earring making duo share the freedom to create

If HeidiRoland’s earrings could speak, they would say: “I’m fly. I’m bold. I know it and so should you.” Tired of the daily grind of a 9 to 5, in July 2006, neighbors Patience Roland and Jena Laske, set off on a humble but common mission to generate income by creating art they both loved. “That’s basically how it began, an interest in trying to make a business, trying to have another income and then doing something that we like to do, that we love to do, that we believe in, ” explains Laske. “And that’s how it keeps us going. We have hope, you know, that someday we could make it our career. ”

Strong and striking while remaining feminine and warm, these women are some how able to capture the essence of their individual personalities and passions into their earrings. From their MySpace page: “HeidiRoland specializes in handcrafting unique and daring earrings. Textiles, feathers, and leaves infuse our creations with a bold and feminine finesse. HeidiRoland original photo earrings capture striking images while forging a new fashion frontier. Inspired by the colors and textures of our urban and natural environment, our designs reflect the phenomenal world in which we live.”

Beyond their artistic talent, these two have a commitment to use what they’ve started to empower women both locally and internationally. Maybe it comes from their own familiarity with the struggles of starting a new venture. Laske and Roland prove that all it takes is a dollar and a dream. In the face of obstacles from being broke to rumors of a copycat, these women are fearless, faithful and confident in their product. “I’m fully a believer that this world is full of money, people don’t know what to do with their money, people want to support things, they believe in and we’re an excellent…,” Roland chuckles then continues, “Even an event or a store or whatever, where maybe you didn’t make a thousand sales but you met that one good person that brings something good. That’s how everything’s happened for us. ” Nodding affirmatively, Laske adds, “We want to be known as women that are making a contribution to the world, in some way. We want to give back. That’s the way we stand out, is our vision of helping others.”

It’s clear that these women carry this belief in the karmic power of supporting and uplifting one another everywhere they go. When a customer invited Roland to speak to a class she taught at a local high school, she jumped at the chance. During the presentation, she chatted with students about the trials and rewards of entrepreneurship. So intrigued were the students, that in the end, one of the girls ended up modeling earrings for HeidiRoland. “That’s the kind of vision that we have” says Laske. “We want to help women. We want to give economic development to women in other countries, and women here.” Recently, Laske returned from a trip to India where she worked with a women’s non-profit organization which provided services for young girls abandoned by their parents. Armed only with her know-how, confident warmth, and artistic talent, Laske trained the girls, ages 16-17, to create the newest line of Daring Earrings using fabrics found in India. In a step towards microentrepreneurship, she pays the girls to assemble the product and ship them to Philadelphia.

For a start-up business barely 2 years old, Roland and Laske have been on their grind. Daring Earrings are now stocked in five Philadelphia locations including The Black Cat in University City, Atori’s Salon in Center City, New Art Gallery in South Philly, Closet Fever in Northern Liberties and Take the Lead Dance Studio in West Philly. They also sell out at boutiques in New York, Ohio, Baltimore as well as in LF Stores, a chain of independent design located in New York, California, Florida and Massachusetts. And when the weather is warm, you can find them both beating the streets from flea markets to community centers, earrings in hand.

Since fashion world domination is inevitable, Laske and Roland look forward to seeing their creations stocked in boutiques around the nation and in Europe. While financial expense is vital, Roland emphasizes their deeper vision, “I’d love to be in a position where, I had money to say, ‘you guys, come here, I wanna support you’.” The ability to sustain themselves financially and continue to experiment with and create wearable art while of course supporting and empowering girls and women on parallel paths seem to be intertwined visions.

More HeidiRoland: Website and MySpace