59. When Business Uncovers Passion with Stephanie Wilde

On the show today, Stephanie Wilde, founder of Say Anything Jewelry, shares her entrepreneurial journey of starting and growing her jewelry business. She offers lots of insights and wisdom about how to be a business owner and she also shares how her customers turned her on to a cause that she now passionately advocates for—suicide prevention. Rural America is grappling with an increase in suicide so this timely episode is not to be missed. In this episode, we tackle...   What was the hardest part about scaling your business?   Stephanie shared that many people tried to tell her that having only jewelry in a brick and mortar store would never work. And while she admits to the need to have an online presence as well—she started her lines on Etsy—she never allowed what other people thought to deter her from what she wanted to create.    How did you become involved in supporting suicide awareness and prevention?   Stephanie shares that her customers really drove this in her life. Because Say Anything Jewelry designs customized pieces often stamped with handwritten notes and/or fingerprints, many people were ordering pieces to honor someone they lost. As more and more customers started sharing their stories of losing loved ones to suicide, Stephanie felt a deep calling to do something more. Listen in to hear what’s doing and how you can get involved, too!   Listen to this episode to hear more about: Why it’s so important to create a business that supports your family and lifestyle rather than trying to make your family adapt to your business The importance of asking your friends and family, “How are you feeling?” and being ready to hold space for whatever their answers may be Why there is still such a stigma around mental health, particularly in rural areas How our businesses can open up our lives to passions we never considered before Why the “green bead wearers” are the unsung heroes of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention walks   Connect with Stephanie: Say Anything Jewelry Website American Foundation for Suicide Prevention