Young entrepreneurs launch jewelry business
What do you do when you’re young, share the love for a mutual hobby with friends and have a desire to make a difference? Well, you start a business, of course, which is exactly what a few local girls decided to do earlier this year.
Meet the masterminds behind Elma’s Rubberband Jewelry – Elaine, 12, Leila, 11, Mirabella, 11, Analise, 11, Julia, 9, Ella, 8, Caroline, 7, and Elle, 7.
So, what is rubberband jewelry? It’s exactly what it says it is – jewelry made from rubberbands. Small, colorful rubberbands, to be exact. Each member stated they’d been making bracelets for a while before combining their efforts. Caroline learned at the YMCA with Elaine and Julia. Leila was taught how to make them by her sisters. They were also putting beads in hair, theirs and others, but admitted it was time consuming.
For this group, transitioning from hobby to business was as simple as a conversation.
“Mirabella and I had the same idea on the same day,” recalled Elaine. “We know a lot of people have had bracelet ideas. We got a new kit and were thinking ‘What can we do with this?’ We came up with a business, got everyone together, went to the pool later that day and formed our club.”
The name Elma’s is a nod to all the jewelry makers.
“I said how about if we put one letter from our names into one whole word,” said Ella. Mirabella morphed it into the word Elma. And voila, a new set of entrepreneurs were released into the world.
The founders of Elma’s Rubberband Jewelry display some of their creations. {Kassaundra Shanette Lockahrt/Davidson Local}
To stay on the same page, they agreed to sell their creations at the pool they frequent, the Lexington Swim Club. They set up their display near the entrance for potential buyers to peruse and try on the assortment of offerings.
Bracelets are their best sellers. The collective also constructs headbands, hairclips, rings, chokers, charms and hand chains (bracelets that stretch to your finger) as well as more challenging forms of bracelets such as fishtails, starbursts and triples. Prices range from $1 to $10.
“Most of us have a main focus,” stated Julia.
Currently, there are few options for purchasing from Elma’s Rubberband Jewelry. They sell items at their respective schools and local events. This weekend, you can catch them at the Barbecue Festival either outside or inside of Black Dog Emporium (where they maintain a display within the business). There, you can also place orders for customized jewelry that can be picked up in store or delivered by mail. If you need a repair, you can bring your item to BDE as well. There’s no charge “unless it’s a big repair.”
The money the girls make from their sales is used to not only buy more materials but also to support two causes: their members, Mirabella and Ella, who are gymnasts at Central Carolina Gymnastics (they donate money to their personal funds that they can use to purchase snacks when they are at the gym for classes) and the local animal shelter.
As their ability to create more intricate pieces evolves, Caroline noted one of their biggest goals is to create a rubberband dress. Additionally, they want to expand their operations as they learn more about entrepreneurship.
