"My sister gave me a pair of tassel earrings I wanted for my birthday. She suggested I try to make a pair, which I took as a challenge and that was the start of Tiny Tassel." 

The Tiny Tassel is a jewelry and accessories brand inspired by the vibrant colors of Charleston, SC. With happiness at the heart of the business, each collection includes hand-made and curated pieces in bright colors and classic prints. The Tiny Tassel has expanded and opened its first flagship store at 46 Spring Street, Unit B, Charleston, SC 29403. In addition to The Tiny Tassel brand, the store will carry hand-made items from other local Black women owned businesses.

Can we just say, the bright colors of your business make our souls happy! As the founder + designer behind The Tiny Tassel, Which piece have you designed that always brings a smile to your face and dare we say- your favorite?

Thank you, our goal is to bring a little joy to everyone that wears The Tiny Tassel! The brand was founded with our Signature Tassel Earrings, which will always hold a special place for me. While I can’t pick just one piece, our seasonal pieces like Easter & Valentine’s styles have been my favorites, and of course everything pink!

You started your business after you were gifted a pair of earrings from your sister. Describe why that was your "ah-ha" moment and what your journey was like going from a concept to an actual business? 

I was working in retail at the time, and my sister gave me a pair of tassel earrings I wanted for my birthday. She suggested I try to make a pair, which I took as a challenge and that was the start of The Tiny Tassel. I started by creating an Etsy Shop for my hand-made tassel earrings and attending pop-ups around Charleston and The Tiny Tassel grew from there.

The pandemic has really shifted how entrepreneurs do business. How did it impact The Tiny Tassel? Did you have to pivot during this time?

When the pandemic hit, I was forced to pause and think about how to work smarter and dig into what I could work more intentionally at. As an online shop, I focused on ways to increase site traffic, retain customers, and reach new spaces virtually. I began by taking a deep dive into the digital tools we were using, which led me to revamp TheTinyTassel.com making it more accessible and efficient. I also increased our email marketing and focused on elevating The Tiny Tassel’s presence on social media. The lessons I learned during the pandemic are now applied to the business every day.

We saw that you've been featured on incredible platforms like People Magazine and PopSugar (to name a few!). We think that's AMAZING, but we want to know what your most memorable entrepreneurial experience has been? 

Thank you! On Monday, The Tiny Tassel flagship store opened in downtown Charleston. I’ve always dreamt of opening my own boutique and it has been one of the most memorable experiences in the 5-years of The Tiny Tassel! We were also featured by Jill Martin on The Today Show last summer (on my birthday!) and that was an unforgettable experience and life shifting for our company.

How do you manage running your business with everything else in life? Can you talk to us about work-life balance?

The Tiny Tassel is an extension of my life, and I find joy in what I do. I don’t think there will ever be a perfect work-life balance and have found when I try forcing that it just backfires. I carve out time to create rhythms in my day that include quiet time, enjoyable meals, social time, and most importantly rest. It’s taken me a very long time to apply this daily but when I do, I know that I’m at my best which flows into what I can contribute to our company. 

Here's a tricky one, if you could only eat one food for the rest of your life  what would it be?

I have such a sweet tooth and would be happy with birthday cake! Who doesn’t love a good slice of cake? 

Let's get serious-- we know that being an entrepreneur isn't all sunshine + rainbows (even though so many would like to believe it is!). Wha tis one of the toughest challenges you've overcome as an entrepreneur? 

No two days are the same. Finding rest and working intentionally was such a challenge for me. There’s such a myth in our society that busy = success, and I have lived that and so easily was caught in the “hustle” that I thought was necessary to create and grow a business that I love. All of the long days and nights now make me extra grateful to know that I can have a healthy work relationship while maintaining a successful business.  

What kind of interview would this be if we didn't ask everyone's "favorite" question. Where do you see The Tiny Tassel in 5 years? What's your long-term vision? 

My hope with continuing to grow The Tiny Tassel is that we will be able to contribute to the success of other small businesses owned by women of color. With all of our recent growth, it means nothing to me if I’m here by myself. In 5 years, I hope that I can look back and see that we’ve created accessibility for others into this space and are still finding joy in what we do. 

What is one piece of advice that you wish someone would've given you when you started on your entrepreneurial journey, that you would give to a new female entrepreneur?  

Be direct, work smart, and rest! With these three things in mind, you’ll always be exactly where you should be in business and in life.

 Photographs of Mimi taken by Aneris Photography. 

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