Welcome back to “Mile High Conversations”, where each month we will be interviewing different Colorado based businesses. This month’s guest is Annie Marshall, founder and CEO of the permanent jewelry company Pink Pearl.
READ: Denver Fashion Week Announces Spring 2025 Line Up and New Themes
Today, Pink Pearl proudly stands as Google’s Top Rated Permanent Jewelry Business in Denver, and one of the top queer-owned permanent jewelry businesses in the United States. After personally receiving Pink Pearl’s service, I will say that they provide top tier service while offering quality pieces that fit many different style categories. The company also offers a year long warranty if anything happens to the product.
303 Magazine: Thanks for taking the time to chat with 303. After learning more about Pink Pearl, it is noted that the company was founded in 2023. Why permanent jewelry, and what factors can be attributed to its success?
Marshall: I had no idea I was going to do permanent jewelry. I really, truly fell into it, but the reason that I fell into it was because I was trying so many different things. I needed to find a life worth living, so I tried sewing, cooking and creating things — making all sorts of different things and I failed so many times that something had to work. I was just not afraid of the “no”. I knew that I was going to hear it over and over again and I had just experienced the worst “no” that I had felt in my life. So it just felt almost easy from then on out.
I fell into jewelry making by complete accident. I started with making really weird, cool pieces — body chains and a little bit more sensory, a lot of borderline kinky, adult and playful. It was more about creating a piece of art that was across the entire body; something different and new. I also realized that people really just want necklaces and bracelets. It was a more clear area for demand, and I had to be realistic about what the market was asking for. I love creating permanent jewelry as it gives me the ability to create more creative non-permanent pieces that I am super passionate about. I absolutely adore the permanent jewelry experience and how it has transformed my ability to create more freely.
So much of what I had based everything off of before was “how successful am I?” “how much money do I bring in?” or “what is my worth in those terms?” I started to shift my mindset from “what is my worth?” to “what kind of life do I want to live?” It’s certain as hell not about money. It’s about connection, and how you make others feel and how you feel about yourself.
303 Magazine: I think it is so admirable that you started with a passion but then got realistic into what the market wants. You still have that passion inside of you, it’s just now your job and paying the bills.
Marshall: It is really a privilege to be able to create bespoke pieces. I think the most important part is that I used instead of being consumed by my pain. Of course I was for awhile, but I then started to transform that into hyper focus. metallurgy and YouTube videos, learning everything that I could for months before I did my first event. I was in my room just creating pieces and that is what differentiated me from others on the market.
303 Magazine: You’ve explained that the brand “is a powerful testament to resilience and empowerment.” After overcoming the challenges of domestic abuse, you have transformed your mission into finding strength from adversity. What was the most valuable lesson that you learned and carried with you into starting ‘Pink Pearl’?
Marshall: When people ask questions surrounding my experience with domestic abuse, it’s difficult because I want to be honest about my experiences but those experiences don’t define me and don’t have a place in my life anymore.
There are a lot of lessons that I have learned and I think it is hard to narrow down to just one. A lot of what I was worried about was being successful for other people, or proving something. I thought that I had to make ‘x’ dollar amount to prove this person wrong or achieve ‘x’ level of success, because if I went through all of that, then it had to mean that it happened for a higher reason. That it wasn’t just damage. One of the things that I’ve had to embrace and learn is that it is okay to have damage. Everyone has damage. Separating my success in my business from my value as a human being has been really hard for me.
Another valuable lesson that I have learned is that not everything happens for a higher reason. Sometimes people are just f*cking assholes. And it sucks, and it hurts. And you know what you have to do? Just cry and move on. Sometimes shitty things just are and that is the hard part about life — accepting that good and bad exist in all of us.
The most valuable lesson that I have learned from being in this business is that I get to create the present that I am in. I can choose to leave a reality that I do not like.
303 Magazine: ‘Pink Pearl’ services parties and pop-ups at well know stores as well as in studio service. Explain the day-to-day of being a creative business owner of a permanent jewelry company and what the welding process looks like.
Marshall: There is really no simple day-to-day structure. I think if I had an average day, it would drive me insane. The reason that I love working for myself is because I can do block scheduling. I’m actually shocked I can run a business with the amount of dissociation that I still experience.
A lot of my time is spent making sure that my human needs are met. I use block scheduling to make sure that I get everything done throughout the week and it also allows me shift things around in a way that feels digestible for me. Not being set to a corporate schedule allows me to embrace a lot more of my creative energy. I am so creatively driven that I need something that gives me the flexibility to be weird, to meditate, to dance in the kitchen, to daydream.
Partnering with brands like Madewell and Anthropologie have been transformative to the way I’ve run my business. A lot of people have brick-and-mortar based sales that generate their revenue, but by bypassing that and doing event-based partnerships, it allows me to focus on operations and expansion instead of being physically present in a store 40+ hours a week.
The welding process is both easy and difficult! I use Sunstone equipment, which is industry standard, with argon gas. The machine is called a Pulse Arc Welder, and it produces a current of electricity that melts the metal at about 7000 degrees, creating a bond. It requires an incredibly fine eye, and steady hands.
303 Magazine: The company’s dedication to sustainability is admirable and important. What actions does ‘Pink Pearl’ take to address today’s environmental challenges?
Marshall: I come from a background in solar, so I moved to Colorado in 2018 to work with Tesla on the home eco-system to establish solar in the market. I also worked as a district manager for Sunrun, having a team of up to 16 people across 11 stores working to bring solar to residential areas. I’ve always cared about the planet and always will.
