When You Know It’s Not Your Path Anymore: Marijo Martini’s Journey to Building Martini Metal Craft

Marijo Martini didn’t build her business overnight - in fact, it took decades.

In this episode, I’m sitting down with the founder of Martini Metal Craft and Martini Mercantile to talk about what it really looks like to build something meaningful over time. From making jewelry while working multiple jobs, and navigating burnout, to finally taking the leap into her own brick-and-mortar shop - Marijo’s story is a powerful reminder that there’s no one “right” timeline.

We talk about the reality of balancing a day job while growing a business, the importance of understanding both your craft and the business behind it, and why building something sustainable often requires patience, pivots, and a whole lot of persistence.

If you’ve ever felt behind, stuck, or unsure of your path, this conversation will remind you: you’re not late - you’re building.

Connect with Marijo:

Website: https://martinimetalcraft.com
Instagram: @martinimetalcraft + @martinimercantile

Visit her shop: Martini Mercantile at 2100 Iron Street, Bellingham, WA

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Today I'm sitting down with Mary Jo Martini, the founder and metalsmith behind Martini Metalcraft, creating what she calls authentic jewelry for people hammering out their own stories, which honestly tells you this is gonna be a good one. Mary Jo's journey into metalsmithing didn't happen overnight. It actually started decades ago with a high school career test that told her she'd be a stained glass artist. After years of following a more traditional path, degrees, jobs, real life, she eventually found her way back to creating. What started with making her own wedding rings turned into a deep love of metalsmithing and ultimately a business of her own. Now she runs a brick and mortar martini mercantile in Bellingham, Washington, and her work is all about storytelling, craftsmanship, and carving her own path. Even if it took a little longer to get there. Welcome to Hey Julie by Moss Bags. I'm Julie, founder of Moss Bags since 2013. And this podcast is a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to build a small business that lasts. Each week we talk about the real stories behind handmade and product-based businesses, the systems that keep things running, the lessons learned along the way, and how to grow something meaningful without burnout. If you're building something with heart, then you're in the right place. Let's dive in. We are officially recording, and this is already feeling like such a special conversation. Mary Jo, I am so excited to have you here. I've been looking forward to this one. I feel like your story has been a long time in the making. So welcome, Mary Jo Martini. I mean, first off, how great of a name do you have?

SPEAKER_01 1:39

As I go, uh say has served me well.

SPEAKER_00 1:44

Yes, I can see that, and I can only imagine how much more it will. So I would love to start at the beginning. Can you take us back? What did starting Martini Metalcraft actually look like for you?

SPEAKER_01 1:57

Oh my goodness. So I'm gonna date myself here, but back in 1998, I think it was like up in New Hampshire, and we were stuck in a snowstorm at her house. I was visiting her over holiday break, and she introduced me to wire wrapping, and I instantly became hooked. And at the time I was in grad school, so it was a perfect distraction and an excellent way to procrastinate my studies. I mean, I so during that time frame, I started making and selling my work at small flea markets and festivals, and then fast forward to 2004, my now husband and I were getting married, and I didn't want a big fancy ring. Plus, we were so broke. So I took a silversmithing class and made our wedding bands. And I I just had this vision back then that I wanted to learn how to silversmith. So, anyhow, the rest is history.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

I love that. Our wedding bands that we choose to wear that has a great representation and has so much meaning. And then you made it. So you went into the class for that purpose.

SPEAKER_01 3:08

Yeah. When I started making jewelry back in 98, I just kind of had this vision I'd heard about silversmithing, and I thought, wow, I really want to get in that, into that. And it was probably more like a hyperfixation for me. I just became so focused on it and I had to learn. So I figured, what a great way to get started. And I knew of this jeweler in Seattle that had classes. She had a little classroom and she had a little shop, had heard about her. And so I took classes at nighttime. I think it was like a beginner ringmaking class, and it was like six nights or something, and it was just basic silversmithing. And oh wow, I became obsessed. I love, I'm very tactile. I should have gone into a technical school anyhow, considering my past history and how I learn and how I love to just make things. And so silversmithing was kind of a blessing in disguise. I have to tell you though, I mean, this goes all the way back to high school if you think about it. I remember taking a career test, and the career test said I should have been a stained glass artist. Stop it. No. Yeah. Is that not? It didn't say become, you know, an accountant or anything like that or a dental hygienist. It was that specific. So I think about all the signs that led me to this career path. It wasn't until my senior year in high school that I took a graphic design class and I was like, oh my gosh, this is what I should be doing. So something artistic, something that was creative, that's what I should have been doing.

