Just to start us off, could you take a moment to talk about your personal passions and interests?

Lily: I have always been creative and artsy — I love working with my hands and creating wearable art. I love knitting, cooking, gardening and all of those crafty and quiet activities!

I have always been interested in jewelry and fashion. I remember when I was little, my mom bought me a subscription to W Magazine, and I always gravitated towards the accessories. I was always so attracted to the stuff I could never afford.

At what point did you want to turn your passion for jewelry and fashion into a career?

When I was in art school, I always had the mindset that I did not want to be a struggling painter. I knew I had to support myself, and being able to create and sell my jewelry worked out! 

For 6 years before starting May Martin, I worked for a jewelry manufacturing company that made jewelry for Tommy Bahama and Harley Davidson.

After I left those companies, I did freelance visual merchandising for a bit. Once that ended, I felt like I had nothing to lose in starting to sell my own jewelry, due to a low overhead, so I decided to pursue my dreams!

How did you end up at The LAB?

I first found out about The LAB after a few years of living in Costa Mesa. I’m originally from Miami, and was looking for a Cuban restaurant, and Habana popped up, so that’s how I happened upon it! I felt like it was the most art-centric place in Costa Mesa, and as an art-lover myself, I loved that.

I started selling some of my jewelry to the shop that was previously in our trailer. I became good friends with the owner of the shop, and when she was leaving The LAB, I had just left my job and she suggested that I start leasing the trailer for my jewelry line!

It was great because The LAB allowed me to start small. As a young artist, I didn’t really know what I was doing, but because the trailer was so small, it enabled me to take baby steps and figure it out along the way.

What is it like running your business out of a trailer?

The trailer really forces me to think about every inch of space. It set up a great foundation for me, now that we have a second location in a bigger space, because we appreciate every bit of space we have. I’m so grateful for the trailer — it has taught me and my team so much.

One of my favorite memories from early in the business was cutting out an astroturf carpet for the trailer in The LAB parking lot with my mom. So many things went wrong, but I was just grateful that I got to be there with my mom, and spend time with someone who supports my dreams.

Has your mission evolved since the original conception of May Martin?

When I first started the trailer shop, I was pretty burnt out. I wasn’t planning on creating and selling my own line of jewelry, but rather sourcing it from other local businesses. But when I started looking at other brands, I realized I could source and make my own pieces for cheaper, and everything kind of just snowballed from there!

About four years ago, I acquired an additional space for an office and wholesale operations. We’ve also carved a storefront out of that space where we sell more than jewelry.

In the beginning, I was just trying to make an income for myself. Now that May Martin has become a bigger brand with a bigger team, my mission is to keep my team happy, cultivate their skills, and foster personal and business growth.

What were some of the biggest roadblocks you encountered when starting your own business?

Definitely overcoming the perfectionist mentality. I’m still working on it, but I just try to take it one day at a time.

You have to come to terms with what your personal strengths and weaknesses are. I’m a total grandma when it comes to Instagram and social media. Realizing that allowed me to delegate those responsibilities to someone else on my team that thrives with marketing and social.

You have to let everyone pitch in in a small business. It’s figuring out what people’s passions and skills are, and then trusting them to do that and capitalizing on it as a business.

How do you find time for yourself and step away from work?

When you run your own business, there’s never really a clear line between personal time and business time. You’re always going to be thinking about the emails you haven’t answered yet.

I have to actively practice living in the moment, wherever I am. When I’m working I keep my head down and don’t waste time, so that when I’m trying to enjoy my personal life I can feel confident in shutting the business side off and enjoying the present moment.

What advice would you give to other small business owners?

Don’t let the idea of perfection stop you.

Be prepared to live and breathe your job — especially in the beginning.

Make sure it’s something your passionate about.

Be nice to everyone — it’s a small world and we’re all just trying to do our best.

Always seek out advice and ask questions.

Learn from others.

Learn how to take criticism well and reflect on how you can improve.