The Minne Design Co
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do:
Anndee: The Minne Design Co
I am a native Minnesotan, but spent nearly a decade on the West Coast. I moved back to Minnesota to go to graduate school for environmental engineering. While I love my career path, I found myself missing my creative outlets. I was very musical and crafty growing up and I found that I needed to balance all the math and science, so I started making jewelry. I kept getting comments that I should sell my products, so I finally launched an online store this year. Now, in addition to graduate school, I make jewelry and home decor (mostly wall hangings) in my spare time. Currently, my products are primarily handmade with clay, but I hope to expand to other materials in the future.
Let us know more about your business name - how did you come up with it?
I explored many names, but I kept coming back to "The Minne Design Co" because, while I love the mountains and the sea, my roots and heart will always be in Minnesota. Plus, I love the idea of keeping this business small batch, handmade, and local. In other words, keeping it "minne".
Photo By: @Meggydphotography
What is your signature style / item? How did it become so?
I would say my style is simple, geometric, and modern. I love geometric shapes, probably because I am a engineer and they have always appealed to me. I also love simplicity. As I have moved and traveled, I have grown to truly believe less is more. I am also about to launch a "bridal/wedding" collection. My initial inspiration was to make earrings for my bridesmaids!
What makes your business unique to the industry?
When it come to jewelry and home goods, many tend to be mass produced. Everything I make is handmade with a lot of attention and detail. I also think I offer styles accessible to everyone. Some other handmade jewelry can be very bold. While I hope my pieces make a statement, I also want people to be able to wear the jewelry everyday or keep the decor up on their walls year round.
What's been your biggest roadblock when it comes to business and how have you been able to overcome?
I would say outreach has been the biggest hurdle. I have tried to overcome this by strongly promoting on social media. I believe I still have a lot of work to do in this area. Another challenge, since social media has been a major outlet, is getting quality photos. Collaborating with photographers has been a huge help in getting high quality photos of my products.
How has your business had to adapt amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic? What are you doing to navigate the situation?
Since my business is relatively new and by the time I was able to launch, COVID was in full swing, I haven't had to adapt as much as design my business to persist despite it. I was hoping to attend craft fairs to sell my pieces in person, but COVID has largely prevented this. I hope to when the pandemic is over.
What is your favorite part of what you do?
Designing new pieces!! I can totally lose track of time working on creating new styles. Often times they don't turn out, but the reward of a new design is totally worth it. I also really look forward to being able to sell at shows and fairs once the pandemic is over.
What is your *must do* local activity?
There are so many great local activities, it is hard to pick one! I would say, stand up paddle boarding around one of the Minneapolis lakes. Lake Bde Maka Ska would be a great option. If you don't have your own, you can rent one. Then you need to grab a MN Nice Cream or a Pryes Royal Raspberry Sour Beer to cool down after.
Where to find The Minne Design Co:
Instagram: instagram.com/theminnedesignco
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theminnedesignco