The History/Meaning Behind Southern Jewlz Boutique :)

Hey y’all!  I’m due for another blog post!  

We have recently been nominated for Best Women's Clothing Boutique by Best of the Brazos Valley.  Please take the time to vote for us.  You do not have to vote for all of the categories.  Vote HERE.  And continue to read WHY you should vote us!

So this week I have been interviewing new prospective brand models for Summer.  Although I have loved getting to work with the Spring girls (Bre, Ashton, and Hayley - y’all rock), it is time to freshen things up and give some new girls the opportunity to model and promote the Southern Jewlz company!

During this week of interviews, I have caught myself repeatedly asking the following questions: What do you know about the Southern Jewlz company?  Why do you want to model for this company?  What qualities do you posses personality that mirror those of the SJ brand?  So I figured I would write a blog and answer some of these questions myself to make the company’s visions and values more clear to all of our fans and customers!

I filed the DBA for Southern Jewlz in December of 2007 while a sophomore in college at Texas A&M University.  I used to make jewelry for myself and it seemed as all of my friends and classmates wanted to buy my pieces, so I made a small “hobby” business.  After graduation in May 2009, I decided to give myself one year to see if I could make money to sustain myself with Southern Jewlz.  If not, I would go back to get my Master’s Degree again at Texas A&M.  Leaving College Station was never an option in my eyes.  I loved it here too much!!!  Good thing life worked out in my favor :)

I sold on facebook before facebook even had business pages, traveled and set up at trade shows all across the country, ran an online store out of my closet, had a kiosk in the Post Oak Mall (where I legit had to sweet talk the security cops into watching it for me just so I could use the rest room), opened my first retail doors almost 6 years ago at the little pink house, and have now been in the location that I’m currently at for 4 1/2 years!  While the company started as a jewelry company, I never renamed or rebranded.  Why?  Because I wanted my company to stand for what it meant to be a Southern Jewl!  I wanted to create a lifestyle brand that mirrored my very own personal beliefs and values!  Southern - the act of being hospitable, welcoming, loving Football in the Fall, front porches, sweet tea, saying yes ma’am and no ma’am, etc.  But my favorite part about the brand is the word JEWL.  It is what I strive to be every single day!  What does it mean to be a Jewl you may ask?  To be beautiful from the inside out, to be dressed to impress, to compliment others, to be selfless, kind, dedicated, honest, hard working, ambitious, brave, confident, independent, success driven, community oriented and the most fabulous version of YOU that there is!  When it comes to anyone connected to the SJ company (employee, customer, model, fan, etc.), I wanted to lead the way with my life journey to show what it truly means to be a Southern Jewl because I remember from a very young age to be the change I wanted to see in the world.

On top of all of this, I wanted to provide my customers with the latest fashion trendz at customer friendly prices.  Customer service is of the utmost importance to me!  I always try to personally do all that I can to ensure everyone has a fabulous shopping experience whether online or in the retail boutique.  And if not, I always try to reach out to find out how we can better serve the customer.  I love to hear feedback - it makes me better, which allows me to be a better leader for the company!

Now more than ever there are tons of options to shop at.  Small stores, corporate chain stores, online only stores, etc.  I hope that if you have kept up with my SJ journey (and even if you’re brand new to both myself and the company) that you’ve seen how I’ve truly implemented what it means to be a Jewl into the brand!  From the past 3 years of the If The Crown Fits, Wear It charity fashion show (which last year raised $10,000 for women of domestic violence) to the most recent new brand addition of Alex and Ani (which is a jewelry line that is Made in America out of recycled material and has now given back over 30 million to multiple charities), I have taken many steps over the past few years to fully encompass the meaning that my company stands on. 

Now more than ever we as Americans need to do all we can to help our own economy.  Shopping items that are Made in the USA is so important.  Recycled materials are necessary to keep our environment able to flourish in the future.  Giving back to our communities and those in need fills a void needed in our world.  Shopping small and local creates more jobs, puts more money back into our own communities and overall economy, and keeps the character of each specific city.  But past all of this, something that is also important to me, is doing business with other businesses who stand on morals and values.  We live in a world now that is way more connected than ever, so I challenge you to truly think before you spend your money.  Everyone does more internet and social media research now than ever, so take the time to look into the history of the places where you spend your money.  Are they supportive of the community, what’s the mission of their company, are they local?  (Not just location, but do they truly live and participate in the community)  I may be a bit biased, but I think everyone should shop at more businesses just like mine. :)

And that my friends is a summed up version of my evening thoughts.   Can’t wait to select the new summer brand models who along will all of my past models, will continue to inject the Lifestyle brand of Southern Jewlz into their networks.  But I’ve got another full day tomorrow, so I am gonna get some sleep.  Update you all next week! :)

Until next time, be the most fabulous version of YOU that you can be!  Be sure to check out all our super cute new arrivals!  Oh, and get ready to come take YOUR very own pic in front of the flower wall that we are currently working on!

xoxo, 

Randa

“She has the ambition and determination to set the world on fire”