SPEAKER_00 4:49

I think our paths are kind of similar, except for I didn't get like a cool stained glass recommendation for what I should be doing. That's amazing. I've never heard of that. And I took a six-day metalsmithing class making rings. I love it. I love all the tools. It's amazing how bad you have to make something look before it becomes absolutely beautiful. You're watching this ring be distorted and you're like, that's not right. And you're like, oh, oh, that's what goes into every single ring that people make. I was blown away. I actually had no idea.

SPEAKER_01 5:19

I kind of laugh because silversmithing and goldsmithing in general is not a cheap craft to get into. When you think about people that have gone to school professionally, they've done the certificates, they have the bench certificates, right? And you think about how many tools are required to make something. Every tool that you purchase for goldsmithing or silversmithing, it's a way to make things easier and help you get faster and better. So you can go in so many different directions with jewelry that it's kind of endless. It took me a long time to really become good at just basic soldering and understanding how to make things work under conditions. If you don't have that experience, you're like, you keep making the same mistakes over again unless you're spending time learning how to become better at it. It's really challenging, and I think that's what I love most about it.

SPEAKER_00 6:20

Well, and when you create that solid foundation for yourself, then you can build upon it. But if you are just taking a broken foundation, it's not gonna last and you're just gonna flail eventually. That makes sense. So you did do markets and events and pop-ups before the wedding ring. Yeah. And you're working full-time during this, right?

SPEAKER_01 6:40

Oh, yeah. So from 2002, I worked a full-time 40-hour job. And then on the weekends, I would sell at the Ballard or Fremont Markets, and then I would add in like a few winter market shows like Finney Ridge Winterfest or something like that. It wasn't until like 2011 that I started getting serious about it. I mean, I was serious, but it wasn't at the level that I am right now. And that all started when I got my studio space because for many, many years, for like a decade, I had no place to work out of. That is the hardest part about doing any type of craft. You have to have the space. You don't want to break it down after every time you make something, you want to just leave your stuff out. But with a studio, you have to have good ventilation, you have to have your tools and secured, and it can be really dangerous because you're working with high-temp flames and high-pressure gas, you know, canisters. So there's a lot of sketch stuff that could potentially happen if you're not careful and you don't have things carried. So yeah, I mean, it was a lot of working my day job. I even would work a day job, and because I was trying to get money for us, because at the time my husband was in med school, we were so broke. Oh, wow. That I would go and waitress in the evening and then do markets on the weekends. So I was doing three things at one time. There was never a time where I didn't just had one job until now.

SPEAKER_00 8:16

Okay. I was about to ask you, like, how did you balance it all? I didn't realize you then were also working even more. Oh, wow. Oh, yeah. It's well, how did you balance it? How would you say? Did you know that there was an end date? You knew that there was a goal that you were reaching or working toward?

SPEAKER_01 8:33

That was the thing about me. I don't think I ever set goals. I just knew I wanted to do it. I didn't know how to get there. That's something that I'm always telling people is that have a plan. I mean, I uh let's just say that I now know I have always had ADHD my entire life. I just realized this at age 55 that I pretty much self-diagnose myself with ADHD because it all kind of falls into place. It all makes sense now. And so with ADHD, you hyperfixate on things. And when I say hyperfixate, this is a perfect example of my life is hyperfixation on jewelry and silversmithing. I knew that I wanted to do this, I just didn't know how to get there. And so I would do this and I would do that. I I mean, I was sewing, I was selling my sewing stuff, I was doing jewelry, and then I was working, and I'm like, no, I can't do it all. So then I started just focusing on one thing. There's no direct way that I got here, but everything that I did makes sense now. It's like, oh, I worked that 40-hour job in contract manufacturing where I had work, you know, practiced my customer service skills and worked with customers. So I was really good at selling, I was really good at talking to people. No holds bar with me. I had no problem connecting with people and building those relationships. I loved talking about jewelry. So anything that I was passionate about, I knew how to talk about it. I knew how to sell it. And it wasn't a matter of convincing people, it was just being myself and being authentic as I could. That's all I know how to do anyhow. I'm terrible at being anything other than at myself.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

