Meet Anna Butterfield | Founder & Jewelry Designer

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

Hi Anna, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
It all began with my love for creativity and hands-on hobbies. Being an entrepreneur is about finding your niche and connecting with others who share your same passions. Jewelry has always fascinated me—I admired the work of designers but felt the urge to add my personal touch to certain pieces. So, during the lockdown of 2021, I started creating jewelry for myself and for loved ones to put in care packages that I would send. I intended to create meaningful and lasting pieces to show how much I cared for them and missed them.

To my surprise, the response was overwhelming! Within a few months, friends of friends were reaching out, asking to purchase pieces they had seen on others. That year I found myself creating hundreds of jewelry pieces for customers not just across the US, but around the globe. It’s been an incredible journey—designing and handcrafting hundreds of pieces, each made with love and care.

One unforgettable moment was receiving my first international order. The thought of someone on the other side of the world wearing a piece of jewelry I created still gives me butterflies!

Something else that went into the thought process was the social impact I wanted to have. Beady Babies is a proud advocate for slow fashion, sustainability, and ethical practices in the jewelry industry. I believe that Jewelry is not something that should be poorly made, overproduced, and wasted. I steer clear of plastic and make most pieces with materials such as real gold, sterling silver, natural gemstones, and freshwater pearls, to give them longevity and a timeless appeal.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve been making and crafting things for as long as I can remember. I was 8 when I organized my first fashion show, where I made clothes and accessories for my dogs and proudly watched them strut their stuff down a makeshift runway lol.

It’s incredibly rewarding watching someone else feel beautiful in their form of self-expression with what they wear, which is why I do a lot of custom work as well. I love learning about my customers and what they desire in jewelry. The joy I get from creating things and seeing people (sometimes pets) wearing my designs is unbeatable.

When I first launched my jewelry company, I was juggling a full-time role in private equity consulting. It was challenging, to say the least! I had to recognize the limitations of certain careers in fostering entrepreneurship and creativity. After recognizing that, I decided to focus solely on my jewelry company six months after launching it. Embracing the multifaceted responsibilities of designing, crafting, managing, and curating my brand has been invaluable. I’ve found so much fulfillment in the journey despite it being demanding at times.

While it can be daunting to put yourself and your brand out there, remember that criticism and negativity are inevitable. I never thought that I would be capable of creating art that strangers would want to wear, but I knew I had something I loved doing I wanted to share that with others.

It’s important to focus on the joy of sharing your creations and the impact you’re making, rather than getting caught up in the noise. I believe it’s important to embrace discomfort in the process, choosing to persist rather than giving up prematurely. 🙂

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?
One of my favorite parts about LA is the limitless amount of things to do!! If I’m not at my desk I’m definitely out and about getting to know LA and all it has to offer.

If my friend were visiting for a week long trip I’d suggest we start the trip with some hikes, going to the beach and checking out some of the incredible art museums LA has to offer. My favorite museums are The Getty Museum, The Getty Villa, LACMA, and the Broad.

I’d of course want to take them around some of my favorite places for dinner and drinks too! My favorite dinner/drink spots are always changing, but currently, most of my favorite spots are in WeHo and Venice. I’d take my friend out to Casa Madera (so fun on Sundays), drinks one night at Gran Blanco, dinner/drinks at Sunset Tower, and maybe a new restaurant in LA like ADKT or DiDi. Also, a day trip to Malibu is always a good idea! 🙂

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Oh gosh, I wouldn’t be anywhere without the support from the people around me! There are so many designers, friends, family, customers and mentors who have inspired me and pushed me in my creative endeavors. The list could go on and on.

Although my jewelry has my personal touch to it, it is inspired by and made for the people around me who admire my brand. For me, the most important part is making jewelry pieces that not only I love, but that other people love and want to wear and invest in.

A favorite quote of mine is from Newton, which says “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Of course, Newton wasn’t known for being a jewelry designer, but every idea and bit of success I have is thanks to the people who have come before me and from the people who have supported and uplifted me in my journey!

Website: https://www.beadybabies.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annabutterfield-21/

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beadybabies

Image Credits
Gianca Photography