Today we’d like to introduce you to Krystal Jugarap.
Hi Krystal, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve known since high school that I was meant to be an entrepreneur. I was meant for something bigger than myself. I’ve also always had an affinity for fashion & DIYs. For years, I was an independent stylist doing trunk shows for a jewelry company. Then when I became a first-time mom, I used DIYs as a way to get back to who I was pre-baby – someone who loved being creative.
In 2020, the love of those two things ended up in a serendipitous mash-up. With all the jewelry I had amassed from my time as a stylist, my shelf space had become overtaken by the numerous (not to mention, mismatched) jewelry displays I had. I searched online for a more effective solution – something compact but still chic – but there was nothing out there. So, in true DIY fashion, I set out to create my own.
At the time, I had no intention of going into manufacturing & only wanted to solve my problem. But one beautiful, brain-stormy night, while feeding my youngest daughter & waiting for her to fall back asleep, I started dreaming up all of the details of this “DIY” in my head. The light switch went off. I realized the true merit of the design as well as the need other people might have for it. It was then, BOOKofBIJOUX was born.
I hit the ground running, making my prototype, researching manufacturers, & manifesting a launch date. The idea of going into business also made me reminisce on the amazing community of women that surrounded me when I was a stylist. I knew I had to recreate it as I ventured into this new journey.
Just a few short months after launching BOOKofBIJOUX, our community platform EM/POWEREDbyWMN was formed & I’ve been immersing myself in its growth ever since.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Manufacturing continues to be a huge challenge & COVID didn’t make it any easier. A lot of the challenges we’ve been facing with manufacturing is execution. We’ve gone through more manufacturers than years we’ve been in business, but it’s so important to note that the integrity of your product (& its production) should never be compromised just to meet a quick deadline.
Manufacturing is give & take & it’s important to draw the line between what you’re willing to compromise on & what you’re not. I have a big vision & high standard for our brand & intend to keep working towards bringing it to fruition. While we’re still ironing out those wrinkles, I will say – if you truly believe in your product, KEEP GOING. This isn’t meant to be easy, but you have to see it through.
I’ll also say, however, that I pride myself in my ability to recognize the silver linings in situations. In this case – the delay in our manufacturing – allowed me the time & space to visualize everything I wanted to create for our EM/POWEREDbyWMN community platform. I didn’t know what it would be or could grow into at the time. I just knew that I wanted to create a separate platform for women to come & indulge in all the inspirational stories of these amazing, successful women around us & for our audience to have the ability to share their own stories as well.
Now that I have had the opportunity to invest dedicated effort in it, the sky’s the limit & I’m looking forward to growing both brands simultaneously.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’m the CEO/Founder of an innovative jewelry storage line, BOOKofBIJOUX which launched in 2021. Our line offers a modern take on a jewelry organizer that resembles a chic coffee table book (yes, it’s discreet!) & provides incredibly efficient storage (goodbye, tangled jewelry!). Shortly after that, we expanded into our community platform, EM/POWEREDbyWMN (EBW) which has allowed me to hyper-focus on our core values of women empowerment, community over competition & giving back.
Through this platform, I’ve had the honor of leading an incredible & inspired community of women to gather, lift each other up & give each other the tools to succeed. In just a couple of years, we’ve hosted more than 10 events, 60+ women entrepreneurs/brands, raised more than $4,500 to pour back into the community, & even launched our online Woman-Owned Small Business Directory. My mission is to foster genuine connections & offer a critical platform for small business owners to share their stories via our events, podcast, and Directory.
As a mother of two young girls & a new baby boy on the way, I have a genuine appreciation for women who are pursuing their passions, paving their entrepreneurial paths, & consequently serving as crucial role models for future generations of women. I hope to continue deepening my role of reminding all women, especially moms, that we are not only capable but also worthy of creating lives we love.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
There are so many incredibly valuable lessons I continue to learn throughout my entrepreneurial journey, but I’ll share a couple of the most prominent that I not only do my best to routinely practice but also preach.
AUTHENTICITY/TRANSPARENCY. I realized very quickly the importance & impact of being honest & vulnerable. In the early stages of BOOKofBIJOUX, after doing my best to move forward from the shock phase of the manufacturing process not going even remotely how I imagined, I had a decision to make. I already had pre-orders to fulfill & deadlines were ready to pass me by.
I had to decide what kind of business I wanted to lead: one that boasted perfection & showed only the edited highlights or one that was honest, showed the reality of the process, showed who I was & invited our audience to be a part of the journey, not just admire it from afar. I chose the latter. I wanted transparency & authenticity to be part of our brand. I wanted our audience to know our story – both the ups & downs. I wanted them to know me & what my vision was so that they could get equally excited about it.
Was I nervous to show up in a vulnerable state? Absolutely. Do I regret doing it? Not one bit. After I chose to show up & openly discuss with our audience the challenges we were facing with manufacturing & the complete disappointment I felt for not being able to fulfill their orders, I was in awe of the response it generated. People had started messaging me & commenting on my posts – people that I hadn’t connected with yet. People resonated with my message & with my struggle. People were empathizing with me. People were connecting with me on a human level, not a superficial one. Many of those messages turned into meaningful connections, even collaborations & relationships I’m still so grateful for today. It was at that moment, that I knew to continue showing up in authenticity & that value continues to play a huge role in growing our community today.
LIVING LOUDY PASSIONATE. I’m a big believer that if you tell the universe (or whoever your higher power is) what you want, it’ll provide. But I’m not just talking about praying or wishing or writing out your hopes, dreams, & visions in a journal. I mean using your community & platform as a way to get that message of your desires out – telling the people around you what you want. I believe that when you allow yourself to dive fully into your purpose & then take that one step further by being willing to share that purpose & your vision without any reluctance, that energy & excitement will circulate & compound within your audience.
When you see that start to happen & others get equally excited over what may now be your shared vision, it will only perpetuate a stronger motivation in you to keep going & keep putting out more work. This is the power of owning your voice. This is the power of community. This is the power of surrounding yourself with people who truly want to see you win, but you have to take the first step. Be loud. Start creating a life you love & own it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.empoweredbywmn.com/, https://www.bookofbijoux.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweredbywmn/, https://www.instagram.com/bookofbijoux/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookofbijoux
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystal-jugarap-46b9251b7/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHxiaRSQihfOX27Oi732NdQ
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/1rJbuAI7YB0Zy2qd0aXZme?si=397ed32075c64e64
Image Credits
CeeCee Weaver from Pink Salt Photos
