Meet Ashley Lauwereins | Jewelry Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Lauwereins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

I wasn’t athletic growing up, and instead, I spent time creating jewelry. Turns out, I was really good at it and I loved it. I kept getting compliments on my creations. When I was in high school I expanded my technique into metalsmithing through a jewelry making class I took all four years of school. At that point, I was hooked and knew I wanted to continue to explore this art form.

Fifth Essence Jewelry was unofficially formed while I was in college. One of my cousins was getting married and struggled to create jewelry for her wedding. I offered to help and the resulting necklaces were so popular, that everyone kept asking me where they could purchase my jewelry designs. I knew at that moment I wanted to open my own jewelry making business.

Fifth Essence Jewelry was born in 2012, and each year since then I’ve grown just a bit larger by taking small steps each year. Today, I participate in at least 10 local markets, sell my jewelry online, and create custom jewelry by order request.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

Fifth Essence Jewelry isn’t my full-time job, and that’s by design. I love the artistic freedom it affords me, and my ability to pursue the projects that excite me vs. doing the same thing out of necessity. Because my day job is in a professional environment, I enjoy creating jewelry that is professional enough for the office environment, but stands out in all the right ways. It may not look like it, but every one of my designs can be worn to the office during the day, or out on the town with friends at night.

The process of growing my business didn’t happen overnight and it’s amazing to see how I’ve grown since I began. I started with only an Etsy shop and a handful of designs. I slowly began participating in local markets. Then, I began consistently photographing my jewelry for my online shop. Then, I added a website and email newsletter. Taking things slowly has allowed me to really find my artistic voice, and hone in on that while growing around that vision.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m up north in Fort Collins, and we have some great activities. We would definitely do a local hike, and the Horsetooth Trail is a great one that allows for awesome views of this part of the Front Range. To cool off, Horsetooth Reservoir is a great spot to swim and enjoy time outside. I’m a huge beer fan, so I’d want to visit a few of my local breweries. Maxline Brewing, Mash Lab Brewing, and New Belgium are a few of my favorites in the area. Lastly, we would definitely go into Old Town Fort Collins to shop the small businesses and grab some great food.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I’ve had several positive influences. I read constantly, and choose to surround myself with big thinkers. Seth Godin and Marie Forleo are two that I listen to regularly.

Personally, my mentor for a long time has been Robert Garretson, who I met through my volunteer work in Kiwanis International during college. He has always asked the right questions to challenge my thinking and help me dream big. Having a mentor in your corner that pushes you and helps you visualize five years down the road is so vital, and I’m truly lucky that I found this so early in my life.

Website: fifthessencejewelry.com

Instagram: @fifthessencejewelry

Facebook: @fifthessencejewelry

Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/fifthessencejewelry/