Lindsey Murr of Lindsay Lane Christian Academy is more than just an athlete; she’s also an artist and businesswoman.
As the proud owner of Lou’s Beaded Beauties, a small business that specializes in beaded necklaces, Murr has to take time out of her constantly busy schedule to handcraft her products, which often happens after school and after basketball/volleyball practice.
Lou’s Beaded Beauties beaded necklace featuring ‘u matter’ engraved front, handcrafted by Lindsey Murr.
“Lou,” as her grandfather called her, is currently a star basketball player by day and a savvy arts business owner by night.
“I would go home every day, and I would make necklaces, pack them up, and send them out. I went through that every day,” Moore said. “It’s just a specific schedule—school, basketball, and then business. I put it where I get the order, and I have four days to ship it. So, normally, I can schedule it By the time I have time to deal with it.”
While her day job was taken down as well as her Etsy and Instagram profiles, starting a small business wasn’t easy.
At first, Murr had to overcome obstacles, and people told her it was a waste of money. When she first started shopping for kits to make necklaces, she said not everyone agreed it would be a success.
Murr, however, calls himself “stubborn” and persevered by turning Lou’s Beaded Beauties into a success.
“I had a lot of people tell me I didn’t need to spend money, but I didn’t really listen to them,” Moore said. “I kept going because I thought I’d achieved something and I did. It’s a huge achievement for me and I like to talk about it because you don’t see a lot of people my age.”
After running a successful business and winning a basketball scholarship to Blue Mountains College next year, Murr also hopes to inspire other young women to seize the opportunity to start their own business.
Lindsey Murr signs with Blue Mountains alongside Max Morrison (Calhoun baseball) and Ray Anderson (NW-Shoals baseball)
“At my school, I had girls who were younger than me come up to me and say they wanted to start a small business. Someone on Etsy messaged me asking how to get started,” Murr said.
While senior Murr continues to inspire others, she’s on a similar path to success as another accessories-focused female small business owner from northern Alabama.
Sarah Smyth, a 2013 graduate of Bob Jones High School and a 2017 graduate of Auburn University, also started her jewelry business in high school.
Now 28, her company, Raw & Rebellious xo, is hugely popular. Her company has 73,000 followers on Instagram and 1.6 million likes on TikTok.
Seeing Murr’s success with Lou’s Beaded Beauties, Smyth encouraged Murr not to be afraid to take risks when he was young.
“You’re 17 and you’re doing something a lot of people want to do but don’t have the guts to do. How cool is that? There are a lot of people with ideas but very few actually doing it. So instead of worrying about what you’re doing wrong, Think about how you can have the most fun with what you do. The beauty of being so young—I’m 28 and still feeling young—we take a lot less risk. Now is the time!”
Murr has an artistic side as well as a business side and certainly finds joy in what she does, including calling it “peaceful” when she is able to work on her craft.
“I like to be creative and come up with new designs. I also like to create them because it has become very much like muscle memory. What I really like (creatively) is the marketing aspect of it – creating stuff and make banners for my Etsy shop.”
As for how the business will expand next, Murr has some ideas. This includes talking to some of the businesses and salons in town, selling her items near the front of the store. She’s also considering setting up a stall at a local market.
Multicolor beaded necklace with gold-tone heart charm, handcrafted by Lindsey Murr of Lou’s Beaded Beauties.
Also, a degree from BMC should be most helpful in her business expansion, as education and connections made through friendships can go a long way.
“I just want to know the logistics of everything and be able to understand the market so I can adjust the business to do better and sell more,” Moore said.
One way to grow the business, according to Smyth, is through ongoing community engagement on social media, something Murr is trying to achieve.
Smyth says to “answer every DM (direct message) you get” on social media, and Murr has been doing just that, giving others tips on how to start their own business.
However, the world of social media always has room to expand.
“Promote and invite your audience to engage by posting content for them to respond to. You also have a whole social media sounding board at your disposal. Ask their opinion on what you plan to do next. Then they engage Come in, and you’ll get real feedback. I would also say be consistent — post as much as you can, and post everywhere on every platform. Spread your brand as much as you can,” Smith said.
As Murr and Smyth continue to encourage others to get out of their comfort zones and try to start over, Murr also finds ways to parallel her time on the basketball/volleyball court as a tool for her business.
Murr comes from a family of athletes who have paved the way for herself, scoring over 1,000 points in her high school basketball career.
Lindsey Murr has 1,000 career points in the 2021-2022 season.
“My coach (Lauren Evans) at school, she believed you could never lose too many points. You always had to fight; Business wasn’t good, but I didn’t stop and I didn’t quit. I kept pushing myself because that’s what I was always taught,” Moore said.
Smith backed up Moore with a basketball reference of her own, saying, “Always shoot. Good luck, Lindsay! You’re killing it!”
For those looking to shop some of Murr’s handmade necklaces, visit “Lou’s Beaded Beauties” on Etsy or Instagram. Currently, her Etsy shop has 34 items to choose from. Lou’s Beaded Beauties also has 5 star reviews and 504 people have rated the product.