Today we’d like to introduce you to Alaina Smith.
Hi Alaina, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
After graduating from college with a degree in printmaking and a minor in art history, I was working retail and making ends meet. My mother sent me a box of leather scraps in the mail – she often sent me materials, articles she found interesting, or other small treasures. This box of scraps came at the perfect time because without a lot of disposable income and Christmas on the horizon, I needed to make some gifts. I whipped up a few small wallets and gave them as gifts to my friends.
It was a complete shock that not long after Christmas, people were reaching out to say they loved the wallet I made for Courtney and to ask how much I charged for one. “What? Charge for them!” I spent the whole next year making things for friends around town and turning my fun hobby into a solid side hustle. Now, almost 10 years later, I’ve grown my business from solid side hustle to a full-time business with three part-time employees.
I sell my items wholesale to boutiques all over the globe, have worked with companies like Free People and Etsy, and even teach classes on starting a small handmade business. I love working for myself and getting to make pretty things for a living.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Anyone who tells you that they successfully started and ran a small business without bumps in the road is lying or possibly suffering from memory loss. Starting a business is rewarding, but also so so much work.
I’ve struggled with saving for taxes, overworking myself when I should have hired someone, staying mentally well when it felt like too much, and so much more. I feel thankful to have such amazing mentors and a fantastic support system.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I make geometric jewelry and colorful leather goods. My work is easy to wear every day, without being forgettable. While chic simplicity is difficult to design, I believe it is my knack for material choices and combinations that set me apart.
I use clean lines and straightforward geometry to recall a “classic” design aesthetic and draw upon a variety of disparate influences to create each design. Whether it’s the exactness of mid-century modern furniture, my personal nostalgia for 90s Claire’s earring sets, 60s “space-age” imagery, or the sleek, purposeful design of a pocketknife— I try to distill all of these inspirations into small, beautifully functional accents for everyday wear.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I’m not sure I’d call it to luck exactly, but I do believe in privilege. I have been immensely privileged in my life. From parents that encouraged my dream big to a financial safety net that allowed me to choose creativity as a career.
Yes, I’ve worked hard along the way, but so much of why I am able to do what I do is based firmly on my privilege.
Contact Info:
- Email: shopcoldgold@gmail.com
- Website: ShopColdGold.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/shopcoldgold
- Other: coldgold.etsy.com
