Women in AWE: Maile Parker, Stone + Spark

I’m so excited to be sharing the first Women in AWE post. I’m selecting women who live the AWE lifestyle and feature them here on the blog. I hope their stories inspire you to live Awake, Well, and Empowered by offering you a glimpse of what living in the AWE actually looks like.

If you follow me on Instagram (which you should totally do! I'm @Hallie_Sawyer), I spent the last couple of weeks highlighting Stone + Spark’s amazing oil diffusing jewelry. I reached out to Maile, the owner, to inquire about purchasing a replacement earring for my favorite set. She was happy to oblige and we struck up a partnership when I slobbered all over her via Facebook Messenger on how much I loved their jewelry. I offered to help her grow her business any way I could and our collaboration kicked off from there.

I am always curious how other women find the sweet spot where they are living in AWE and couldn’t wait to find out her story. And now I’m sharing it with you here. Enjoy!

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Tell me how Stone and Spark got started. What was your inspiration?

Stone + Spark actually happened organically. I own a beauty salon and have always loved helping women feel confident and beautiful. I started by making jewelry pieces for myself, things that inspired me, and my friends would ask where I had gotten my jewelry and if I could make pieces for them as well. More and more people began asking, so I made a number of pieces and put them up at the salon so people could shop while they waited for their appointment. Over time, my little pop-up shop at the salon did so well that I decided I wanted to branch out to an online store! Through all of these progressions, it really just stems back to my love of making women feel gorgeous and confident, whether it’s with a lovely haircut or with a stunning piece of jewelry.

Do you remember the specific moment when you decided to start Stone + Spark? What were you feeling when you made that decision?

There wasn’t really a big, “I’m doing this” moment, but more lots of little moments of “Why not try?” that lead me to where I am today. I strive to look at running this jewelry business as a way to learn and grow. If something I’ve done doesn’t work out how I’d planned, I try something else until I’m happy with the result.

What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve had to deal with as an entrepreneur? 

Probably just juggling it all; the salon, Stone + Spark, my family. I give my all to everything I do and sometimes that gets a bit crazy! But I love it and I have incredible people around me who support my vision.

What are you most proud of?

Definitely when someone finds a piece of jewelry that they feel was crafted specifically for them or for someone they love. I greatly enjoy using stones that inspire and excite me, so it’s thrilling when other people have the same reaction to what I’ve created.

What advice would you give your pre-Stone + Spark self?

Breathe! It’s all too easy to get stressed about all the details and worried its not going to work out like I had envisioned. But I think anytime you do something you truly love, it will all work out in the end. So I’d tell myself to breathe and trust the process.

Where do you get your ideas for your pieces? 

Most often I’m inspired to create a piece by a stone or group of stones that really catches my eye. One of my favorite things to do is shop loose stones and many times all it takes is looking at one and I already have in my head what kind of piece I will make with it!

Do you ever get blocked creatively? If so, what do you do to get "back in the flow" of ideas?

Pinterest! There are so many creative people out there and it always helps to get inspired by others. I think this can translate into many areas of life. Too often we see other people and we compare ourselves to them, but it can be very powerful to allow ourselves to feel inspired instead.

I love your About page. You state:

 We believe....

...style has more to do with why you own something

than with following a trend.

...jewelry has more to do with showcasing who you really are than with building a facade.

...the real you has more to do with what is deep inside

than what is on display.

At Stone + Spark, we envision our jewelry accenting your personality, showcasing your beauty,

and igniting your confidence.

That's why we strive to create pieces that spark the inner you.

Purposeful.  Beautiful.  Soulful.

Where did this mantra for Stone + Spark come from?

I was talking to a friend about the meaning behind this jewelry brand and I realized it’s an extension of the purpose behind my salon. It’s about more than just a haircut or a piece of jewelry. It’s deeper than that. It always has more to do with who you are inside that what you look like on the outside, and we built this mantra to reflect that.

You’ve mentioned being a salon owner along with running your jewelry business. How do you do keep it all going or maybe better worded, manage your time to make both businesses successful. 

I feel like I’m constantly figuring this one out, but part of what makes it possible is that creating jewelry is energizing for me. When I get home from the salon, I look forward to sitting down with my materials and watching an idea come to life. And when people send me pictures of them wearing their jewelry, it’s icing on the cake!

I have a vision for all of us to live A(wake), W(ell), and E(mpowered). I’m creating a movement called #intheAWE to inspire one others to do the same. Can you give us an example of something you do that helps you live #intheAWE? 

At the salon, I make it a point to surround myself with incredible, talented people and empower them to live and work to their full potential. In turn, they teach, encourage, and empower me to do the same. I feel like it’s a cycle, what I put out towards others comes back to me. So living #intheAWE for me means to put as much positivity towards others as I can!

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Maile! I loved doing this and can’t wait for others to find your amazing work. Everyone, go check out Stone + Spark to find some amazing handcrafted jewelry that you will absolutely love. You can also find Stone and Spark on Facebook and Instagram.

Have a great weekend!!!

in AWE,

Hal