Daily Inspiration: Meet Johanna Ely

Today we’d like to introduce you to Johanna Ely.

Hi Johanna, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I left a successful career in luxury goods management in 2007 to pursue a creative business that would allow me to work from home and raise my son Tyler. Good Girls Studio was born! I am thee “Good Girl”, it comes naturally being the middle child. 😉

14 years later, I’m now creating in my home studio while my daughter Ellie plays with beads alongside Mama. My work has been featured in Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine, The News & Observer, Indy Weekly, Triangle Style Magazine, and a Designer spotlight interview for Midtown Magazine. My 5 minutes of fame claim was being a featured designer on a local morning show My Carolina Today and on the runways of Fashion Spark and Redress Raleigh. Good Girls creations have graced the necks of celebrities such as Tessandra Chavez of World of Dance, Chelsea Lee of Shaed Band, Hannah Stocking of Youtube fame and choreographers Sonya Tayeh and Stacey Tookey on So You Think You Can Dance.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Owning your own business is never a smooth road! I have a hard time asking for help. When I was in management, delegating came easily, but asking others for help out of sheer generosity… Well, that’s a hard ask!

Trends change and often, you have to go where the money is and pivot (I really loathe that word) your business to what’s selling. At times your passion just needs to be putting food on the table and saving money so that you can invest in where your passion really lies.

I didn’t start this business thinking it would be a way to get rich quick or have big celebrity designer dreams. I just wanted to stay home with my son who was in kindergarten at the time. I’ve had to take part-time jobs here and there to make ends meet but it has always been worth it to be home for him when he got home from school. Designing jewelry has never felt like work to me. All these years later, to still be in business and having grown so much, I am greatly blessed and thankful to everyone who has supported me and cheered me on through the years.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
When I first started designing jewelry, I repurposed vintage costume jewelry into one-of-a-kind pieces. Through the years, there have been numerous variations and style changes. I had a line called Bulletproof for a few years where I was repurposing spent bullet casings.

Custom designing for my clients with their families’ jewelry has always been dear to my heart. I started my business when my grandmother passed away and left us a bunch of costume jewelry. My mother asked me to create something for us that we would wear and that’s how I got into repurposing. The idea of deconstructing the past and creating something relevant for today makes my heart happy. Currently, my best-selling lines are Gemma, a whimsical fine jewelry line & Un-Buttoned. The Un-Buttoned collection repurposes designer buttons and hardware and was most recently seen on Shaed Band on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
I spent some summers with Mama Lou (my grandmother). My grandparents lived on a golf course near Minnesott beach in NC. She taught me how to sew, play cards, and while she tried very hard, she couldn’t teach me how to golf! She was very creative and crafty and always learning a new skill. She had a quick wit and always spoke her mind. The smell of pine trees takes me right back there.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.goodgirlsstudio.com
• Instagram: @goodgirlsstudio
• Facebook: @goodgirlsstudio

Image Credits
Model photos Marie Killen