Holly Daniels Christensen // Founder/CEO, Dune Jewelry
Meet Holly Daniels Christensen, Founder and CEO of Dune Jewelry.
Holly shares her founding story with us including struggles, challenges, and lessons plus her best advice for FEMs!
Special thanks to Holly for sharing her story with us!
Tell us in a few sentences how your brand helps others?
Not only does Dune Jewelry donate a portion of all proceeds to coastal preservation, but we also help people in a very unique way. We create jewelry and accessories using sand and natural elements from thousands of memorable locations around the world. This allows us to connect people to their favorite places in a tangible way. There are so many people, especially now during the pandemic, who are deeply missing their favorite place. We can use sand or elements from your favorite beach, ballpark, golf course, hiking trail, and more to create a personalized design that will put a smile on your face. We need to stay positive during this time and now more than ever it's important to stay connected to places that make you feel the happiest.
What was the inspiration to start this business?
I was inspired to launch Dune after making beach sand jewelry at my kitchen table using sand from specific beaches on Cape Cod, for friends and family. Their reaction was overwhelmingly emotional because suddenly they had a tangible piece of their favorite memories to keep with them always. After seeing their response, I was hopeful that other people would feel the same way about my jewelry. I started creating pieces and taking them to local arts and crafts shows on the Cape and continued to receive great feedback. That gave me the confidence to explore the concept of Dune as a "real" business and I officially launched on my birthday, September 28, 2010. Fast forward 10 years and we have an amazing team of 20 full-time employees and sales representation that spans around the globe. No matter how difficult it gets sometimes, I'm still so thankful that I decided to take a leap of faith!
When you started your business, did you ever envision that you would be where you are now?
Oddly enough, YES. I used to declare to everyone I came into contact with, "I'm going to make Dune Jewelry a household name." When you're first starting out, you simply don't realize how difficult entrepreneurship is. Everything seems possible...and it is if you're willing to put in the work. We're still on our way to becoming a household name!
Was there ever a time that things didn't fall into place, struggles or challenges? What were they and how did you get past it and grow from the experience?
I would say right now, today, this minute...this is my biggest challenge due to COVID-19. Pre-COVID, Dune Jewelry was thriving and on track for a record-breaking, $5M+ year, but as the pandemic took hold and businesses were forced to close, our business took a downward turn. I immediately had to lay people off who had been with me for years and I began conserving resources in every possible way. I also applied for the PPP and EIDL loan to help us through the slow-down. We've rebounded slightly, but it's slower than I had hoped. I continuously do my best to look on the bright side and there are a few things that have been amazing during quarantine. One is that I've had a chance to carefully evaluate my team and I have full clarity regarding the type of people that I want to bring on in the future. In the past, I would consistently hire people based on potential, but now I'm hiring based on skillset, mindset, and cultural fit. It's amazing and I wish I had embraced it 8 years ago. I also used the time to create an experiential candle collection that's launching in September. I'm so excited about the fragrances that we came up with including Cape Cod, Hawaii, the Amalfi Coast, the Outer Banks, Bermuda and more. These candles are going to transport you to your favorite place without even leaving your living room. In short, I don't know what the future holds but I know that I'm going to continue to push forward and make the best of the current situation. It's the only answer!
What was the biggest lesson you learned while starting and growing this business?
I never studied business in school and I was never a "numbers" girl, but you absolutely have to learn the basics and then build upon that knowledge. It was difficult in the beginning to balance the creative side of the business and the financial side of the business, but it's important. You need to be able to read and interpret your profit & loss statement, your balance sheet, your cost of goods, and all of the data that's presented to you as a business owner. All of this information gives you a roadmap to success. If you're trying to build a business without understanding the basics, you're driving blind.
What would you tell a FEM that is struggling in her business and feeling like it's too difficult?
I would tell her to stay the course, but only if she feels deeply passionate about running and building a business. I think sometimes people like the romance of being a business owner, but the reality isn't what they thought it would be and that's okay. It's okay to realize that it might not be for you. But if it is, you need to take a few days to relax and reflect when you're struggling and then dig your heels in and hit the ground running. Be relentless.
What continues to inspire you to keep on growing your business?
This is such an easy question for me. My team and my customers are the BEST! I want to perform in my sphere of genius at all times to make sure they know I'm 100% here for all of them. Dune Jewelry isn't just about making beautiful jewelry, but also about building a community of people who live life to the fullest. They love to travel and explore new parts of the world; they love the beach and spending time with friends and family. They're special and I love connecting with them all via Facebook and Instagram on a daily basis. Customers reach out all the time to share design ideas and inspiration which makes my job as CEO easy. I simply listen to what they want and then I execute it.
Final advice for those thinking of starting a business or looking to grow their current business?
There are millions of people with great ideas every single day, but what differentiates a successful entrepreneur from an aspiring entrepreneur is execution. A successful entrepreneur puts her ideas on paper, gets a few opinions from trusted people in her life, and then puts the idea in motion. I think there are many people who wait and wait until their idea is perfected, but if you wait too long, you lose some of the fire and excitement that can propel you forward. I think that "done" is better than "perfect". Nothing is perfect, but at least if you execute the first few ideas and tasks, you can build on imperfect. Jump in with both feet and don't look back!
How can FEMS follow you?
Follow Holly Daniels Christensen on her personal Instagram: sandy__hands
For more information on Dune Jewelry visit, www.dunejewelry.com
Follow Dune Jewelry on social media:
Instagram: DuneJewelry
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dunejewelry
Twitter: @dunejewelry