March is International Womxn’s Month, and here at 303 Magazine, we strive to highlight local women who are changing the Denver community. Jordan Louis, the founder of permanent jewelry company LINK x LOU, started her company in her kitchen and the brand has expanded with 35-plus linkers nationwide and $0 spent on advertising.
Louis is the Lou in LINK x LOU and the brains behind the company that has exploded since its inception. Permanent jewelry is now a national phenomenon that provides individuals, couples, friends, partners, family members and groups with a meaningful experience that they will not only remember, but have forever. Chainlink bracelets are welded on the wearer and are meant to withstand anything.
After attending Kansas State University studying Elementary Education with a focus in Special Education for her undergraduate degree and obtaining a masters from Pittsburg State University studying Special Education K, 21-year-old Louis had never planned to create her own company. While she had previously worked in a boutique and as an esthetician, her educational background was leading her to work with children.
When the idea for LINK x LOU was born, Louis was living in Denver with three roommates. She didn’t have the funds to start a company, but she was eager to get a piece of permanent jewelry herself and found she would have to travel to do so.
“I spent every last dime pouring into this idea of what LINK x LOU could be… so much so I had $82 left to my name,” she said.
Louis saw the potential in creating a way for her community to have the experience of getting linked with a permanent jewelry piece.
“I didn’t know the first thing about scaling a business. It cost me money, time and control,” she said. “In the eyes of many, the way I started the business may have not been the most responsible or ‘safe’ thing to do considering most of the people I knew had no idea what permanent jewelry was at the time, but there was something inside of me that KNEW I had to take a chance on this business.”
At the time, the COVID-19 pandemic was raging and Denver was under a stay-at-home order. Once the order was lifted and life returned to some semblance of normalcy, Louis felt prepared to take her business to the next level.
“It was the time off I needed to allow my creativity to flow and I had such a strong desire to create and connect again. LINK x LOU was the perfect opportunity to do so,” she said.
Spreading the word about what she was doing was the biggest step in creating a successful business. While Louis didn’t have the business experience that many CEOs obtained prior to creating their own companies, she had the vision and motivation to make LINK x LOU something great.
“With my slight background in self-taught photography and content creation and my love for simplicity but deep meaning, I had Instagram at my fingertips, just enough money with my stimulus check (added to what was in the bank account) to invest in a welder and some gold, plus confidence that the vision was too clear to neglect. From there, LINK x LOU was born,” she said.
For Denver Linker Lindsay Puckett, Louis is not only an inspiration but a fearless leader.
“The cold, hard truth is, Jordan is a creative genius, but on top of having the skills of a beautifully brilliant entrepreneur, she is a unicorn. She is a one-of-a-kind human being who brings magic to everything she touches. With a heart of gold, it’s no surprise that she built a brand around solid gold materials,” Puckett said. “When others ask her about how she built our team, she says, ‘if it’s not a hell yes, it’s a hell no.’ It’s one of my favorite things I hear her say and even that comment encompasses her passion behind everything she does.”
Today, LINK x LOU trains linkers around the country who link clients at pop-up events, by appointment and for private parties.
The company focuses on sustainability in creating pieces that are meant to last. Additionally, LINK x LOU sources 14k white and solid gold chains that are made of alloy. These metals are less toxic than gold-filled or plated metals that are often used in the jewelry industry and contribute to fast fashion through the use of resources necessary to create the metal.
Check out LINK x LOU Denver for the next opportunity to get linked and to follow along on Louis’s journey in making permanent jewelry a staple in people’s lives.
“There is so much to be said about the experience our team brings to the table when getting your first, second, third + piece of LINK x LOU permanent jewelry,” Louis said. “It’s like we are part of a movement where one day you will look around and feel connected with others because so many have a LINK x LOU piece on.”
All Product Photography by Jordan Louis.
Updated on March 11 to reflect accurate photo credits.