An Interview with Megan Joy Dean, Co-Owner of Extra Earrings

Recently, I had an interview with Megan Joy Dean, co-owner of Extra Earrings. When I had my first contact with Megan Joy Dean, she came across as a very caring and hard-working person. During the course of our interview, it became apparent that she very much is. 

What’s more, the business that she shares with her daughter is run almost entirely by her family. She works tirelessly on the business, and that’s after working a full-time day job. 

The following is an interview with Megan Joy Dean, on the business that started with a dream, what it is like running a business with her family, and what comes next for Extra Earrings.

Interview

Extra Earrings is a small, family-based business from Austin, TX that specializes in Cosplay, Anime, and Gaming Jewelry for the kid in everyone. 

What inspired you to start this business?

Alia began making jewelry in 6th grade when she was 11. Then she started selling some pieces to her friends. In 2020 she announced that she wanted to be a Veterinarian. We researched the cost and decided to turn her hobby into a business and Extra Earrings was born. 

Who is involved in this business?

Alia (now 16) creates the basic designs for the jewelry. Joy takes the designs and applies them to different mediums and runs the business side of things. Kara (little sister) is our model. Both Kara and Alia work with mom at events. Dad does all graphic design for our website. Big brother helps with the affiliate program. We have also hired a few family friends to help with social media and operations.

What is it like running a small business with your family?

It definitely has its good and bad sides. It is super great creating things with the girls and spending time with them. I am able to share my business experience with them and teach them things that will help in life. It is amazing looking at our website and knowing that everyone in the family has touched it in some way. But it is challenging because we have a jewelry boutique set up in our den (which is also our office). I usually end up working on the business the moment I get off of work. It is hard to get away sometimes.

What were your expectations when starting this business, and how have they changed?

At first, we wanted a completely online business. As time went on, we have worked at craft fairs and at Lakeline Mall. They provided such amazing experiences for us to engage with customers. We listened to their feedback. This caused us to focus more on Cosplay, Anime, and Gaming Jewelry. 

What current products are you most excited about?

We are currently adding about 300 new products in our Anime line. We are also adding thousands of new Gaming pieces leading up to our appearance at the Classic Game Fest in Austin, TX on July 23. 

 

What is your vision for the future of your business?

Our vision for the future is a thriving online presence and attending a few Gaming and Comic Conventions per year. We would love to work at Comic-Con and the RTX- Rooster Teeth Online Gaming Expo. In the future, we also want to purchase a 3D printer so that we are able to print our designs.

Final Thoughts

The future looks bright for Extra Earrings. Megan Joy Dean, Alia, and their team of family members are expanding their inventory drastically, bringing more fun and affordable products to their customer base. 

Plans to attend more events are concrete; Extra Earrings will have a presence at the Classic Game Fest on July 23-24, which is the largest classic gaming convention in Texas. 

For those interested in the amazing products at Extra Earrings, you can browse their online store here. There are plans to extend their gaming designs to more than 150 pieces. 

Some new products that are coming soon include pieces from Dark Souls, Kingdom Hearts, Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Bloodborne, Borderlands, Mortal Kombat, and more. Join the mailing list to gain VIP access to the latest designs from Extra Earrings.