Today we’d like to introduce you to Hunni Rae.
Hunni, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It all began as a therapy for me during my last semester in college. My final year at Savannah State University was tough. I was a Promoter, College Radio Host and the President of Mass Communication Student Association. Initially, I only created for myself however every time I had class or an event, guys would always approach me and asked where I got my necklaces and bracelets from.
That was the beginning of Meditation360 and the Black Nation Collection for Men. In 2010, technology was on the rise and jobs in the communication field were on the decline. I decided to utilize my Plan B for my Plan A until I landed that perfect job in my field. That perfect job never came and with each year, I continued to build my brand. I was not given a roadmap to entrepreneurship but I grew up in a community where you strived for what you want, by any means necessary. Nothing in life comes easy and it’s been a very interesting road. Upon graduation, I moved back to New Haven, Connecticut and that following year a close friend of mine was murdered. I never felt my peers and my city take a lost like this one. Within that empty moment, I birth the “Honor Me” Collection. I created memorable keepsakes in honor of my dear friend Timothy “TJ” Mathis. These peaces served as a healing mechanism for those having a difficulty with embracing sudden lost. With this collection, I began raising funds and donating a portion of the proceeds back to the families within my community for funeral and burial cost for their loved one.
As time progress, “Honor Me” became a staple Collection within my brand and I was presenting personalized keepsakes for family and friends during Repasses, Celebrations of Life and for Charity Fundraisers. As I began servicing my community, my WHY became more evident to me. People needed healing within. Our signature beaded stone is Hematite which provides balance and spiritual alignment while warding off negative energy and circulating positivity. I dug a bit deeper into stones, crystals and “energy builders” while commuting back and forth from Connecticut to Atlanta, vending everywhere! During this time, Facebook and social media was becoming popular but the strategy on how to maximize it for your business wasn’t fully developed. Because I didn’t have a physical location, I started my online store. I integrated Women and Children items by then because ElLi AmoR was growing. When I released my Signature Sunglasses Collection “Shaded Vacay” in 2013, it was a hit and I began getting more exclusive orders and became a jewelry stylist for artists, partnering with photographers and projects to gain more exposure.
By 2015, I became a Certified Jewelry Instructor at Michaels Arts & Craft which led me into launching “Beadlieve in Change” which is a Creative Arts Therapy program I conducted in Drug and Alcohol Rehab homes in Connecticut. This opportunity allowed me to recognize the power of creative arts and therapy that was needed to renew and free the minds of those who truly wanted a second chance at life. I kept going! I offered free Jewelry Making classes to summer camps and orchestrated the Crafts for Kids at a variety of Festivals and outdoor events. As I began giving back into my community through my products and services, my brand grew tremendously. I visited Nursing Homes and did “Jewelry Rehab” where I repaired their fine jewelry and beaded items. By now, I was a known vendor and remained mobile because it was convenient, allowing me to reach a broader and diverse audience.
It wasn’t until 2017 when I embarked on designing for Maternity & Modeling Shoots. Here is where I saw the amount of experience I acquired since I started jewelry making as a hobby. It demanded me to stand by my worth and to elevate my creativity. I established “Purchase with Purpose,” to raise awareness for causes and cures each month. Now we focus on October where we raise awareness, financially assist and comfort families affected by Pregnancy Infant Loss, Domestic Violence and Breast Cancer Awareness through memorial keepsakes and bookmarks. There is so much more in store for the company and me. When I embraced my journey, I noticed it’s been fulfilling, rewarding and has lead me right into the place God wants me to be.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Smooth?! I wish! Believing in yourself takes much Faith, Strength and Love which are the pillars that I embedded in my company because it is so necessary when taking that jump! There were many struggles along the way I experienced like second-guessing if I’m crazy or sane for shooting towards the moon, hoping to land on stars, late nights & early mornings, student loans calling, moving from one house to another, showcasing my business out my trunk while ensuring that I didn’t look like what I was going through. One struggle I dealt with the longest was understanding my true worth and standing my ground. I knew I was offering one of a kind creations with great quality but no one wanted to pay for what I knew it was worth so I found myself lowering my prices just to make a sell and to see others with my creations on. It wasn’t until 2017 when I began raising the bar and charging what I knew all along my product was worth. Also, I reevaluated my target audience and became more aware of who I was creating for. My prayer changed. At first, I was praying that people supported me but then I got more specific with asking God to send those clients that valued my gift, time and quality, those who can afford to invest in my calling so I can continue to make a difference in my community.
