Starting an e-com business is more than just finding a product and selling it; most successful e-com businesses thrive because they have a story and relatable to their customers. When Janeva first brought her idea of starting a jewelry company to my attention, i instantly knew she would do extraordinary. Her unique sense of storytelling and her detailed eye for creativity is top-tier, which places her in the right field. When i first met Janeva, she was working on having her modeling career, and soon after, she mentioned that she was starting a boutique while juggling the modeling world ins and outs. Her love for fashion and being innovative helped her branch out to create her Jewelry company Saavaunt. Now i always believe that people who have excellent taste and know what they want to see for themselves tend to create the best products; while having this quality of greatness. The type of aptitude that will help their brand thrive and influence others to do the same. Giving customers that feeling of, " Ahh, someone finally made something i want while I can relate to them." We see that with many leading fashion brands and brick and motors, they're thriving because they're creating what the people want and are integrating storytelling. Saavaunt is doing precisely that; every collection has a story, every piece symbolizing something. 

So it was a no brainer that i would like to sit with Janeva and get the story of SAAVAUNT, the meaning behind the brand, her designs, and what it takes to transition into the e-com business while having a modeling career? Don't get it twisted, our girl, out here booked and busy! So sit back and dive into the interview.

What made you want to get into the jewelry business? 

Jewelry is a vital part of everyone's wardrobe; I feel like it's understated; many don't understand how much it can make or break an outfit. I started a boutique right after high school, but the thing that stood out to me was the accessories. I always enjoyed finding different pieces and taking pieces of the jewelry, so when I had the idea for SAAVAUNT, I told myself that I would focus on accessories. Then I narrowed it down to jewelry.

So the name SAAVAUNT, what made you go with that name? What does it mean to you? 

A SAAVAUNT is a sagacious person. Someone who knows who they are even while being misunderstood at times. But have something extraordinary about them. Most savants have autism, but they are usually very wise, intelligent individuals, which I think is interesting because the word itself sounds very sophisticated and unique. My designs are unique; they always have cool, unusual names with subliminal meanings or messages. Many people don't know, but I wanted my customers to decode the names and discover the stories fueled by their curiosities. 

How do you gain inspiration for your designs? 

I take a lot of inspiration from nature; my first collection was the "SEA series," and it was all inspired by different seas of the ocean. I'm also really into architecture. So texture and shapes inspire me a lot it comes to designing for my collections. Like the earrings I'm wearing now, little horseshoes encourage them. Anything I feel like will look super funky on someone, I explore it and bring it to life. 

You mentioned that while you work on SAAVAUNT, you also have a modeling career; with the pandemic, what changes would you say you made to focus on your brand?

I am still modeling during the pandemic, but when the industry initially paused and was forced to reevaluate my brand and my modeling career and ask myself serious questions. I was compelled to think about rebranding along with different ways where i can continue working without feeling like I'm not doing enough or doing anything at all. I believe this time has allowed many people to rethink a lot of things. Before the pandemic, SAAVAUNT focused on funky, bold, bright designs, but once the pandemic hit, I sat down and thought, "What do I REALLY want to do with my brand?" "What story do I want to tell?". I started to lose sight of what I wanted to do with my brand while modeling full time. Since the beginning of creating SAAVAUNT, I wanted to create fine jewelry, so I went back to the drawing board and started designing fine jewelry because if not now, when? 

Creatives are continually evolving themselves and their brands; being that we are in a pandemic, we have more time to think about things. Have you had that moment, and if so, what's the lesson out of it for you? 

Yes! There's been a lot of evolution and reflection; it's constant. I've learned to stay true to my vision and believing the idea I have is valuable. It's often easy to get swayed and distracted by thinking people are not going to like my designs, but I have learned the vision that you have is valuable. What i create will find the right people, and they will love it. You have to stick to your vision, believe in it, and roll with the punches. 

 What words of advice would you give other entrepreneurs getting into e-commerce? 

Write the vision and make it straightforward. Simple as that. Whatever you're looking to accomplish, write it out down to the tiniest details and make a plan. Whether it's your packaging colors, materials, or even the emotions you want people to feel when they explore your online shopping experience. Write everything down because once you have it concrete in your hands, you're able to go back and evaluate things. I have many notebooks full of ideas. Like I said earlier, you lose sight sometimes. It's great to come back to your ideas, see your starting point and track your progress in real-time, like "Okay, I'm here now. Let me see what I need to do to stay on the right path". Most people have many ideas, but they don't have something they can revisit when overwhelmed to reorganize and shift their focus to what's essential. 

Is there anything you may have dealt with when it comes to E-commerce that could have quickly stir you to no longer having a brand? 

It's a lot of digital noise; it's not easy to get your brand in front of people. It can be not easy trying to figure out how to stand out, especially when other people are doing similar things. That's why it's essential to go back to the drawing board because sometimes your website isn't right, or you have to revamp your marketing plan. Consistently tweak things and focus on what you can develop, so when your ideal customer comes along, you'll make that sale, or they become a potential fan, and fans are always potential customers.

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