I wish I knew this as a beginner silversmith

3 things I wish I knew sooner: silversmith edition.

1: If I could go back to the beginning and tell myself to be confident in my pricing, I would. Recently I watched a YouTube video on pricing handmade goods and one thing they talked about really stuck with me. They said when a product is not priced high enough, people will think it it's not authentic and won't be inclined to buy it.

I had never thought about it that way but it makes sense because I gauge whether or not something is authentic by the price range.

2: To not buy stones or materials that don't speak to me or fit my aesthetic. I still have stones I bought in the first couple weeks of starting because I wanted to have things that other people might like. I also bought some just because I was excited to start and didn't really think about what I would make with them. They're still sitting on my bench because I'm not inspired to use them.

3: To not get discouraged by all the negativity online. I would tell myself to use the delete, mute, and block button more. Life is too short to allow myself to be bombarded by things that don't line up with my morals or don't bring me joy. There are so many amazing creators on this platform; I just had to start being social on Instagram in order to find them. I'm so grateful for the creators who value community, they make engaging fun!

These are the things I’ve worked to incorporate into my silversmithing business and daily creating experience and it’s made it so much more enjoyable.

Love ya!

Abagail