Krystal Hughes
Once you really understand who you are, why you are here, you can do anything.
Chase Clymer
Welcome to Honest Ecommerce, a podcast dedicated to cutting through the BS and finding actionable advice for online store owners. I'm your host, Chase Clymer. And I believe running a direct-to-consumer brand does not have to be complicated or a guessing game.
On this podcast, we interview founders and experts who are putting in the work and creating real results.
I also share my own insights from running our top Shopify consultancy, Electric Eye. We cut the fluff in favor of facts to help you grow your Ecommerce business.
Let's get on with the show.
Hey everybody, welcome back to another episode of Honest Ecommerce.
Today, I'm welcoming the show Krystal Hughes. She is the creator of Krowned Krystals and Krystal Glaze glue. With a passion for all things bling and a deep dedication to her faith, Krystal has built a brand that reflects her love for sparkly glamorous creations while spreading the message of Christ.
Krystal Hughes, welcome to the show.
Krystal Hughes
Hello, Chase. I'm so glad to be here.
Chase Clymer
I'm excited to chat. Alright, so obviously I mentioned the products that you've brought to market. But can you quickly let the audience know what we are actually selling online? What are the things you're hustling?
Krystal Hughes
Alright. So I'm Krystal Hughes, Founder CEO of Krowned Krystals and creator of Krystal Glaze glue. But my true passion lies in inspiring and motivating women specifically to become the best versions of themselves, unlocking the confidence to shine, finding their purpose. And so, crowned Krystals is the vehicle that connects me to these women.
We all are like-minded women who share a passion for faith, DIY, bling, sparkle, and crafting. And so we supply rhinestones and the rhinestone glue to crafters, creatives, and bling artists.
As a thought leader in this space, I am thrilled to get the opportunity each day to pour into the lives of women through rhinestone art.
Chase Clymer
That's amazing. So the products themselves are the rhinestone and then the actual glue. Alrighty.
Now take me back in time. Where did the idea for this business come from?
Krystal Hughes
Well, I've always had the mind in the heart of an entrepreneur. I am a product of a legacy of funeral directors. So my great grandparents and my grandparents and my mother are all a part of the funeral home industry. And so my great grandfather started that business and I spent all my summers, my afterschools, my holidays, weekends at the funeral home.
And so that's where I first gained the passion for entrepreneurship. I was raised around it. I saw it all the time. And so I started many businesses along the way before I founded Krowned Krystals. Most of them failed.
And it wasn't until I got to college and I started dabbling in the art of rhinestone crafting. I've always loved fancy, shiny, sparkly things. It made sense to me. I wanted to be able to make these things for myself.
So I started in college. I was not very good at it. I started trying to make some baby shoes. I posted them on eBay and they were so bad. The customer sent them back to me because they were horrible. And she gave me some advice. And that was about 2007, 2008.
And I still have the shoes to this day. This is how they looked. If you are not familiar with rhinestone art of crafting, you might even think they look bad. But if you can imagine the baby shoe foot could not fit in the shoe at all.
So when we compare my work now and what I'm teaching people to do, there's a significant difference in the shine, sparkle and placement of the rhinestones. And so I didn't… I wasn't very good at it. I got discouraged after she sent them back to me. The customer sent the shoes back to me.
I let it go and it wasn't until I had my first baby that I wanted her walking shoes, the ugly walking shoes that most kids wear. They're plain white, bulky and I wanted my baby to stand out. So I started backdabbling in the art of bling, rhinestones and all of my baby's items.
And then eventually I started posting all of my work on Instagram, which led to this new audience that I did not even know existed. Those people started asking me, ‘Where do you get your rhinestones from? How do you do that?’
And so after I got that question for so long, I started doing research on how I could become the supplier and that's exactly what I did.
Moving forward years later, they started asking some of the same questions. ‘How do you glue the rhinestones? What glue do you use?’ And so after much research and testing, I founded Krystal Glaze glue, which is now our top seller. And so that opened us up to an even wider audience of crafters, creatives, and bling artists.
Chase Clymer
That's amazing.
Can you talk to me about just posting on Instagram? Was it truly just kind of people started seeing it? Or were you trying to game the algorithm? How did you first break into social?
Krystal Hughes
I was not trying it at all. I was... I'm from the MySpace era. I'm a millennial. I've always loved the content, the capturing the moment, the sharing of the journey. So it was just kind of for my self-fulfillment of me posting my work. And I wasn't that hands on with Instagram and how it works.
And around that time, it was becoming kind of new, or at least to me, that people were really making money on Instagram. So there wasn't even a thought. It was just like, I'm posting and after a while it's like, ‘Oh, you want something from me. So how can I give that to you?’
So it wasn't that I started with the idea that I wanna make all of this money. It just kinda happened. I believe that once you are walking in your purpose, the correct doors begin to open for you because you're in alignment with what you're supposed to be doing.
