Today we’d like to introduce you to Montana Marks.
Montana, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I moved to Los Angeles from a small town in Pennsylvania back in 2014. Before that, I was going back and forth to NYC for auditions. I had been wanting to move to LA for years, and finally I just made a decision that July and packed up that August and did it. I didn’t know many people out here when I moved, and I just hustled hardcore from the second I got here, auditioning, working, classes, etc. I started working for a nonprofit organization and volunteering for different organizations as well. I came to the realization that even when I am acting full-time, I need to be giving back in order to be fulfilled. I need to be helping people in some way. That’s what started On a Wing essentially. It allows me to be creative and also give back.
I have always loved jewelry and the fact that when you wear it, it can remind you of a person or a time and make you feel something. There are so many aspects to it that I really enjoy, and I had been wanting to start a jewelry business for years. In 2019 my best friend was very sick and passed away from lung cancer. Soon after her passing, I came up with the concept for On a Wing. The entire premise is that we can all be guardian angels for someone else, and for ourselves. We are all riding “on a wing” whether it’s our own, our partner’s, our parents’, and we are all capable of being a wing for someone else. I truly believe life wasn’t meant to be experienced or gone through alone, and I want On a Wing pieces to be a reminder of that. It’s also what I like to call “a guardian angel company”. $10 is donated to the organization Beyond Labels and Limitations for every ‘Enough to Fly’ pendant sold. This is my best friend’s brother’s organization, so it’s very close to my heart. The first item released for the company is the ‘Enough to Fly’ pendant and it’s meant to serve as a reminder that you are always enough to fly.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Anyone who has moved across the country knows the answer to this I think. Or anyone who has started their own business. Or sacrificed things. Smooth roads don’t teach you as much as ones with potholes. Moving to LA in general wasn’t easy for me. It took me a few years to really love it and call it home. Being away from so many friends and family is something I’ll never fully get used to. Acting is not an easy career, and you’re constantly dealing with things out of your control. I wanted to start a jewelry company but had no idea how to get things made or what the process was. Thankfully my sister introduced me to Jen Boschma, owner of Love Verite, who helped me tremendously when it came to the process of making jewelry and my business. (Check her out! She is the go-to girl for engagement rings and wedding rings!!)
All of that being said, I am insanely grateful for the road I’m on. It’s been very good to me. I have a gratitude practice I do daily because I think it’s so important to remember everything that is good in my life. All of the countless reasons to be grateful. And that’s also why I think it’s so important to give back in some way if you are able to. Kindness can change the world. I’m a firm believer in that. Smiles, simple gestures, just being kind; small things matter so much.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’m the creator and owner of On a Wing. The first item was released this past July, and the second item is in the works currently. The first item is a necklace/pendant that is called the ‘Enough to Fly’ pendant. Every piece is handcrafted and made to order. Larger brands and even some smaller ones make a mold for an item like this and then every piece has the same markings and look. I wanted every single piece ordered and made to be unique, even in the smallest way. It’s way more time consuming for me and also increases the cost to make them, but I love that every pendant is different. You know you’re getting a one of a kind piece. I’m so proud of this aspect, as well as the fact that a portion of each purchase is being donated. The donation amount for the second item, when it’s released, will go to different organization that relates to the meaning of the piece. I love that the donation aspect also brings light to different organizations.
What were you like growing up?
I was such a little tomboy. There are photos of me as a kid with my guy cousins and we are all in backward hats and similar clothes and you wouldn’t know I was a little girl until my mom made me wear a dress. There is a photo I’ll never forget about where I’m wearing a dress, a headband and just crying. I played a ton of sports and was always super active. I was actually pretty shy normally and it took me a while to find my voice. I went to college for Corporate Communication, worked for an art and entertainment newspaper, and wanted to write for a surfing magazine. Then I randomly discovered acting my junior year of college and re-arranged my entire senior year to take courses online so that I could be in NYC and audition. I had wanted to start a jewelry business for years, but it took a while for the ideas to come and the opportunity to learn.
Pricing:
- ‘Enough to Fly’ pendants range from $115 to $150.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.onawing.co
- Email: [email protected]
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