Embarking on the journey towards my dreams after a catastrophic event felt overwhelming. With nothing left to lose, I took a leap of faith that drove me towards building my own handmade business. My name is Livvy Ramos, the founder and creator behind Fera Fox—a jewelry brand I started only one year ago, crafting statement jewelry using textiles and metals. In 2001, I began my creative journey. Like many artisans, I’ve worked in a number of different careers over the years while I discovered where to focus my artisan craft. Located in the charming mountain town of Ashland, OR. I share my days with my supportive partner Adam, my fluffy dog, Lelu, and my grumpy cat, Gnomi.
Rebuilding From The Ashes
In September of 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we faced the unimaginable. The catastrophic Almeda Fire swept through our town, reducing our home, along with over 2500 others, to a pile of ash and rubble. With the pandemic and the daunting task of rebuilding our lives, an emptiness settled in. A sense of purpose seemed elusive. However, as our new home gradually took shape, I had a revelation. After the loss of my home and the collective struggles with the pandemic, I realized life is too short. I saw a silver lining in my tragedy; a chance to create an opportunity for myself. I took a leap of faith and used some of my insurance money to invest in my future and pursue my dreams.
I felt like life had handed me an opportunity in an unconventional way. Losing everything granted me a new perspective. For most of my life, I didn’t feel capable of achieving success. This negative mindset was deeply ingrained in me, convincing me my dreams were too frivolous and risky. From that moment forward, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t give up on my dream.
Finding My WHY, And Investing In My Dreams
My primary goal was simple: I needed to create art. At a pivotal moment, I met an amazing woman on Instagram who owned her own fashion brand and was gracious enough to take the time to give some very inspiring and powerful advice. She insisted that I find a strong foundation of ‘why” I was doing any of this. The driving force or my “why” is to support other artists, specifically our youth. Growing up in rural Oregon, I didn’t know anyone who had a career in art. I couldn’t find support and like many young people, I lacked self-confidence. I felt very alone, and I gave up before I even began. This experience has made my “why” very personal. I do not want any young person with a dream to ever doubt themselves and I want them to be supported. I chose to support a nonprofit called Color Outside The Lines. They focus on youth in foster care to explore artistic and creative pathways. This aspect of my business is integral to staying true to who I am and where I came from. In the future, I’d like to offer scholarships to young people growing up in rural communities who want to pursue a degree in art and design.
My journey into ecommerce started with a serendipitous encounter—an ad for a women-focused e-commerce program in my social media feed. Normally, my cautious nature would have led me to scroll right past it. But I was turning a new leaf and embracing new opportunities. I arranged a phone call with a coach, and within a week, I was immersed in everything from website building to marketing, social media, and discovering my niche.The most transformative aspect of this program was the emphasis on cultivating the right mindset.
This program had me examining and physically writing down what success looks like to me. I envisioned owning my own studio with bright light coming through large picture windows with exposed brick walls. I focused on the freedom financial stability would offer me. Writing down your goals, even the mundane, paints a picture in our minds and brings our goals one step closer to fruition.
Finding My Niche
My first shop was a print-on-demand fashion collection. I designed and illustrated repeat patterns that print onto pre-patterned dresses, leggings, swimsuits, and tops. But I was dissatisfied. I craved “getting my hands dirty” in my creations. I kept searching for something that would cater to both my designer and maker aspirations. I stumbled upon textile jewelry, and knew right away that I had discovered my niche. After completing an online tutorial and workshop, I was captivated.
Textile jewelry allows me to create a unique product. My jewelry serves as a reflection of both my identity and the aspirations I hold; understated yet confidently bold. Designing and making jewelry presents me with boundless creative avenues and has allowed me to satisfy my urge to create with my hands. I promptly closed my previous shop and set out to build Fera Fox.
Building Fera Fox
Launching a handmade business comes with its fair share of challenges. To navigate these unknown territories, I found it crucial to assess my strengths and weaknesses. My greatest strengths lie in my creative and artistic vision. Having been a business owner already, this provided me with a significant advantage. Over the years, I’ve honed my skills in website creation, both for myself and others, and I possess intermediate graphic design skills. I’ve always had a hunger for knowledge and have the capability of learning quickly which has served me well in my entrepreneurial journey.
At the same time, I objectively recognize that I have areas that will need improvement. We all have areas we need to improve. I also understand that with patience and thorough research, I can tackle these obstacles one by one.
Some skills I needed to improve and how I approached each of them:
1. Photography: If you can afford a professional photographer, do it! I couldn’t afford a professional photographer, so YouTube tutorials have become my most valuable educator. I’ve watched countless tutorials using my iPhone to shoot professional looking product shots. This process is an investment of time and involves a fair amount of trial and error, but this skill is invaluable. My best tip is to work with natural light but experiment with a mix of both natural and studio lighting.
2. Social Media: From the start, I’ve used social media as a marketing tool because of its cost effectiveness and its ability to push me out of my comfort zone. Initially, getting in front of the camera was the most challenging aspect, requiring me to push beyond my usual boundaries. However, it’s crucial to advancing my business.
Today’s consumers are discerning and are more likely to support smaller brands that come across as authentic and with whom they feel a genuine connection. Maintaining a consistent presence and sharing behind-the-scenes and educational content has significantly contributed to my growth. While growth doesn’t always directly translate to sales, it does trigger the algorithm to reach more accounts. Recent growth on Instagram has even led to landing my first major wholesale account through organic reach—a testament to the success it can bring.
3. Budget: Working with a small budget has pushed me to be creative with my strategies. I’ve effectively promoted my brand without investing in advertising yet. Leveraging social media and pitching my brand to editors and magazines for potential publication has given me positive results. After only a few email pitches sent to editors, I was featured in a Buzzfeed gift guide. Online publications not only provide cost-free marketing but also have a lasting online presence. I’ve had the pleasant surprise of customers discovering my brand months after being published. To enhance my pitching skills, I immersed myself in learning through resources like the “Small Business PR with Gloria Chou” podcast, which caters to teaching women of color how to pitch their brands and services to various media outlets. A combination of focused note taking, YouTube tutorials, and thorough research allowed me to construct my own effective pitching strategy.
4. Networking: During the previous summer, I participated in numerous local craft fairs, providing me with invaluable insights into my customers’ preferences. I also had the privilege of forming friendships with fellow makers who truly understand my creative vision. As a home-based business owner, I had been missing a sense of community. Their support and advice have proven to be invaluable.
The Growth And Future Of My Brand
I track progress not only in terms of revenue but also in my personal growth. Watching my business grow has been incredibly gratifying. Small businesses like ours need constant nurturing and focus. When something is not creating results, I search for a new approach. My mindset has shifted from “this isn’t working, I should give up” to “this isn’t working, let’s try something else.”
I’ve come to accept that there is not one right answer or one right way to build a business. What may work for me is a result of my unique abilities, but we all have room for learning and growth. Building a brand is a test of patience and endurance. It won’t materialize overnight, or even in a month. Don’t let a bad week or month instill doubt. It’s not how quickly you reach your goals, but about maintaining forward motion. I also make a point to acknowledge my victories, whether big or small. You must never downplay their significance!
For the immediate future, I plan to push myself outside my comfort zone more by doing things such as teaching in-person classes. My other intentions for the new year will be solidifying my brand voice, expanding my reach through social media, exploring more diverse textile designs, and continuing to push aside limiting beliefs.
