Meet Anna Viviano

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Viviano.

Hi Anna, It’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us. To start, could you share some of your backstory with our readers?
My name is Anna, and I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. I have been creating jewelry for 20 years now. It all started when I wanted to make a bracelet for my grandma, and I went to my first bead store at 19. My eyes lit up when I saw all the shiny, sparkly beads, and I asked someone to teach me. I started making and selling bracelets from my desk at my corporate job.

I left my corporate job of 11 years to follow my passions and started working at a kid’s medical camp as an operations manager. The camp filled my heart with joy! This is where I hosted workshops for oncology families and kids, teaching them how to make jewelry. The camp, unfortunately, shut down in 2016, and then in 2017, I lost many people close to my heart. My heart was broken. I lost my bead collection, and my entire life was shifting. It took years to relight my spark after all the loss and to gain the courage to start over.

The love for creating, being a fairy, and all the beautiful souls I met helped me find my way. I have always been so creative with costumes and styling. I made my first Fae Feathers for my friends to wear to a jungle-themed birthday party. Before this, I met the magical Madi Moon, who was already designing her brand. We connected on our obsession with beads. I needed to restart my bead collection and create jewelry again.

I became a business owner and created Insuluv with my sister, Marina Viviano. As a type 1 diabetic and avid traveler, we designed and manufactured our insulin cooler travel case. We successfully sold our product on Amazon and supported the diabetic community. However, unforeseen issues continued to surface with the ongoing pandemic. Fae Feathers was launched in 2021 after my first entrepreneurial endeavor didn’t work out as anticipated. I found my true calling in all things magical. I remember dancing in my bathroom and shouting that I was an artist.

I now have a plethora of products ranging from Fae Feathers (feather beaded hair jewelry), necklaces, protection pendants, crystal intention candles, butterfly shadow boxes, dream catchers, suncatchers, earrings, mermaid crowns, brass home decor bracelets, and more. My first opportunity to vend was at a small camping festival up north, and my heart was filled with all the love I received. I pivoted my LLC and got my vendor license to continue doing pop-up markets. The road was far from easy, trying to find the right markets and connections. My first 2-day event was with IDGAFNK at Horizen, and I was incredibly proud of myself for pushing through the hard days to be around the people I love sharing my art. My friends and family continued to support me, working for free at multiple events. The community of fairies and magical beings has been the most rewarding.

I am often commissioned to do custom bridal Fae Feathers and jewelry, protection amulets, home decor, styling, event design, decor, and gift baskets. I also curate and upcycle festival, boho, and whimsical fashions for the bold heart. I shop for clients and host sip-and-shop parties for a more private, intimate experience. I have also hosted sound journeys aligned with the full moon to gather and grow in the last year. I have been working with The Walter Hive to continue to share art through workshops. And most recently, I have been discussing opportunities with another entrepreneur to have my pieces and art in an upcoming collective store front. So many things in store and I couldn’t be more excited!! Living in my dream has been incredible and magical, and I love every moment. I appreciate everyone who has worked and helped make this dream a reality. There is still much work and more to learn as a business owner, but I love every moment.

It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been far from easy. As an educated woman with a bachelor’s and Master’s, I still have much to learn. There have been many trials and tribulations through this journey with constant changes. Finding the right markets has been one of the most challenging parts, with paying fees and walking away in the negative. I had to decide to be more strategic with what I committed to. The work put into prepping and executing markets without burnout was challenging. I had to assess how to accomplish my goals without asking too much of others, yet still not taking myself to burnout. I have also had opinions on what directions to go and how often I was working, not making time for friends and family outside of events. I quickly realized that I didn’t need to take on everything, and balance was vital. Owning your own business is challenging. But it is so rewarding when you can understand your true why. I revisit my ‘why’ often to keep that balance.

I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a family assistant/house manager. I love my career because of its flexibility in following my dreams as a fairy and artist. I love the creative freedom to design florals, events, and gifts. My job and life are very active, and I love it. I stepped away from my corporate desk job, which was one of the biggest and best decisions of my life. I am the most proud of my resilience in pushing through the devastating heartbreak in my life and turning the energy into love and kindness. I decided to be happy and find happiness in creating. My friends call me a magical fairy because of my positive attitude and energy.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I will hire a business coach shortly to help me navigate my growth and avoid mistakes. I often ask my friends who are business owners for advice and coaching. I also continue supporting and connecting to the communities I love outside of business. It is essential to consistently support your community because in building solid relationships, those connections will help you grow personally and professionally.

Pricing:

• Fae Feathers $40-$44
• Pendants $44-$120
• Mermaid Crowns $120+
• Fae Fashion $20-$200

Contact Info:

• Website: faefeathers.com
• Instagram: @fae_feathers
• Facebook: Facebook.com/faefeathers