Meet Briana Ali, 19-year-old entrepreneur and Retail Merchandising & Product Development Major at FSU, who recently started her own business, Bohindie Stream. I discovered her online shop while browsing the internet one day and decided that I had to interview her for Campus Celebrity.
Ashley Brown (HC): Just so our readers can get to know a bit more about what you do, could you give us a brief description about your business and what you sell?
Briana Ali (BA): My store is full of gypsy, bohemian, & indie inspired jewelry. Everything is handcrafted and handpicked and I use crystals as my main focus for the jewelry. I really like the meanings and energies behind them and try to bring them out in what I sell and create.
HC: Why did you decide to start your own business?
BA: I’ve actually had businesses in the past that I started when I was younger. These mostly included hand painted rocks with underlying meanings on them and they didn’t last very long. However when I first started going to Market Wednesday and was browsing through the vendors there, I decided that I wanted to sell something different than what they all offered. I could never find jewelry that I liked in stores and never even knew how to make jewelry until recently. I started researching in June and launched the store in July.
HC: What gave you the motivation to start your jewelry line and who is your inspiration?
BA: Looking at other people’s success stories, those of designers ahead of me and people my age is what really got me going. I saw that it was possible for me to start something new and have success with it.
Jaw breaking is my main inspiration and I also look up to the owner of NastyGal. She started off on eBay and 6 years later it became a multi-million dollar business! I also follow other online shops and designers to see how they did it.
HC: Do you make all of the items in your store yourself?
BA: All of the stuff on Etsy is handmade. I also sell on Storenvy, kind of like how boutiques buy stuff and import things to sell. All of the crystals are handmade as well.
HC: What is your own personal style? What does it say about you?
BA: Well it changes day to day. I’ll be super bohemian one day and then rocker chic the next. I like to add an artistic flair to most things that I wear as well, and if I watch Mad Men I’ll dress kind of 60s inspired. I also love socks and tights, so fall is my favorite season! I’d have to say that my style shows that I have varying sides to me. It reflects my feelings and personality. I am a Gemini so I have 2 sides that come out in my items!
HC: How do you describe yourself?
BA: I consider myself artistic and creative. I’m really involved in the music scene as well. My fashion portrays all of my sides as I draw from fashion, art, and music. That’s where the stream part of Bohindie Stream comes in, as it stands for music stream. I try to let new customers discover new music as well as enjoy my jewelry.
HC: Are you involved in any groups on campus?
BA: Yes I am with SWATCH magazine and am a member of AATC & Habitat for Humanity.
HC: When you’re not busy managing your business, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
BA: I love going to concerts, that’s a big thing. Mumford and Sons this year was really good and Twenty One Pilots is my favorite band at the moment. Club Downunder concerts are actually really good too!
HC: What are your goals once you graduate FSU? What would you like to see happen to your business and what else do you want to accomplish?
BA: Well for the rest of my plans I think I want to be a fashion stylist. Like for T.V. shows and music artists. I think it’d be so cool to be backstage with someone before an event helping them get ready! For my business, I would like to keep developing the brand and get a larger customer base. Expand to a clothing line and keep growing Bohindie Stream. I also want to fine-tune some of the techniques I use and am trying to incorporate new styles into the jewelry as well. I also want to be a vendor at Warped tour once I get the clothing going. I don’t want it to be a phase. I want to get off of Etsy and build my own website!