Today we’d like to introduce you to CC.
Hi CC, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m in a new chapter of my life. For the longest time – almost 20 years – I was a graphic designer turned art director turned creative director. I worked in a range of industries all focused on graphic design in some well-known lifestyle brands, boutique agencies that focused on marketing for tech companies, supplemental health insurance, as well as my own freelance business. In 2018, I attended a leadership conference while I was at the health insurance company and joined one session where the prompt was “Where do you see yourself in 5 years? And does it fuel your passion?” Mind you, I had already “climbed the ladder” if you will, leading design teams and mentoring employees. While that was great and I really loved the people I worked with, I realized I was losing interest in graphic design, missed working with my hands and doing the physical design work. What kept me up late at night was looking for jewelry – unique pieces that told stories, akin to pieces I would purchase while traveling. I could never find something that fit this, at affordable price points and with quality materials that I could wear daily. So in that moment during the conference, I answered with “In 5 years, by the time I’m 40, I will have my own brand where I make unique jewelry that inspires people…oh, and I want to help women in need because there’s not enough resources out there for women.”
I pushed this thought to the side, as I assume most people do – you take the main learnings from conferences and then you go about your day. Then, this part is where I think manifestation and the universe working in its mysterious ways started making its way into my life. 3 months after that conference, I got offered a position at a lifestyle jewelry brand as their creative director. I took this as a sign that maybe this was the stepping stone into what I had realized 3 months before – not ready for a full on brand for myself and also still marrying my skills that I had developed over the past 15+ years. A few more years go by and my “workaholic” mode had gotten the best of me. I have two young boys, a wonderful husband, but the work was blindsiding me and deprioritizing them as well as my own hopes and dreams, so as a family, we decided that I could/should leave my role. I recentered and refocused and come 2023, here I am filling out forms online to start an LLC for my own jewelry brand.
My brand is called So Niice and I make handcrafted pieces with different intentions to remind people to “redefine the golden rule” (learn to love themselves before they can treat others that they expect to be treated, look for the golden moments in life, remember the value that they bring to the world, and to try to stay positive…all with tangible, dainty golden pieces they can wear daily. I work with 14k gold-filled materials and other waterproof, tarnish proof elements so you can live life in these pieces. They’re great for layering, or as I say, “playing well with others” and even more, great for gifting with the idea that you thought of someone who is “so niice” because they are “so niice,” and you want to give them something “so niice” to remind them of this quality.
To touch on the aspect of supporting women, I looked out for a non-profit woman’s housing organization and came across one with credibility, integrity and a whole lot of heart. Since September of 2023, I’ve been donating a percentage of So Niice’s monthly net sales to Sister League of San Diego, and although currently small, I know they truly appreciate what I am able to offer. I also volunteer there from time to time and get to know the residents who live there and are keen on turning their lives around for the better. We put together a phone bracelet that’s sold through So Niice, called the “Bringing Bonds” Phone Bracelets and 75% of the sale goes back to the ladies. It feels really good to be a part of something so impactful and knowing that with little actions, good things can happen.
In the couple of years that So Niice has been around, I’m thrilled to see that the brand is resonating with people and accepting it as not just another jewelry brand, but a brand with heart and good intentions. All my customer interactions have been very positive and very fulfilling. I could never have imagined that a simple thought in 2017 could lead to this: living out my passion, exercising my design skills (both through jewelry making and the occasional graphic design for branding moments), really helping people in need, being in a few stores, and making the best connections of all time (I sometimes have the opportunity to teach workshops making jewelry)…I only hope that this is the start of something even more impactful.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been the smoothest road, and I wasn’t expecting it to be especially when you’re starting a new business? It’s a self-funded business, so there’s definitely limitations: not being able to outsource and scale quickly (still just one person, me, hand making all the pieces), having to carefully select the opportunities to best market the brand (most events have fees and while I’d love to participate in so much more to get the brand out there, it costs a bit!). Oftentimes the spend becomes a question of supplies vs. spending on marketing the brand.
Speaking of events and opportunities, these in themselves have been some rocky waters to navigate when it comes to work life balance. Most events or opportunities to earn and get your name out there happen on the weekend which takes time away from spending with family. Definitely still working on finding the right mix of this to be able to earn, grow and of course prioritize the family.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am at the core, a designer. I started off as a graphic designer but I’ve since transitioned pursuing the life of a jewelry designer. I currently specialize in making hand-beaded pieces working with semi-precious stones, glass beads and gold-filled materials that can be turned into elevated and simple pieces that can be worn daily. I want to become a well-rounded jewelry designer who can claim the title of metalsmith to be able to work with fine metals and creating new silhouettes. Until that time, I love to source materials that I can combine into unexpected arrangements through beading and connection.
I feel like what sets me and So Niice apart from the others is that it’s jewelry that’s meant to inspire the wearer. It’s meant to be more than just a trendy piece, but a piece that reminds you to be a good person and strive for becoming the best version of yourself or to look for the positive angles/golden moments in life. I go about this by setting an intention and selecting a special name per piece that’s meant to be inspirational. For example, there’s a piece called the “Pebble Bracelet” which is a reminder that like a pebble being thrown into a body of water creating a wide ripple effect, so is an individual person in this big world creating a ripple effect with their actions. I myself am inspired to name these pieces based off life lessons, advice I’ve been given, the patience and techniques I attempt when producing pieces…everything becomes a learning opportunity or a moment I can capture in the name bestowed onto a piece of jewelry.
I’m most proud of the connections that I’ve created when people resonate with a piece of jewelry. More often than note, people are selecting pieces based on looks, but when they find out what the piece is named, the exclamation usually ends up being “oh my gosh! I needed to hear that right now!” or “that’s exactly how I live my life or what I want to accomplish!” Whether or not the customer ends up with the piece, I know I’ve made a strong and positive impression in their mind and they end up leaving quite happy and inspired, which is definitely one of the goals I want to achieve with So Niice.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Majority of the time I think I play it safe, but I would have to say that starting this small business was definitely a huge risk in itself. I left behind a stable, good-paying career to pursue a passion and there were no guarantees it would succeed – but then again, I feel like that’s everyday life. How I see it, as long as you lead with a good heart, come from a good place with good intentions, and are flexible with your decisions, you attract the right people who become willing to support your dream and allow opportunities to come to life. Risk is uncertainty, but if you believe in the possibilities strongly enough, things will manifest and show signs that it was all worth it. You can do it!
Pricing:
- Bracelets start at $38
- Rings start at $28
- Earrings start at $50
- Necklaces start at $68
- Other lifestyle accessories: $5 – $40
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shopsoniice.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its_soniice/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soniicejewelry/
Image Credits
Summer Kais – @summerkais_photo_design
Tony Regalmuto – @alcreomedia
