Hand-crafted by moms in North Carolina, SoulKu creates exquisite and inspiring jewelry with the remarkable power of gemstones. What makes SoulKu unique is that each elegant piece is mounted on a beautiful card with a motivating message of love and encouragement that aligns with the healing energy of that specific gemstone. I had the pleasure to speak to SoulKu Co-Founder Elisa Van Arnam to learn more about her incredible one-of-a-kind brand and the captivating story of how it all began.
Please tell us about your brand SoulKu and the motivation to start your own signature jewelry line.
SoulKu was born out of a super hard time. I’d been lucky enough to meet Allison, my business partner, at a bookclub. The two of us hit it off and wanted to start a business together. Our grounding idea was that we wanted to be in service in some way. As we worked on ideas, my world sort of fell apart. My husband lost his job, my house was foreclosed on, there was bankruptcy and a divorce. I really just wanted someone to tell me it was going to be OK. Allison and I realized that people didn’t need more stuff. They needed to connect with each other, to be empowered to make big life changes, to feel supported, inspired and loved.
We were both really into the healing power of gemstones and felt like whether you believed in that or not – there was a symbology behind each of the stones that could create meaning. We leaned into the idea that each stone had a purpose. We made the easiest necklace we could since neither of us were jewelers and put them on inspirational cards that talked about the healing properties of each stone, and SoulKu was born.
How was SoulKu’s mission and vision shaped by your experience?
Both Allison and I were lucky enough at one time to be stay-at-home moms. It meant a lot to us that we were able to be present for our kids and their activities and all that goes into that job. As our company grew, we recognized how valuable and necessary it was to be able to work on a really flexible schedule while raising kids. We started hiring friends who were also stay-at-home moms and our business model and mission was born. Every piece is made by our team of work-from-home moms who don’t have to pay for childcare because they have such flexible hours with us and they can do their work when it’s convenient for them and their family. They’re able to be present for the day-to-day lives of their kids and contribute financially to their family.
You have an amazing collection. What are your most popular pieces? Do you have any personal favorites and what makes them stand out to you?
We really love being inspired by the meaning behind each stone, and of course, we grow mesmerized by their beauty. Our most popular pieces are our original Soul-Full of LIGHT collection – the Black Onyx for Stress Relief, Pearl for Goddess, and Amazonite for Courage, which all sell incredibly well. Our second best selling collection is our Luxe line. The Labradorite for Transformation is GORGEOUS as well as the Rainbow Moonstone for Sisterhood, and so many others. We’re really excited about our new Gold Hoop earring collection and our Alchemy collection that features moths on the cards. People love them. We also have lots of styles specifically for Moms. Ethiopian Opal and Milky Aqua are top sellers there.
My personal favorites have to be our Pearl Celestial, which layers with everything and always looks super elegant and beautiful — and anything Labradorite. I love Labradorite for its inner fire and the meaning behind it is all about transformation, and that has always been a really important part of my journey. Transforming so-called difficult things into the gold of my life.
How do you find the balance of delivering high-quality jewelry and making it affordable for a wide range of consumers?
That’s a great question! Both Allison and I have great taste. We pride ourselves on only using the highest quality of gemstones and materials that we can find. We are super conscious about the price point. If people can’t afford it, it’s not going to comfort, connect, inspire, and empower anyone. We do our best to deliver pieces that wow and last, and have meaning without breaking the bank. It’s a tough job and sometimes we sacrifice larger profits to deliver quality, knowing that our customer base will come back again and again.
Do you have a favorite success story after creating SoulKu?
We read recently that only 4% of women-owned businesses make it to 10 years. We’re on year 12!
What would be your best advice for starting your own business?
There are so many things we could speak about, but I think the most important is to surround yourself with other entrepreneurs that are like you. We have the most amazing community of women business owners here in Asheville. We meet monthly and support each other, share resources, root for each other and act as a sounding board when we need problems figured out. Most people who are entrepreneurs don’t have formal training. You learn as you go so having others around you that are in the same boat is incredibly helpful. These are some of our very best friends now and that’s rewarding in and of itself.
Anything else we should know?
We are just so grateful for this opportunity to share our story and hope it is inspiring and helpful.
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