Today we’d like to introduce you to Anika Kablan.
Anika, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My interest in jewelry actually started recently. My friends have always complimented me on my jewelry, which led me to do more with it. I’ve always had an eye for design due to the fact that I am an artist as well. From a young age, I’ve studied visual art and design to further in skill in drawing and painting. This later peaked my interest into fashion, along with other fields of art. As I grew older, I kind of let go of those interests until this year when I had the idea to open up Solani. I started creating designs for earrings and this led to me starting a business out of my own creations.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No, the process has definitely been grueling. Business is very unpredictable and it’s very hard to gain a following when first starting out. Honestly, there have been many nights where I’ve cried about Solani and many days where I celebrated its progress. Not getting people to see Solani’s potential was one of the biggest struggles for me. It seemed as though my hard work would be for nothing. This really took a toll on my confidence for Solani and it blocked me from seeing a future with it. Comparison was also a big issue. I saw other small businesses doing so well and I felt terrible for not being able to compare. Once I was able to get out of that mindset, I started focusing on improving Solani. Despite all of this, I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Solani story. Tell us more about the business.
At the beginning of April 2020, I decided to start my own jewelry store called Solani. I created Solani for two reasons. The first being that I am a college student that works multiple jobs. I have a very heavy course load as a computer science major and the jobs that I had took up most of my time. I wasn’t making enough money to pay for school and I was having time management issues because I worked very long hours. It became almost impossible for me to function.
Therefore, I decided that starting a business would be a better alternative (in terms of time flexibility). My second reason comes from a personal place. I wanted to create something for black girls to enjoy. The aesthetic that my shop goes for tends to be very feminine and “cute.” This type of style tends to be awarded to and paraded by girls of other races and isn’t attributed to black girls. Black girls are often stripped of their innocence and are immediately out of girlhood. We don’t have the luxury to be seen in a soft, feminine light like out non-black counterparts. Our identity is often allotted to aggressive, negative stereotypes that virtually none of us conform to. I wanted to break that stigma and have black girls feel soft and cute. I want it to be normalized.
Aside from selling jewelry, we make custom accessories, such as lip gloss, body shimmers, earrings and many more. When creating solani, I really wanted to emphasize the individuality each order has in its own unique way. My journey with Solani was definitely a great one. My message for black girls has traveled all over the country and has garnered the support of many. As of right now, the Solani Family has grown tremendously and I couldn’t be any happier.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck has played in my business by the amount of exposure that Solani has received in such a short amount of time. As of now, we have only been in business for three months and our following has grown tremendously. Another factor of luck definitely includes the amount of support that I have gained. From the moment Solani started, many friends and family readily supported me.
Contact Info:
- Website: shopsolani.com
- Email: shopsolani@gmail.com
- Instagram: shop.solani
- Facebook: shop solani
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