Life & Work with Paige Seegmiller

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paige Seegmiller.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started my earring business in 2019 during my last semester of college. I felt that earring selections in stores lacked passion and excitement. I began to create earrings with polymer clay and felt inspired by bold shapes and colors. Now, over two years later, I work with other materials like resin and acrylic to handcraft earrings and hair barrettes.

I started my journey on Instagram, trying to sell to a small number of followers. I was able to save enough money to buy a website and grow my business. From there, I began selling to local boutiques, farmer markets, and art events. Over the last year, I have felt an urge to expand my shop and develop new products that are more inclusive.

At the beginning of 2021, I invested time into learning how to screenprint. I practiced for months before I felt like the shirts were perfect enough to sell! Although this is just the tip of the iceberg, I feel so excited about the direction my business is going and I am thrilled for what the future holds.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have not experienced a smooth road in my business journey! I think the biggest challenge for me is finding customers and actually selling my products. I love showing up on Instagram and showing my followers how they can wear statement earrings, but I struggle with scaling my business. My growth has been a slow journey, and I’ve ventured into other social media platforms to share my business and find new customers.

Seeing new businesses grow to thousands of followers with apparent ease is discouraging, but I think that has pushed me to create better products, designs, and content. Comparison can be harmful because when I think back to where I was a year ago, I see that I have grown in many ways despite the obstacles and challenges I have faced.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have always loved earrings! When I was little, my mom would let me wear all sorts of clip-on earrings. When I finally got my ears pierced, I loved picking out earrings that matched my outfit. I dedicated my time to watching YouTube videos and reading articles when I realized that I could create my own earrings out of polymer clay!

I am proud of the great care I take in creating quality earrings that are bold and bright. My slogan is “Life’s Too Short to Wear Boring Earrings!” I think what sets me apart from other earring creators is that I am not afraid of fun colors or playful designs. I get inspiration from seeing the earrings people wear in public, in the movies, or in TV shows.

I will think to myself, “how can I make those more exciting?” How can I take that design and make it more unique?” I believe that earrings give people an opportunity to show off their fun personalities!

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I am a big risk taker. I tell myself “the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward” and I truly believe that. One risk that I very recently took is buying a large and intimidating laser cutter. This was a risky move for a variety of reasons. Not only is it an expensive machine, but I know very little about how to run it! I took this risk because I feel like if I want to grow my business then I need to pivot and do something that is out of my comfort zone.

Looking back, I see that every big risk I have taken has been followed by growth. Taking a risk also helps me see things from a new perspective and brings unexpected rewards. Last year, I messaged several local people on Instagram asking if they would model for me. I did not know them, they had never heard of me, and I had very little to offer. Regardless, a fun group of people arrived at a local park to model my earrings for me!

What a crazy thing. When I posted those pictures on social media, I received great feedback from customers and followers. This small risk helped my business grow in ways that I could not have done on my own.

Pricing:

• Earrings $12-$25
• Barrettes $4-$13
• Shirts $15

Contact Info:

• Email: paige@hellomorningsunshine.com
• Website: https://www.hellomorningsunshine.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hello.morning.sunshine/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hello.morning.sunshine/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@hellomorningsunshine

Image Credits
Danielle Jordan