Meet Joshua Maxon | Wire Artisan & Artist

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

Hi Joshua, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
The most important lesson my career has taught me is actually 2-pronged. Adaptability and honesty. I’ve built my business & my brand on these 2 things. There are a million wire wrappers out there, so why choose Me?

1) You know exactly who you’re dealing with & the product you’re getting. I do 99% of my business online, specifically on Facebook, and that can be tricky. Scams are rampant in the gem community, and you have to trust me enough to send me your hard earned money. I tell everyone where I get everything & how I make what I make. I want my clients to see everything.
Honesty is the name of the game. I keep my clients 100% up to date on their pieces throughout the entire creative/design/build process, with pictures & videos, asking for input & giving my clients as much creative control as possible.
I’m very open about my mental health journey & I share as much of myself as applicable to help anyone I can. I keep my inbox(es) open for anyone that may need a friend, an ear or a void to yell into, or to ask questions or get tips/tricks/hints about wire wrapping or creating in general.

Adaptability is extremely important in my industry, like in all industries. With online sales specifically. You typically have 3 seconds to catch someone’s attention, with people usually leaving a web page within 10-20 seconds, so you’ve got to get creative. I have my personal Facebook profile, 2 business pages, personal & business Instagrams, X, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, as well as my Google presence & everything I do in person to market myself & my work.
People’s wants & needs change, budgets are all across the board & it’s important to meet people where they’re at. By using the materials that I do: acrylics, plastics, glass, Swarovski crystals, Cubic zirconia, lab grown & natural gems, I’m able to cast the widest net that I can, hitting every price point.

So why choose me? You know where your money is, where your money goes & what it does.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think what sets me apart from others is my heart. I genuinely care about my clients & supporters, I recognize how special of a thing it is to not only get their attention & support online (out of all the things they could be doing), but their trust & their money. No one is just a number, no piece is just a piece. I strive to get it right.

Back in 2023 I placed 3rd in a Rio Grande Jewelry Supply Design Contest and I am SO incredibly proud. The piece wasn’t a custom for anyone, I just needed to make it. The feelings that well up in me when someone loves my work as much as I do are indescribable.
I’m most excited about a 7ft sculptural piece I have in the works and I cannot wait to finally see it finished.

When I first started this journey in 2012, I was just really beginning my addiction and I had several untreated mental health issues (I live with BPD, Bipolar, Depression, ODD & CPTSD, all well managed now), and jewelry saved me. I had to start & restart over and over again, but making jewelry & creating things was always at the core of what I wanted to do. Every time I tried to imagine the future I saw myself as an artist. I just had to figure out how to get there, and that meant I needed help. In 2014 I met my husband & that did it. I needed to be sober for him, because I couldn’t do it for me. My personal & professional growth naturally followed from that hard work.
In order to operate in my chosen field, a strong sense of personal responsibility & integrity is needed, honesty & transparency is required.
I’m not only selling a product, I’m selling myself. People invest themselves in other people. It’s more important than the piece. People support what/who they believe in.

I want people to know that while it’s not easy to run your own business, be your own product or keep a brand relevant online, it’s easy & often necessary to be honest & kind. I want them to know that it’s ok to acknowledge the icky things in our lives, and we can create beauty from that. Most of all, I want people to know how much I appreciate them. No one has to support me. They just do. And that’s incredible.

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’d take them on all of my favorite drives because that’s what I love to do when I’m not working. The Top Of The Rockies Byway is one of the most beautiful drives ive ever taken.

Cheyenne Canyon in Colorado Springs is where my favorite hikes are & we’d have to go Bishop’s Castle.

Garden of the God’s is a must!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My story would be a WHOLE LOT different if it weren’t for my husband, Chris. He’s my biggest investor, supporter, my biggest critic & my biggest fan. Over the last 10 years he’s helped me hone my craft in ways I would have never imagined.

I also wouldn’t be here today without the love and support from the Facebook Wire Wrapping Community. They’re some of the most loving, incredible people I’ve ever met. It truly makes the world SO small and has opened up opportunities for me beyond my wildest dreams, like having the privilege to talk to Y’all.

Instagram: Instagram.com/maxxondesigns

Twitter: https://x.com/Maxxondesigns?t=FcMdGdfZUf5tL7Rmozx4hA&s=09

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/josh.maxon.3?mibextid=ZbWKwL

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@joshuamaxon1930?si=uwAP3xD_As6dZ08s

Image Credits
Joshua Maxon