Meet Cindy Vuong | Artist & CEO of TwinkledJewels

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

Hi Cindy, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
For many years, I have dreamed about being my own boss. When I was barely 16 years old, I started my own clothing business and resold many items. Sadly, those businesses failed terribly. For a while, I was heavily discouraged. Also, I have always dealt with severe anxiety. I was diagnosed with panic attack and persistent depressive disorder, so it was difficult for me to find a job and go to school. I had a break from all of that and started to do different things, finding joy in new areas I did not know I had.

Being my own boss lets me create and be comfortable in my own space. It was until 2021 where I said I will not get discouraged and quit when it got hard. Later that year, I found out that I really enjoy making jewelry and anime glass paintings. I am the type of person who loves doing a variety of things. It was fun and a creative outlet for me. I posted my first pair of earrings on Instagram Story and so many people were asking to make some for them. A couple of weeks later, I posted my paintings on Instagram reels and it hit 100k views! I was dumbfounded by how many people were actually interested in what I made. After that, I started buying my own supplies and everything I could possibly need to start my small businesses, and that is where my journey began.

What should our readers know about your business?
I started my jewelry business on March 29, 2021. Most of my jewelry is hypoallergenic, non-tarnishing, and durable. Because I have sensitive skin and eczema, my skin would turn green and itchy whenever I wore regular jewelry. I know many people have sensitive skin so I wanted to make jewelry suitable for people like me. I am very proud of myself for not quitting because the old me would have already.

I started my anime glass paintings at the end of December of 2021. My second painting blew up on Instagram reels. It was not millions of views, but it was a number I did not think I would ever receive.

I have many challenges that I faced. First, I overcame the fear of posting myself online with the intense fear of judgment. The past 3-4 years I have gone through a bad group of friends and horrible things were said about me. Today, I am thankful for it because it gave me thicker skin. I thought no matter what I did, people would judge no matter what. I think to myself, would I rather do what I love to do and be judged, or always hide and still be judged?

In my past, I tend to give up on things that I feel like will not work for me. I have learned to not give up too easily and be more patient with my work. I am very proud of myself and where I have come. Even though my sales are not crazy high, I am proud of who I have become. The experience and growing from this has changed my outlook on life and myself. I have learned to become less critical of myself and a lot more confident in my work and myself.

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?
There are so many terrific places in Orange County. I would take them to eat delicious Taiwanese hotpot at Boiling Point or my favorite crawfish place, The Wharf! We could drive on the Pacific Coast Highway and look at the view, or go swimming at our beautiful beaches. In the afternoon we could go to Irvine Spectrum and go shopping together. On Thursdays, we could head to Dave & Buster’s for cheap drinks, food, and arcade games. After that if we are in a mood to be in a lively place, we could go bar hopping in Downtown Huntington Beach or Downtown Fullerton. If they are Disney-lovers, we could head to Disneyland. There are so many places we could possibly head to, I don’t think a week will be enough to experience everything.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to give credit to my family, boyfriend, and friends. They are my root and foundation in why I want to work hard. First of all, my dad is a truck driver who drives long distances from CA to NY. We only got to see him once or twice a week. He was rarely home, and still going strong. At home, my mom was taking care of us three kids on her own. They fed us, provided for us. Everything I wanted, they gave it to me. They both have given me so many opportunities and have never asked for a single thing but to just be happy. My boyfriend, who is a successful business owner, works 24/7. Being with someone like that, motivates me to become goal driven and ambitious as him.

As the oldest of my siblings, I have always felt the need to be the “big sis”, and I did not feel that I have met that goal yet. My little sister suffers from difficult mental illnesses like borderline personality disorder, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. I have always wanted to make enough to pay for her DBT therapy, which has a high success rate but currently out of my budget. Lastly, my brother has grown up to be a fine man serving for our country.

Seeing my loved ones work so hard motivates me daily. I want to be the one, as the oldest, to give back. They are the reason why I do what I do. These amazing people have always supported me throughout, from supporting me mentally or through my businesses. They are the first ones to like, comment, and re-share everything. I just love them so much, and I want to be the one to give them what they deserve.

Website: www.TwinkledJewels.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twinkledjewels/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwinkledJewels/?ref=page_internal

Other: Anime glass paintings: https://www.instagram.com/createwcindy/?fbclid=IwAR2wV6anCO2L2h7FLrECiYhzK1gShQL6Jrec3xT4FDVLCJaTEfG6IXMuDxc