Today we’d like to introduce you to Alysia Maya
Hi Alysia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I officially started Mesmeri Jewelry in the summer of 2022. I had been wanting to start a brand since the age of 16 but for the longest time I wasn’t sure what kind of brand it was going to be. The only thing I knew for sure was that the brand would be centered around allowing women to feel their most divine and beautiful self. I was an independent and headstrong teenager and I so desperately wanted to create my path in this world. I wanted to make something of myself but my future seemed so unclear. I did end up going to college but dropped out in the year of 2020 since a health science degree seemed too boring and unfulfilling. I needed excitement, creativity, and adventure. At the end of 2020, I decided to put myself back into college but this time I enrolled at the University of Houston- Downtown Marylin Davies College of Business to pursue a degree in Marketing. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted but I knew marketing would give me the base knowledge I needed to start a business. I also made a friend, while bartending my way through college, who changed my life- we will call him Pete. Pete was an older businessman who took a liking to me as an enthusiastic and vibrant, young woman. Every week he would come in and listen to me chat about my dreams and how I felt like life was so challenging. He could see that I was so passionate about making something of myself. He gave me business advice, asked me about my progress, and held me accountable for achieving my goals. Pete really was the support I needed to give me enough courage to believe in myself. In the summer of 2022, I designed my first necklace while hanging out in my boyfriend’s little apartment in Oklahoma. I started sketching, brainstorming, measuring, and reaching out to jewelry manufacturers. One thing to note is that I have raging ADHD so I would get bursts of energy and creativity and then crash. Even when I would take 10 steps forward, I would always lose steam and fall 7 steps back. Luckily a manufacturer I had reached out to kept emailing me and quite literally would not leave me alone- I sent over my necklace design details. Two months later I had my first necklace design in hand. Mesmeri Jewelry was now real and I had officially started my own brand. Mesmeri has evolved many times over the years and I have poured my entire being into the brand. Everything that Mesmeri is, is what I have created. The website, the pieces, every picture, every caption- the entire presence of Mesmeri is from my hands. I never thought I would be able to say “Yes, that’s my brand” and be proud of myself. Mesmeri is not just a business to me, it is a life story that represents what it’s like to be a woman- the power, the energy, the desperation for identity, and the need for creative expression. Women often struggle with believing in themselves and when times get hard we can spiral into self-destruction if we don’t have the emotional support needed to hold us up. I have always wanted to help women get through hard times and help them see their innate power in this world. It is through Mesmeri that I help women and it is through Mesmeri that I have been able to help myself.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
This journey has been anything but easy. One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is doing it all by myself. When starting a business there are many things you have to think about- website, branding, types of products, product quality, packaging, finances, social media, sourcing, etc. As a solo entrepreneur, the learning curves and workload are often extremely overwhelming. Another challenge is feeling like it’s never enough. I always feel like there is more to do, or something I can improve upon. I am very hard on myself and so I’ve had to accept that I am only one person and I can only do so much at a time.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have a deep need for individuality and personal expression. My favorite way to embrace this need is through style, clothing, and jewelry.
When I first started Mesmeri I wasn’t 100% sure of which style of jewelry I was going to sell, I just knew I wanted the style to ignite a certain feeling . After testing out wholesale, I decided to start playing arts and crafts to see what I could create on my own. I was actually inspired by a woman who I came across on TikTok, her name is Brooke and she started a crystal jewelry shop named Arcanum LA. Her art has a great influence on mine. I bought some supplies and began to experiment on designs. Some pieces turned out beautifully, others not so much. However, to my surprise, the first crystal necklace I ever made sold immediately! I posted a “look what I made” video on TikTok to my 1000 followers and a woman loved it so much she bought it the next day. I literally went and bought $500 worth of gemstone beads right after. This past year I’ve really stepped into being an artist and I’m very proud of what I’ve created. The necklaces I’ve created embody the energy of what I want to provide for women- feeling deeply connected to nature, the energy of life, and the power of God and the universe. I like to think of myself as art, I want to walk into a room and be seen as a beautiful masterpiece, one that has so many intricate details that it’s mesmerizing.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Having a dream and vision for your life is an amazing feeling but often I find that people think their dreams are too big. Our friends and family may not understand, they may ask us how it’s possible, or they may say it’s too hard. Life is meant to be lived, life is supposed to be a journey of stories, trials, endings and beginnings. At the young age of 26 I have lived a minimum of 5 different lives, right now I’m on my sixth one! I’ve started over so many times and it’s the reason I am where I’m at today. If something doesn’t align with your vision, end it. If you find that an opportunity sounds exciting, then go for it. There is no point in staying still when you are meant to move, grow and have experiences. Many people are scared of what comes from new beginnings but I want you to ask yourself something when you’re stuck between the old and the new…. Does the idea of staying sound more exciting than the idea of trying?
Pricing:
- “I AM” Gold plated necklace $25
- Crystal Necklaces $30-$70
- Pendant Necklaces $15-32
- “Manifesting Queen” T-shirt $26
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mesmerijewelry.com
- Instagram: @mesmerijewelry
Image Credits
Photographer: Alysia Maya (Me)