Mary Jo, I love it. And one of the worst things is small talk. I don't like it, and I'm like, I can't talk about the weather anymore. You know, and I remember meeting you for the first time. It was at an event, and we were across from each other. I had taken a few years off from markets and events to have my boys, and so this is my first one back. I made the simplest display I possibly could just to get back into it. I'm like, oh, I just want easy breakdown, all these things. And it was awful. I really was not as prepared as I used to be. And so you came over so kind, so nice, and you just wanted to help me out, make some suggestions on how I could elevate this. And I just remember being like, you were just so giving in that moment. And you and I was so embarrassed because I'm like, I knew I had just not stepped it up at this time. And everything you were saying was just spot on and such good suggestions for moving forward. And I learned so much right then. You always give to others, you are always willing to help others out, support other people, and you create the most amazing experiences in person. Whether it's a 10 by 10 pop-up or your studio or your shop, you curate your environment to feel special and unique. And I'll never forget then going into your studio for the first time, I'll see you all your tools and everything. But then you had candles that you made and it elevated to the next level. And then you had little treats that you can't find here in town or even in Washington. You hit every sense, and I'm always blown away with that. You just shine in these moments, and it's so cool to see how you've now turned this into your shop where you get to sell your jewelry and support others and create another experience. So, how did that come about, my friends?

SPEAKER_01 12:27

Well, my goodness, thank you. That's that was like uh layers of compliments that I am just overwhelmed by. Thank you. I I appreciate that. I I don't know. I blame when I say blame, I say it's more like a uh sense of gratitude. This to my father. My father, he offered a lot of ununsolicited advice to people. So I always think that he's somehow channeling himself through me. But I always when I go up to somebody, like it's funny that you say that because your booth was great. You just look like you were looking for help. You look disappointed, and I'm like, oh my god, no. You know, your product is beautiful, your whole marketing, your whole website. It's just you're pretty on it, Julie. Let's just say that. And so I I don't know, I love merchandising. I love, I could probably spend, in fact, I do spend way too much time on merchandising because I don't know, it just it's it's a fixation for me. I have to say that my business wouldn't be where it is now due to the original space that I had in Fairhaven. So when I started my business, I didn't have space in Seattle that inspired me. It was I was either in the basement or I was in a garage. It was uninspiring for so many years. And then finally in 2011, I got this amazing studio space in Fairhaven in Bellingham, Washington. It was in a 200-square foot Victorian Italian building built in 1892, and that building and my studio space gave me the inspiration to move forward. It represented everything I loved, my obsession with the antiques, the idea of craftsmanship and what that looked like, design concepts, how to present yourself. Even my my business name, Martini Metalcraft, when I was trying to decipher like what I was going to do for my name, when I was working with my graphic designer, I came up with the concept of making old timey. And Metalcraft back in the days, like in the late 1800s, when this building was built, they used Metalcraft. That's how they described themselves. So I was like, okay, well, like I'm gonna go with Metalcraft. And it was more like honoring the space that I was in. And still to this day, I use that as my brand guide. You know, it it helps it helps me move forward in presentation. And yeah, it was more like I was honoring the space and then creating that experience. My end goal is to create an experience for people. So when they walk away, they're like, wow, that was cool. You know, to me, it's not about me. I want everything else to talk for me.

SPEAKER_00 15:26

Well, and that's good marketing, right? Like you want your website, everything else, to answer questions for you and represent you well. That's the whole point of it, to be recognizable. And I have to also add that you're so great at telling stories in the written form as well, in the same unique way. Create an experience in your writing. The details you provide, you create such a good visual, and you're just like, wow, you're you're spot on with it. I enjoy reading your email.