Entrepreneurship looks fun and becoming the “thing to do” but no one is showing the authenticity and full picture of it. That includes the lonely nights, wet pillowcases, the tornado that hit the craft room while finishing a project an hour before its due and all the failures we experience as designers, creatives and writers, in order to get a step closer to our ultimate dreams. We are all created differently which makes each road map tailored particularly to suite who we are purposed to be individually. Struggles should be expected. Failure aids success and without failing, you’ll never learn those significant lessons that are necessary to endure each new level you experience on your way to the top.
ElLi AmoR Gift Boutique – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
ElLi AmoR is a unique boutique that offers inspirational gifts, keepsakes and stationary materials for clients and organizations within our community, surrounding areas and online. I create on purpose for purpose with the intentions of uplifting the spirits of each client through handcrafted and personalized designs. The colors, stones, crystals, beads and passion put into the creations serve a spiritual purpose to the lives of every individual I serve. The healing properties in the materials used alleviates stress and mental imbalance while promoting a happier and well-balanced lifestyle. I specialize in embellishing sunglasses/ frames, handcrafting earrings, shambahla bracelets, rosaries, waistbands, headcharms, chokers, keychains, bookmarks, body potions and butters. I tend to sell in full sets so each product offered has its own decent crowd of clients that buy.
What sets ElLi AmoR apart from others is that I understand that our clients are one of a kind and I create our products in that same manner. I set a no duplication rule from Day 1 where I don’t duplicate anything that is personalized or especially made for someone. My clients love this about the brand. Some people are spending hard earned money with me so it has to be beneficial by all means. When purchasing from ElLi AmoR, there’s an interpersonal experience. I co-design with the client in order to make sure that I’m delivering exactly what they have in mind. Doing it this way initiates them in building an emotional and spiritual connection with what they receive when production is completed. Have you ever had that favorite bracelet or necklace that you never take off? That’s the aim. I want my clients to be so thrilled and pleased with what they are wearing that they rely on us to get more of what they need.
I am most proud of how far the company has grown for a solo act. I’ve worn every hat possible from designer, bookkeeper, photographer, videographer, website designer, consultant, instructor, social media specialist to the graphic designer. I’ve done almost everything to ensure my company stays afloat and present. It is not easy being a one person show but with GOOD time management, strategy, a steady pace and patience allows it to work. I’m still learning on how to balance it all but I’m arriving to be able to withstand the overflow that God is positioning me to receive. New team and all! 🙂
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success are simply accomplishments. Whenever you overcome a trial or achieve your goal, you are successful. I believe everyone has their own definition of success and how hard they decide to strive towards it. For me, basic needs for balance and sustainability must first be established, acquired and obtained. That’s the ultimate success. When you can operate out of a pure sense of balance between the mind, body and soul, everything else you pursue in life will interconnect itself. I see others successful by what the worlds defines as success but are empty in the essential aspects of life, like self-love, self-care and unconditionally being a service to others. Fulfilling your purpose undeniably is the criteria and meaning of success!
Pricing:
- Men and Women Bracelets $35+
- Rosaries and Headcharms $55+
- Personalized Creations & Chokers $45+
- Waistbands, Childrens Jewelry & Sunglasses $25+
- Bookmarks, Body Potions & Butters $20+
- Love is FREE 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ElLiAmoR.com
- Phone: 323-452-3529
- Email: CreatedbyElLi@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ElLiAmoR
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/TeamElLi
Image Credit:
Christina Outlaw with The Kemistry Lab.
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