Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Lloyd.
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’m a jeweler based out of Santa Ana, California. Finding the right place to begin my story is always the hardest part for me. Like so many other people I know, I had no idea what kind of profession I wanted to pursue for the long-term and I had no real direction. It wasn’t until I got sober in 2018 that I began to invest time into what I knew would make me happy, which led to teaching myself how to silversmith. In the beginning, I purchased just enough supplies to make one plain silver band. Since then, my skills have grown and I’ve built a full studio to produce all my work. My business, A Lloyd Jewelry, will celebrate its second year this coming November. It’s still unbelievable, but I wake up every day excited to see what comes next.
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?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but it has been a rewarding one. Nothing is easy when starting your own business, especially when it relies heavily on your craft. Being a private person made it very uncomfortable for me to make the transition from hobby to business. In the beginning, I had a lot of self-doubts and I thought no one would take me seriously. I was fortunate to have friends encouraging me, they made me feel that I could turn my new passion into something more. They were the ones telling other people that I made and sold jewelry before I could even put myself out there. Now that I’m looking back, I feel lucky that I had these people at the time because I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t have their support.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
A Lloyd Jewelry is a fine jewelry line that specializes in modern designs using silver. Each piece is handcrafted using traditional goldsmithing techniques and I personally design, fabricate, polish and package everything in my home studio. I thrive to make fine jewelry that will become part of someone’s permanent collection, and I hope that one day my pieces will be passed down to a loved one.
Quality materials have always been my main point of concern and it’s something A Lloyd Jewelry is known for. I do a lot of research before buying my materials and I’ve tried to only work with ethical and local suppliers. My jewelry is handcrafted from reclaimed sterling silver that it sourced within the USA. The stones that I use are sourced from suppliers certified with the Responsible Jewellery Council (the world’s leading standard-setting organization for jewelry, dedicated to promoting ethical practices from the mines to retail). Lastly, my packaging is made of recycled and biodegradable materials that are made in the USA.
What sets me apart from other jewelers is that I don’t keep any inventory on hand. All my jewelry is uniquely handcrafted for you or your loved one. My process of creating allows me to make jewelry with intention. It gives my day-to-day more meaning and I enjoy the relationships that I’m able to develop along the way.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
My persistence and my low expectations are what I contribute to my success. It’s easy to get discouraged when you work hours or even days on something and it doesn’t go as planned. I’ve learned early on that my smaller daily actions are what allow me to continue my work. It’s all about showing up and truly celebrating every small opportunity.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@alloydjewelry.com
- Website: alloydjewelry.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/alloydjewelry
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/alloydjewelry
- Twitter: twitter.com/alloydjewelry
Image Credits:
Luis Trejo
