Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Gustafson.
Amber, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I always was an artist as a child, painting and drawing. I loved wearing my grandmothers costume jewelry and her high heels and the elegance of rhinestone Tierras. I made my first jewelry at age 8, twisting colorful telephone wire together into hoop earrings. My first experience in the professional jewelry world was in Dearborn, Michigan, where I worked in a jewelry store with jewelers in the windows of the mall store. I was 18 years old and started in the office and had a keen interest in the manufacturing and repairing jewelry and when it was slow at the front desk I would visit with the jewelers and ask questions. Eventually they asked me to help in the shop and I started with drawing each ring on the job repair envelope and later they taught me to solder and size rings. My enthusiasm to learn was apparent and my job shifted from the front office to the shop. There I was allowed to be creative and carved my first wax which was later turned into gold and diamonds. It sold and I was hooked. I did learn some jewelry in college but the real lessons were on the job. I eventually married at 21 and moved to Houston where I found myself in another jewelry shop where I continued to learn and eventually master my craft. After working for a couple of independent jewelers in Houston and walking away each time with my tools, I decided that if I was going to put my heart and soul in someones business, I wanted it to be my own. In 2001, with two children, I opened my own doors in a bank building, 600 sq. feet with second hand cases and borrowed jewelry. I never took out a loan, rather, I truly built my business with hard work. I started doing trade work for major chain stores while building my own clientele. I entered and won many awards in jewelry competitions during the beginning years and joined many trade organizations, eventually serving on the board of the Texas Jewelers Association and President of the Katy Business Association. Over the 16 years since I opened, I expanded in my same location 3 times and now have over 2100 sq. feet, 5 bench jewelers, and 14 employees. I designed my store to have windows that look into the jewelers workshop visible from the showroom floor. All work is done on premise and we have state of the art equipment with CAD designing, growing of resin, in house casting and we still make every item by hand. We cater to local customers and around the country. Our focus is on customer satisfaction with strict attention to detail.
I travel the world to get the best stones and jewelry. I have been in the emerald, tourmaline and topaz mines in Brazil and the diamond cutting houses in Antwerp and Israel. I have traveled to China, to the jewelry manufacturing factories and have visited Thailand and Idar Oberstein in Germany to the color stone cutting houses there. I was invited by the Italian government to attend the manufacture show in Vincenza, Italy where I made wonderful contacts there and now designed and have made my own sterling silver and cubic zirconia woven bracelet that we trademarked, the “Stack-a-bangle” by Amber.
I serve as a Chair Person at the Texas Retailers Association and was honored in 2016 as Small Retailer of the Year. I currently am Secretary of the Texas Jewelers Association. I was honored 2017 to be one of 5 finalist by the National Retail Association in Washing DC as a Retail Champion. I was recognized by the City of Katy in 2013 for my contributions to the city and local organizations. I am a member of Women’s Jewelers Association, National Concierge Association, Jewelers of America, American Gem Trade Association, past board member of the Cinco Ranch Rotary and many more. Amber’s Designs is proud to support local schools, churches and local charities and organizations. And we’ve only just begun.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Finding talent that meet our standards is one of the most difficult struggles. Getting the word out as to where we as we are located in an office building with virtually no signage makes it diffuclt.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Amber’s Designs story. Tell us more about the business.
We specialize in custom design jewelry. All work is done on premise. See the article I wrote about our business as that tells what sets us apart. We are different. We carry loose stone, finished jewelry, fossils, and large geodes. We truly are jewelers, not just a merchant that sells jewelry like most other stores. Noting is too big or too small for us to repair.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
No luck but hard work, dedication, perseverance, and never saying no. Take every opportunity to grow and learn. Take every apparent failure and learn from it, as it was not really a failure but an education.
Contact Info:
- Address: Amber’s Designs
722 Pin Oak Rd
Katy, Texas 77494 - Website: ambersdesigns.com, stackabangles.com
- Phone: 281 391-6333
- Email: sales@ambersdesigns.com
- Instagram: ambersdesigns
- Facebook: ambers designs fine jewelry
- Twitter: ambersdesigns
- Yelp: ambersdesigns
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
