Formally introducing this kick butt team for Summer of 2019! These girls are nothing short of amazing, and each hold a very special place in my heart.

I've never worked with such a talented, hard-working and passionate group of women who all inspire me to be the best I can be each and every-day. 

I feel extremely privileged to have the opportunity to work with all of this summer, and want all of them to stick around forever, but I guess I'll let a few of them go back and finish school up first :) 

This week we've officially launched our #beautifullyunique campaign. This is my passion and true motivation for growing this brand each and everyday. We are all beautifully unique, and

I want every individual to know their value and that they have something special to offer this world. 

The world we live in with the constant stream of social media makes it difficult for us to focus on what really matters, who we are  not just what we look like, what kind of car we drive, what size we wear, what kind of brands we have, what kind of house we live in and the list goes on. 

I encourage each and everyone of you reading this blog to do two things: 

1) Think about what you love about yourself. What are those traits that you know you have, and are proud of! Are you adventurous and always willing to step out and try something new? Are you ambitious and driven, working so dang hard to reach those huge goals for yourself? Are you loving and compassionate, always wanting to help others? Whatever it is, embrace it, know it, and celebrate it. Pick a piece of jewelry out, a cuff bracelet, or necklace that you can wear each day to remind you that you are VALUED, and have something powerful to offer the world. 

2) Check out our brand new Beautifully Unique Apparel that we launched this week! We have shirts and hats available- help us create a movement and join this community of women. Stand up and say "I am Beautifully Unique" and encourage other women around you to do the same. 

I've seen too many amazing women doubt themselves, their abilities and their worth. Too many women walk around feeling insecure about the way they look and are unhappy in their own skin. It's time for a change.

You are beautiful, and it's time you knew it. 

So what are you waiting for? Figure out what makes you beautifully unique and take a stand today!

Check out this AMAZING KICK BUTT team below. 

xo

-Elsa Vos 

 

Sarah Hardenburg

What's your hometown and what are you studying?

I’m from Grand Blanc, Michigan and I am studying at Hope College. I am working towards a major in Business as well as a minor in Accounting. 

What’s your position on the team?

I am the business operations intern. I assist with day-to-day operations as well as ensuring that new product launches run smoothly. 

How did you find out about Pieces of Me and why did you choose to work here? 

I am involved in various entrepreneurial groups in the Holland and Grand Rapids areas. I had heard a lot about Pieces of Me through those groups and I was eventually introduced to Elsa and offered this position. I chose to work here because I love what Pieces of Me stands for, and being interested in entrepreneurship, I was inspired by Elsa and wanted to learn as much as I could. 

What do you love about Pieces of Me?

I Iove what the brand stands for at its core. Pieces of Me is all about recognizing what makes you unique and having a little reminder of that each and every day. It is hard sometimes to realize what these traits are in ourselves, so I love that through Pieces of Me we all get to praise ourselves. I also love the effort that goes into each and every piece of jewelry. Every cuff, necklace, and charm is made with the best quality products so you know what you are wearing will last forever. 

What are your 4 traits and what do they mean to you?: 

My traits are determined, ambitious, honest, and compassionate. I have always hoped that I could make a huge impact on the world and these traits help keep me focused on ways that I can do that. 

What’s something fun we should know about you?: 

A fun fact about me is that I was sponsored by Red Bull!

 

Kassidy Brouwer

What’s your hometown, where you do you go to school and what are you studying?

I’m from Zeeland, Michigan and recently graduated from Calvin College with a Bachelor of Arts in organizational communication.  

What’s your position on the team?

I am the Sales Coordinator! I get to manage and assist in the growth of wholesale accounts and develop positive relationships with new and existing accounts.  

How did you find out about Pieces of Me and why did you choose to work here?

I initially found out about Pieces of Me after receiving one of the compassionate cuffs as a gift. Three years later and as a senior in college, I found myself as a sales coordinator intern for the brand.  The internship wasn't enough for me, I loved what I did, and was so passionate about the brand that after graduation I chose to stay and work for Pieces of Me full time!  

What do you love about Pieces of me?

I believe brands like Pieces of Me are few -  I love Pieces of Me because it brings us back to what’s important in life. Pieces of Me fosters genuine relationships, brings light to good thinking & reminds women of their worth- something that I think is much harder to do now with social media being so prevalent.

