Anyone who knows Kirsten Hathaway, junior, always sees her sporting really unique rings. She makes these rings herself out of a variety of silverware. Using Instagram as a tool to promote and sell her products, Hathaway has been able to create a business out of her stylish rings. Early in 2020, Hathaway was excited to try and learn to make rings out of spoons for an activity with her church youth group. Unfortunately, due to COVID, that activity was canceled. Still wanting to try it out for herself, Hathaway purchased spoons and learned through YouTube videos and with help from a member of her church. Through a lot of trial and error and experimenting, Hathaway learned and improved her ring-making process. She started making rings for herself and close friends before realizing that this could maybe turn into something more. Hathaway says, “Eventually I thought, ‘Hey if I would pay someone to make rings for me, maybe others will do the same for me.'”

Hathaway’s thinking paid off, and she’s been making and selling rings since July of 2020. Making about 20 orders a week, Hathaway works 15 to 45 minutes on each ring in order to make it according to the customer’s requests. She has two different designs: a wrap and just a standard ring shape.

“I use a Pepe Tools Superior Ring Bender, a ring mandrel and hammer for sizing, a bolt cutter, a metal file, and a Dremel for polishing. A lot of the spoons that I use I thrift, buy online, get from people’s moms that find a lot of random silverware, or get from my amazing grandma who buys a lot of my more unique designs and sends them down for me!” Hathaway explains.

Hathaway likes to keep her ring prices cheap so that they can be affordable for everyone. She wants to make it easy for a variety of people to buy and wear her rings. This way, people will be more inclined to spread the word about her products, because they are reasonably priced for everyone.

Hathaway states, “All of my rings are $10, and they are mostly stainless steel, but I do get a good amount of sterling silver as well. A lot of people also bring me their own silverware to make rings from; and for that, I charge six dollars.”

Social media has become valuable to business owners all around the world, including Hathaway. Instagram is Hathaway’s main platform for her business and an important aspect of communication between her and her customers. It can sometimes be hard for people to break through all the commotion on social media in order to reach potential customers. Hathaway shares her experience with her business and Instagram and offers advice to other small business social media users.

“I think that [selling products on Instagram] is definitely challenging at some points, just because in no way am I completely put together in this small business I have.” Hathaway advises, “It’s really important to get lots of promotion and have customers post your product and tag you. Also, whenever you have new stuff, put it on your Instagram story and really be an advocate for what you’re selling.”

While social media is vital to Hathaway’s business, she never underestimates the power of face-to-face interaction. She claims, “A lot of my sales come from random people that I meet, just because I strike up a conversation on something that I do and I am passionate about, just like them.”

Hathaway continues, “For example, I went to get a haircut and walked out having sold four rings to the lady that cut my hair. I also sell my rings at the store called The Attic Vintage Co. just because I started up a conversation about how she started her business and a little bit about what I do as well. Never be afraid to get out there and talk about something you love.”

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Never be afraid to get out there and talk about something you love.

— Kirsten Hathaway

From making and selling rings, Hathaway has learned the importance of listening to others and always trying to improve. She encourages others who are trying to sell their own stuff to not be too hard on themselves and to take everything as a learning experience. Being friendly to customers, especially when they have questions, is a big deal to Hathaway as well.

On Hathaway’s Instagram page for her rings (@ringsby.kirst), Hathaway posts pictures of different silverware, with a variety of designs, for customers to choose from. Customers can then direct message Hathaway and claim the spoon or fork’s design. Hathaway will turn the customer’s desired silverware into a ring of their size and offer $1 delivery for locals or $4 shipping. Customers are able to tell which designs are available if the rings are not listed as “sold.” Payment can be done through Venmo, and her information is available on her Instagram page. Hathaway encourages anyone with questions to reach out to her through this Instagram page while she continues to work on a website.

Gallery • 7 Photos

Photo Courtesy of Kirsten Hathaway

This ring that Hathaway made is in a wrap style with a heart hole.