Today we’d like to introduce you to Eva Harley
Hi Eva, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I graduated high school in 2020 right when Covid hit. That’s kinda where my story begins. I always knew I was built for something other than a traditional college education- don’t get me wrong; I would still love to get my degree at some point in life, but once I realized the conditions we would be under in school, I decided to defer my admission to UTK and travel instead. It allowed me to start chasing the life that I truly wanted without feeling trapped in the traditional route of college.
For the next year, I traveled in a van around the U.S., mostly visiting the West Coast and Florida. I was in online school at this point, working towards a business degree. I always knew I was going to run my own business, but never knew exactly what it would be. My van was eventually stolen and totaled (a story for another time), so I decided that it was time to give the real college experience a go. I transferred to UTC- a branch of UT, and moved to Chattanooga to finish school. My time in Chattanooga taught me that college might not be in my cards at this time in my life. The people I met helped me to realize this more than they know. I moved back home in September of 2022 after attending UTC for 3 semesters and changing my major 3 times.
Although I knew I wanted to experience a life outside of college, for the next several months I continued to persevere through the mind-numbing work. This time, I went back to the Eva way. I was living in a car once again, but now in Key West… because why not? Who knew you could take your computer to the beach and complete an accounting exam in your bikini?! I loved it there. I wanted to stay forever. But after a while summer began, and we (my boyfriend and I) decided we needed to go somewhere cooler. Where did we go? Estes Park, Colorado. It was freezing and we pretty much immediately regretted it. We house-sat for a very prestigious lawyer for a month and then got out of Dodge.
This was when I began to realize I needed to be in a line of work that not only excites me but challenges me. Clearly, I can’t sit still, and I hate boundaries. I knew I needed to figure out what my next plan was, so I could convince not only myself, but my family that it would be a good idea for me to drop out of college.
One random day I saw an old buddy of mine post about a trade school he was attending. I asked him about it and he told me it was a very prestigious jewelry school here in Tennessee. Something clicked that day. I don’t know if it had to do with working with my hands, learning a new trade, or the fact that I was completely obsessed with collecting jewelry during my travels, but something clicked that day. I just knew. I was GOING to go to that school, and I was GOING to have my own jewelry business. No if, ands, or buts about it. So I did.
I attended New Approach School for Jewelers in the spring of this year (2024). That, I can say, altered my brain chemistry. I never knew I could love something so much. For the first 3 weeks of school, I would cry nearly the whole drive there. It didn’t feel real, and I was so endlessly grateful I had found my calling. My teachers, Blaine Lewis and Drew Hadley are the two people I feel like I owe my happiness to. They are the best. The best. Just to give you some insight of these two, on my first day of school, my transmission blew out on the highway 15 minutes away from the school. Blaine left class to come pick me up himself in his truck to make sure I didn’t miss anything. He even offered to call a tow truck and take me home. New Approach is such a special place, and everyone I attended school with became my family.
I graduated the program in May of 2024, and started my small business in June. Since then, everything has been a learning curve. I wear every hat and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s not work for me. I love how stimulating and rewarding the whole process is. I truly believe that if I had always done what everyone wanted of me I would still be finishing school not knowing what I wanted out of life. Thank god I was so hardheaded and independent because it led me to be the woman I am. I wouldn’t change a thing.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No! I think I would be bored to tears if it were! Not only am I a new jeweler working every day to get better at my craft, but I have the weight of a new business on top of that. It’s great though! I love the struggle and I love the grind. Thank the lord I have such smart friends who have skills way beyond my reach. I use their help constantly when it comes to aspects outside of my realm of knowledge, such as digital design and social media marketing. I don’t have any employees, and I don’t hire out work. I do it all and I love to learn.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I own a small online jewelry business called Highway Finery. I specialize in hand-fabricated silver jewelry, but I hope to begin working with gold in the near future. I may be known for a few things, including my Instagram reels where I fulfill orders while chatting with my viewers. It creates a very personal vibe, and I like my audience to get to know me. Out of all the things I am proud of, I am most proud of just starting. It sounds simple, but I think a lot of people with big dreams get caught up in trying to make something perfect before they begin. Trust me, there is no right way. No matter where you start, you will change your direction a thousand times. I think what sets me apart from a lot of other jewelry brands, is that I prioritize being open with my audience. Like I said, I want them to get to know me. The person behind the business is equally as important as the products themselves. People like to buy from people they like. I feel like we are all friends on my page.
What matters most to you?
The thing that matters most to me is having a life I am happy with looking back on. I don’t want to ever wish I had tried something else or missed out because I was too afraid of taking a risk. From my experience, the only things I ever regret are not the actions themselves, but not taking the action. I have made more mistakes in my life than I can recall. But I cherish those mistakes more than anything, and they have all led me to a life I love.
Pricing:
- XL Signet Ring- $360
- Stackable Sterling rings- $35
- Turquoise Tube ring-$130
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.highwayfinery.com
- Instagram: highwayfinery
- Facebook: highwayfinery
