Alise Morales shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Alise, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: When was the last time you felt true joy?
Joy is essential to my daily life – after all, how can I create joyful jewelry if I myself am not seeking it out? Recently, I have been finding joy on walks around our neighborhood in the PNW. The hills are killer, but the views of the Cascades are worth it! Sunshine and a little exercise put me back in a good headspace anyway, but the added bonus of nature makes it a perfect way to create joy daily.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I launched Jasper & Elm while my spouse was deployed, focusing exclusively on polymer clay earring designs. As a military spouse, I quickly realized the need for a flexible career that could travel with us, allowing me to maintain stability in our home life. With a background in nonprofit management and music, creativity has always been at the heart of what I do.
Five years after I first started J&E and I am making entirely different jewelry than I once was! Now, I handmake demi-fine gemstone jewelry out of gold-filled and sterling silver metals. Demi-fine jewelry is the category between the solid gold/diamond jewelry you find at a store like Zales and costume jewelry (think your grandma’s sparkly cocktail rings or something you would find at Target!). Because you deserve gorgeous jewelry that won’t turn your ears green or empty your back account!
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I was incredibly shy (the total opposite of how I am as an adult!) and I muddled my way through life by pretending to be more confident than I was. I thought that my shyness defined me, and I let my inner life explode with creativity while I was quiet.
However, I have since realized that I am not shy…I just needed a little confidence boost. While I had extrinsic motivators, it wasn’t until I was in my mid-20s and working on Jasper & Elm that I found the true confidence I had been lacking. I am outgoing and gregarious now, which is great for all the markets that I do!
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
The past two years almost had me giving up Jasper & Elm – raising an infant (now toddler) while dealing with a cross country move and multiple deployments all with little to no childcare left me exhausted and doubting every single decision I made. What was the point of investing in my business if I had no energy or time at the end of the day to work on it? Who would even care if I stopped making jewelry?
Some days I still feel that way, but once I pushed through the July, I found renewed energy, hope, and saw a new path forward. Being an entrepreneur is not easy, and perhaps out of sheer stubbornness I choose daily to not let it break me!
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Being a small business owner comes with a lot of responsibility, and the way that I present myself to the world is one of them! I am not a faceless corporation, I am a real person and try to show that in my marketing. I want people to be able to know the woman who made their favorite necklace or pair of earrings, so while I don’t share every facet of my personal life, the person I present myself as on social media is truly who I am. Just with fewer coffee spills and embarrassing moments!
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope that Jasper & Elm is a wonderful legacy I can leave behind when I am gone, but I don’t want it to be the only thing that people remember about me. I want people to tell a story of resilience, community-building, and joy. To be remembered for continuing on when things where hard – maybe even impossible or impractical – because I believed in something so deeply. That is meaningful to me, so I hope I can leave a legacy like that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jasperandelm.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasperandelm/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jasperandelm
Image Credits
Iliana Ingram
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