Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Carter and Jordan Echols.
Jasmine and Jordan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I (Jas) was intrigued watching my aunt crochet when I was younger. After receiving homemade scarfs and beanies, I had to learn. The summer after 7th grade ended, she began teaching my sister and I the art of crochet. I instantly fell in love even though the results of our first piece were absolutely terrible! By 10th grade, I joined the Hand Crafted club at my school. I was a well-oiled machine by then, crocheting to my heart’s content (of course, we were only making the basic scarf and other winter gear).
As time went on my practice began to fade and I fell into the stigma of having to have a social life. Fast forward 2-3 years later and I found that gold crochet hooks my aunt had given us and the pink yarn we used for practice. Just messing around, I cleaned up the edges and made that once jagged creation beautiful. This sparked my passion, however, this time I yearned to expand past the scarves. In 2015 I created my first crochet halter top in pink and I was super stoked. I made it as a gift for my best friend Brytt after she moved 8 hours up north for college.
As I continued to create, I felt more inclined to take my passions a step further. I started creating tops with the scrap yarn I had collected from my scarf making days. Sol Kissed became a business idea only after meeting the love of my life and business partner Jordan Echols. We had been together for a few months when he happened upon a storage container near the dumpster filled to the brim with yarn and needles. Everything I needed to get started. I had gained support from those closest to me.
Umi Z, Brytt, Sylv, my sister Jedaun, and Jo’s mom Yvette constantly encouraged me. Now fast forward 3 years, Jo and I are a newly launched business with new ideas sprouting all the time! We expanded the business to dive into a multitude of creative passions which include art, fashion, holistic living, and spirituality. My tops have been modeled in Arizona, all over California, and have even made their way to Kenya!
Has it been a smooth road?
Absolutely not! Hardships and struggles are honestly what makes the journey beautiful.
There were times where financially we just thought we wouldn’t be able to do it and that Sol Kissed would remain just a dream. There are times when we received verbal support or support through social media and our rent would be due in the next few days. If it weren’t for my (Jo) job at the time, we wouldn’t have met those deadlines or have been able to fully invest in Sol Kissed the way we have. Starting a business you learn that intent means everything. If we had chased this dream with the mindset of “we have to make money” then it no longer is a passion. It has slipped into the realms of being solely about profit.
Don’t get us wrong, all the love and support that we receive aid us in our growth and expansion. Our intent with Sol Kissed is to be free of the restraints of corporate America. We don’t work a 9-5, we’ve chosen to work passionately doing the things we love for the rest of our lives. Sol Kissed is more than just a “business”, it was created with the intent to bring us peace and joy. Lifting the pressures of the 40/40/40.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Sol Kissed – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We’re not just a crochet company. We must make that clear. Crochet is what gave us the start, it sprouted our creative ideas. We are far more than that. We are art, fashion, holistic living, and spirituality. We are most proud that we finally started this and it’s OURS! We are proud that we have the willingness to continue to move forward no matter what the results may show. We are just starting out and we gotta take our hats off to ourselves for the growth we have come to see. What sets us apart from most is that we are an intimate business. We love being able to interact with everyone and we especially love healing. We have yet to launch the art, holistic, or spiritual side of Sol Kissed.
We are both teachers and students before we take our healing to the people we must first come to an overstanding of it for ourselves. We love astrology, yoga, meditation, vegan cooking, photography, sewing, reiki, painting, drawing, and creating. This will be reflected in Sol Kissed in the coming weeks as we continue to dive deeper.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I (Jas) was born and raised in Los Angeles and no matter how far we venture, that will always be home to me.
Growing up I wasn’t able to explore the city, that is until I met Jo. He was born and raised in the high desert but knew the ins and outs of LA better than anyone I knew. Our dates were always exciting. We’d bus and train to exclusive spots unknown to me before. We ended up in bookstores, museums, restaurants, beaches, record stores, rooftops, parking garages… the list goes on. We love this city, amongst the chaos there is such an incredible beauty.
The creative energy is alive and thriving everywhere you turn and it continues to expand. The opportunity to network and connect with other artist is insane and you begin to feel like family. The downside would be the rate in which we see poverty. One moment you could be in awe of retro buildings and storefronts and within the next few steps, you find yourself voyaging through tent city. This city needs much healing and we hope to be apart of that change.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopsolkissed/
Image Credit:
Jedaun Carter
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