Today we’d like to introduce you to Jemila Moore.
Hi Jemila, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
At the age of just nine years old, in one of the most challenging years of my life, I was given the opportunity to pan mine in a trailer that came to my school. I learned about some of the most common stones and crystals as a part of our science studies. I held these treasures close for a few years before passing the good energy on to my younger cousins. At this young age, if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d tell you a children’s doctor.
Fast-forward nearly 20 years later, we’re in the middle of a pandemic, and I’m a single mother trying to create a reality for my daughter that she won’t have to heal from. I’m not a children’s doctor, but instead a Birth and Postpartum Doula, providing assistance to women at all periods of gestation and an independent marketing representative. During the shutdowns, working with women in pregnancy was slowed tremendously and life with events became a distant memory. No signs of unemployment coming through, yet bills are still expected to be paid on time. Against all odds, my goal was to give my mind something better to focus on.
A short while before the pandemic began, some work buddies invited me to share the experience of crystal mining with them. I was so intrigued and enjoyed the day so much. When I returned home, I cleaned my stones and sorted through the pieces, creating a purpose for each. I remember saying, “this piece would make a great necklace,” a few times and I put all of these pieces into a separate plastic bag. I used some of the crystals found to make me a terrarium and then terrariums for my loved ones with the intentions of giving people their flowers while they’re still living. Preparing for the Spring of 2020, my plan was to make terrariums and sell them for an extra source of income. Quarantine strikes and now I’m not only making terrariums, but I’m practicing gardening for the first time from my apartment patio. Very quickly, I ran out of space to care for any new plants and needed something else to keep me going positively during this challenging time. That was when I revisited those stones I mined, as well as my personal gemstone collection, grabbed some wire, and began practicing with the toolset I was gifted a few months prior.
I focused for one full day, using Youtube University as a guide and looking at various pictures online for inspiration. After four failed attempts, I took a food break, meditated a bit, and jumped back in. I was on a roll ever since, creating a full ten pieces in this first day. Then, followed by a very blind Facebook post to share my new hobby with people and invite them to purchase a necklace. I surprised myself by selling five necklaces that day. Someone encouraged me to create an Etsy as a more formal way of selling, and that was when I very quickly opened up my first online shop for Precious Charms by Jem.
Since this time last May, I have been trying to gain exposure and grow my online business. While still living in Georgia, I would set up outside of a restaurant selling my jewelry and terrariums. During this time, I packed up and moved to Houston to be closer to supportive family. My business began vending at various pop-up shops around areas that I’d visit, including Austin and Dallas. This ongoing traveling for pop-ups and connecting with others led me to co-founding a non-profit called BLAACK Bazaar, focused around the success of African-American and minority-owned small businesses. Now, I organize and plan events for businesses all over the United States, starting with Dallas and now Houston, but expanding to more later this year. I’m truly grateful for what this journey has brought me thus far, and I’m hopeful for more great things in the future.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not a smooth road and still learning every step of the way. Learning to boost online marketing and sales when I had been use to marketing strategies for face-to-face interactions was a challenge and ongoing learning process. I ran into troubles with starting my website, which led me to creating majority of the content, layout, and photography myself. For the most part while I’ve been in business, I have been in housing transition, trying to balance out from the many changes of the pandemic. I have had to find a system for success in my vehicle, always being prepared for online orders and pop-up shops. It hasn’t been ideal, but I believe it’s small sacrifices now for big success in the future.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a wire artist and jeweler, expressing myself creatively through crystal jewelry. I specialize in high-quality wire wrapping on cabochons and raw crystals, creating necklaces, rings, bangles, earrings, with more to come. Precious Charms by Jem is the home for all of these creations, as well as a metaphysical shop for tools which include smudging sticks, other tools made from crystal, raw stones from my mining ventures, and more. I have recently released my online website, PCBJ.LOVE, for an online community shop with my the latest creations, custom ordering for those with a special vision, and catching my local events. I also invite others to journey with me through healing crystals and life’s deeper meanings on my blog.
I am most proud of resilience during this year in business and constantly creating new things. I love connecting with others, and I’m happy to have found ways to still do that in an ongoing pandemic. There are many things that may help me set me apart from others, but I intend to connect with all and not find my differences. I appreciate people taking a chance to connect with me and we assist each other on our spiritual journeys.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I just invite them to my online shop and custom ordering, as well as connect at a local pop-up shop (http://pcbj.love). They can follow my journey online with Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts (both linked from my website). I also would love for them to check out BLAACK Bazaar as well, as that is a growing community support system and resource for small businesses. (@blaackbazaar on Instagram and blaackbazaar.org)
Contact Info:
- Email: info@pcbj.love
- Website: http://pcbj.love
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/jemthejeweler
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Precious-Charms-by-Jem-101006135421607
Image Credits
First photo (personal) – Paul Gardner Remaining