Gold filled is something that there’s a huge misunderstanding around and not a lot of people have the education on the material. 14k gold filled is 5% gold by weight — mechanically and heat bonded. The gold plated jewelry that you find in the mall is dipped in an electroplated solution. It is the thinnest, most easily transferable — it’s got a cheap based metal, most often nickel and brass. It’s going to last you maybe like a week and if you wash with it, its going to last zero time whatsoever. You’re going to get that green mark. So when i’m thinking about ‘what am i going to give back to the world?’ And ‘what am I going to do with my time?’ And this is my area of expertise now, so what is the quality of the product I would want for myself?
I’ll be honest, when I got my first permanent bracelet done, it was a negative experience and part of the reason I wanted to start a business as well because I knew that I could do it way better, no shade. I wanted something that was sustainable that genuinely made you think, ‘what do I want on my body at all times?’ Kind of like a tattoo. This is more of a sustainable decision: it’s not just a throwaway piece of jewelry, this is something that you’re investing in.
I’m so conscious that for the first three months that I did my research, I looked at wholesalers that were US based and Italy based. The materials that I am using are incredibly sustainable, high quality and in the first place are from places that are going to reduce that carbon impact through transportation alone. I do carry solid metals as well, like all my silver is sterling silver 925, I carry 14 carat and I can always do custom orders as well. But I am finding there is this middle road where they’re not really able to afford the solid gold but they still want a good quality product.
What most people do is get these cheap items over and over again, and end up spending more money. This is where my solution comes in: creating a middle road product, and educating the customers about the longevity and providing an affordable investment piece. They get something they feel really good about, and it’s better for the environment. Also I do bring my solar panels out at outdoor events as a nod to my past life.
303 Magazine: You mentioned that not having a business background was a significant challenge while starting Pink Pearl. What would your advice be to anyone reading who wants to start their own passion project or business?
Marshall: A lot of people think that you have to have everything perfectly aligned. My biggest piece of advice is you have something really valuable to offer this world. Your level of success depends on your ability to believe in yourself.
Shaun Coe, my business advisor, is a huge part of the reason I’m still in business. When I first started working with him, I had almost no confidence— only an idea. The voice of doubt in my head was so loud because it still wasn’t my own voice. For him to challenge the narrative that I had in my head was the most valuable thing that another human being has ever done for me.
He helped optimize my processes, see outside of my own head, get alternative perspectives and really hone in on what my main income drivers would be to allow me to live the life that he knew I wanted. I give him so much credit and I recommend anyone that starts a business to get outside of your echo chamber; you’re not going to be right all of the time. If you have the opportunity, be around someone who has established multiple businesses because they’re going to have insight that you don’t have. Your biggest opportunity is your ability to listen to others.
READ: Mile High Conversations: Denver Style Consultant Anne Liebman Talks SheStylesCo
Most businesses fail within the first year, and the reason is lack of structure and inability to take feedback. Read the books, get an advisor and get moving. Be realistic, what is the demand for your product? Find your streams of revenue — local partnerships, online sales, markets, private parties etc. Use schedule blocking and create time to be alone as well as with other. AI is a great scheduler and objective therapist. Experiment and be f*cking relentless. My top suggested book is The E Myth: Revisited Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What To Do About It by Michael Gerber.
303 Magazine: Okay — last question, what is your favorite memory from either creating ‘Pink Pearl’ from the ground up or day-to-day functions of the business? Also, what do your next steps look like?
Marshall: I think there’s actually two moments that stick out in my mind. The first one was pride, 2024. I was part of the Gayborhood market and it was an opportunity for businesses under $250,000 in revenue to come and get a discounted space. I got a little 6 foot table and I had four people working at the same time. It was sheer chaos. There was a huge line, and I made over $3000 a day. I had this moment where I was like “wait, can I actually do this?” “Could this actually be a thing?” When I was packing and walking to my car, a man said in passing “That woman looks like she could conquer all of Rome,” and it summarized exactly how I felt in that moment.
The second moment was when I realized that over a year had passed and it was going well. I was like holy sh*t I passed the mark when most businesses fail. Despite everything, all of the doubt, anger, pain, sadness, everything that I had been through. It was also overwhelming, I never thought that I would receive such incredible support and now that that part of my life has come into full swing, it’s such a humbling lesson. I have been able to experience love in a completely new way. I went from someone screaming at me to k*ll myself to flying across the country to work with amazing places like Madewell or Gossip Grill. I am so beyond grateful, sometimes I don’t know how to process the success.
The next steps for Pink Pearl involve partnering with investors. I have multiple short and long term proposals to accelerate our success with generous terms available. Of course I’d love to do Music Festivals and destination pop-ups, I see a potential for several long term strategies and am ready to tackle these next steps!
Annie Marshall has a small team that she brings to pop-up events like her shop manager Amanda, one of the very few female welders in the United States. She also brings along Melissa, a certified welder for peak level events. She noted that “having people who are highly skilled is a cornerstone of why we’re rated as the #1 permanent jewelry brand in Denver on google within such a short amount of time!“
You can find Marshall and Pink Pearl on their website, blog and Instagram. A portion of their proceeds goes to supporting victims of domestic violence through Shelter House Denver, “reinforcing our commitment to making a positive impact.“
All photos by Samantha Rosauri.