Check Out Blanca Fragoso’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Blanca Fragoso.

Hi Blanca, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Hi! My name is Blanca and my mom and I always have been crafty and like creating. She used to make our clothes and accessories. In 2020 while in a pandemic, my mom made me some Frida pendants and people loved them and ask for them so I started making the chains and we sold a few to family and friends.

I always wanted my mom to work less so I saw the opportunity to partner with her and make this bigger and then we created the Oli Jewelry shop, Oli is short for her name. We started around October 2020, we went to a few markets and met so many amazing small business owners. In 2021, we decided to open our own little showroom in Gilbert and even though we love the little space we decided to close because it was getting hard to be there without space to create, we are part of other shops like The collective in Chandler Mall and the Painted tree boutiques opening in Scottsdale.

We are a 2 people shop so we need to be busy producing on our home studio and are not able to be at the store on the business owner so this is our last week there. In this little time, we have learned so much, my mom is the best partner I could have and my best friend, she worked so hard for us and I am so happy to have the opportunity to help her to work on something she truly enjoys doing. She takes care of our beading and I work most of the goldfilled.

The bottom line is that we are having our little American dream! She move here when I was in High school in Sonora Mexico and I follow once I graduated college. I worked for 12 years in the Bank industry but nothing fulfills me more than doing something with my hands by my mom’s side and having more time with my family. I always said I quit my 9-5 to work 24/7 but when you enjoy what you are doing and can make your hours is truly the best.

I only aspired to be just like my mom, strong, loving independent, and creative as she is. Owning your business is not an easy road especially when you have a job and family but it has been super rewarding not just the extra financial help but the community I have met is amazing! Every market or shop we go to we have met amazing business owners who some of have become really close friends.

I am a true believer that fun competition is so good and as my mom says “el sol sale para todos” – “The sun comes out for everybody” and love seeing other businesses succeed around us as well.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly mostly has been good, owning your business is a crazy journey… one day you sold out and the other is super slow. There are days the I can be hours creating new things and others I feel my creative just doesn’t flow.

One thing that can play with your mind is trying to compare your journey with others but I know now that we all are so different and start in a different place it does not matter the speed as long as you are
Moving

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Oli Jewelry shop we do handmade goldfilled jewelry.

Our jewelry can be worn every day and in water, as we use high-quality materials. I love to add natural gems and crystals to some designs. I just learned how to solder with is opening a big door for me to create more designs. What makes me so proud is going to markets and seeing people buying something We created with our own hands and not only buying for themselves but as gifts for their loved ones.

Each piece is made with so much love and we hope to pass that on. Our most popular item is our rings and Frida necklaces which make me so happy because it projects traditions with a touch of modern dainty jewelry. What set us apart from others is the US, honestly, people can find goldfilled jewelry in so many places but we try to show the humans behind it, try to show the process of making each piece.

We try to partner and work with other small businesses to support each other abs being part of that community makes a difference

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking?
Yes! I think one of the biggest risks I took was opening our storefront back in October that now we have to close due to no time of being there. But we learned so much and met amazing people in the process.

Just starting the Business in general and investing my savings in it was a risk but the idea of creating and having this adventure with my mom was even better. The idea of the unknown like how to do all business licensing, taxes, all that scared me, and still trying to figure out things on the go.

I think anything unknown can be scary but for me is scarier not trying and never knowing what could have been.

Contact Info:

• Email: Blanca@olijewelry.com
• Website: www.olijewelry.com
• Instagram: @olycastillo_shop