SPEAKER_01 15:58

I have to say there are two experiences in my work career that have really helped me create a visual of how to present information. One, I don't feel I'm that good at telling stories verbally, but I know what's inside my head. Inside my head feels a lot more interesting than what I what comes out of my mouth. So I try and capture what's going on in my head, and I always try to reflect back on like my past experiences, like as a kid or an adult. And I mean, that's what's like running through my head. But in my previous job, there was one person, my supervisor, who always said, just keep things simple, really bullet and get right to the point. And so I I try and just get to the point instead of like making everything so long and arduous, and you have to read through stuff. If you're going to make people read, make sure it's worth reading by telling a story. And then in my last my last job, I was responsible for sending out email blasts to customers throughout the whole US. So I'm like, I have no experience in that, but I did it, and then I'd learn from the marketing department, like, how should it look? How should it feel? And so thank God for them. I learned all about like marketing brand guides and and color, you know, your brand colors and and fonts that you're supposed to use and that reflect your consistency. I'm always critical of my newsletters. I don't feel like they have strategy, but at least they look good.

SPEAKER_00 17:39

They look good and they read really well. So it's a great reflection. It's just that reminder, like a brand guide, it's such a useful tool in building any brand. Yeah. And I wonder how many small businesses take the time to make them.

SPEAKER_01 17:54

It's not something that you learn when you're starting your business or your craft. People are very focused on the craft. Little do they think about the business side, the marketing side, the business strategy side, budgeting. You know, these are things that I might have learned doing my day job. I've worked with a lot of people and was responsible for budgets and things. You know, those are things that you don't learn unless you're doing it. And so how else do you learn it? You learn it by accidentally, oh, oh, oh, I'm supposed to do this every year. I'm supposed to have that. Not to say that I do all of that right now, but I know that I should do it and I'm good at telling other people they should do it.

SPEAKER_00 18:39

Aren't we all? But our lists are so long. There's just it's never done, and there's always something more to do. So when or what was that pivotal moment for you to actually open your shop? Because that's a big, big step.

SPEAKER_01 18:54

Yeah, in my mind, I always wavered back and forth between, you know, I have my father in my head telling me you should always have health insurance, you should always have money and income coming in, you should always have, you know, uh 401k, right? So I did that and I worked at that for 25 plus 30 years, right? And then in my mind, I knew that this wasn't the direction the whole time I was doing a desk job or working for other people, I knew that this isn't where my heart was. I mean, mind you, I did a lot of fun things. I got to travel, I've I got to meet wonderful people. I would not be where I am without all of those experiences working, but I knew in my heart that this isn't what I had wanted to do. So I gave myself in my head mentally this date of when I turned 50, I had to make a I had to figure something out because I just couldn't do it anymore. So 50 passed and I was still doing my job. That's right around when COVID hit, and I'm like, oh, there's no way I can do it now. I can't just quit my job. My, you know, Paul, my husband, was you know, still kind of bit building up his practice, and you know, he was his own entrepreneur, so it's being two entrepreneurs at the time wasn't probably a very good idea for us. It wouldn't bring in the money, having the steady income, and having the health insurance. So at age 54, I was burned. I was fried out. I was burnt out with my job, and it had nothing to do with the company or anything like that. I love the people I worked with. I was burned out emotionally, physically, and mentally. I just couldn't do it anymore. Plus, menopause. I mean, paramenopause and menopause, it flips you. It turns and flips you. I was fried. So I just started looking at I the idea of actually having retail space. And I was looking down at Mount Vernon and was looking at renting spaces, and I knew that like traveling back and forth down there, even though that area was up and coming, I thought, well, I couldn't do it financially. So out of the blue, I looked at this place because at the time, Paul, my husband, was looking to purchase a practice, and commercial real estate in Bellingham was just not attainable at all. And so randomly I found this place. It was a small 1987 building, and then there was this home that was part of it too, as well. This 1929 home, and I could not believe the price on it. Could not. I and for what Paul was paying in rent, and for what I was paying in rent, I'm like, what am I doing? So we ended up buying the place, and we were gonna turn the house into an actual home and rent it out as a home. But the city of Bellingham wouldn't let it let us do a change issue on it because it was owned as an industrial and commercial area. So we couldn't turn it back into a residence. So I thought, okay, well, I'll turn it into a cafe and I'll do coffee and this stuff. And then I looked at like I had designers in there, architects in there, looking at how you Know what I would have to do to turn it into an actual cafe, a commercial kitchen, I'd have to put in, and then I have to change the bathroom three times its size. It's gonna cost huge amounts of money. I'd have to do like reroute the whole front with ADA, which essentially I want to do anyhow, but it was gonna cost like so much money, couldn't afford it, and nor did I want to change the character of the home. I didn't have the heart to tear up that home, it just had to remain the same. So randomly as I was working my job, I had two months that were super busy with trade shows. That's what I did uh for this company. And the company dissolved this department, and then two months of my busiest time, I had nothing. I I literally had nothing to do. And I thought, if this isn't a sign, I don't know what is. So I was like, okay, looks like I'm doing this. And so I decided to move forward with opening my own business. I went on vacation, came back, turned in my resignation, and oh my gosh, I was so scared. I knew I had to take that leap. So here I am. I have two businesses, Martini Mercantile being the retail shop. And then within there, I have my studio space for Martini Metalcraft. So I sell my jewelry, but I also sell other people's artwork, people that I meet on the streets, people that I know from working 25 plus years in the industry, meeting people at gift shows, meeting people at markets, and then upstairs, there are artists' studios. And I have three artists that I personally knew coming into this, opening this up, that I invited in, and their art is what they do full-time too, as well. So not only do you come in to experience the retail shop, but you go in, you go upstairs and you experience their art, and it's they sell all their artwork direct. So that's the long story.

