We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Karsin Landis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Karsin, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Having a business where creativity is the focal point of our existence can sometimes feel overwhelming and scary. Like… can I keep coming up with ideas; will ad campaigns be the right ones, to the right people, at the right time; we built a community where people expect unique one-of-a-kind ideas, what if I let them down…
Our purpose is to create high-quality, one-of-a-kind jewelry that helps people feel their most beautiful and unique self. We are incredibly lucky to have constant feedback and I think, making sure we take the time to listen, fuels the creativity needed to continue producing beautiful moments expressed and captured by our jewelry.
A little while back I had a customer ask to tell me a story. She told me about how the power of something small opens a big door. Her husband bought her a pair of our earrings and she noticed, that every time she wore them, people would smile at her. She started wearing them more often and noticed the same thing: more people would smile at her. So, whenever someone would smile her way, she would say hello, which led to a conversation, and compliments on her beautiful earrings. She wanted to make sure I knew how good a small pair of earrings made her feel and how she now encourages others to be more kind and open in the world because of them. Stories like this showcase our whole purpose and her story sparked our campaign this year: when it comes to love, there is always room for more.
As someone who loves to get lost in the grandeur of the big picture, I have to remind myself to take a moment, step back to cherish the small things, and listen to the people around me because our customer is our best resource. Things do not have to be perfect, but they do need a start so, breaking down the conversations and connecting them to our mission and the project I am working on helps me formulate small manageable steps where the creation of new pieces starts to flow seamlessly.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Karsin Landis and I decided to jump into my family’s small business, a fine handcrafted jewelry store in Greenville, North Carolina called Jenni K Jewelry. I have two undergraduate degrees, one in fine arts and one in business management, and an MBA with a concentration in leadership. I think you can never give enough back to the community that supports you and the best leaders are the ones who serve others the most.
Growing up, I was lucky enough to see true entrepreneurial success and how everything you were passionate about could grow into fruitful businesses and in supporting others, make a better life for all. I had a love for animals, especially horses and my parents encouraged me to ride and compete at an early age which I still do today. At 3 days old, I was brought into work and haven’t stopped since. I feel honored to get the opportunity to be involved in every part of our business from creating to working directly with customers online and in-store.
Our brand is all about helping people embrace their most beautifully unique self and we do that by creating high-quality pieces that are one of a kind. It is really exciting to see how many people love our jewelry. We handmake everything in-store and a lot of time and care goes into every single product. Knowing people enjoy wearing and sharing our jewelry with their loved ones is truly fulfilling.
Coming up in May, we are releasing a new mom and daughter line. When I was born, my mom created our Baby K line, which is jewelry made for infants. All the bracelets are smaller versions of our adult bracelets and we add onto the length of them for free as your child grows so they can have it for a lifetime. One of my horses had a baby this year so in the campaign pictures you will see a glimpse into our barn life as well.
Our online store has been steadily expanding into new areas and with many products where we feature new collections created by my mom and me. Our collections are inspired by our community and everything happening in our lives. We would love it if you checked us out in Greenville or online at JenniK.com
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Know your brand and what it stands for. While the world is ever evolving and change is constant, do not try to be something you are not and always keep connected to your true purpose.
The best life is one that serves others. Listen and find ways to prioritize and understand other’s needs.
You do not have to be perfect. It is okay and even encouraged to fail, that’s where you learn the most, so embrace the risk. If you fail, fail fast, and move on quickly.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
We are the best when we have a team. While you should never stop trying to improve yourself, even in the areas you are not as strong in, embrace that someone may be really good at something, better than you may be, and find ways to elevate and support them.
In my company, we essentially have two businesses in one: a manufacturing side and a retail front. Since we are so small, everyone sees the process from start to finish and we cross-train the two areas where the sales people will come help in production and we have a really big birthday sale once a year in August where our production staff helps on the sales floor. But, we are the best and the most efficient when we get to work on what we do best. So, lean on your team, build up others, and go all in on what you do best.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://JenniK.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennikjewelry/
- Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/jennikjewelry/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jennik_jewelry
Image Credits
not applicable
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
