Today I have the absolute pleasure of sharing about Jennifer Welker from Golden Thread. I actually connected with Golden Thread through a recommendation of a friend and then have continued to get to know the brand and Jennifer since moving to Houston since that’s where they are based.
Golden Thread is the most beautiful jewelry and accessory brand with personalized jewelry, luxury pieces as well as faith-based items. Jennifer is a beam of light and I know you will enjoy getting to know her more.
I’m also hosting a giveaway on Instagram for 3 $100 gift cards to Golden Thread after you get done reading make sure you head over there to enter!
My Golden Thread Faves:
Getting to Know Jennifer Welker from Golden Thread
1. Tell us a little about you!
Hi y’all! My name is Jennifer Welker and I am the designer behind Golden Thread. I’ve been married to the love of my life (literally, in love with Ellis since I was 4 years old) for 13 years now and we are the very proud parents of 4 incredible kiddos! Noah is almost 10, McKenzie is 8, Graham is almost 6 and Hannah Banana is 1! Being there momma is the most amazing title I’ll ever have! Family is EVERYTHING to me!
Jewelry wasn’t always my career though. Before starting Golden Thread in 2010, I worked with critically ill children as a Neonatal ICU nurse at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.
For many years, I struggled to watch families lose a child day after day. The emotional demands as a NICU nurse took a toll on my heart, and in my grieving and distress, I would turn to a light-hearted and life-giving hobby to lull those hurting places. That was jewelry for me: an escape, an outlet, and a distraction. It was on the floor of mine and Ellis’s first home that Golden Thread was born. I could have never dreamed where this business would take me.
As parents to four small children, my husband, Ellis, and I have made a conscious effort to emphasize the importance of hard work and giving back to our community. It is important to us to show our precious kiddos what it looks like to chase after your dreams, work hard for what you love, to be courageous, to love others deeply, to take chances and to fulfill our Higher calling and purpose in our work!
In this position of leadership, it is important to me to cultivate the heart of the business by keeping our eye on the Greater purpose – selling gorgeous accessories is the added bonus!
2. What was the inspiration by Golden Thread?
Golden Thread was born on the floor of our townhome ELEVEN years ago this week – I cannot believe it! I couldn’t have imagined where the Lord would take us or how He would transform a small dream into a such a large blessing! My company was founded on the verse Psalm 115:1 and through it all, it still remains our heartbeat and purpose:
“Not to us, not to us, Oh Lord, but to YOUR Name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness!”
The brand was birthed out of my life-long passion for jewels, style, and all things regal, feminine and timeless. Our mantra has been to pair chic trends with enduring classics while maintaining a strong focus on quality, innovation, sophistication and affordable style — and it still rings true today!
We’ve grown from working on the floor of our guest bedroom to having our own Showroom and being in hundreds of stores around the country (including Saks Fifth Avenue)! Oh the joy of watching your “baby” grow!
Don’t be fooled though — we’ve had SO many up and downs. Truly, the highest of highs and the ultimate lowest of lows. I’ve tried and fallen flat on my face. I’ve failed at so many things repeatedly! Thankfully —in God’s economy, a “valley of trouble is a DOORWAY of HOPE!” (Hosea 2:15) A doorway, that with Him, leads to wondrous and abundant places! He is ALWAYS mightily faithful to redeem, remake, resurrect and transform!
“But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord NEVER ceases; His mercies are NEW every morning; great is HIS faithfulness!” (Lamentations 3:21-23)
Our small business has been full of so many challenges and struggles, yet filled with countless triumphs, adventures and feats! It has all been SO worth it!!! I just ADORE what I do — it is such a blessing and brings my heart so much fulfillment!
When I left being a nurse in the NICU to pulling the trigger on this life-long creative dream, I was both elated and scared stepping into the unknown. But HIS faithfulness has carried us every step of the way. The Lord keeps me on my knees — keeps me humbly clinging to Him through it all (especially through the pandemic)! This is all about Him, anyway — for His Kingdom, for His Fame, for His Glory! All the success doesn’t hold a candle to WHO God is and what HE brings into your heart and life. Lasting JOY only stems from one place and it is at the foot of the cross!
