Because Rainbows

Building Bridges: Tell us a little bit about you, your family, and what you like to do for fun!

Just Chisai: The better question is what DON'T I do for fun? I pretty much love everything and want to learn as many things as is possible. I grew up with my two older brothers and we were always into the same things: video games, anime and cartoons, and creating our own versions of both. My oldest brother chose to go with video games and anime, my younger brother with performing, and me with all of the above. 

My favorite things to do are bike riding and cosplaying (dressing up in costume and interacting with people). I love making people's days by being silly and bringing out their child inside with my costumes.

Building Bridges: What other hobbies do you have?

Just Chisai: I enjoy researching science, particularly biology and astronomy, and going to anime/game conventions. I have been to five so far and I performed a skit at the first two.

Building Bridges: Why did you choose the name of your business? Is there a special meaning behind it?

Just Chisai: I like to create character designs and there's one character in particular that I love the most. She was originally supposed to personify me for when I started animating, but I ended up changing her and changing her until she became her own entity that I came to admire. Her name is Chisai, she's the little dragon bunny in all of my icons and avatars, and she's the business mascot. 

I am also very humble in what I'm doing. I don't consider myself an artist or a seamstress or an entrepreneur. I'm just a 22 year old girl who wants to create things special for people. So I combined all of that. I'm Just Chisai Customs. 

Building Bridges: Why did you decide to open your shop and why sell on Etsy.com?

Just Chisai: I have always been confused with what I wanted to do and have been dealing with depression for many years. At the end of 2012 I was able to figure out what specifically was causing my depression, and it was the fact that I was doing everything for everyone else and not myself. I never did anything or spent money on myself or tried to figure out what I really wanted to do my life. Instead I did what the world told me to do which was, get a job, go to school, become a doctor. 

But I realized that life is not for me. I have been crafting and drawing since middle school and although I enjoy sciences and the like, my true calling is with creation. The only reason I decided to go with Etsy is because it was the cheapest option. Ebay and Amazon cost too much and seemed overly complicated haha.

Building Bridges: Did someone encourage you to start a business?

Just Chisai: One of my coworkers encouraged me to party for my birthday 2012 which is what set me on this path. Once I partied, I ended up spending about $2,000 on gifts for myself, and my brother told me to buy us tickets to Anime Expo. After that I began to wonder why I never tried to go to other conventions, so I purchased a ticket to Califur and BlizzCon as well. I love to cosplay at these places so I started buying material and I began creating costumes and things. When we went to AX in July, on the last day someone was giving out little chicken hair clips and I looked at it for a second and thought, "I can make these." 

I did start making them. And by that time I was fed up with my job and that I was going no where in life. And so I decided to start my own business. I have never enjoyed working for other people and I like to do things my way, so owning my own business was the only door left open.

It's hard but I have never been happier. And given the choices again I would do it all the same.

Building Bridges: When your shop officially open and do you remember your first product that sold, what was it?

Just Chisai:  September 21, 2013 was when I opened for business. My friends and family purchased many of my hair bows and kanzashi flowers, but the first item sold to a stranger through Etsy was my loopy flower hair bow. 

Building Bridges: Do you take custom orders?

Just Chisai:  I looooove creating custom orders. Especially with how I do my shop. Every detail is customizable down to things like the direction of the craft. It's so much fun to see how creative people get. 

I once spent an hour with one of my customers making a pom pom animal headband. It was the most amazing experience I've had thus far. 

  

Building Bridges: Why Make handmade?

Just Chisai: Because handmade is better
                                                               

I could buy wholesale and sell other people's things but why do that? I can create my own versions and inspire people. I can build something with my own two hands. That makes it more special and makes me feel proud.

Building Bridges: What do you love or hate about selling?

Just Chisai: The fact that people even want to purchase what I create just fills my heart with joy. Am I so awesome that you are willing to pay me for my time? Agh <3 That greatly pleases me. And I'm a social butterfly so I usually end up becoming friends with the people I sell to. 

The thing I hate about selling is the fact that I have to sell. I wish money didn't exist. I wish I could create things and give them away for free and still be able to make a living. I wish we could all share in that way.

Building Bridges: What is your favorite part about owning your own business?

Just Chisai: What's not to love? I get to choose my hours. Vacations and lunches whenever I want. I can create whatever I want. I can buy what materials I want. I can organize things how I want. I can do whatever I want! That is the greatest gift of all.

Building Bridges: Do you have a product that you prefer to design/create over others?

Just Chisai: I LOOOOOVE creating costumes. Full body, mascot style costumes. Although my business is various custom made items, the focus is going to be full body costumes. I want to revolutionize the costume design business. I want to make animatronic and mechanical costumes more available for people, on the scale of Walking with Dinosaurs. 

Building Bridges: Do you have your own shop blog and social media sites? We would LOVE to follow you back!

Just Chisai: I'm everywhere! FACEBOOK, TUMBLR, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, TWITTER. Click the links to follow me!

Building Bridges: We love to attend craft and vendor markets - do you?

Just Chisai: I haven't actually attended one yet. The closest thing to something like that I've been to is the artist alley at conventions where free lance artists sell their work.

Building Bridges: What is your favorite part about the markets?

Just Chisai: It's always fun to see the variety and everyone is always having fun.

Building Bridges: Do you ever get nervous the night before a big event?

Just Chisai: Things like that don't make me nervous they excite me and I get anxious haha.

Building Bridges: Did you always see yourself becoming an entrepreneur?

Just Chisai: The funny thing is that I always did. Throughout my childhood I always pretended to be an entrepreneur whether it was selling motorcycles or limousines. But I was always told I need to get a concrete, well paying job like a doctor or lawyer. So I was always working toward that instead of what I really wanted to do.

Building Bridges: Do you use your own products?

Just Chisai:  Only the costumes haha. I'm not a fan of accessories and things like that. I'm picky about what I wear.

Building Bridges: What is your most popular product on the market right now?

Just Chisai: Everyone loves my ribbon roses. They like how I shape them and how big they are, and that I do multi-color. And honestly I do too haha. Who doesn't love rainbow flowers?

Building Bridges: What is the favorite item you make and why?

I recently started making animals using kanzashi petals. They take forever to make but they just look so cool and cute. And it's fun to see how closely I can make the petals look like specific animals. I hope to make just about every animal and try to make inanimate objects too like soccer balls or princess wands.

Building Bridges: Thank you Just Chisai for entertaining us with your awesome story!  You are just so cute and adorable that we just want to hug all of your artwork and not let go! Our personal favorite is your Lion King Kanzashi! Hehe. Just Chisai can be reach at almost any hour of the day on any of her social media accounts! Check her out, follow, love on her, and get yourself some! Until next time – wish you a happy Wednesday! Rock on.