There are moments in business that you could never plan.

You create something because it means something to one person, and somehow that piece travels further than you expected. It becomes a conversation, an introduction, a connection and sometimes the beginning of another story.

That was exactly what happened to me during this past baseball season.

Women Have Long Been Part of Baseball

Women have been part of baseball for generations, with organized women’s teams and professional leagues creating memorable moments throughout the sport’s history.

This past season felt like another special chapter.

Seeing women step onto the field, compete professionally and bring new attention to the game was exciting to watch. For me, though, it became even more meaningful because the story connected directly to my own family and, unexpectedly, to Bodacious Bijous.

Then Baseball Became Personal for Me

I never imagined that my jewelry journey would intersect with professional baseball.

My cousin Alyssa Zettlemoyer became part of this new generation of women stepping onto the field. Watching her pursue something so significant made the story of women in baseball feel much more personal to me.

I was proud of her because she wasn't simply playing a sport she loved. She was part of something younger girls could watch and see as possible for themselves.

That mattered.

And somewhere along the way, Bodacious Bijous became a small part of her journey too.

Alyssa supported my business, shared my jewelry and even referred to some of my pieces as part of her "drip."

As a small business owner, those moments meant more than people sometimes realize.

One Necklace Led to Another

Then came another unexpected connection.

Alli Schroeder, who played for Boston, saw a custom necklace I had created for Alyssa.

That eventually led to Alli trusting me to create something especially for her.

Her vision became a custom necklace featuring pearls, crystals, BOSTON lettering and her number, 16.

Creating it wasn't just another custom order.

There was something special about realizing that one woman's piece had inspired another woman's piece.

Two women pursuing baseball.

Two different personalities and stories.

And jewelry becoming a small way for each of them to express who they were beyond the uniform.

That's the part of custom jewelry that I love most.

Jewelry Can Tell a Story Without Saying a Word

I've always believed jewelry is more than something you put on before leaving the house.

It can represent where you're from.

Your name.

Your team.

Your number.

Your family.

Your personality.

A memory.

A milestone.

Or simply the way you want to feel that day.

That's why the Bodacious Bijous message has always been:

It's not just jewelry. It's a feeling.

When I started creating jewelry, I couldn't have predicted all the people it would introduce me to or all the stories I would get to become a tiny part of.

Some customers found me at markets.

Some found me through social media.

Some found me because they saw another person wearing something I made.

And sometimes one necklace created an entirely new connection.

Women Supporting Women

There was another part of this story that I didn't want to overlook.

Women supporting women mattered.

My cousin supported my business.

Another woman saw my work because of her.

Alli trusted me with her vision.

And I got to celebrate women doing something remarkable in their own field while continuing to build something in mine.

Our journeys looked completely different, but there was something powerful about recognizing each other's work.

That was one of the things entrepreneurship continued to teach me.

Success wasn't always a straight line.

Sometimes growth looked like one person believing in what you were doing and telling someone else.

Sometimes opportunity came through relationships.

And sometimes your work found its way into spaces you never imagined it would enter.

Looking Back on the Season

Now that the baseball season has ended, I've had a chance to really reflect on what this experience meant to me.

It wasn't just about creating jewelry for two baseball players.

It was about watching women make history in their own way.

It was about family.

It was about connection.

And it was another reminder of how unpredictable the journey of building a business can be.

Bodacious Bijous started as a creative outlet and gradually became something much bigger.

I've learned to design, make, sell, attend markets, work with manufacturers, create custom pieces, build collections, tell my story and figure things out as I go.

There have been beautiful moments and difficult ones.

But this season became one of those moments I know I'll remember.

Because somewhere between baseball, jewelry, family and entrepreneurship, I was reminded that you don't always know where your creativity will take you.

You just have to keep creating long enough to find out.

Remember, It's not just jewelry. It's a feeling.

Bodacious Bijous