December Member of the Month: Olivia Shih

Website: olivia shih – Home
Instagram: The Introverted Jeweler (@oliviashihdesigns) • Instagram photos and videos

What was the landscape of your childhood?
My parents immigrated from Taiwan to California in the 1980s, when my dad went to school on scholarship and my mom worked at a donut shop to make ends meet. I spent the first few years of my life like any 90s American kid, obsessed with Disney movies and collecting McDonald happy meal toys.
When I turned five, our family moved back to Taiwan to take care of my grandfather, and my most formative years were spent on a subtropical island known for its boba tea, semiconductor chip industry, and precarious geopolitical status. I grew up knowing that China had hundreds of missiles aimed at us 24/7, and the USA could renege on its promise to protect the island at any moment. I also attended a bilingual education program, which was touted as the best of both worlds but in reality was a contradictory mash-up of Taiwanese collectivist and American individualistic values. I was a very confused kid.

What inspired you to make jewelry?
Humans have an innate desire to adorn ourselves. But as a teen and young adult, I felt very lost when shopping for jewelry. Most jewelry is mass-produced, not well made, and follows trend cycles that come and go. None of the jewelry I saw in stores really spoke to my inner self or brought a sense of calm. This frustration was the impetus for taking a
jewelry class, and I was soon enthralled by fire and metal.
Making jewelry is my sanctuary, and it’s taught me to coexist with myself, perceived flaws included. As an introvert with heightened emotions and anxiety, sometimes existing in our world can feel painful. I used to think there was something deeply wrong with me, but I’ve learned that about 20% of humans are introverts, 20% are highly sensitive, and many more live with anxiety disorders. There isn’t anything wrong with how I am. Like other traits such as height or emotional intelligence, it’s simply a part of me.

At this point, I’ve been making jewelry with fire and precision for 12 years, and thejeweler’s bench feels like home. I want to help others feel like they belong in this world, too. Whether that be through my jewelry, artwork, writing, or teaching.

Do you make jewelry full-time?
I used to! After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Jewelry and Metal Arts from the California College of the Arts (and Craft), I worked for local jewelers for 7 years. I also started my own jewelry business on the side, so it was jewelry every day, all day. But all that bench work resulted in wear and tear on my body (hello wrist and back pain!), and I
experienced burn out several times. Which is incredibly unhealthy, but I had bought into the Protestant work ethic and the American Dream myth. I believed I was paying my dues.
The 2020 pandemic really brought mortality into focus and prompted me to rethink my priorities. Not only was churning out production jewelry in the studio hard on the body, it could be very lonely, and I missed being around other creative folk. So I took steps toward finding teaching positions and applied for an internship at Metalsmith magazine.
Fast forward four years, and now I teach as an adjunct professor at the California College of the Arts, work as the assistant editor at Metalsmith magazine, and still run my own jewelry business. And I want to be transparent–while I enjoy aspects of all three jobs, they don’t provide a high level of financial stability. I’m very lucky that my partner
has a 9-to-5 and tech-adjacent job that provides health insurance.

What piece of advice would you give to someone starting a jewelry business?
Take a business development class first! If I had taken a class first, I would’ve waited longer before launching my business. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center offers free or affordable business development classes with topics such as: business plans, bookkeeping, marketing, legal advice, applying for loans, etc. They’re partially funded by the government and corporate donations, so take advantage of what they offer!
If you’re not based in the Bay Area, most big cities have their own small business programs where they offer free counseling, classes, and more. Just Google “How to start a business in (insert your city name).” On a national level, there’s also the SBA (Small Business Administration), which provides business mentorships and more.
There’s a lot that goes into running a business, and you’ll probably have to learn product development, pricing, marketing, bookkeeping, photography, website design, customer services, sales, etc. Before starting your new business, get a clear picture of what it takes to run one and see if it’s a good match for your personality and the lifestyle you want.

Any interesting facts you would like to share with us?
I think this is more of a realistic take than a fun fact, but marketing plays a big role in how quickly your jewelry business grows and becomes profitable. There are a number of ways to market your jewelry, including doing in-person events, posting on social media, and paying for digital and print advertising. If marketing isn’t your strong suit, you can hire a business consultant to create a marketing strategy, a virtual assistant to create and schedule social media posts, or even a PR firm to gain widespread exposure.
Everyone has a different economic background and access to funds, so if you see other jewelry businesses grow exponentially while you move at a glacial pace, don’t be too hard on yourself! Building a jewelry business is difficult and slow work, especially with limited funds.
In conclusion, it’s a good idea to figure out the costs of running a business, assess your own abilities objectively, take classes or outsource to fill in the gaps, and hold onto that day job until your business can sustain itself!