We recently connected with Jordan Lopez and have shared our conversation below.
Jordan , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I believe I get my resilience from both of my parents. My mom, who raised 5 of us as a single mom, worked hard 5-6 days a week at a car dealership all the way into her 60s. She gave us everything we ever wanted even when she didn’t have a lot to give. She’s pushed me to do my best my entire life and has always been an inspiration for me and my siblings.
My father, who didn’t grow up with much, was able to create an amazing life for me and my other family. He also pushes me to get through any obstacles and has always been there for me on my business ventures. One thing he always said when I was growing up that has stuck with me is “suck it up”. It was never in a negative way, but it’s what pushed me when I was down and continues to ring in my head when I’m feeling sorry for myself haha. It’s true though, when things get tough, suck it up and move forward!
Both of my parents are the definition of resilience, and I cherish both of them greatly.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
So, almost five years ago this South Texas gal decided to branch into the jewelry business. I started Guera’s Silver Co. in my apartment in Kingsville, TX. I have always had a love for turquoise, which surely was passed down from my mom and grandmothers, who are hispanic, and have/had the best style around. My nana on my fathers side had also given me some of my first pieces of Native American jewelry that she had gotten when she was younger.
Picking my business name was easy. My family in Mexico has always called me “Guera” which is pronounced like “Weh-da” which means fair skinned or blondie. I felt like it fit me and my brand best. I have a friend out in Arizona who taught me some basics on silversmithing and I YouTubed the rest. I was lucky enough to be given some smithing machinery from my family in Mexico and the rest is history!
One of the cool skills i’ve picked up on my silversmithing journey is becoming my own lapidary artist! I purchased a Cab King to cut my own turquoise back during the pandemic with one of the stimulus checks we were given and began cutting my own turquoise. I get a lot of my turquoise from vendors in Tucson, Arizona, during the gem show, and purchase the rest of my rough from Native American turquoise vendors online as well as other Native and non-Native lapidary artists.
One of the biggest things that inspires my work is my surroundings. I love living in South Texas because we have cactuses, agave plants, and palm trees everywhere. I also think about our family ranch out in West Texas which also gives me inspiration. I like to surf, ride my motorcycle, fish and hunt on my free time with my husband, so any time I see a cool rock, shell, or even bones, I like to somehow incorporate that into my work.
What I look forward to is creating timeless pieces as well as fun trending pieces that my customers can pass down to other generations. Nothing feels greater than getting a message from a customer saying how much they love their new piece and that’s honestly what fuels me. I wake up everyday around 5am to hit my bench ready to create. For 2025, I want to create larger pieces and dive deeper into casting silver, something that I taught myself how to do in 2024.
I try to launch at least one or two sales a month, and usually pieces are never the same as the last drop. I truly love getting to silversmith though, I’m always learning something new and that’s what keeps it exciting.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three qualities or skills that were most impactful in my silversmithing journey are as follows:
1. Just start. It’s scary trying new things especially when you’re trying to make something delicate from scratch. The hardest part is just starting. If I would have never asked for help or advice from my friend, or YouTubed how to do something, I wouldn’t be where I am today! I think about the very first piece I ever made and how I was so nervous that I would fail. There is nothing wrong with failure, you just have to make that decision that you are going to try again until you get it right. I can’t tell you the amount of times I have failed at something and almost gave up, only to try one more time and get it right finally. So push yourself past the obstacles and get it done!
2. Learning and education. Sign yourself up for workshops, watch tutorial videos, learn something new that you didn’t know the month before. The only way to get better at your craft is to continually learn about the craft. You’ll never know everything about your craft, so there is always room to get better!
3. Consistency and organization. I keep a note book and write down every custom I have so I don’t lose track. When I wake up everyday, I make sure to spend a certain amount of time on each piece so I don’t get behind. (Which sometimes I still get behind, I’m human after all lol) But, if you aren’t being consistent or making a schedule for yourself, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and feel stagnant. I am absolutely horrible about keeping a schedule, so I have taught myself over the years on how to get better at that for my own mental health. Having a notebook has helped me overcome that tremendously. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you don’t see what you have lined up, which then creates a block in your creativity, in my opinion.
My advice for anyone who is starting their journey, or wanting to start their journey, is to just go for it. Ask questions, buy the stuff, and just start. You’ll realize how much easier it is to succeed rather than to fail.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
The biggest area of growth I have experienced is my sand casting abilities. I learned how to sand cast around 6-7 months ago and it has been the MOST challenging but also rewarding skill I have acquired.
What is sand casting? Well i’ll give you the gist of it. It’s a method of casting silver where you melt scraps, or grain and pour it into a mold you formed from sand. I failed at least 8 different times before I was able to successfully cast my first piece. I was so frustrated that i put the casting equipment on a shelf for almost 8 months, until I finally was sick of myself being defeated and tried one more time. It was like a lightbulb came on, and I started sand casting things left and right. My new favorite thing to sand cast is a rattler my husband gave me.
That rattler turned into 4 different chokers that were sold immediately when I listed them, and now Ella Langley (one of my favorite Country Music Artists) has one in her possession as well. And to think, I was going to give up sand casting because I couldn’t figure it out? I’m glad I pushed through and am able to make some cool pieces now.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.guerassilverco.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/guerassilverco
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/guerasleatherandsilver
- Youtube: @Guerassilverco
- Other: https://TikTok.com/guerassilverco
Image Credits
Professional photos done by myself: Jo Lopez Photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
