Jordy Cardell (she/her) loves two things: crafting and acting. When she’s not performing on stage, she uses clay and other mediums to create products for her store. Her current favorite items to make are clay earrings. She mixes colors and works them into shapes like rainbows, butterflies, mushrooms, and lips. Jordy graduated from The University of Memphis with her Bachelor of Fine Arts. She launched her business in January 2022, and I asked what led her to open a shop. She told me, “I did commissions on and off, and then over winter break in December, I tested positive for COVID on Christmas Eve.” She was quarantined over the holidays with her mom, and that’s when she realized she wanted to commit to selling her products.
But how does she have time to pursue acting and run a business? She told me that while she was still in school, her days would start at 9 A.M. and wouldn’t finish until 3 A.M. “The only time I'm really able to work on my stuff is the window between 11:00 PM and 2:00 to 3:00 AM, which I would love…I just get to come in here and do whatever the heck I want, but I'm also, you know, tired.” I asked her how she tries to balance her time between everything. “I make a to-do list just about every day because I have to. I will forget everything.” She says using to-do lists is also a way for her to take care of her mental health because if she doesn’t, she feels scattered and overwhelmed. Small business owners need to remember to take care of their mental health and their business. Jordy also reminds herself that she is still new at running a business, and that calls for some grace and giving herself time to get things done.
Jordy also does paintings and prints. She still offers commissions for those seeking a piece that isn’t on her website. “I’ve done a lot of Memphis scenery for friends and family and a few businesses. I’ve got some pieces hanging up in the Garibaldi’s on Mendenhall.” She takes pride in her work and her city, saying she loves the conglomeration of cultures and different kinds of people. However, she also knows that there are ways that Memphis can improve. “We need to work on our education systems. Our public schools desperately need help. The inner-city schools, the juvenile system, there needs to be police reform. There’s a lot of things that can be better.” Despite this, she still loves her city and does what she can to show support for Memphis. Small businesses and creators like Jordy are what keep Memphis running. The creativity and investment they put into their city and their pride are admirable, and we should do what we can to support these small businesses and our city.
As mentioned before, her current favorite product to make is her clay earrings. She says that she loves working with her hands and feels like a kid when she gets to craft. When she paints, her favorite thing to paint is lips. “There’s something very charming, endearing, and also sensual about the mouth and its power for communication. And also just the form of the human body, how beautiful it is, you know, regardless of sex or gender and that blend, that spectrum of it. There’s so much beauty about the human body.” She has several products that feature lips and the human body that people can check out on her website. In addition, she has some new products coming, like a shirt with a frog wearing fishnets and a cowboy hat. So, be on the lookout for some wacky new t-shirts!
Do you create and sell unique items and want to gain customers? Reach out to The Profit Link for strategies to grow your business. Do you want to be featured in our blog? Email us at blog@theprofitlink.com!