Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jewel Kingsley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jewel, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us today. We’re excited to dive into your story and your work, but first let’s start with a broader topic that might be stopping many of our readers from pursuing their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. How have you managed to persist despite haters and nay-sayers that inevitably follow folks who are doing something unique, special or off the beaten path?
For the most part, the small business community in Northeast Ohio is a very supportive and close-knit group of people. Occasionally however, there are some people who seem to have it out for you and are rooting for you to fail. I’ve had the misfortune to run into a couple of these people, and it’s an even worse feeling when you initially believed them to be a friend. In these situations I have two mantras that I live by: “I don’t shine if you don’t shine”, and, “Success is the best revenge.”
I strive to surround myself with other amazing, intelligent, and driven business owners. I truly believe that there is enough to go around and that when we work together and support each other, we all do better and we all shine brighter.
Generally if someone is rooting for me to fail, I know that nothing will drive them crazier than to see me win, despite any adversity that I face. So I keep going, I keep shining, and I bring as many friends with me as I can. There is something very rewarding about covering your enemies in kindness. Not everyone is going to clap for you, but you win anyway.
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?
I started my business, The Boozy Blonde, in 2017. I’ve always loved being in the kitchen and experimenting with recipes. I spent 11 years working with a major national food magazine & recipe website, I mainly did recipe development for brands that came to us with new products or kitchen gadgets that they wanted us to promote. It was during this time that I realized I was pretty good at making cocktails. At first it was just a hobby, but then friends suggested that I try selling my creations. I started out with four simple flavors and a booth at a local flea market. Now I have my own 1500 sq foot commercial kitchen and I make 40 flavors of artisan wine slushie & cocktail mixes, dip mixes, desserts, gourmet seasoning blends, elderberry syrup and more.
In 2022 I opened my store front, Bombshell Gifts, which is located in the same building as my production kitchen. At first, the intent was to have a small pick up location for my customers, but now we carry the products of 25 other Ohio based small businesses – most of them are my very best friends. We carry everything from artisan foods and candies, hand engraved drinkware, herbal wellness products, candles, apparel, wood art, jewelry, and grab & go prepared dips.
During the summer months, we also host an outdoor artisan & farmers market in our parking lot once a month. This seasonal event allows us to feature even more local makers, food trucks, and musicians.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
If I could offer advice to someone who is just beginning to build their business, it would be to find someone who looks like they know what they’re doing and pick their brains. Find a few of those people. Shadow them, ask them to show you the ropes. When I first started out I had no idea how to properly price my products, or the little ins and outs of doing vendor events successfully. I was very fortunate that some of the seasoned people took me under their wings and showed me the ropes. They called me out when I was pricing things too low and helped me to gain the skills I needed to grow.
I think the three most important qualities to have in business, are to be passionate, confident, and humble.
You have to be driven by your passion or you won’t be successful and you’re going to get burned out. Having that love of your craft and what you do is going to motivate you with ideas and it’s going to shine through as you interact with others.
You need to be confident. You’re not going to do everything correctly, and that’s okay, but when you make mistakes, just fix it and move on. Don’t dwell on the negative, treat it as a lesson learned.
Always be humble. It’s okay to know that you’re killing it and you should be proud of yourself – but there’s always someone out there who is better than you, and others may be watching you and struggling. There’s a lot more to being successful in business than your bottom line and your social media presence. It’s also about how people perceive you.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
Right now, the biggest obstacle I’m facing is building up our store front and artisan market. We’re in a difficult economy with lots of folks struggling to make ends meet. While supporting local and shopping small is still very important to many people, there are many others who just can’t afford it very often and need to shop at the big box stores in order to stay within budget. As most small business owners know, the past couple of years have been challenging. It wasn’t an ideal time to open a brick & mortar store and the first year we lost money. Our location has no roadside visibility, and is tucked away in the back of the plaza. It has taken consistent grass-roots effort to get the word out about our shop. Year two has been better, and we turned a small profit, but we still have a long way to go to meet our goals. Now we are building the outdoor market as well and we hope that we can make this a destination for lots of local businesses to have an affordable and convenient event to showcase their wares to the public and build their clientele.
Contact Info:
- Website: BoozyBlondeOhio.com
- Instagram: @boozyblondeohio
- Facebook: Facebook.com/BoozyBlondeOhio
- Other: BombshellGifts.com Instagram: @bombshellgifts, @bombshellmarket Facebook.com/BombshellGifts. Facebook.com/TheBombshellMarket