3. Did you always have an entrepreneurial or creative spirit? What were you like as a child?
YES! ALWAYS ALWAYS! I’m the same person I was thirty-plus years ago! Creative, passionate, energetic, inventive, head-in-the-clouds, dreamer, no fear, and an intense love of all things feminine, colorful and festive! My celebratory spirit runs deep, and I parlay my joyful optimism into my designs. Plus, I have always loved to write – one of my absolute favorite things to do (2nd to designing jewels and my secret party-planning hobby!)
4. Where do you find inspiration?
These days, I have to more flexible! The days of setting aside hours of time to brainstorm, sketch and feel inspired are over! HA! Being a momma to 4 kiddos keeps me pretty busy – which I LOVE! I’ve found that the more kids I’ve had, I’ve actually become more relaxed and have had to shed my intense perfectionistic OCD-ness – and the beauty of it all is – I feel more inspired than ever! On a whim, in the carpool line, at my kid’s baseball game and so on! When the moment strikes, it’s magic! But it usually is when I am with my kids! I always have a sketch pad nearby! Whether in the car, by my bed or even in the kitchen! This working momma adores finding inspiration amongst family!! I’m always inspired by my children and the fresh perspective for which they see the world – bright, hope-filled, and FUN! My collections these last few years particularly reflect that!
5. How would you describe your style?
Bright-feminine-classic-casual
6. As the owner and designer of Golden Thread I’m sure you wear many hats, what does a normal day look like for you?
No day looks the same. Which is what I love. Never a dull moment. I’m a problem-solver through and through and because I worked as a NICU for so many years, I learned the MOST PRICELESS gifts of prioritizing, time management and the art of delegating! Which help me 1000 times a day at work and as a momma too! BUT….owning and running a business is NOT for the faint of heart. Designing is the easy part. Running and operating day to day is the challenge. Ok – my days are CHAOS! But a “typical” day consists of this….we are up bright and early at our house – breakfast, carpool, coffee on the way to the office, morning meetings with my staff and my jewelers, putting out any fires that may need tending to, shooting jewels with my incredible photographer (Kate Robinson), organizing pieces before handing them off to my team to get up on our website, planning for things coming down the pipe, social media, emails, getting ideas into motion, then I try to be home for lunch and spend time with my littlest one (Hannah!!), afterward I usually walk/work out while doing conference calls, and wrap it all up in time to pick up the 3 of my 4 from school! Off to the races once everyone gets home – that’s when my 2nd job really starts! Homework, packing lunches, starting dinner, getting prepped for evening activities and sports! We jam-pack family time in as much as we can get it! Sports, dinner, baths, reading devotionals with our kids, praying together and off to bed!!
7. As a now Houstonian myself I’m curious, what’s your favorite thing to do and favorite place to eat in Houston?
Welcome to Houston gal! We are SO excited you are finally here with us!! Houston is AMAZING! I was born and raised here so I am super-partial! The city is fabulous and the people are unmatched!
Ok…we are total home-bodies, but I love the weather in Houston during the Spring! It’s sunny, bright and 70 degrees! Perfection! Our family loves to be outside — to go to the park, head to the Houston zoo or play tennis together! My favorite restaurants right now in Houston are Tiny Boxwoods, Turner’s, Cultivare and Etoile!
8. What’s the one piece of jewelry you always have on?
So, I am a NUT! I always have on like 20 things! But here are my staples — I have a personalized ring for each child – which has their names engraved on each ring – and I never take those off! And then my Gold Beaded Necklace! I NEVER take that off! I think it’s been like 7 years since I took it off last! I never take off my jewelry – I sleep, shower, work out, swim in it all!
9. Faith is something that is a foundation of Golden Thread, how have you been able to incorporate your faith into your business?
God has radically transformed my life — both personally and professionally —these last 11 years! Refined by fire, to say it lightly! Several years ago, we took a leap of faith and began developing and designing jewelry that points people to Jesus — that tells of His endless love, ceaseless mercy, never-ending pursuit of our hearts — that speaks of His redemptive power and life-transforming goodness and grace through my own testimony and now, ministry of jewelry!! This portion of our website is called our Biblical Truth-Shop — it’s become a one-stop-shop dedicated to The Truth — filled with jewelry, scripture cards, coloring sheets, gifts and kits! All to point people to the Gospel — the beauty of His everlasting grace and unending magnificent love for you — to breath His life into your day, proclaim His hope over your circumstances, and to bring His replenishment, nourishment and intimacy into your daily life! On-trend jewels paired with custom-made watercolor calligraphy scripture cards! Wearable reminders that are full of Purpose, personalization, encouragement! Each piece is jam-packed with HOPE, life, strength, protection, purpose, encouragement, provision, confidence and joyous expectation of what we can count on IN HIM! These dainty and feminine collections are built upon encouraging and empowering women towards His Truth, in speaking words of life over one another and enriched with the Gospel, grace and wearable reminders of God’s faithfulness! Our prayer is that God uses us to be a light for Him here at GT!