SPEAKER_00 24:02

Oh just seeing all those stars align, was it perfect? No. Was it your your timing? Not necessarily, but the intention was there. You knew what you wanted. So there was a goal, even if we have to adjust and be flexible with certain things. And I am blown away that the two buildings, the two homes that had to be sold together, and one has so much character, which was so meant for you, and the other one so meant for Dr. Paul. It's just amazing how that's come about. And there again, you've created your own community in there with other makers upstairs. Intentions were there. It was gonna happen no matter what. It just wasn't the right time until it was.

SPEAKER_01 24:46

I always tell people this that are looking, you know, anytime somebody comes into my retail space, I kind of read, you know, where they are in life, especially young artists. I tell them nothing happens overnight. Don't quit your day jobs. Always work towards something and make forward movements, even if it doesn't happen right away. You always should be working towards making it happen. Whether it happens or not, that's always your backup plan. Don't quit your day job. But that dream that you have, you should always be working towards it because you never know when you're going to manifest it and when the universe says, this is your time.

SPEAKER_00 25:30

That is that is my yeah, that's what I always tell everybody. I've been thinking about 2% each day toward what you are manifesting or working toward. That intention needs to be there, and we don't all just jump at the same time, but baby steps, something, something moving forward. And I think that's the momentum that we can't just forget every month we put a little time in. No, just every day, a little something. It's a sweet burn, and it's really fun to see everything come together. In reality, was there a moment that you were like, forget this, it's not working. I throw in the towel, or was that not an option for you?

SPEAKER_01 26:10

There were times, yeah, definitely when I wanted to quit because I was just fried. I mean, I'm constantly working, but guess what? When you work up your business full time, you never stop working. So you have to really prove to yourself that this is what you want. I come home from work and I'm working more. You know why? Because I love it. I mean, yeah, I get I get burned out and I want a little vacation. I want to spend time with my husband, but you make that happen. I I wouldn't trade it in for anything. I mean, obviously, I I look back at the way I did things and would I do things differently? Yeah, but would I have done it? Probably not. I probably would have done the same path. I feel very lucky for the people that I've met and the experiences that I've had and continue to have. I mean, this business and my jewelry have brought me to meet some of the most amazing people in my life. And I love spending time with business-oriented people like you. Most of my friends are like-minded. It's a commonality. We have things we need to talk about, and it might not have anything to do with relationships and our lives, but we're focused on our business. Like we want to talk about our business, and that's what I I love about my the friendships that I've made throughout the years through this business.

SPEAKER_00 27:30

Isn't it amazing how we can just talk on and on? And we're excited about all of these little conversations. I get pumped. And it's just having that connection with other people that understand. And so I have to ask, have you taken a stained glass uh class yet? Or have you ever done any? No, nothing.

