Meet Erin Sabatine

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Sabatine.

Hi Erin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started silversmithing a couple of years ago as a result of needing a new hobby in my life. I’ve always been creative and like working with my hands. I used to be a pastry chef, but I left the restaurant industry in 2018 to pursue IT as a new career. When I finished school and worked in IT, I found that I didn’t enjoy it. I craved that creative outlet I used to have when working in a kitchen. I followed a couple of handmade jewelry accounts on Instagram, nothing like what I do now, but they were an encouragement to try something new. I did a ton of research, watched tutorials, read articles, and bought a metalsmithing book with starter projects. I bought the basic tools to get started and then finally bought some silver from a jewelry supply company online. Once I had everything ready, I applied all of my learned knowledge to make some basic rings. I practiced the fundamentals and learned by trial and error. That’s usually how I work best, practice and experience. When I’m really interested in something, I put a lot of effort into it. My first few rings weren’t that bad! Sure, there were improvements to be made, but I did make several rings. After I made rings, I started to make earrings. I’ve always been an earring collector, so I motivated myself to learn by making my own jewelry. Added paragraph break

Naturally, I shared my new hobby with friends and family. When I was asked if I was selling my jewelry, I was taken aback. I didn’t consider that at first. This was simply a new hobby I enjoyed. After being asked enough times, I decided to set up an Etsy shop. I was already familiar with Etsy as a consumer, so I felt that was a natural step to take to become a seller. This was also perfect because I didn’t see myself as a salesperson and this way my work is posted online, and I don’t physically have to describe it. (The introvert in me preferred to be a behind-the-scenes kind of person.) I had a few sales on Etsy to people I know, but it wasn’t enough to make it worthwhile. Added paragraph break

I have a friend that is a painter, and she recently sold her work at a pop-up market. This opened my eyes to another way to sell my jewelry but most importantly get feedback from a community that I don’t personally know. I signed up for the same pop-up market out in the country which was perfect for me to try out without fully investing or having high expectations. I made a couple of sales and received great feedback. I remember I was so nervous the night before I don’t think I really slept. I wasn’t comfortable talking about myself or my jewelry. I didn’t know what to say to people. Yet somehow, I pulled through the day and said I wanted to do this again. That’s when I really decided to pursue this newfound hobby as a side business. Making and selling my jewelry has really pushed me as a person and pushed me to be outside of my comfort zone. This allowed me to also learn more about silversmithing as I got to create new designs. I expanded from earrings into necklaces and bracelets. I continued to make subtle jewelry that I would wear, and I found that so many people appreciated it! I started to focus a bit more on the business side of things, with some reservations. While I was excited to make jewelry that was selling, I thought it was too good to be true. I questioned if I could make a living doing this. Added paragraph break

At this point, I was still working my IT job which was making me miserable. I had to make a change, so I decided to take a chance. It’s funny because growing up I never considered being an entrepreneur. I worked for other small businesses and saw how the owner was stressed and overworked. However, it never clicked in my head that owning your own business doesn’t have to be like that. I quit my secure IT job in 2021. With my free time, I took a couple of months to plan out my jewelry business. I signed up for free webinars and masterclasses on various silversmithing topics, starting a business in North Carolina, and even how to sell more on Etsy. I took this time to do a deeper dive into the business side of things. I also signed myself up for a few more pop-up markets, mostly at the end of the year during the holiday season. I did find a local part-time job that was flexible, so I could still earn an income but also put the time into my new business. As the end of 2021 came, I had great success in my handmade jewelry business. I developed into my own salesperson, becoming more comfortable with talking about myself and my jewelry. I had great feedback and even repeat customers! I felt good about everything and even excited for the next year. Added paragraph break

So, I said I’m going to lean harder into my business for 2022. I want to branch out into more markets, set up my own website, develop my brand, hone my own jewelry style, and set goals. In 2022 I signed up for 44 pop-up markets or festivals. I was accepted into my first festival, Lazy Daze in Cary, which was a huge success for me! I also have my own website and online store. I met all my sales goals for this year and all I can think about is what’s in store for me next year. It’s a lot of hard work running my small handmade jewelry business. Added paragraph break

