Meet Julie Hansch: Artist, Writer and Dancer

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

Hi Julie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

I started creating wire wrapped jewelry about three years ago and I never imagined that I would actually be selling my jewelry on Etsy, Facebook, craft fairs or small eclectic boutique stores in Dallas. 

Instead of buying jewelry to accessorize with my outfits, I decided to start making my own rings by wire wrapping stones with silver-plated copper wire to make some cool and funky statement rings. Then my friends, family, and co-workers liked my rings and requested I make some unique pieces just for them, or something for someone they love! I started making earrings, bracelets, pendants and leather bracelets as well and started selling my jewelry.

I didn’t have a set business plan or process on how to start a business, however I was influenced (and encouraged) by other artist friends when they started their own business from the ground up. Four years later, I’m so happy and gratified to see my artist friends flourish and succeed that it gave me the courage to do it as well. 

This also had inspired me to start selling my jewelry and I use high-quality naturally beautiful semiprecious stones and wrap them with silver-filled, silver-plated copper, brass and copper wire. I keep my price points low without having to sacrifice quality and craftsmanship. It is more gratifying for me to sell my pieces at reasonable prices for people to buy that are affordable and one-of-a kind and made with love. I’m learning more about the business every day since the landscape is forever changing in how we as consumers buy online.

Please tell us more about your career. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I am a technical writer by profession and in my career; I also have experience in content strategy, copywriting and editing, UX and creative writing. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the UNT in Denton where I learned how to create design and to draw, as well as write papers for Art History classes. I decided I wanted to make a career out of technical writing so I studied technical writing and worked towards a post-baccalaureate certification from Arizona State University in Multimedia Writing & Technical Communication. 

My professional career has provided me with the means to buy the supplies I need for jewelry making. I work the usual 8 to 5 business by day so I can create, blog and post on social media at night and on the weekends. What initially started as a hobby in making jewelry in my spare time has turned into a fun side hustle. 

My business has yet to be lucrative so selling my work is not a means to an end for me. I create just for the sake of creating. Oh and I forgot to mention I have amassed a lot of Inventory!!

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 live in East Dallas close to White Rock Lake, downtown and Deep Ellum. I love the eclectic neighborhood I call home. There are a lot of different places to eat and hang out in East Dallas so I think it gives the area a unique feel. Goodfriend is a great option to eat and drink on a Sunday afternoon to just unwind at the end of the work week.

There are a few good music venues in Dallas so we would go see a live local show at the Granada on Lower Greenville or somewhere in Deep Ellum. I really enjoy people watching and there is usually an outdoor patio at most of the places to eat and listen to live music in Deep Ellum.

I love downtown city lights so a happy hour at Reunion Tower is another great way to start a weekend overlooking the city and you don’t need a reservation to enjoy appetizers and drinks at the bar so that’s really cool too.

My friend and I both have dogs so if the weather was nice, we would take the dogs to the dog park in the afternoon by White Rock Lake. You can also watch some of the sailboats on the lake so its very relaxing.

There are so many great restaurants in the neighborhood that we could have a different meal every night from Meso Maya food and avocado margaritas, to Lover’s Pizza and Pasta that has some of the best Italian comfort food in the city, to the casual outdoor patio at TruckYard to have some appetizers and drinks with friends on a Friday night. TruckYard is also a great place to meet new people and run into old friends.

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?
I am dedicating my Shoutout to my step daughter Danielle who has inspired me to keep creating, to keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and continue to immerse myself in art and design. She now has a wealth of knowledge in not only creating art and keeping up with the trends in social media, but also in running a successful business.  I also want to include Volta Voloshin-Smith and Bree Smith in this Shoutout as well. These two young women are the ones who influenced and encouraged me to continue to write and create art.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliehansch/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejewelzbyjules/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheJewelzbyJules
Other: https://www.pinterest.com/JewelzbyJules/

Image Credits
Photo credits: Julie Hansch of TheJewelzbyJules