Reshelled Jewelry

She Sells Seashells . . .

By Meghan Asbury | Photos by Savvibelle Photography

Entrepreneur Jessie Taylor, raised in Florida, never imagined that “selling seashells by the seashore” could become a business. But that was before she started Reshelled Jewelry, a handmade brand that embodies the vacation vibe.

Growing up in Grayton Beach, Florida, where the local motto is “Nice dogs, strange people,”Taylor has always loved the coastal lifestyle. Living in a beach town, she spent most of her childhood in the sun, sand, and a swimsuit, and the summers never seemed to end.

Even beyond her hometown, her family spent weeks each summer on Fripp Island, South Carolina, where her love of shells was born. Collecting shells along the East Coast was a daily activity during her summers away. She returned home with dozens of shell varieties in limitless shapes and colors; who wouldn’t be inspired by what nature can do?

During a trip to St. Barts, Taylor wanted to show her appreciation for the incredible hospitality from her hostess with something unique and personal. She decided to repurpose some shells she had collected during her stay into a gift. She did some quick research and bought a drill and some earring posts. By the end of the week, her hostess had an adorable set of shell earrings from a favorite local beach, and they were a hit!

She decided to take the leap of faith to see what she was capable of.

Although she didn’t set out to start a jewelry company, Taylor posted the earrings on her Instagram story and started receiving several messages from friends wanting to buy a pair. This unexpected demand encouraged Taylor to embark on a new creative journey. What began as a fun, creative outlet during her family’s summer vacations inspired her to do more. With a background in marketing and a family of small business creatives, she saw an opportunity to build a brand of her own. After making several pieces for friends and family, Reshelled Jewelry was born. She quickly created a separate Instagram account to showcase her creations and launched a website in January 2021.

Since the beginning, Taylor has loved sharing the ups and downs and behind-the-scenes of Reshelled. From the handcrafting of the pieces to the shipping, she’s taken her Instagram and TikTok audiences along the journey, which has caused people to fall even more in love with the brand.

Growing a small business while working full-time is challenging, especially when hand-making every piece yourself. When the flood of orders became more than she could manage as a moonlight job, she had a choice to make. She decided to take the leap of faith to see what she was capable of.

Anyone who has tried to create something born of a dream and driven by passion knows how lonely the experience can be to do it alone. That’s why Taylor values community and collaboration so much. For every photo shoot, she brings in her friends to model, which helps her feel like she has a team of other women alongside her. She loves making new connections with female creatives and finding ways to help each other. There’s so much power in coming together, especially when sharing on social media platforms. Influencers like Landyn Hutchinson and Shannon Ford have worn and promoted their favorite Reshelled pieces, and their platforms have given the brand a lot of organic exposure. It’s been an adventure—one for which she’s extremely grateful.

Not only are the jewelry pieces themselves stunning, but the visual brand of Reshelled makes you want to always be by the water. When you look at each piece, it captures everything we love about being on vacation: fun, sun, and our favorite swimsuit! Continuing to cultivate the essence of Reshelled has been Taylor’s favorite marketing project to date. She’s curated amazing photoshoots to capture the pieces in exotic locales like Costa Rica, St. Barts, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and, of course, her hometown of Grayton Beach.

One thing that continues to be important as Reshelled grows is Taylor’s commitment to attractive, well-made jewelry. From materials sourcing to shipping, one of Reshelled’s values is sustainability. Taylor cares about how the shells are sourced and crafted. That’s why in the fall of 2023 after she married her husband, Atul Agnihotri, in Gurugram, New Delhi, India, they took precious time away from their honeymoon to find a manufacturing partner they could trust. Turning to the major artisanal city of Jaipur, India, they were thrilled to find a partner that provides quality products and excellent working conditions—plus, Taylor gets to support another generational family business in the process. A bonus is that Reshelled gets to involve part of her new family’s heritage.

That’s why Taylor values community and collaboration so much. For every photo shoot, she brings in her friends to model, which helps her feel like she has a team of other women alongside her. She loves making new connections with female creatives and finding ways to help each other. There’s so much power in coming together, especially when sharing on social media platforms.

While Taylor continues to handcraft all the prototype pieces herself, like any natural-born entrepreneur, she is excited to continue the adventure. She loves brainstorming ways to evolve and branch into new territory. Reshelled’s latest line includes luxury pieces designed in Nashville, Tennessee, where she currently lives, and are created with their manufacturing partner in Jaipur, India. This journey of growth and expansion is a testament to the possibilities that await those who are passionate and dedicated to their craft.

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Shop now at ReshelledJewelry.com. Follow @reshelledjewelry for sneak peeks of the latest lines, behind-the-scenes of crafting and designing, plus vacation and styling recommendations you want to take advantage of!