Conversations with Dana Birke

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Birke.

Hi Dana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My beginning is a pretty “wuwu” story! I used to be a personal chef and I was simply tired of marinating salmon and whipping up blueberry muffins. So naturally, I consulted my psychic healer as to what I should do! She saw two avenues for me: one was as a personal stylist (which sounds pretty darn fun) and the second was as a jewelry designer.

Now, I had always been a jewelry girl. If you look at photographs of me from when I was 8, you’ll see a messy Marvin with a mop top but I was always wearing jewelry! As fate would have it, a bead shop had recently opened at the bottom of my road and my husband bought me some jewelry-making classes. It was love at first wire wrap and as they say, 16 years later, the rest is history!

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think anyone has a “smooth road” when starting a business!

There is imposter syndrome (that’s a biggie!), the fact that there are so many incredible jewelers who work in the same town that I do, there are the cold calling shops, there’s being rejected by markets and fairs, fighting wind and other elements at outdoor markets, and on the list goes! That said, if you’re enjoying the whole learning and creative process, it’s worth it.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Gems, gems, gems! I am all about the gems. I can’t help myself; I love the colors and the sparkle. If I don’t have the exact gem that someone is looking for, I find it!

“I know a guy !” (LOL)

The two adjectives I get most often when people are looking at my work are “sweet and delicate”. I think the biggest compliment I’ve ever received is when someone at a market was looking around and said, “Your jewelry looks just like you.” Quite frankly, nothing else will come out of my hands! I’ve tried to create things with a little more “weight” and they just don’t seem right.

One of the things that I’m most proud of in my business is my absolute commitment to customer service! If something breaks, I’ll fix it. Lengthen it, shorten it, swap out a stone, I’m your girl! If I can’t meet a customer’s needs, I’ll send them to someone who can. I also LOVE being able to surprise people with little gifts. If someone is going through something difficult, I like to surprise them with a piece of jewelry just as a show of love and support.

What are your plans for the future?
Well, speaking of a bit of “wuwu,” as of late I’ve been getting into “witchcraft” for lack of a better term! I have always been psychic-talked to angels, received messages in dreams, predicted things that have come to happen, and so on.

I’ve been reading about and studying the whole world of psychic healing and magic, and of course, one of the areas I’m most drawn to is the use of gems. So look for a little extra healing and magic coming your way from Dana Birke Designs!

Pricing:

• $40-$180

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.danabirkedesigns.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danabirkedesigns/