Student Small Business: “Jayde Jewelry”

By: Olivia Gonzalez & John Ramírez

Camryn Jayde,  ‘22 is a small business owner that sells and makes handmade jewelry while finishing up her last semester of high school.  

Jayde Jewelry was created in April of 2020, almost a month after school shut down. “It was something that kept me busy during the shut down,” says Jayde.

Prior interests can become a factor when deciding to start a business. She explains, “I have always been a very crafty kid, and I have grown up doing many hobbies like rubber band bracelets, friendship bracelets, sewing, embroidery and more.”

“I wanted to start making jewelry for fun, and found that it can be fun to sell to just my close friends and family. But it grew and more people started to buy them online,” adds Jayde. 

The quality of supplies plays into the reliability of the business. Jayde says, “I am very picky when it comes to what supplies I use because I want to make sure my customers get the highest quality jewelry that they paid for.”

She adds, “ I always look for non-tarnishing wear, natural stone beads and crystals, and overall long-lasting supplies.” 

Managing time goes a long way when starting a business: “I am very involved with Ranger and Chamber choir as well as the musical. It can be a lot sometimes as I find myself struggling to manage time,” explains Jayde. 

She decided to, “always make sure to put school first, and then complete orders so [she] can make sure [her] grades don’t slip. Most of [her] jewelry making happens on the weekends when [she] is not as busy.”

The time Jayde uses to make jewelry varies. It depends both on the type and amount of beads being added. 

“Rings take about 8-10 minutes each, bracelets and earrings can take fifteen minutes. Necklaces can take up to an hour because of the many beads or cord wrapping. On average it’s about 15 min a customer though- not including packaging,” explains Jayde. 

Running a business as a teenager comes with many advantages for the owners and customers. Jayde explains, “one of my favorite things about running a business as a teenager is that this business doesn’t fully support me, so I am able to keep my prices lower [for the customers].”

She adds, “I want to make sure jewelry is affordable for teenagers who may not have jobs, but still want to treat themselves to some jewelry…on average it’s about $10 an order.” 

Jayde jewelry has a range of products that gives customers the opportunity to choose something that calls to them. 

Bailey Nelson ‘22 is one of the many customers that has bought from Jayde. She says, “I have bought over 10 products of jewelry, ranging from her necklaces to her rings.”

Jayde is a seller that cares about her product, and keeps the buyer in mind when a purchase is made.

Nelson explains,  “Camryn (Jayde) is super kind and was super accommodating. Every time I purchase from her she has it ready the next day. She always packs her bags full of freebies and is an amazing listener.”

An important aspect that ties into making a business is being able to have a good and reliable quality. Jayde says that she “picked her business because it seemed like the best quality for the best prices around”

After high school, Jayde plans on going to college and majoring in music education. “I love to make jewelry, so I might continue to add items every once in a while to my shop. It all depends on how busy I am,” she explains. 

“I feel that after I graduate, my business will either grow as I have more time over summer, or it might slow down because I will be starting college.” Jayde also doesn’t intend on closing her business anytime soon. 

With selling products to others comes the joy when seeing customers be able to enjoy what they purchased.

“I absolutely LOVE seeing customer’s posts and reactions when they receive things that I make! It means the world to me!”

Camryn Jayde ’22

She adds, “also I love when my packages go very far distances like France, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand.”

Personal goals for an up and coming business help pave the way for new opportunities. “I hope my shop Tiktok picks up because I know that’s how a lot of people our age see things! I have seen many shops blow up because of it, so a huge goal of mine is to stay persistent in regards to posting, and hopefully I will see results”

For more information, Jayde can be contacted through her Instagram: @jaydejewelry 

Products are also sold and can be bought on etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/JaydeJewelryShop

Tags: camryn jayde, clubs & lifestyles, rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, rhs, small business