By: Nicole A. Published on 2 April 2024
Photos from Kiana, VIESO
It is my absolute pleasure to have the opportunity to chat with Kiana, owner of Vieso, for a second time around.
If you didn’t catch the first interview, Kiana answered questions about the story behind Vieso and her journey of learning and growth.
Fast forward a couple of years to now, we get to catch up and talk a little more about her vision and the ins and outs of being a business owner.
Who Is Kiana & What Is Vieso?
Vieso is a handmade jewelry line owned by Kiana Valdivieso.
Made out of San Diego, California, each piece is intentionally crafted and made to be worn by anyone, of any age.
Her slogan, “For A Timeless Soul” embodies this art of creating not only a piece of jewelry but wearing jewelry as an act of expression.
From necklaces to bracelets, earrings, anklets, ear cuffs, and rings, Vieso offers unique, timeless pieces that can be worn as everyday staples or as special occasion pieces. She even offers customized, hand-stamped pieces that are beautiful gifts.
The Little Things
“I love the art that goes into making and designing jewelry. Seeing how wire, chain, beads, or stones all come together to make a piece of jewelry is so beautiful”.
If you follow Vieso on IG or TikTok, she shares snippets of her process when it comes to creating pieces. You can tell from just 60 seconds how much thought, work, and creativity is put behind each unique piece.
One of my favorite answers of hers from our last interview was “With jewelry, people are wearing your art… I think it is so cool that someone is walking around with my art piece on them. It’s like that feeling when someone puts your artwork up in their beautiful house on their wall“.
She voiced this appreciation for the people who wear her jewelry in this interview as well, stating “As a small business owner who makes a handmade product, one of my favorite things is when people wear my jewelry. Jewelry is a hard business because it’s not a product that people necessarily need to buy and you especially don’t need to buy it often. The fact that people choose to buy their jewelry from me or as gifts to loved ones is a feeling I can’t get over”.
With so many mass-produced jewelry options advertised on social media or in malls, it can be easy to give into purchasing trendy pieces offered by large companies.
When you buy from a small business, especially someone who is truly passionate about the art they create and cares about the people who wear them, you are purchasing much more than just a piece of jewelry.
Highlights of Vieso
Vieso has grown so much since the last time I had a chance to speak with Kiana, so I wanted to ask her about some of her favorite moments from the past year.
One of which was learning how to solder. She describes the process, explaining that it “has been quite challenging but has allowed me to be creative in ways I never was able to before. When I solder, I feel this spark of creativity and joy. I am really looking forward to sharing these pieces with my little jewelry community”.
If you visit her Instagram page, she shares this tedious creative process that requires both patience and inspiration. Her dedication to crafting her jewelry pieces by hand with so much intention behind them makes them hold so much meaning and truly special, especially when gifting to yourself or a loved one.
Advice From A Friend & Business Owner
I asked Kiana if she had advice for someone just starting out their business. This was her response:
“If you are just starting out, I would suggest that you start with something you are passionate about. You should love the product or service you are sharing with the world. Another piece of advice I would share is one you’ve probably heard before, it takes time. It takes years and years for a business to get to where you want it to and to be honest, I am still working towards it.”
As someone who has faced the challenges that arise when shifting careers and starting new projects, I found her advice extremely helpful.
And for other business owners and entrepreneurs, I asked if she’d share some of her knowledge.
How do you feel inspired or motivated again, especially after a burnout/ stagnant period?
“With my business being very creative focused, I often find myself in a “creative funk”.
My best advice for me to get back into my creative groove is to step away. If business is busy when I get in this funk, I try to stay super focused and fill my orders but when that’s done, I rest. I really just try to take pressure off myself to release new pieces or post content on social media and mentally, it creates that space I need for creativity to start growing again”.
Kiana’s honesty and words of wisdom can resonate with so many small business owners out there. If you are a business owner or just have a creative mind, take this as a reminder that sometimes what you need is to rest and take a step back.
Her jewelry truly encapsulates her creativity and hard work. It is amazing to see how far she has come and the beautiful new pieces she has released in the past year.
