Blanca Ruiz “Feeling Gold Jewelry”
After a long corporate career, Blanca Ruiz made the important decision to pursue a new passion rooted in her family’s traditions. Embracing her entrepreneurial spirit, she founded her own online her jewelry business, Feeling Gold Her Jewelry.
A native of Mexico, Luis grew up in a family of jewelers whose legacy extends to running a well-regarded jewelry store, characterized by an unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction and maintaining an unwavering focus on affordability. However, she continues that legacy by offering exquisite designs in solid gold jewelry. “My journey is not just a personal pursuit, but a continuation of a tradition built on integrity and true love of providing our customers with timeless pieces that resonate with elegance and quality,” Lewis said. Told.
She discovered the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center at U of A and attended the center’s online training on marketing and business plan development. As a customer, Luis worked with her business consultant, Karoly Namejia, to build a comprehensive business plan. This provided important insights into market dynamics and the feasibility of business concepts. “ASBTDC has provided me with a variety of tools as well as facilitated connections to outside resources,” she said. “The constant encouragement played a vital role in keeping me motivated and moving forward on my entrepreneurial journey.”
As a division of the University Economic Development Department, ASBTDC and the Arkansas World Trade Center teamed up to support Lewis. She worked with her department colleague and her CEO of the Trade Center, Dennis Thomas, to learn about the process of importing products for her own business. “With this support, overcoming the challenges of importing jewelry from Mexico has become a reality,” Ruiz said. “This valuable connection gave me the right connections.”
Luis believed passionately in his dreams and came to understand that through a combination of hard work and study, he could achieve anything he wanted. Cultivating her unwavering faith and not letting her fear block her path was key for her. “Surround yourself with people who believe in your dreams and are willing to empower you.” Entrepreneurship was not on my radar for many years, but my family’s legacy of integrity and customer satisfaction It gave me the motivation to continue that tradition here in the United States,” she said. . “I want to pass on that same legacy to my 6-year-old daughter.”
The support Lewis received in the early stages of considering his business venture was invaluable in building a strong foundation for Feeling Gold Jewelry. “Working with ASBTDC has been great,” she said. “They are responsive, collaborative, and connect you with the right people to achieve your vision. All for free.”
The University of Arkansas’ Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center helps small businesses in Northwest Arkansas grow. With offices in Fayetteville and Bentonville, ASBTDC Consultants offers his clients free, one-on-one, confidential consulting and in-person and virtual training to help entrepreneurs gain the knowledge and skills to succeed. and workshops.
U of A’s ASBTDC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration through a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and is a division of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville’s Department of Economic Development.