So I don't believe that if I had not started, I wouldn't be here because I didn't know that it was possible.
Chase Clymer
You've also found some great success through social. How long do you... Would you say that you were posting content before it evolved into a business?
Krystal Hughes
I still remember… Maybe around 2018 is when I first started, ‘Oh. I can make money from this.’
And I came across this small business coach at the time. I wasn't even familiar with those kinds of things, that I had resources out there that people could help me to build this business. And I still remember we did like an onboarding sheet where we had to explain where we currently are in the journey. And I remember having like 796 followers. And that was still big back then.
To me it's like, I don't know these people, but I'm steadily gaining the traffic of these people coming to my page. And so once I took that course and I really understood how Instagram worked and what was expected of me, then I kind of started to tailor my content around what my audience needed from me.
And so after that, I don't know the specific times and how fast I grew, but it was not long at all that a little over time, the more I posted, and at that time, the more I posted, the more people joined me quickly.
So now I think we set it to 50-something thousand followers on Instagram alone. And we started it from what I can remember about 790.
Chase Clymer
Absolutely. And now are you guys also on TikTok?
Krystal Hughes
Yes, we are on TikTok. I don't even like TikTok, but we're on TikTok. I prefer Instagram and YouTube, but we are on TikTok.
Chase Clymer
Absolutely. Yeah, I know that a lot of businesses have found... At least trialed TikTok and some found success. Some haven't really made it work for them.
But social media, it's so interesting to me to build a business on the back of it. Whereas other contemporary entrepreneurs, they're almost beholden to meta for the ads and not for the social reach.
So I guess my question on top of that would be, do you feel that if you had the ability to, would you want to expand your reach through paid ads to grow faster? Or do you think that building this audience organically was the best route for you and your business?
Krystal Hughes
I think that ads are important. Realistically or truthfully, I've just started really using ads like last year. And we turned them out for a while. And we just started a couple months ago.
I am a product of organic reach, organic marketing. So I think the organic reaches important in your journey along the way will change. When I first started posting, I was just being myself. I was the face of the brand. So people were drawn to me as a person.
And so as the business grows over time, you realize that this is overwhelming. There are too many people reaching out to me. I need a separation. This is not a company. I am no longer just by myself. I have a whole team.
And so the structure of my business, how we market it changed along the way, and I experienced a huge bump in the road when I started trying to slowly remove my face from the brand. My audience is used to seeing me, and that's a common mistake that can happen with people in business.
When you get ready to sell your business, then because you are the face of the brand, it will be very, much more difficult for you to sell your brand if you are the face of the brand.
So once I started attending masterminds and realizing that my business could be acquired, I started trying to, ‘Okay, well maybe I shouldn't be the face of the brand. I can use some of my UGC content.’ However, when you're walking in your purpose, when you're on a specific path that God has assigned you, everybody does not have the same journey.
I wanted so bad to not be the face of my brand at one point, but that has not worked out. That is not the position and the call that God has for me because my true passion is to inspire and serve the women and motivate them. And so how can I do that if I'm never seen and my voice is never heard?
So everybody has a different journey. I feel that organic marketing has helped and continues to help me reach the people that I'm supposed to reach.
However, there are still many people who do not know about me who need to hear my story, who need my products. And so we have started running paid ads, which I think are beneficial as well.
Chase Clymer
Absolutely. It just helps to pour.
I think that one of the best ways to think about paid ads is like pouring gas on a fire, but there's no fire to begin with. It's just kind of wasting money.
Krystal Hughes
Exactly. So true. So true.
Chase Clymer
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Chase Clymer
Let's talk about what's going on now with the business. We're recording this just before Q4 2024. What's Krystal's secret sauce? What's your marketing plan for 2024? How are you going to have the best year ever?
Krystal Hughes
Well, my secret sauce is just being myself. I found that when I try to be somebody else, I don't attract the right people. I am terrified to show up. I'm unorganized. And so it's best that I just be myself and I attract the people that I want to inspire and motivate.
I lead with posting creative content of me creating the bling items that I create, which inspires others to wanna learn the craft. And so that continues to open me up to an even wider audience that I get to serve. And so we're trying to inspire as many people as we possibly can to not only love the art of rhinestones, but to become the best versions of themselves.
I launched my first book, I believe, two years ago. And recently I published my second book, which releases on Amazon on October 30th. And the title of that book is Think Bigger, Shine Brighter. And I want my audience to unlock their purpose and their potential. Everyone has been blessed with gifts, talents, and abilities.
And because we serve together, because we all have the same thing in common, we love DIY, crafting art, we love spreading the love of Christ, we come together under one common goal to become the best versions of ourselves. And so I'm excited about where we currently are in 2024, we're wrapping things up, but it leads us into an even greater 2025.
Chase Clymer
Absolutely.
