Natalie Frazier-Jackson is a 10+ year Business Coach, Inventor, Visionary and Owner of The Crafting District. She is revolutionizing the crafting industry with her multifaceted efforts to advance jewelry artisans and crafting enthusiasts of all facets. In addition to custom jewelry, she offers online courses, The Crafting Club for jewelry artisans, live events and more!
Tell us about your journey into becoming the Official Bead Boss:
The journey to becoming the Official Bead Boss has been a winding and exhilarating one. It all started in 2012 when I repaired a bracelet my ailing mother purchased for me. It had broken two times, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and fix it myself. This sparked an interest in creating my own custom jewelry and eventually led to me starting Frazier Stone Custom Jewelry. I made custom jewelry for years and grew my social media following by sharing pictures of my pieces.
While many of those followers were my target audience, some of those followers were other jewelry artisans. In an attempt to downsize some of my gemstone bead collection, I made a post online to see if any of my fellow artisans would want to purchase some of my “bead stash.” The response was absolutely overwhelming, and through that experience, I discovered that I loved selling beautiful beads just as much as I loved selling custom jewelry. As a result, I started another business as a gemstone beads supplier to jewelry artisans. Over time, I began sharing my expertise in jewelry design and gemstone identification and the properties of the beads. This has included providing free content on social media, creating a membership group for jewelry artisans, and curating events for jewelry artisans to connect, create, and learn valuable skills to grow their businesses.
How has crafting impacted the lives of women you’ve worked with?
One of the reasons I stay motivated to continue on this journey is my desire to continue to make an impact. A few years ago, my company held an event called the FSJ Bead and Bubbly. We have since had several of them, but the first one has a special place in my heart. At the start of that event, all of the participants were asked to stand up and introduce themselves, and none of us anticipated what happened during introductions. Many of the participants revealed that they started making jewelry as a way to cope with trauma. Stories of grief, loss, depression and other forms of trauma shook the room, and for some, it was the first time they had spoken these stories out loud because they believed they were finally in a space with other people who would understand. We laughed, cried, learned and created.
Though I had connected to making jewelry in the same way, I did not realize how many people shared a similar start to creating. Since that event, so many women have shared their personal journeys with me. Some of them continue to use crafting as a hobby while others have become entrepreneurs by starting their own businesses. In my coaching group, I work with women in various stages of business development, from the absolute beginner to some who have been in business for years. Despite the differences in the years of experience, they all share that crafting has given them a level of empowerment and financial freedom that they had not experienced before.
Share details on the exciting event you have planned for National Crafting Month, which is March:
March is National Crafting Month, and my company will be hosting an event for crafters to come and spend the day creating. Participants will bring their own supplies for their current crafting projects and spend time with other crafters creating and sharing ideas. I will provide Cricut cutting machines for anyone who wants to use one. I also have two heat presses on location for those who would like to use them. Snacks, beverages and a good time are included in the $25 ticket price. Tickets can be found at: www.thecraftingdistrict.com.
What are you looking forward to most in 2022?
In 2022, I am looking forward to having more influence in the crafting industry with my company, The Crafting District. The Crafting District is my latest business venture that provides, not only beading supplies, but also other crafting supplies such as products for sublimation, soldering and an assortment of the most vibrant glitter. I will be spending a great deal of energy and resources to build and grow The Crafting District to be a dominant force in the crafting industry. To connect with Natalie visit: www.thecraftingdistrict.com www.facebook.com/thecraftingdistrict Instagram: @thecraftingdistrict
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