Welcome back everyone! So, in part two of my 'Jewelry inspired by...' series, I'm really excited to answer the second question I get quite often - what inspired me to create JāLa Designs? Read on...and enjoy my very first vlog (i.e., video blog)!
(Psst...hang on 'til the end so you can see the outtake! Yes, I said 'outtake' - who says only the big TV networks can have outtakes?)
From Darkness Comes Light
What's that saying, something about out of darkness comes light? Well, the idea for JāLa was conceived in just this way - twice! The first time around, circa January 2008, I was lying on my bed, upset about something when my eyes wondered up to this beautiful and elegant Japanese Kimono needlepoint I had made. Out of nowhere, I thought to myself, "Wouldn't something 'needlepointed' look really pretty as part of a necklace?"
I felt excited not only over how beautiful I imagined it to be, but also because I thought I was on to something. The desire to do something more creative was born, and this feeling remained with me even though, given my full-time job, I didn't have much time to pursue my idea.
Fast forward to March 2008. I was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with my marketing position. So, when I was downsized from my job that month, it was truly the best thing that ever happened to me. It gave me the freedom to figure out what I really wanted to do.
So, this brings me to "JāLa conceived" the second time around, which you can learn about in my video below! (Remember the Tom Hanks movie 'Cast Away' when he befriends & chats with the volleyball he names 'Wilson'? Filming this video kinda felt like that...but I named my Flip camera Mr. De Mille.)
So, as much as I loved the needlepoint idea (and still may pursue it one day), I knew the fabric idea would be just as beautiful and was more feasible in many ways.
As one door closes, another one opens, and this is exactly how JāLa came about. In part three of this series, I'm going to talk about how, to me and as JāLa's tagline suggests, being yourself is the secret to life. But first, remember I promised you an outtake, so here it is!
Please Comment Below...
Tell me about something that inspired you and what action you took as a result. No incentives offered for comments this time - just the genuine desire to hear about your own experiences. And, who knows, maybe what you write will inspire someone reading this blog!
Until next time!
~ Rachel
www.jala-designs.com
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Hey Rachel,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the launch – and on turning what looked like a bad thing (yikes layoffs) into a great opportunity of self expression, learning and profits. Love your creative ingenuity, your enthusiasm and ability to play with the idea until it materialized into what you really wanted it to become. ... And your authenticity in sharing the outtakes. Wishing you lots of Chic Success!
Elizabeth Gordon
Author of The Chic Entrepreneur: Put Your Business in Higher Heels
Thanks, Elizabeth, for the wonderfully kind feedback on my blog post! I really appreciate everything you said. I admire your work very much also - so these nice comments are especially flattering!
ReplyDelete~ Rachel
Dear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI so love my necklace that Ray gave me for Christmas. I remember with fondness your asking me to talk to you about your initial ideas! How little I understood the magnitude of your vision! You are just the best!! What a talent for design and innovative use of materials!!
Go get 'em, girl!! You have all it takes!!
Love,
Diane
So great! Loved it. And, I agree...downsizing rocks!
ReplyDelete- Kristen
Thank you so much, Diane! Oh, I remember sharing my initial vision with you also - it's so surreal remembering back to when JaLa was just a seed and now bringing/seeing it into fruition.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that you love your necklace (http://jala-designs.com/shop/proddetail.php?prod=TY113) - that's one of my favorites also!
Love to you and Ray,
Rachel
Thanks, Kristen! So glad you liked my blog post - and thanks so much for reading! Everyone who's reading this - Kristen is an super-talented and creative graphic designer who designed my logo and business card. Both are BEAUTIFUL. I highly recommend her - http://www.kleighcreative.com/.
ReplyDeleteThanks again, Kristen!
Rachel
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI'm so proud of you achieving your dreams finally! You say what I said - losing my job was the best thing that ever happened to me also because it gave me permission to persue my passion which is helping people persue theirs so I love your story! Your work is beautiful and I'm proud of you. Oh, and welcome to the blogosphere!
Lori Davila
Your authority on becoming sought after in your career
www.loridavila.com - coming real soon
Lori Davila
Thanks, Lori, for your wonderful comments! It's really cool to share with you my story since we worked together a little bit ago on my career! Everyone - if you're looking for an action-oriented, results-driven career coach, Lori is *the* person to consider.
ReplyDelete~ Rachel