellow designers and bouncing ideas off of others in the community. She’s no longer trying to figure it all out on her own.
Joel’s business went from bootstrapped to a sales increase of 380% for the year, and her website sales shot up 54% for the year. She also passed her stretch goal a lot faster, and she’s now growing her signature collection.
Joel says she is experienced and knows a lot about the jewelry industry, but she’s still growing and learning.
Listen to the full episode above to hear Joel’s inspiring journey from corporate leader to full-time jewelry entrepreneur. Discover how she scoops the cream from the torrent of information and then implements it effectively in her business.
xo, Tracy
Links
Top 5 Traits of a 6-Figure Jewelry Brand Masterclass