Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonja Jones.
Hi Sonja, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am a native of Birmingham, AL where I found the love of thrifting at the age of 15, where I am now 30 and thriving. I was introduced to shopping at thrift stores by my older sister and immediately wanted to go back as soon as possible. I always enjoyed finding vintage clothing that you would not normally expect a girl to wear at that age. That love of vintage clothing has grown over the years, as well as my desire to find more unique pieces. I have always thought to have a unique style that would not necessarily fit the mold of most trends. I would always have people asking where I would get my clothes from, whether it is something vintage or modern, and they would be shocked that I would say the thrift store. Most people equate thrift stores to trash or old and dirty, and it is quite the opposite, you would be surprised at what people give away. They would then say that they wish they could find things that they liked from thrift stores but could never find anything. This constant conversation made me want to start my own business reselling eccentric things that I discovered in thrift stores and helping individuals find their gems through styling and shopping. From there, Chic Gems Thrifted was created in October 2020.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My main obstacle is that I have never been an entrepreneur or even desired to own my own business, so there were a lot of things that I had to learn. Like most people, the pandemic pushed me to create multiple streams of income, so I figured why not do something that I love. Thrifting as always been that outlet for me to express myself through fashion, so that was an easy decision. I also wanted to provide a better future for my daughter, so I wanted to hopefully create a business that can blossom into something that creates wealth for her future. So finding a balance between being a single mother, teacher, and business owner has been a challenge within itself. To add on to that, within today’s society you have to be a content creator as well. Basically, if you are not constantly posting about your brand you are irrelevant to today’s consumers. I am also not one who enjoys being in front of the camera, but I have evolved from that and stepped out of my comfort zone to be more proactive on social media, but I am still learning in growing with my business.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Honestly, I do not have much significant work yet. Most of my work has been doing pop up shops around the city or just the work that I have put on my social media accounts. I have styled a few of my family and friends but that is about it.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is when you have found a certain type of joy within yourself that cannot be diminished. This joy can come from wealth, accomplishing goals, being free with who you are as a person or especially when you have loved ones around you. So many feel like success is only when you are rich and famous, but that is not it for me, I just want the rich part, lol. But seriously, being able to create a lifestyle where I am truly happy is what success looks like to me.
Contact Info:
- Email: chicgems20@gmail.com
- Website: www.chicgemsthrifted.com
- Instagram: chic_gems_thrifted
