Meet Rey Medina | Beadsbyrey

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

Hi Rey, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started my business unintentionally in 2017. I started getting into crystals and I was looking for a way to have them on me without carrying them in a bag all the time. My friend gave me the idea to buy a bracelet. I shopped around on Amazon and bought a bracelet that I wore all the time and still have till this day. However I wanted a bracelet with my favorite crystals in it (onyx and pyrite). So I went to the local crystal store and bought some beads to make my own. A few friends noticed my bracelet and asked if I could make them one. After time more and more people asked and I started getting the idea to make it a side thing I do. Later on my good friend Jose Martinez, founder of J.Threads, influenced me to make a full on business out of it. And then beadsbyrey was born. I have always been into jewelry since I was a kid. I always wanted a necklace or a bracelet for Christmas and birthdays. And not just any jewelry, I wanted real authentic jewelry. My mom was always the type to never wear fake jewelry and that definitely rubbed off on me. This is why I use real crystals in my bracelets. I want my product to look, feel and be authentic.

What should our readers know about your business?
I put a lot of good intentions into my business. I am not just trying to make money. I am providing something that people can love, appreciate as well as benefit from. Crystals have beneficial properties, so wearing them can help you depending on the crystal. I get most excited when a returning customer tells me how much the love their bracelet or what kind of purpose it brought to their life. The genuine joy I see from my customers is the best part of what I do.
I feel I was blessed in the way my business came to me. I won’t say that it was easy. I have to put in a lot of thought and work into what I do. However, it feels natural and it feel like I’m feeling my purpose. And in that sense it makes it easy to work hard.
I’ve learned many lessons along the way. For the most part it is to show love to the community and to be prepared. I struggle keeping up with events, so learning to be prepared is a huge focus for me.
What I want the world to know about my brand is that my main goal is to promote love and positivity. I love to smile and see other people smile. There’s no better feeling than bringing joy to someone through one of my pieces.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I currently live in Chico, but when I was in SoCal my favorite place to go was the beach. The ocean always helped clear my mind and find peace within myself. There are too many food Mexican restaurant for me to name off but just about all of them are amazing. And there nothing like going to a live show. And SoCal has plenty of talent to see. From headliners to free shows, live music is always a good time.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to shout out Jose Martinez for being my business associate, my mentor and my homie. Jose was one of the first people to notice my bracelets and asked for one before I made it a business. He always believed in me and my product and helped my business get to where it is today. I’d also like to thank my mom, dad and whole family for their unconditional love. Their support gives me the confidence that I can never fail. And most importantly I’d like to thank God for being my savior. All glory to God

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Website: Available soon. Hopefully by the end of march

Instagram: @beadsbyrey

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