Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamara Wicks.
Hi Tamara, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started making anklets as a way to kill time and relieve stress while I was unemployed in 2019. At that time, my mom paid for me to take a necklace-making class at Adeli’s on Sanderlin in Memphis.
It was during that time, I began practicing and making waist beads and necklaces. Not long after, a FB friend of mine, who was a fireman, posted asking for someone to repair his necklace. After I repaired it, he asked if I made beaded bracelets.
Honestly, at that time, I didn’t. However, I said, “give me a little time and I’ll be able to do them”. Pretty soon, he and his fellow firemen were my crash testers as I learned how to better make my bracelets.
I learned about quality beads from Mrs. Adeli and how to properly secure them. By the end of 2019, I began selling them. My friends encouraged me to step out there and stop being so nervous about my work. As time went on, I began to network with more crafters and companies to find high-quality stones and metals.
I was even blessed to give bracelets to some of my favorite artists, The Whispers & Ray Parker, Jr.!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I find that working to make a living as well as to support my business is a challenge in itself!
It’s a necessary evil that allowed me to be able to stock over 200 different beads and thousands of various charms, but I found myself so drained from a demanding job that some days, I didn’t want to SEE a bead!
Another issue is advertising via social media such as Facebook and Instagram, as they prove to be very difficult to deal with. Things are definitely looking up for me now, but I need to find ways to put myself out there more.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Right now, I’m an employee with plans and aspirations to work for myself. I have a Masters’s in Adult Education and Training, but I’m hitting a bit of a roadblock in finding a position in Training that allows me to use all of the informal training experience I have from previous employers.
I’m definitely proud of being the go-to person to train coworkers and new hires, which was why I went back to college and got a BS in Management, then the aforementioned Master’s. What sets me apart from others is how well I reach all audiences and adapt to any environment.
I’ve been a forklift driver, a mail processor, a Series 6 Licensed Representative, and in each aspect, I have been asked to teach and train my colleagues. I have the personality to fit in anywhere!
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Follow Blueberry’s Trinkets on Instagram and Facebook!
Those likes and shares truly do more than you know! Reach out to me via email for collaboration or wholesale purchases at BlueberrysTrinkets@outlook.com.
I’m still working on a website, so those are the best ways to reach me. Every piece is custom-made by me to your specifications, and I welcome open lines of communication to provide the best results for you!
Pricing:
- $25 & up (Discounts for Bulk Orders).
Contact Info:
- Email: BlueberrysTrinkets@outlook.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/BlueberrysTrinkets
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BlueberrysTrinkets
Image Credits
@Haitian.Boy.Images