10. What’s your favorite Bible verse?
SO hard to choose! But I’d have to say:
“But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord NEVER ceases; His mercies are NEW every morning; great is HIS faithfulness!” (Lamentations 3:21-23)
11. What has been your biggest pinch-me moment with Golden Thread?
There are THREE! It’s a toss-up!
1. The 1st time we were on the TODAY Show back in 2012!
2. When we saw Pippa Middleton (Kate Middleton’s sister) wearing my jewelry in paparazzi photos!
3. When Taylor Swift was on the cover of VOGUE Magazine wearing my pieces!
12. How was 2020 for Golden Thread and how did you adjust with the pandemic?
Gosh, what a challenging year it was for all of us! Wow. Humbling and refining. It’s shifted the way we do business – masks, curbside pick-up, more online orders and less shopping in the showroom (although that has picked up a lot in the last few months). Safety is our biggest priority – both for our staff and our customers – and that wasn’t always easy to navigate! But overall, our year was blessed, it was difficult, but blessed. God is so faithful to us.
One of the things I LOVE that developed out of the pandemic/lockdown at our office — was that we started designing our own coloring sheets! Because we were all in this together, we wanted to provide people with a few free resources to make those days at home a little easier (and colorful)! We made all of our original coloring sheets available for a free download — immediately, right to your home computer, ready to print as many times as you need! People needed hope – words of life – Truth! Our custom-made coloring pages were designed to encourage, empower and motivate little ones towards receiving the Truth that God has for them in His Word! Each coloring sheet is bursting with fun, girly, imaginative, and intentional artwork — allowing for their creativity to be on full display while absorbing foundational-Truth! Even in the face of fear, the unknown and so much tragedy –He keeps His promises to every generation! He keeps His promises in the middle of a global pandemic! He keeps His promises in the face of political division! He keeps His promises in times of insurmountable suffering! He keeps His promises when evil seems to be overcoming good! His faithfulness isn’t dependent on our politics, reactions, emotions or circumstances. He is faithful IN SPITE of those things. And boy, do we ever need Him to be more near. All-other ground is sinking sand and the foot of the cross remains readily and perpetually available to all. We wanted to encourage others to run to Him for peace today — the Healer of our Land, the Lifter of our heads, The Overcomer, our All-Knowing All-Powerful All-Wise Father — who does not abandon us in our time of need, but rather DRAWS NEAR. “The Lord is NEAR to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18) For, “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Psalm 111:10) Here at GT, our prayer and heartbeat is FOR revival —for you, your family, our city, our state, our nation, our world!
13. What’s something you excited about in 2021 with Golden Thread?
We are venturing into new creative-territory as we expand our line of accessories into more inspiring and charming pieces! Think of us as your comprehensive exquisite-accessory-chauffeur! The perfect extension of our existing Golden Thread staples and brand. Spring is going to bring some BIG, chic, exciting, trendy and BRIGHT things, ladies! PLUS, we are being featured on the TODAY Show on March 24tth! YAY!! So…be on the lookout and spread the word!
Rapid Fire:
Classic Script Monogram or Block? Script
Gold or Silver? Gold
Necklace or Bracelets? Necklaces
Winter or Summer? Summer
Tea or Soda? Tea
Neutrals or Color? COLOR
Disney World or Skiing? Skiing
Isn’t Jennifer amazing and her pieces stunning?! She is truly inspiring!
I love the style of her pieces!
What a fun interview! It was fascinating to learn more about Golden Thread, how she started the company, and her/its success. Looking forward to seeing the spring collection.
The jewelry is beautiful, but Jennifer is so inspiring and grounded. Wonderful interview!
She is so precious and her pieces are absolute perfection!
What a beautiful story and company! Thank you Thirty Pineapple for once again introducing me to another line that is sure to bring much joy! Thankful for your influence and how you share about other companies.
I loved everything about this! Beautiful jewelry and beautiful spirit
This was such a good read. The jewelry looks beautiful.