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Meet Samara Rosenthal of Outcharmed in North Scottsdale

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Samara Rosenthal.

Samara, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Growing up, I was always interested in fashion and jewelry. When I was an infant, I would walk around the house in my mom’s hot pink pumps and refuse to take them off. When I was two years old, I asked to get my ears pierced. Getting my ears pierced then turned into an obsession with all things jewelry. As time progressed, I would raid my mom’s closet for clothes that she had from the ’80s. I learned to love vintage and appreciate that these were all one of a kind. I would wear these vintage 80’s pieces (and I still do to this day) and put a new spin on them. All throughout high school, I continued to stay true to my personal style. I was always the girl getting stared at in the halls for wearing big hats or crazy outfits. I didn’t care what people thought and liked that the way I dressed made me stand out from the rest of my classmates. Once college came around, I wanted to major in Fashion but also wanted a true college experience so I opted to go to The University of Arizona and major in Retail and Consumer Sciences.

Outcharmed started about three years ago. I was a freshman in college and took a trip to San Diego with my mom. We went to this boutique and I saw these shirts that fascinated me. It was essentially an old t-shirt that the store had cut up, sewn faux leather on and created a lace-up effect with string. They were selling this shirt for over $200. I knew that I could recreate the shirt and charge $30 and still make a decent profit, and this is exactly what I did. I started with an old T-shirt I got from my grandfather. My friends and family loved it! I started selling them to friends and others who heard about the shirts through word of mouth. Soon, the lace-up shirts were being sold at popular shops for less than I could make them for, and I was onto the next trend; suede wrap around necklaces. I saw some suede necklaces being sold for $40 online and was shocked that people were paying that much for a piece of suede. I bought a few jewelry tools and started making these necklaces myself. These became even more popular than the lace-up shirts. I had all sorts of variations of these necklaces, some with crystals hanging, some were plain and simple, but the majority of them had charms hanging from the necklace. The customer could choose the length, style, color, and charms on the necklaces. This was meant to be customized to fit each girls’ unique personal style. Meet Outcharmed.

Next, I made Outcharmed Instagram and Facebook accounts where I would post my new creations on each page. People would message me to place an order and I would either deliver them or they would come and pick them up from my house. It was all local. I would hold photo shoots with my friends and style them in my clothes and jewelry to post on Instagram. I was in this phase for quite a while. That was until Halloween that year when I needed a chain headpiece to complete my costume. Any normal 19-year-old would go to the store to look for one, not me. I somehow created a chained headpiece out of old necklaces that I no longer wore. I added a cute charm and it was perfect for my outfit. That ignited a want in me, for making jewelry out of chains, which is exactly what I did! I started making all different kinds of jewelry. I held pop-up shops at the different sorority houses at The University of Arizona and sold at different events around campus. My jewelry was featured in the U of A Fashion Week. This along with a couple of articles about Outcharmed, in the U of A newspaper, really helped get my name out there. I finally took the next step and created my website. The rest is history! I continue to sell my jewelry online and in person at various flea markets in Arizona, and also in California. I am self-taught and come up with new designs day-by-day. I am a one-woman show and do everything from designing, sourcing, buying, making the jewelry, social media, photography, styling, advertising, website design, packing & shipping, customer inquiries and more!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting Outcharmed has been far from a smooth road. But, nonetheless, it has been an amazing ride and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Starting your own business can be scary, especially when you’re a 19-year-old college student who has no clue how to run a business. There were so many times that I wanted to give up on Outcharmed, but I am so happy that I never did. I had people doubt me but I continued to keep going. Being a college student, I did not have the money, nor background that most people have to start a business. This was a struggle but I learned how to work with a small budget. Taking an entrepreneurship class and completing an independent study on Outcharmed my senior year at U of A taught me a lot more about running a business. I learned how to make a business plan and what to do to be more successful. I also realized that retail is so hit or miss, and to not take anything with Outcharmed personally. I could have days where my website has tons of views and I have so many orders to fill and then there are some days where I have no orders at all. It totally depends on the day. The same goes for the markets that I sell it. Some markets I do amazing at, and others aren’t so great. This is just how the retail industry is. Every day I learn new things about owning/operating a small business. If you were to tell me 10 years ago that one day I would have my own jewelry business, I would not believe you and my 12-year-old self would be so proud!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Outcharmed – what should we know?
I handcraft accessories such as necklaces, chokers, bracelets, earrings, body chains, scrunchies, and headscarves. Outcharmed specializes in custom jewelry. Anything that is on my website can be customized to a client’s liking. I also create custom pieces for events and weddings. I love working with customers to see what their vision is for the piece and then bringing life to that vision. Recently, I have been making custom name chokers. These make the perfect gift. The client can customize the length of the choker and choose what name or saying they want on it. I am known for my pieces that incorporate the sun, moon or stars since that is my brand/logo and what many of my designs are based around. Outcharmed embraces the individuality of women, with every person being different, my customers can each have unique pieces that suit their style.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My parents have always encouraged me to follow my dreams. From the beginning, Outcharmed, as it is today, was a dream! I could not have done this without their support. My mom is my sounding board for new ideas. She has also taken over sewing the scrunchies and headscarves and helps me at some of my bigger markets and events. She is so talented, none of this would be possible without her love and support. When thinking of a name for my company, my sister actually came up with Outcharmed, so she is the creative force behind the name. My dad and grandparents are some of my biggest cheerleaders. All of my friends have listened to me talk about Outcharmed non-stop for three years. They have been roped into being models for me, and continue to spread the word about the business. There is a saying that it takes a village to raise a child, and Outcharmed is my baby. Thank you to my village – wouldn’t be where I am today without you!!

Pricing:

  • Earrings $20
  • Chokers & Necklaces $12-$30
  • Custom Name Chokers $40
  • Scrunchies $6
  • Headscarves $12
  • Bracelets $20
  • Rings $20
  • Body Chains $50

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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