Meet Jaeda Kinkoph

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jaeda Kinkoph. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jaeda, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

Oh this is a big one!

I think with the current landscape of social media and essentially view “highlight reels”, it’s hard to fully overcome imposter syndrome. I’ve definitely overcome the majority of it that came with starting a new business when I was “winging it”, but there will always be social temptations to compare yourself to others.

I just started focusing more on my clients and paying attention to what they wanted. I focused more on who I was selling to instead of who others were selling to. Once I started putting myself out there more and gaining trust, I started to really feel my brand come together.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I offer a casual approach to buying fine jewelry, by creating an experience that feels 100% catered to the client. I am appointment only, so this gives me a chance to give everyone my full, undivided attention. My goal is to eliminate the intimidating stigma that can come with walking into a fine jewelry store. Porterfi is cozy, laid back, and full of independent artists who have very little to no representation in Northeast Ohio.

My goal is to curate pieces that feel casual enough to wear every day, but are substantial enough to last as heirlooms. I focus on bringing in designers that stand out against one another, but play well together. I wanted to have styles that felt fresh and totally obtainable from a self-purchase standpoint. You won’t find any “occasion jewelry” in my showroom.

I also offer custom design work. I worked for an amazing jeweler before I had my twins, so I really trust him with special projects. One thing we do a lot of is redesigning. If clients have jewelry that they’ve outgrown, or inherited a piece that just isn’t their style, then they bring it in and we sit down and start brainstorming on what we can do to give it new life. The whole process is very personal complete with design sketching and revisions. It’s one of my favorite things to do!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

First of all, most of my experience has been in sales. From restaurants to retail to working as a rep for a jewelry designer, I had a lot of experience being face-to-face with people. Second, spending 10 years in the luxury goods industry has helped me tremendously, as I had experience with a lot of these designers before I even signed them on. I have also made so many friends in the industry over the years, so I had a lot of people I could turn to for guidance. Third would be networking and putting myself out there. I had no idea about the impact of networking with other small business owners. I started approaching other businesses that seemed to pair well with mine, to collaborate together on pop-ups and trunk shows. This helped my reach tremendously.

I think putting yourself out there is one of the scariest things, but it can be the most beneficial. The sort of “fake it ’till you make it” is so true because as it turns out, when you’re starting a new businesses, no one REALLY knows what they’re doing. You just have to find that confidence, hold your breath, and jump in.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

First thing I do is pause. Sometimes it can take me a minute to realize I’m overwhelmed and need to step back, others it may be days or weeks. I’ve gotten a lot better at listening to my body. When it starts to shut down because of stress, then I know I’ve gone too far. Just stopping to pause, breathe, and write things down can be so helpful. I’m not into journaling at the end of the day, but I like to write everything down in my planner at the beginning of the week so I can get it out my head.

Juggling a small business, a household, and kids is A LOT! But I try to remind myself that it’s ok to not do it all. After I empty my head on paper, I sort of prioritize and see what things can move to next week, what things I can tackle today, and what can be moved to another day in the week. I think a lot of the overwhelming comes in when I’m swimming deep in my head with no real plan of attack.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.porterfi.com
• Instagram: @porterfijewelry
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/porterfi

Image Credits

Maggie Newton, Marissa Herman