Made New: Jewelry with a mission

Jewelry that inspires and encourages 

Every piece from Made New is designed to inspire and encourage the person wearing it. Made New’s jewelry is meant to be a reminder of the value of the wearer each reminder having a biblical background and versus that goes with it.

In the image above are some of Made New’s main inspirations! “You are called” from Matthew 28:19 which the crosses represent. Then pearls represent being “chosen” from 1 Peter 2:9. Made New’s heart charms remind customers that “they are loved” from 1 John 3:16. Psalm 139:13-14 is the reminder that “you are beautiful” represented by flower charms. Then lastly the very meaning of Made New the butterfly charms are meant to remind customers that in Christ “you are made new ''! 

The goal is that when customers wear these pieces that despite their background, where they come from, or their mistakes that they have made, that they remember how valued, loved, and seen they are by their creator. 

Jewelry made locally & globally

Made New’s jewelry handmade both locally and globally and sourced both locally and globally. The jewelry is either handmade by me or my team members in the STL area. If the jewelry is not handmade by me or my team it is sourced from other businesses both locally and globally. I source handmade jewelry from a local STL based business with jewelry made by refugees. Then I also source jewelry globally from an organization that sells threaded bracelets handmade by families in the Philippines. Lastly, I sell handmade bracelets from widows in Uganda, Africa. 

As Made New continues to grow I hope to continue to source more handmade jewelry globally partnering with other businesses to sell their jewelry! By doing this, Made New is supporting other businesses with a mission and helping them grow by partnering with them and selling their products! 

Jewelry that Supports Missions 

As a Christian based business, Made New’s goal is to continue to support missions both locally and globally. Whether that's giving to a local church, donating to nonprofit organizations in the area, or helping to raise mission funds for overseas missions, Made New is supporting Missions! So that means that when you support Made New and when you make a purchase you are helping to make a difference!

Christian Values in the Marketing World 

Being a ministry-based business is a huge part of what Made New is and why I have such a passion for Made New and its mission. Despite the joys of running a mission-based business and getting to see the difference it makes there can be many challenges with running a Christian based business. 

This article on, 5 Habits of a Christian Entrepreneur (That Sets You Apart) - Business Dream Hub, showed great distinctions of what a Chrisitan Entrepreneur is. The role of an entrepreneur is similar to the role of a Chrisitan However the difference is the goal of the entrepreneur versus the goals of a Christian entrepreneur. Below are five habits and traits that characterize a Christian entrepreneur. 

Christian entrepreneurs and Christian based businesses are seen as hard working and diligently based businesses. They persevere through struggles and are not afraid to start small and work their way up. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Christian entrepreneurs strive to glorify God through all of their business endeavors. 

In order to grow as a Christian business and stay faithful to your beliefs and practices you have to be discipled and able to practice self-control. There is a hard battle between personal life and business life since for most Chrisitan entrepreneurs their business is their mission and ministry. For Made New it has been a constant battle for me to not prioritize my business over my family or close friends. 

Next Christian run businesses should be honest and trustworthy. They should do their best to sell products to customers for the appropriate prices and be honest about the materials their products are made from. This can be very hard as a business owner because it's easy to lie and cheat customers out of their money. But being a Christian based business and claiming to hold to Christian values we have to make sure that customers can trust us because we are representing Christ and our faith. 

Christian entrepreneurs are good stewards with their time and resources. They do their best to make the most of every hour and the most of their resources. They are aware that time is fleeting and to make sure that they are doing things that will last for eternity.

The last character trait of a Christian entrepreneur is contentment. This is huge and speaking from experience a very necessary character trait. Learning to be content with how they are growing. Money doesn't have to be gained in a fast way but rather businesses start growing step by step. It is also important as a Christian Entrepreneur to look back at everything you have been through and how much you have already grown. It is easy to compare yourself to other businesses, businesses that you think are way better than you and that are growing way more, but you have to learn how to focus on what you can be doing and be content where you are while doing your best to grow. 

All of these habits are habits that I strive to have and do my best to represent Made New with these traits. These traits of being diligent, self-controlled, honest, good stewards, and content all traits that show Chrsitan values and when practiced will help you run a successful business that glorifies God. This is the kind of business I want Made New to be known for. I want it to be a business that people can come to and look at and notice something different and feel loved and valued. I want people to be able to see Christ in Made New. 

Challenges of Being a Christian Entrepreneur

You will also need to be in prayer to have discernment for certain situations that you may be in. I know for me as a business owner there have been multiple instances where I have had to say no to certain things because I know that they would not represent Christ and it would not look good for me to be identified with those things. It is a hard balance because being a mission-based business I want to be a light in the darkness and be an example of Christ even in sinful surroundings. 

Balancing Faith and Profitability 

Christian Entrepreneurs have to learn how to balance their finances. They have an eternal perspective and realize that it is more important to store up treasures in heaven than on earth. While finances are important for growing a business, finances aren't the only way a business grows. This is a hard thing to balance however. How much to keep the businesses owner, how much to reinvest, how much to donate, and how much try to make. This is a constant battle that I have had to deal with as a Christina entrepreneur. It requires lots of help from spiritual leaders, business advisers, and prayer. God calls us to be wise with our resources and has given us the ability to make money so that we can do good. Money balanced in a healthy way is not necessarily a bad thing, but can be a great tool to make a difference in the world and grow your business and impact. 

Something that has helped me with my business and I try to remind myself so that first it's not about the money but the mission then that the more money I can make the more of a difference I can make if I am utilizing the money for missions purposes. If I’m not making money then my business is not growing and I want to be able to make as much of an impact as I could. This has been a hard thing to realize and many times i have felt guilty for not donating more money to missions or not giving way enough money but as I have grown I have realized how important the balance is in this. In order to obtain the goals I have for Made New and the impact and mission of Made New I have to learn how to balance what I give away and what I reinvest into the growth of Made New. 

Conclusion and Personal Reflection 

Then lastly something like I already mentioned above I do my best to remind myself as a Chrisitan entrepreneur that it's about the Mission not the money. In slow seasons where Made New close to nothing or in busy seasons where Made New is making more money than ever I try to realize that this is not what defines the success of my business. Rather I focus on the impact and mission of Made New and whether that is being reached not just the money. Are more people following, learning, sharing, and telling people about Made New. Are we showing more people the love of Jesus and representing him through Made New. Are we having heartfelt conversations with customers and touching them in more ways than money ever could. Are we making a difference in the community we are involved in. These things can be the encouragement I have when business is slow to focus not on the money but see where God is still working. I believe that one of the most important things to keep in mind as a Christian Entrepreneur is to not have money as your main goal and focus. 

While there are lots of struggles when it comes to being a Christian Entrepreneur and running a Business as a Chrsitian it is worth it and so rewarding to see the ways that God is working through you and your business! Don’t be afraid to start small and work your way up! With God all things are possible!

If you'd like to learn more and get more information and see more about Made New click the link below and feel free to reach out with any questions or comments! I love sharing my business insights with others and sharing this journey of being a Chrisitan Entrepeneur with anyone who wants to!