By Noor Abid
Being stuck at home is no reason to stop accessorizing, especially within a pandemic. For many, a quality delicate accessory has been enough to elevate their mood. Enter Joiana, a sister-owned online brand that sells simple and neutral, yet beautiful accessory pieces.
Founded in 2017 and based in two locations, San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, Joiana was started by Ana Karen Franco who wanted to start a side business for something she loved and was passionate about. Ana had the idea of selling quality jewelry at an affordable price and was inspired to design pieces that she would personally wear. As Joiana started shaping into something she could really call her own, Ana launched her online store in 2020 and developed a partnership with her sisters, Melissa Franco and Mariela Franco. Launching in a pandemic is definitely not easy, but the sisters admit that they saw their sales increase and company grow within the past year.
Each sister embodies an entrepreneurial spirit. When asked about the important lessons they have learned as business owners, they state that you need to have “patience, time management, and perseverance.” There will be days where the business is not making any sales. Everything you experience while owning a business is a learning opportunity, but what’s really important during those times is to go back and reassess your mission and what’s your goal. For the Franco sisters, they hope to expand their business to the rest of the United States and other countries. Currently, most of their customers are from California, Texas, and Mexico. While expanding may be a goal, the sisters also hope to always “stay loyal to themselves and to their style.”
The Franco sisters say that their biggest inspiration has been hearing other success stories of small businesses and entrepreneurs who have gone above and beyond while starting with very little. While these stories are inspiring, what keeps the sisters motivated is hearing favorable responses from their customers, which they say helps them realize how they are having a positive impact on others. To them, customer experience is a big priority to maintaining a good connection to their customers. Having already built a loyal Instagram following that is continuously growing, one of Joiana’s strategies to connect to customers is to create beautiful content that showcases their delicate pieces and soft aesthetic on social media.
The key to having a successful business is “to love what you do.” Starting your own business can be frightening, but the sisters emphasize that if you love what you do, know what you’re doing is worth your time, and face your fears, it will be worth it. For the Franco sisters, this jewelry venture has allowed them to put heart into what they create, which has only strengthened their bond.
Jewelry never goes out of fashion, but styles are always changing. Accessory pieces have become vital fashion components that can elevate any mood and outfit, and allow even the simplest person to express themselves. According to the sisters, some jewelry trends they have noticed in 2021 are rings inspired by resin, acrylic and colorful jewelry, mixed and matched metals, and hairpieces with 90’s influences. Given these trends, the sisters love to implement different styles while being consistent with their aesthetic, which truly helps them stay unique and differentiate themselves from other brands.
Check out their beautiful pieces on their website, Joiana Jewelry.
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