It all started with a few too many spicy margs in Punta Cana...
kidding... kind of...
Friends since high school, Kelsey and Holly had dreamed of starting a business together for many years. With so much happening in life—marriages, kids, dogs, jobs—their dreams always seemed to get put on the backburner. That is until Kelsey learned about permanent jewelry on her honeymoon in, you guessed it, Punta Cana. Kelsey realized they could put their talents together to build something intentional and fun!
Holly, a mom of two, wife, and incredible jewelry maker saw that permanent jewelry can be a fun way for people to express themselves and to make jewelry an experience rather than just a shopping opportunity. She also saw that the offerings from other permanent jewelry businesses were all quite similar and lacked a personal touch. With that she has made it her personal mission to create pieces that reflect unique personalities and add a splash of color!
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When Kelsey learned about permanent jewelry, she fell in love. Not only did she love the look of permanent bracelets and necklaces, but she saw an opportunity to flex her creative muscle in all things marketing to offer curated experiences for people looking to have a memorable moment with friends and loved ones. She also saw a need to make permanent jewelry a more inclusive experience by offering price points that are more approachable for every budget.
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After hours, when the kids and dogs were fast asleep, Kelsey and Holly worked together to create the business they dreamed of. Named after their two golden retrievers, and the fact that they are often mistaken as sisters or cousins, Golden Cousins was born!
About Holly
“I’m Holly, and I’m the “jewelry person” behind Golden Cousins. When Kelsey approached me about permanent jewelry (read: when Kelsey texted me on her romantic Punta Cana honeymoon to discuss a business venture she was jazzed about) I immediately said “I’m in.” Kelsey’s passion for this business is contagious and I have definitely caught the bug!
The more I learn about permanent jewelry, and jewelry in general, the more I see the incredible experiences that this service creates. Mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, brides and their bridesmaids, best friends, cousins...our favorite aspect of permanent jewelry is the bonding that occurs. Whether you are getting a piece of jewelry with your best friend, or you are committing to a piece of jewelry just for yourself, it’s a special and totally unique experience. I love watching people pick the chain— maybe a chain with beads or an adornment, maybe one of our classic daily chains—and the excitement they feel after we’ve bonded the piece to them. When Kelsey suggested we go into business together making and selling permanent jewelry, I didn’t think it would make people as happy as it does. It’s been a wonderful byproduct of what we do.
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Aside from being jewelry maker, I’m a mom to John and Colette and married to my best friend, Dan. We are the proud pet parents of our (nearly) one year old Golden Retriever, Lonny. He’s pure goodness. Some random facts would include that I don’t like oysters and have a theory that no one truly likes them, I love and collect shoes, perfume, and of course jewelry, and someone once said that the song that defines an Aquarius is “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd and I haven’t felt such honor since.
About Kelsey
Well hello there! I'm Kelsey and, while I'm not the incredible creative that Holly is, I'm the Marketing/IT nerd who loves all things jewelry.
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While I was on my honeymoon I got to talking with a group of women from all over the US and I noticed that they all had these incredible permanent jewelry pieces that all had a beautiful story to go along with them - best friend bracelets, bachelorette party favors and beyond. At that moment the spark for Golden Cousins was ignited and Holly was the first person that came to mind, not only because we have always dreamed of starting a business together, but because she has an incredible background in jewelry and an eye for branding that compliments my love for organization perfectly. I knew we could take this idea to the next level and bring women in our hometown the same experience.
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Outside of Golden Cousins (my happy place) I'm a full time Marketing professional in the beverage industry. I recently got married to my best friend and we have a two year old golden retriever named Odin (him and Lonnie may or may not be our brand name inspiration). I'm incredibly passionate about sustainability and social justice and I am excited about seeing how we can bring these incredibly important topics into our business. Some fun facts about me include that I own every season of Golden Girls on DVD (it is my comfort show) and I can't really ride a bike. Turns out, you can live a perfectly normal life without having to ride a bike, so there's that!