Chrissy Weems has an inspiring story to share with young women who aspire to be entrepreneurs.
She began with a vision and a small kiosk in a mall.
by Adrian Rubin for Sweet Startups
Making lockets that could be customized to be a remembrance of special events in a person’s life, Chrissy Weems and her daughter have built a successfully jewelry business called Origami Owl that has made over $250 million with over half a million Facebook followers on social media in its four years of operation. They have 30,000 designers. Their success story is so powerful that Chrissy and her daughter have been interviewed by The Today Show, People Magazine and Yahoo Finance, among others.
Weems recently gave a Ted Talk on how to empower more women to be entrepreneurs. The Ted Talk was given using the Tedx format and organized in the Davenport area.
Interestingly, the business did not begin as Weems’ enterprise but as a vehicle for her daughter, Bella, to buy a vehicle when she turned 16. Bella tried babysitting but soon realized that she could not readily make enough money in two short years to purchase a car. Weems helped Bella research potential shoestring business ventures and decided to combine the former’s artistic talents with some ideas found online for glass and other types of lockets that could be personalized. Weems has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Phoenix, Arizona.
Their Unique Product
Rather than just producing lockets that have one of a few designs, Weems had the foresight to allow customers to provide their own pictures to add to their glass lockets. Clients also choose special charms and hand-stamped plates that have special emotional relevance to their own lives. As people chose their design for their customized lockets, Bella would encourage the women to share their stories with her. Her customers shared stories about fighting breast cancer, losing twin babies and of milestones and accomplishments in their lives. These products provide a powerful emotional connection, remembrance and grounding for the Weems’ customers. They also were buying lockets to make affirmation reminders and connections.
