Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Huynh.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Ashley. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
She Held the Sun in Her Hands is a passion project I founded as a new grad from college. I studied Computer Science and Sociology, both very reading and technically intensive subjects, and felt that I needed a creative outlet that could serve as an escape from a digital world that I exist in for nearly every other dimension of my life.
The idea was dreamt up on New Years’ Eve going into 2020. While shopping for gifts for a friend on Etsy, I discovered that there was a way to make and create beautiful statement earrings using polymer clay. I loved this idea – I was super creative as a kid and was constantly diving into different art and writing projects. With starting college and focusing on finding a career, I ended up needing to set aside creativity temporarily to prioritize my education. Because of this, I was very excited by this new creative endeavor and I doodled some ideas down that night, coming up with a very general branding concept. At the time, however, I was putting myself through school as a full-time student and interning part-time as a Software Engineer, so I didn’t see a way I could logistically start a business and learn a new skill while being able to support myself. Sadly, the idea was shelved that night after I wrote down some ideas so I could focus on getting through my last semester of school.
However, as graduation approached in May 2020, I started thinking about ways that I could express creativity without spending so much time looking at screens. I was pushing 40 hour work weeks as a Software Engineer Intern while still doing Computer Science work for school, and I was tired of feeling like my life revolved around my laptop. Once I completed school, I had a month off before starting work full-time and so I decided to fully commit to doing the research into setting up a business and selling earrings online. I started by figuring out how to make the product – I watched several YouTube videos, then ran to Michaels one afternoon and grabbed some supplies and started experimenting. I didn’t have all of the proper tools at first and wasn’t very confident, so I started testing out the appeal of my earrings by posting them on my personal Instagram story to see if anyone was interested. I got a few people that wanted to buy them, and I immediately had to navigate the next step – figuring out how to ship and package orders! I definitely learned a lot as I went along and eventually got enough confidence to invest in starting a full-on brand and selling on Etsy and locally, which is what I’m currently doing now.
Has it been a smooth road?
I think with starting any business, but especially a primarily virtual business, it can be quite a rocky road. I was overwhelmed by all of the information the Internet had to offer. As I started my business, not only was I learning new skills, but I was also learning about entrepreneurship online and offline, something I am still constantly trying to figure out. I saw a lot of mixed signals on what to use to be able to create earrings, and it was hard deciding which tools could be compromised on and which tools were a must-have for the work – this was something I figured out a lot more as I went along and am still figuring out today. Another thing was quality control and consistency. Currently, most of the earrings I make are one-of-a-kind with the exception of a few signature pieces, and as someone who likes things to be perfect, it was hard to not invest an extreme amount of time to make sure every single piece is exactly as smooth or well-formed as the others. I try my best but have come to realize that the slight differentiation can actually be a positive aspect of handmade pieces and something that adds a story to each piece you make.
One huge thing that definitely scared me a lot as well was starting the business during the pandemic. I started after I graduated in May 2020, so I was extremely nervous about the reception of the business – in a time of so much uncertainty, it did seem like a bigger risk to sell earring. However, since I’ve started, I’ve gotten a lot of good feedback from some of my recurring customers that the earrings provide something to look forward to in such a strange time, which has definitely helped me reconcile these feelings a bit better.
And lastly, marketing and advertising! This is something I know I can definitely learn more of and try to each and every day. It’s hard to attract organic customers, and it almost seems like a game to find the right words and aesthetics to catch the attention of others. I was definitely not used to putting myself out there as much as I am currently trying to with the brand, nor was I used to putting a really deep amount of thought into posting things online and having it be eye-catching, fun, and on-brand. These are things I’m definitely more conscious of now, and figuring out what my business means and should look like as a brand has certainly been trial and error.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
She Held the Sun in Her Hands is a handmade polymer clay earring brand specializing in one-of-a-kind accessories for one-of-a-kind people! We’re inspired by space, dreamy shapes, and versatile but bold styles that empower those that are wearing our creations. Our mission is to provide beautiful, unique, and contemporary accessories that can be worn all day, every day. All of our pieces are handmade with love and care – typically, with the exception of a few signature pieces, most of the earrings we produce are the only ones of its kind.
Our proudest accomplishment in our brand is the positivity and love we’ve been able to capture through our work, as well as how the products may positively impact the wearer. We believe that even something as small as the accessories someone wears can help play a huge part in how they may feel on a given day, and for someone to choose our earrings to be part of their collection means the world to us. Several customers have told us that they love wearing our earrings almost every day, and to hear that and know we’re able to participate in someone’s life and be a part of their daily ensemble is deeply meaningful to us as well – there’s just such a great source of pride in seeing people not just buy your creations, but also come back to them as signature pieces to display to the world as part of their look.
In terms of what sets us apart, I believe that our one-of-a-kind model is very special. It almost feels like being a matchmaker for a person and their uniquely made accessory since it’s handmade and there is no other version of it that exists on the planet. It’s like a beautiful, wearable secret.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Overall, the polymer clay earring business is already a bit oversaturated, something I didn’t realize until I also started selling. If you Google “polymer clay earrings” or search the term up on Etsy, you get millions of results. This is super positive first and foremost because it’s easy to get inspired, but also makes it pretty challenging at times to imagine the trajectory of my own business. The good thing about earrings is that they’re not something people might own only one pair of, so there isn’t a whole lot of pressure against other brands, but more so just how to make our work look like something that others would want to buy to supplement their existing sets of earrings.
I’m in a few creative and handmade Facebook groups, and it seems like the number of polymer clay earring businesses expands by the day. I think that this number will only continue to grow. Although this prospect can feel overwhelming, I’m definitely proud of it because it means that creating polymer clay earrings is really accessible and an amazing creative jump-off point, to the extent where the businesses in the industry are exponentially growing. We are noticing a lot of earring brands are hopping off of Etsy and taking several different routes – starting to sell a wholesale product for retailers and local shops, or getting on their own personal website for virtual purchasing. With more exposure, as well as the ability to attend craft fairs and local fairs and set up a booth, we hope to take some of these routes as well or maybe even host a dedicated booth in a local marketplace facility.
Pricing:
- Most larger and statement earrings are $14.50.
- Smaller earrings, like studs, and older earring releases fall around $10.
- We offer free shipping for purchases over $30!
Contact Info:
- Website: sheheldthesun.etsy.com
- Email: sheheldthesuninherhands@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/sheheldthesuninherhands
- Twitter: twitter.com/sheheldthesuninherhands
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