What are your 4 traits and what do they mean to you?

My 4 traits are: driven, compassionate, loyal, and easygoing. These traits truly are a representation of who I am. They resemble what's important to me and describe how I do life. I love hard, dream big, prioritize friendships and always go with the flow. 

What’s something fun we should know about you?

A fun fact about me is that I lived with a woman in Spain for 4 months, she did not know English and I Spanish. I spent communicating almost every need through charades.

 



Katherine Irwin 

What’s your hometown, where you do you go to school and what are you studying?

I’m from Rochester, MI and I currently attend Grand Valley State University studying Studio Arts with an emphasis in Graphic Design.

What’s your position on the team?

I am the Graphic Design Intern at Pieces of Me!

How did you find out about Pieces of Me and why did you choose to work here? 

I found out about Pieces of Me through a friend who was a past intern. She loved it and would post about it all the time. I chose to work here because I was drawn to the mission at Pieces of Me. I also admire Elsa’s story and knew I would learn a lot through her mentoring me.

What do you love about Pieces of me?

I love Pieces of Me because I hold tight to authenticity and owning who you are, which is what this brand encourages. It goes deeper than the jewelry, it encourages and affirms women. 

 What are your 4 traits and what do they mean to you?

My 4 traits are: loyal, compassionate, determined, and driven. The combination of traits listed here are important to me, because it’s common to see people who are driven and determined lack compassion and loyalty. I strive to work hard for the things that I want, but I also hold tight to spreading kindness. I’m proud of these traits I exhibit and love seeing myself continue to grow in these areas.  

 What’s something fun we should know about you?

 A fun fact about me is that Matty B Raps follows me on twitter.

 

Isabelle Beaupre

What’s your hometown, where you do you go to school and what are you studying? 

I’m from Edina, Minnesota and I go to school at the University of Missouri School of Journalism studying Strategic Communications & Digital Strategy.

What’s your position on the team?

 I’m a marketing intern working closely with Alycia this summer! We do social media, write blogs, and create content. Working with Alycia makes every day fun!

How did you find out about Pieces of Me and why did you choose to work here?

I was a brand rep in 2017 and continued to love and follow the brand.  When I saw the summer intern application, I knew I needed to apply to get the chance to work with such a genuine brand!

What do you love about Pieces of me?

I love that Pieces of Me genuinely supports and empowers women, and how I’ve seen that transfer into the work environment here.

What are your 4 traits and what do they mean to you?

My traits are Driven, Sassy, Confident, and Friendly. Driven is the trait I wear and to me is about my work ethic and how I pursue things in work and life in general. Knowing that driven is considered a description of me lets me know that I do have the ability to push through a hard day or a tough project.

What’s something fun we should know about you?

Something fun about me is that I’ve only lived in states that start with MI! (Minnesota, Missouri, and Michigan!)

Alycia McKellar

What’s your hometown, where you do you go to school and what are you studying?

 I’m from Hudsonville, Michigan and am attending school at Grand Valley State University. I am a double major in Marketing and Management with a minor in marketing logistics.

What’s your position on the team?

At Pieces of Me Headquarters I am the digital marketing intern working side-by-side with the amazing Isabelle on all of our marketing strategies/plans to get the Pieces of Me name out there. 

How did you find out about Pieces of Me and why did you choose to work here?

I’ve actually heard about Pieces of Me through social media. Every time I saw someone post something about wearing Pieces of Me or talking about the company I was always intrigued to see more. This company is so cute and the values this business holds aligns extremely well with my own, so I decided it’d be a perfect fit for me to intern over the summer!

What do you love about Pieces of Me?

I love what the brand stands for and the authenticity behind each and every piece. It truly is something that not only will last a long time in quality aspects, but in heart. It represents something you or someone else loves about your personality and that is something a person can treasure - always.

What are your 4 traits and what do they mean to you?

I’m Compassionate, Driven, Confident, and Hard-working. These traits mean the world to me because they’re a description of all the great attributes that make me who I am. These are the kind of things that we all need to celebrate in a world that can be so judgemental.

What’s something fun we should know about you?

Something fun about me is that I’ve been barefoot waterskiing since I was nine!