Incorporating a Laser Cutter into Your Small Business

As a former teacher, my favorite aspect was always learning together with my students. Recently, I've been sharing more educational videos on TikTok and YouTube with the hope of empowering others to start their own small businesses. Today, I want to talk about my laser cutting journey.

I started my small jewelry business during the pandemic, making polymer clay earrings. I'm forever grateful to this medium for making jewelry design and entrepreneurship accessible to me. It began by gifting to friends, then selling on Instagram where my designs would sell out in minutes. My first market in downtown Boston followed shortly after.

Before long, I realized I couldn't keep up with demand. Ever the strategist, I wanted a way to make more earrings at once while also turning my own original doodles into earring designs. A laser cutter is a machine that uses a laser beam to cut, etch or engrave materials like wood, acrylic, paper and more. While I could design custom clay cutters with a 3D printer (and did try that), I saw that a laser cutter could skip the cutter and go straight to a finished piece.

With help from an engineer friend, I found a makerspace in Boston. Within months, I could cut all the earring component pieces my heart desired. But over the next few months, I realized a laser cutter could do so much more than just cut earring components. I was designing my own jewelry displays, branding materials, and products like these adorable earring racks. Laser cutters, I found, can turn my doodles and designs into tangible products.

I love laser cutting, and after working with various lasers in different settings, I finally took the plunge and bought an Omtech Polar last June (use code BEZALELANDCO for an extra 5% off any Omtech purchase!). I still feel like I'm just scratching the surface of what a laser cutter can do. I'll forever be a fan of how a machine like a laser cutter makes production attainable for the average person and how it allowed me to grow my business.

Have you ever been curious to see how cutters work? Do you have any experience with a laser cutter? Let me know if you have any questions for me!