Life & Work with Bao Su

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bao Su.

Bao, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I love working out and have always gone to the gym and for several years, contemplated getting into the sport of bodybuilding.

On October 1, 2017, I decided to hire a fitness coach. By now, my desire to be on stage is burning. In no time, I soaked up all that my coach has taught me. It is now time to compete – the moment of truth. This is where I divulge you into the birth of my jewelry business.

As a first-time figure competitor, I wanted to stand out from the rest in terms of the fashion I brought on stage. I have always been a lover of fashion, making sure I stayed on top of the latest trends. It has always been a challenge to find quality and the perfect accessories to compliment my figure suit. I have noticed that most of the competitors wore all-clear jewelry. I wanted to be different. I wanted my outfit to be exceptional with colors popping on stage. Therefore, I searched all the known jewelry businesses that catered to fitness competitors to find that they all carried the same items. That is when I knew I found that void in the market. I knew then that I could offer a variety of fashionable competition bling. The prospect of operating my own business again was exhilarating. On January 1, 2018, my website, www.BodyBlingJewelry.com and Instagram were launched.

The next morning I got my first order. It was from Ellen at Crystallini Bikini. I am honored to say not only are we working together but we have become friends. I am currently styling Ellen’s clients with my jewelry for their shows.

Whenever you are different and go against the status quo there is always pushback. Some of the athletes question my brand that it was not in the rules to wear colored jewelry. Also, my endeavor to market on Instagram for a year and lure large companies were not yielding the results I anticipated. I can’t say I wasn’t disappointed but it’s not in my constitution to give up.

Today Body Bling brand has grown significantly within the past four years. It has become a worldwide brand. I have loyal customers from Barbados, Japan, Belgium, Germany, Mexico, Italy, Australia and in the United States.

I knew it was no longer a dream when most of the female pro athletes were shining on stage with Body Bling Jewelry at the Arnold’s and the Olympia stage. The two most prestigious shows in the sport of bodybuilding. I now work closely with the majority of the high-end suit designers to collaborate and bring a different variety of jewelry fashion to the NPC and IFBB Pro stage.

Body Bling is a full-service one-stop-shop that offers a wide variety of the most unusual, “one of a kind”, unique, and affordable jewelry for all occasions. I am the leading company with the largest selection of competition jewelry that is committed to providing beautiful products and excellent customer service. I cater to fitness competitors, weddings, proms, evening wear, and pageants to find the perfect piece to complement their desired look. My collection can be found on www.bodyblingjewelry.com.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been easy!

I don’t know any new business that hasn’t had some sort of setbacks. Just getting my brand recognized in the bodybuilding industry was challenging only because there have been my business competitors that were in business for so many years. I had to financially shell out expenses that I necessarily did not have in order to make Body Bling known by setting up booths at fitness expos and events which was a high price tag.

There has also been life trade off’s. Most of my “free” time is taken away from spending quality time with my kids. I cannot do the normal daily activities with them due to the fact that work was never-ending. Thankfully my kids understood that my dedication in building my brand was for a better future and a better us.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My professional career is in the dental field. I am an office manager with an RDAEF license in an established dental office located in Newport Beach, CA. I have been managing the office for 24 years and continuing my education in the health industry. Being a single mom, you can never have too many licenses especially during this pandemic. As a mom of two, being financially stable is a top priority for me, which is part reason for my business venture with Body Bling Jewelry. It was my goal and mission to be the leading jewelry company in the bodybuilding industry for female athletes. Starting a new business is always stressful. With that come many challenges and lessons. How do I market my brand? How do I get the industry to recognize my brand? How do I stand out from my business competitors? The list goes on and on. As a competitor myself, I found it very difficult to find unique custom jewelry with lasting quality.

For many years, it was a trend to wear clear jewelry however; I did not want to be status quo. All of the well-known competition jewelry companies carried only “clear” accessories. I wanted to stand out and be different from the rest of the athletes on stage. It was my mission to find the perfect jewelry with a “pop of color” to compliment my suit. Many athletes told me that wearing colored rhinestone jewelry was not in the rules. There were pro athletes that were skeptical and bashed my brand on social media. With the negative feedback I was receiving, it fueled my passion and motivated me to be the first company to start something new and offer unique fashionable jewelry to the stage that no other company was able to accomplish. That is when I found that void in the market and it was game over! January 1, 2018 was the birth of Body Bling Jewelry.

A year into branding my business, I noticed other companies following suit. That is when I knew I made my mark in the industry. My company has gone global; I have loyal customers from all over the world. From Japan, Germany, Australia, Mexico, Barbados, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, the list goes on. Today, I am proud to say that my company is the game changer in this sport. Not only do I carry jewelry for fitness competitors, I also carry jewelry for any occasion. At Body Bling, I am a one stop online shop that carries fashionable competition bling for on or off stage. I carry unique and one-of-a-kind jewelry. I work closely & collaborate with most of the high-end suit designers in the industry and am a personal stylist for their sponsored athletes and customers. Together we finalize the athlete’s stage glam. What sets Body Bling Jewelry apart from others is my styling services and personal touch to their curated jewelry. Most importantly, I ensure that everyone has an amazing experience.

What are your plans for the future?
Expanding my brand!

I am currently working on projects pertaining to the fitness industry and I hope to eventually start making competition suits and designing them with Swarovski stones. With my love for fashion and creative imagination, I think it would bring Body Bling to a whole other level.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bodyblingjewelry.com
• Instagram: @bodybling.jewelry

Image Credits
Image credits: Pro Bodies Production // Tracy Dang