Adam & Veronica
Meet Adam and Veronica, the makers behind Spun by Ver.
Spun by Ver was started by wife and husband team Veronica and Adam in 2007. They sell affordable handmade clutches, totes, coin purses, throw pillows, men's wallets, etc. to folks who like some of the same stuff they do: Music, Car Shows, Tattoos, Day of the Dead stuff, Metal Flake Vinyl, etc. All the items they sell are designed by Adam and then made by Veronica (the "Ver'' in Spun by Ver) here in Long Beach, CA.
Read their story below
How’d you get your start?
Some of our first handbags were simple cloth handbags created with one of Adam’s former band logos to sell at their gigs. Veronica was also inspired to make affordable metal flake vinyl handbags with appliques and designs that reflected our interest in music, horror movies, and car culture. Her expert color training, design, and sewing skills combined with Adam’s drawing and design skills were a perfect match, and we decided that vinyl was our future.
What steps did you initially take to set yourself apart?
We wanted to make bags that did not look like the other metal flake bags that were available at the time. Veronica had seen some vinyl bags that were cool, but expensive. Reasonably priced, unique metal flake handbags was our goal. There were not very many bags with vinyl and embroidered appliques so we decided that this was something we could add that would make our handbags stand out from the crowd. Once we figured out how to manipulate and cut the appliques, the design ideas were basically unlimited.
"When you see something difficult to make come to fruition, that is a HUGE reward."
Starting a creative enterprise is hard, what advice would you give to those with similar aspirations?
Practice and hone your craft. Make sure you enjoy what you do because there are going to be challenges and hard work in any business endeavor. The enjoyment and creative satisfaction are the rewards.
Has rejection ever affected your creative process?
Rejection has not been too big of an issue. We only do the designs and ideas that we want to do. Our customers tend to know what kinds of designs and themes we do, and when we get a request for a custom design, it is almost always along the lines of something we would want to do anyway. If a particular project does not pan out, there is always something else on the horizon for us to sink our teeth into.
Which do you most attribute to your success?
"One factor is being a great team. We genuinely enjoy working together. Couples, families, close friends are all a great basis for a business. We know and trust each other. Mutual support, love, and common interests are already built in, and there’s joy in being together and creating together."
What holds more value for you: creativity or knowledge?
Creativity and knowledge hold equal value for us. Skills and knowing our tools and craft help us to execute our creative vision. They are two sides of the same coin. It takes both creativity and knowledge to take that vision from the “mind’s eye” and turn it into 3-dimensional reality.
Describe your day at home or in your workspace?
It is different day to day. Veronica works full time during the day as a drafter in the construction field and then sews in the afternoon. Adam does packing and shipping, bookkeeping and more during the day. We both collaborate on drawing, cutting, and searching for new colors and materials, making trips to local suppliers, and checking inventory, creating new designs. Veronica’s workspace tends to be more organized, and Adam’s is just a little messy but not too much! It’s what works for us.
"We love living in Downtown Long Beach and walking around our area is one of our favorite activities. Walking to the Queen Mary is our favorite long walk."
If you could move to any other place in this or any universe where would you go?
One of our retirement goals is a partially underground container home, which will serve as a “home base” for our travels. We will need a big RV, so we can go anywhere we want. Another travel method we highly recommend is Amtrak train trips. You can see so much of the country and get a view you don’t typically get from the highway. You’ll get nature, backyards, junkyards full of old cars, older parts of towns, prairies, mountains, desert scenery, often on one train ride. The train goes through so many interesting and unusual places. The train from New Orleans to Los Angeles goes right through the Bayou and you get to see so many homes, towns and nature from an up-close perspective.