I have the creative side and the business side. In an odd way, I like doing both. I won’t lie, there have been times when I questioned if this is worth it. Such as when I have a slow market day or my online sale isn’t doing as well as I expected. Usually, this is when my insecurity kicks in, things like I’m not good enough or this will never work out as I want it. I go through these feelings to process them and then remind myself of the good I’ve done as well. I’m still new at this; I’ve never had my own business before. Added paragraph break

There’s a lot I still don’t know. However, I’m continuing to grow, and I know that is most important. I know what I need to continue to show up for myself. I’ve met some wonderful people who believe in me, and they help me when I start to think lowly of myself. There’s still so much I want to try. All I want to do is keep going so I can continue to grow and learn and get better. So I can be my best self which also means having an awesome small business.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My biggest challenges so far have been myself and learning the business side of things. As I’ve mentioned before, I am more of a behind-the-scenes person. Putting myself out there, being my own salesperson, and even showing my face on social media has been something I’ve slowly become more comfortable with. I’m not totally comfortable yet, however, I have come a long way from when I started.

Learning the business side of things has also been challenging. Things like sales tax, accounting, and marketing are all topics I’m still working on. Thankfully there are free resources online and I can always ask for advice from my fellow entrepreneurs. Yet, trying to learn it all myself has been difficult as I want to fully understand all aspects of my business. I am one person, one woman doing it all in my handmade business. In a weird way, I kind of like learning about it all. I’ve always been organized and like to plan. So, I feel like some aspects of this are interesting at least which helps me continue to try and learn. I’ve also accepted that I may have started making jewelry as a hobby, but now it’s a business.This is an entirely new concept for me, but I’ve taken to it this year and I think it’s serving me well. It has given me direction.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create handmade sterling silver jewelry. I only work with silver because that’s what I like! Also, because it’s an affordable precious metal that holds its value. Silver can be an investment as well as a beautiful piece of jewelry. The style that Silver Prophecy Jewelry is known for is lightweight, subtle yet unique hand-hammered jewelry. I want to craft jewelry that is comfortable for all-day kind of wear so that you can look good and feel confident to go about your day. My silver jewelry is made for those who know what they want. Someone who values handmade over mass-produced. I only work with silver, so I try to add more interest to it by hand hammering added texture. I plan on exploring that more as I continue my journey. I’m most proud of my North Carolina Region jewelry collection. I made earrings and necklaces inspired by the geographical regions in NC. I have earrings of the Mountains, Piedmont, and Coast. I also make a statement necklace that features all three. I’m an NC native and wanted to make something that showcases that pride. While I was inspired by North Carolina when I created this collection, I’ve found that the imagery in these pieces is recognizable enough that you can see what it is and apply your own meaning. For example, I have earrings that feature a mountain scene. In the circle hoop, you can see two mountains and a sun or moon. These could be the mountains in Colorado, California, or Alaska. They don’t have to be specifically mountains in North Carolina. I think my designs, my mission, and my brand sets me apart from others.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
This year I signed up for a program that teaches people to start a successful jewelry business. This is a self-paced program that I’ve already learned a ton from. I discovered Flourish and Thrive Academy by following other handmade jewelry brands I admire. When I learned about them, I followed the Academy’s social media accounts and saw they post a lot of free masterclasses, so I got a taste of what they offered before I actually gave them money.

I also network a lot with other vendors at pop-up markets. You never know what might lead to something good unless you go out and talk to other vendors. I’ve met other silversmiths and jewelry makers that have become my best friends! The best thing to remember it is that it’s not a competition, it’s a community. When you help another entrepreneur artist it encourages that positivity in the community. My best example of networking like this is I introduced myself to a couple who later opened their own retail shop. Now I sell my jewelry at their space through a consignment account. This is my first account like this, so it was really helpful to start with people I know,

We are in a day where there’s a ton of information online. It’s just a matter of finding it. I often joke (but am mostly serious) that I graduated from the University of YouTube. I learned a lot of silversmithing that way. I also learned a lot about the business side of things by googling different topics. I joined a couple of different metalsmith communities on Facebook groups and on Instagram. I’ve also found marketing and branding companies that sometimes host free masterclasses.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.silverprophecyjewelry.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silverprophecyjewelry/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silverprophecyjewelry/
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/silverprophecyjewelry/