SPEAKER_01 27:48

I've never done it. I I thought at one point, oh yeah, maybe I'll do stained glass. I'm like, oh no, it's not interesting at all. It doesn't resonate with me at all. It's so funny.

SPEAKER_00 27:59

Okay, friend, I gotta ask, has there ever been a moment in your shop, in person at a pop-up event where someone said something just ridiculous about your product?

SPEAKER_01 28:10

You know, I feel pretty fortunate. I've had really interesting interactions in regards to connections. People that have bought my jewelry, I've known their family members completely separate. I live in Washington State now, and I knew their family member member back when I lived in Alabama back in my 20s. Two separate areas, and that person now lives, you know, it's just the connections and the randomness about how my jewelry has connected me with people. There's just this odd universe that brings people together. I I could tell you stories, some of it I don't think I can really tell on here because it's a long story and it's really weird. We'll need to hear more. Oh, yeah, you will.

SPEAKER_00 28:57

Oh well, for anyone that is starting out that wants to have a shop or start their own business, whatever that may be, do you have any advice that you would like to share?

SPEAKER_01 29:10

So understanding your craft is one thing, but being really good at the business side, like understanding budgets, business strategies, marketing, etc., this is always something I tell people considering when they're going into art or are learning a craft. Get your degree in something you're not good at. This is what I tell kids in college that want to do art. Fine, do art. But in order to sell yourself, you need to know how to sell yourself. You need to know how to run your business. So take a business class, take a bunch of business classes, take marketing classes, get a secondary in in a degree like accounting or something like that. Because doing art is one thing. If you're not good at the business side, how are you gonna succeed? How are you going to make money? How are you going to have a lifestyle where you can enjoy all the all the fun things, right? I also tell people, don't quit your day job. As tempting as it is, build up your business while working your day job. This is a great way to learn how to manage doing your business because once you quit, you'll start working 24-7. Honestly, don't quit your day job. You create your brand, you create your brand guide, you know your colors, you know your fonts, you know your product. That product has to be authentic to you. And I guarantee you, people will start recognizing who you are without even looking at you. They'll be able to say, that's a martini Metalcraft necklace, that's uh a moss bag. You know, they'll be able to identify, and you're standing right there, and the product is right there. They don't recognize you, but they recognize your brand. That's what you're working towards.

SPEAKER_00 30:58

Isn't that the sweetest moment when you hear that? It is such a magical moment. And oh, I love what you just said. And it's that reminder: if you're in that job that you do not like, there's a silver lining, you get that paycheck. Ways there's something to learn there, whether it don't do my business like this, or what's a positive you can take with you. And just keep using that as a reason to work toward your business, what you are going to do, and you know, work on that foundation so that your products are solid and then your branding is solid. Oh, it's just so cool when it all comes together. My husband always loves your sign. He's like, that is so cool. I'm like, that's Mary Jo's. And he's like, Really? She did a great job. Mary Joe, thank you for your time. Thank you for your story. I well, I love everything about it. Where can people find you?

SPEAKER_01 31:47

Well, you can find me in two locations. You can find my jewelry martini metal craft online at martinimetalcraft.com or just come into my retail shop Tuesday through Friday, 11 to 6, and Saturdays 11 to 5 in Bellingham in the Sunny Lane neighborhood at Martini Mercantile at 2100 Iron Street.

SPEAKER_00 32:07

Yes, yes. If you're looking for a gift, if you're looking to just fill your own cup, there's just something for everyone. It's really cool in there. Oh my gosh. It's so fun. Thank you for being here and keep building something truly special, Mary Jo, because that's what you do. Thank you. Thank you. That was such a fun conversation. I think what I'll carry with me most is the idea that your path doesn't have to make sense right away. And that sometimes it can take years, maybe decades, to really step into the thing that you are meant to do. If you love this episode, make sure to check out Mary Jo's work at Martini Metalcraft and her shop Martini Mercantile, where she's curating beautiful intentional goods and spotlighting other artists along the way. We'll have everything linked in the show notes. And if you're building something of your own, just remember, you don't need to rush it in order to create something meaningful. Thanks for being here. If you're building something or dreaming of starting, hit follow so you don't miss what's next. And if this resonated, I'd love it if you shared it with another woman who's doing it too. And I can't wait to keep building this community together. Until next time.