Daily Inspiration: Meet Holly Therrien

Today we’d like to introduce you to Holly Therrien. 

Hi Holly, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Like most people, I didn’t take the straight path to find myself where I am today. I grew up downstate, Flushing Michigan to be exact, and what seemed like a million miles from the Great Lakes. I had family up north and ventured up as much as my parents allowed, but I didn’t yet see the wonder that surrounded this area until I was out of high school. 

I spent 5 years getting my degree in Biomedical Science with hopes of continuing on to become a Physician’s Assistant. I was DRIVEN. Anything that I put my mind to at the time, I accomplished. I felt so comfortable knowing that I was going to be helping people in the future, and was excited for the path of more schooling, more knowledge, and more money. But travel tempted me and eventually became my biggest passion. I traveled first across the globe to New Zealand, where my two cousins and I spent months living out of a station wagon. This “travel bug” as they call it, bit me and it took its toll. Once I added a few more stamps to the passport after graduating college, the passion had really grabbed hold and kept me dreaming. I then started dreaming of a life in which I wasn’t tied down to a job that NEEDS me. Dreaming of a life that allowed me to see outside the four walls I contained myself in. There was an urgency to see what else is out there, and the impending doom of more education and a job that needed me 40+ hours a week at oddball hours was out the window. I wanted to see the world and do things at my own pace. This independence allowed me to step out of my tunnel vision that was Physician’s Assistant school and allow myself to dream of what I wanted my future to look like. A future of allowing myself the freedom to see the beauty in the world. 

So, very long-winded, but I accredit where I am at now on my decision to travel before I settled into my career. I found myself traveling the world, finding interest in stones and jewelry, and bringing them back to the place I called home for half of the year when I wasn’t traveling to make something with them. I worked my butt off at restaurants and breweries for 6+ months of the year to fund my wanderlust for the other months and dabbled with silversmithing along the way. I started with the most primitive of supplies and such a small amount of knowledge. I continued my journey with “YouTube University”, so much trial and error, lots of burnt skin, and melted carpet from dropping hot metals. It was one of those “tinker until 2 am sort of hobbies” and wake up and want to do it all over again. Fast forward to now and I’m doing this as my full-time job. I’m filling my days with things that fill my cup. Spending hours scouring the beaches that I call home for stones, making jewelry for people that will cherish it for years, and allowing myself to scoot off and enjoy what the world has to offer as much as I possibly can. 

As most entrepreneurs can attest, Covid was a big pivot point. My main money maker at the time was at a brewery, and hours were suddenly limited, and I found myself with a plethora of free time. This allowed me ample time to invest into my business. I felt as though I was playing pretend, all the sudden Wandering Waters became my full-time gig. I woke up in the morning with a list a mile long of the things I wanted to do and the many free hours to complete it. This was a huge turning point for me and it’s when I finally realized… I can do this. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have been blessed with a pretty smooth road, to be honest. I now have a degree I’m paying for that isn’t being utilized, but I’m thankful for the lessons it taught me. I spent years doing this on the side, with plenty of late nights burning the candle at both ends because the real job made me money, but making jewelry made me happy. I couldn’t wait to get out of work late at night and run home to finish the piece I had been thinking about for hours. And mind you, this stuff was GARBAGE. I was so proud of every piece and learned something new on every project I began. Sure, there are always going to be struggles. Every month will not be record-breaking. I can be SO INCREDIBLY proud of something I made for it to then sit on my website for months without interest. Every business owner will tell you; entrepreneurship is hard work; you’ll wear so many hats and learn that you are just not talented at certain things (ex. Marketing and accounting… They are my Achilles heels). But at the end of the day, I try to remind myself that I started from nothing, and I’ll continue to grow forever if I just give it all that I possibly can. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I make jewelry primarily from stones found around this beautiful state. I would consider my style to be rustic, natural, and well-worn. I want you to feel comfortable wearing my stuff day in and day out and hope to pass it on to future generations. I typically work with local stones; however, I find myself drawn to turquoise, jaspers, and pretty much anything this world makes naturally. My dog and I spend hundreds of hours on the lakeshore, soaking up all the beauty that we are so blessed to be surrounded by, looking for stones that are called to new adventures. To adorn a finger of a loved one or to be bought as a momento of a perfect vacation. What I love most about what I do is hearing from customers that a piece of jewelry reminds them of home, of summers on the lake, of their wedding on the beaches of Northern Michigan. But honestly, I’m most proud of stepping outside of what was comfortable and venturing into unknown territory to make my business my full-time gig. Owning a business is hard work, but when your heart and soul are completely wrapped up in it, you wake up each day knowing that you are where you’re supposed to be. 

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I would say I’ve always been creative, but it was never something that defined me. And even today, I think that “being creative” isn’t something that I scream from the rooftops about myself. I would say, as a kid I was determined and independent. I liked being outdoors, but it wasn’t something I thought would bring me as much absolute fleeting joy as it does now. After moving to the Traverse City area after high school, I started to find myself outside more and more and being alone to really soak it all in. I could sit on a bluff by myself and SEE the beauty in the landscape, the way the sun felt, the way the sand moved. I don’t think I ever really sat and absorbed how much your location can make you who you are until I was a bit older. This area now defines me, I am absolutely drawn to the lakeshore to feel every emotion I am going through. When I was a kid, I was focused on being with people I loved and getting good grades, and making good forts. I guess not much has changed. I still strive to spend time with those I love, try my hardest to succeed. And live this life with as much joy as one can possibly muster. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wanderingwatersdesigns.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wanderingwaters.designs/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Wandering-Waters-Designs/100063508809235/ 

Image Credits
Hallie Kohler
Kindred Spirits Photography