And I know that you guys have an amazing content model of how you make the content. Can you walk me through what you're doing on IG Lives and how you... It's just so fun. I don't want to really give it away.
Krystal Hughes
Yes. I'm not really a live girl. I go live. But I am really an introvert at heart. Most people think that I'm an extrovert. I don't mind sharing when I'm comfortable about a specific subject. I can ramble all day. I'm really a talker. But I'm really an introvert. I'm an extroverted introvert.
I can't adapt, but I don't really like going live, but I love creating creative content. I love YouTube videos. And so I am a fan of voiceovers. And so voiceovers allow me to be able to express my personality, share my story.
And if we are all aware of what's happening on social media right now, lots of people record videos and then they will do a voiceover about something completely different. So sometimes I might be blinking out a pair of shoes, but I'm talking to my audience about unlocking their purpose to shine, how to use their talents, gifts, and abilities. And that has worked for me. I think it's important that each and every person finds what's best for them.
Sometimes I would love the opportunity to be like some of the Instagram account holders who just post their hands or their faceless accounts. Everyone serves a different purpose. So for me, it has been valuable content of me teaching my audience how to do what I do and then how to go even further in their journey.
So finding what works best for you, I think is very important and building community around what you know how to do and what you offer is extremely important as well.
Chase Clymer
Absolutely.
Let's talk a bit more about community. Obviously, you started on Instagram and now you're getting to IG and TikTok exists.
Krystal Hughes
Yes.
Chase Clymer
How are you connecting with that community beyond just the content?
Krystal Hughes
Yes. So for a while, it was just the content. Another phase in my business, I think around 2021, I launched the Bling Boss Academy where it was a high ticket program and I was helping entrepreneurs and sharing with them the things that I experienced at that point along my journey and giving them all the tools, everything that they needed to start the business.
I found that that was not my specific area or I just didn't enjoy it. I don't like to consider myself to be a coach, but I do. I do love connecting, inspiring and motivating women. I've discovered along my path that I love business, but I don't really like teaching business. I like to be able to help you to see what you are capable of doing, give you the tools, help you to think bigger so that you can shine brighter and then lead you on your way.
So we are in the process currently to launch 2025, the Shine Brighter Society, where it's basically like a membership program and we all come together in this group where I get to show and share bling trips, bling tricks and tips, but also share the specifics of how to build a business, how to connect on Instagram, how to grow a following.
Everything that I know, I want to be able to inspire those who are part of my group. And so we're launching that in 2025. It gives me a breather because I can just show up and be myself and nurture the people who truly desire to learn from me .And I don't feel like I'm a coach and I could just be myself and give them the content that they specifically need, being a part of the Shine Brighter Society.
Chase Clymer
That's amazing, Krystal.
Now, is there anything I didn't ask you about today that you think would resonate with our audience?
Krystal Hughes
I think that it's important to just keep going. I, too, myself, even after all of these years in business, I want to quit so many times.
It gets so difficult. It becomes extremely overwhelming. And if you are not grounded in your faith, if you do not understand your purpose, why you're here, it will be extremely difficult. So I think it's important to first do a lot of self work.
I used to not be a reader, but I learned so much just by reading books. And I've always been a great writer, but I'm never a great reader. But me writing my books also serves as a way for me to be able to bless others and share my story and share tools that people can use.
So I'm excited about where we're going and I'm excited to be able to inspire, to continue to inspire others to think bigger and shine brighter.
I want you to know that you can do it. You are no different than anyone else. And just like I can, it's so cliche. We hear it all the time, but it's really true. Once you really understand who you are, why you are here, you can do anything. And you can enjoy what you're doing along the journey as well.
Chase Clymer
Absolutely. Krystal's not lying.
So if I'm listening to this podcast, and I'm picking up what you're putting down, and I’m like, ‘You know what, I want to bling out some stuff. Where should I go? What should I do?’
Krystal Hughes
Yes. You should go to www.krownedkrystals.com and we supply rhinestones and Krystal Glazed glue soon to be on Amazon.
Our rhinestones are unique because they are glass rhinestones and they come all mixed together in one pack. That's a common thing that people who are just getting started in the craft, they're confused. They don't know about size and we make it easy. Everything comes together in one pack.
And then you can follow me on YouTube where I give live demonstrations on how to use the actual product. So if you have no clue where to even begin, I'm here to teach you how to do that as well and supply you with the best high quality rhinestones and glue.
Chase Clymer
Awesome. Krystal, thank you so much for coming on the show today.
Krystal Hughes
Thank you so much, Chase, for having me.
Chase Clymer
We can't thank our guests enough for coming on the show and sharing their knowledge and journey with us. We've got a lot to think about and potentially add into our own business. You can find all the links in the show notes.
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Lastly, if you're a store owner looking for an amazing partner to help get your Shopify store to the next level, reach out to Electric Eye at electriceye.io/connect.
Until next time!
