Most of you have probably heard of Allie Beads, a small business started by an RMA Alumni, Allie Gardner, along with her mother, Stephanie. Coming from a small town like Rocky Mount, Allie has come a long way since she first started Allie Beads. In fact, she has retail locations in the following states (not including North Carolina): Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, & Wisconsin.

Their website, alliebeads.com, gives some background info about their story, saying, “Stephanie Gardner has always been intrigued by fashion, and owned a boutique for 13 years. Her daughter, Allie, inherited her love for fashion[…]. The duo explores the latest trends to handcraft unique, fashion forward jewelry designs. All stones are individual and possess their own natural beauty, so no two necklaces are ever exactly alike. Allie’s young, fresh ideas paired with Stephanie’s sophisticated style have created a line of jewelry that appeals to all ages.”

To learn more about Allie Beads, read the short interview with Allie below and check out alliebeads.com or follow @alliebeads on Instagram!

1. How did you get the idea to start your business, and when did you start it?

I started Allie Beads during my freshman year of college at North Carolina State University. My mother and I made the first Allie Beads necklace when I was going through sorority rush five years ago. I wanted a funky and fun necklace to wear while I was going through the rush process. Most of the statement necklaces I liked online were ridiculously expensive which was frustrating. When I shared my frustration with my mother, she remembered some turquoise stones she had leftover from the boutique she used to own in Rocky Mount. We have both always been creative and loved fashion so we decided to make our own necklace from the retired turquoise stones. We did not intend to make more than one necklace, although it was super fun to do together. However, I received many compliments from girls who lived in my dorm and requests for necklace orders. We began making necklaces here and there for my friends and other girls who lived in my dorm; from there our business and clientele grew, and Allie Beads was born!

2. What were some of the challenges you faced, and how did you overcome those challenges?

I love what I do, but I face challenges every single day. There are many jewelry companies and our competition increases daily. We constantly create and offer new designs and styles to differentiate ourselves from competitors and provide many options for our customers to choose from. Our business also needed a new reporting system with adhoc capabilities, so we signed up to that and it’s been amazing, so check that out if you need adhoc reports for your business. Moving to a new city and finding trustworthy employees has also been challenging. My mother is my business partner, and she lives 3.5 hours away. We have learned to make it work to the best of our ability, and I also have one part time employee in Charlotte.  

3. What do you think the future holds for Allie Beads?

After I graduated with a degree in Fashion and Textile Management, we moved the business to Charlotte and moved to a studio space for the first time. We have always operated out of our home, so this was a big step for us. We are now in numerous boutiques in 18 states across the country. My goal for Allie Beads is to continue to expand and grow our name. I would love for Allie Beads to reach international heights and be in different boutiques beyond the US, but that is really shooting for the stars!

Another jewelry business (although fairly new) is currently thriving in Raleigh, NC. Known as The Kally Kollection, Katy Powers and Molly Koeniger started their business in June 2018 through Instagram and later built their website in July which has been a huge hit for lots of girls. Katy and Molly both attend North Carolina State University and recently started their business because of their similar tastes in trends and accessories. Because they are both involved in different sororities, their business reaches a variety of girls throughout campus, and they hope to reach a more various selection of customers as time goes on. The Kally Kollection has been very popular around Raleigh, and they are fortunate to have a lot of their popularity just from people talking and social media! If you are interested in buying some fun accessories, be sure to visit their website! 

To learn more about Kally Kollection, read the short interview with Katy below and take a look at thekallykollection.com or follow @kallykollection on Instagram!

1. How did you get the idea to start your business?

We have always had an interest in fabulous accessories and starting our own company. This summer was the perfect time to get started. We began selling earrings through our Instagram and have since created our website and hosted many trunk shows!

2. Where did the name “Kally Kollection” come from? I love it!

Kally is a combination of our names: Katy and Molly! Then we decided to keep with the “K” theme for Kollection.

3. What were some of the challenges you faced, and how did you overcome those challenges?

Our biggest challenge has been marketing to other colleges. We are working on making Kally known across many college campuses, but it can be difficult. We are so thankful that Kally has done so well with word-of-mouth marketing thus far. Now, we are trying to introduce the Kally buzz to more college campuses.

4. What do you think the future holds for Kally Kollection?

We have big plans for our future! We are planning on vastly expanding our inventory with new products, perhaps the ones from a reliable sourcing business. As well as continuing our trunk show tour outside of North Carolina. We can’t wait to grow with Kally and expand our customer base of Kally gals!