Making a big career change can be scary, but two local women found out it can be worth the leap of faith. Nicole Jones and Chantel Watkins believe "Honesty" is the best policy, and its put them at the top of their game.
The two best friends founded the chic jewelry line Honesty four years ago. At first glance, Jones and Watkins appear to be an unlikely pair. Jones is the wife of former Atlanta Braves great Andruw Jones. Before starting Honesty, the self-described southern belle who grew up in Marietta was selling real estate.
Watkins, a Chicago native, worked for nearly two decades with Jermaine Dupri at So So Def Records. Both women were looking for something else to do.
They started small, creating handmade, intricate bracelets at Jones' kitchen table. They later moved the operation to an upstairs room, but quickly outgrew that. Now, they work out of a studio in Duluth, and thanks to Watkins' marketing background, their jewelry is found in major department stores.
The bracelets are priced to be affordable enough for anyone to enjoy them, but they've also found a big celebrity following, with clients like Holly Robinson Peete and Carrie Underwood. The ladies say they have dreams of expanding their line to include other things, but they wouldn't say exactly what their new ventures will be.
