Carly Auerbach
As a brand that celebrates, encourages, and admires courageous makers, we created this series to endorse the ones that have made taking chances look easy. By subscribing to our newsletter, you’ll get to meet new makers every first of the month, and learn the ins-and-outs of what it takes to make it all happen.
Before we introduce you to what makes her a maker, meet the woman behind the magic, Carly Auerbach! As a business-degree grad with a creative spirit and eye for aesthetic, Carly truly is a triple threat. Meshing her love for crafty endeavors with her expertise in marketing, she created Carlisle Co., a handmade jewelry company based in Southern California. As a one-woman-brand, she puts the “make” in maker; and for that we applaud her.
Q: Tell us about your business!
A: "I make gold-filled and gold-plated jewelry, all designed & handmade by me! My aesthetic is pretty minimalistic, “simple yet styled,” as I like to say.
The best way I can describe it is I pretty much wear a plain white tee and my favorite pair of jeans every day, but when I throw on a few of my favorite unique, yet simple layered necklaces--all of the sudden I look way more put together.
Adding in that little something extra just makes me feel like I tried a bit harder than I did to look cute. I loooove intricate attention to detail, especially in the small things, and I think that is exemplified in the jewelry I make."
Q: What inspired you to start making?
A: "I've been making jewelry for over 10 years, mostly for myself and close friends. Making something unique has always been my go-to gift for others because it feels so personal and intentional-- and that’s exactly how this began.
After having my full-time job put on hold due to COVID, I thought, “Why not turn this hobby into a little business?” And here we are.
The name comes from my middle name, Carlisle, which is where I got the name that I go by now, Carly. I’ve always loved the way Carlisle looked written out. And so, my birth certificate (and now business) say one, but I’ve always gone by the other."
Q: Walk us through your creative process...
A: "Well, first I can tell ya it’s not always glamorous. I probably spend about 35% of my time making the pieces, the end-product. The other 65% is spent sourcing materials and making sure I have the right supply (and quality!) for my unfulfilled orders, updating the website, taking product shots, going back and forth with customers about custom orders, planning out social media & marketing campaigns, managing financials, printing shipping labels, and packaging the orders once they’re made.
I can tell you that when I started I had no clue the 65% would even be a part of this whole thing. I thought it would just be making cute jewelry and throwing it in an envelope-- but there are a million more things that go into it than just the end product."
Q: What would you say makes your business special?
A: "Everything you see is created, sourced, designed, packaged, and shipped by me (from my bedroom, by the way). And, it’s all customizable-- these are my favorite type of orders! Customers choose exactly what they want for their piece--from the type of chain and clasp, freshwater pearls or charms (or any combo of both!), and the exact length they need of the necklace or bracelet.
Sometimes, I’ll get people reaching out saying, “Hey I want something like this that I saw at so-and-so, can you make something similar?” Then, I’ll go on a little hunt and see if I can find something similar to what they’re looking for.
Overall, I just want people to know how much care I put into every single piece of jewelry that I send out. I mean, I touch every part of the process from beginning to end, and each order feels so personal. Plus, it feels amazing knowing people out there want to support me and this hobby of mine."
Q: What do you see for the future of your business?
A: "Who knows! I’m trying to figure out what Carlisle Co. will look like when I start working full-time. It would be awesome to continue to have it as a little side hustle as my creative outlet on top of working in consulting (VERY not creative). The next level dream would be to get into some small boutiques and shops and have them offer my stuff!"
As you follow along through this series, we hope you decide to do the same with our maker of the month on their platforms! To keep up with their making endeavors, here’s where you can find them:
Instagram - @carlisle__co
Website - carlisleco.squarespace.com
