Madeline Ellis is the founder and creative director of MIMOSA Handcrafted, a local lost-wax casting jewelry store with a part of their mission being to build connections within their community. She and her team have worked passionately towards creating good in Baton Rouge communities by “paying it forward” with their products.

Community building has always been a goal of Ellis’. She believes that to achieve this, there needs to be mutual respect and generosity and a willingness to work towards a unified vision.

Aside from this goal, Ellis strives to prioritize her family. She hangs out with her kids on weekends and nights, with the exception of Thursdays! Thursday nights are reserved for date night with her business and life partner, Dawson.

Another goal Ellis’ has is to take care of herself. She practices self-care by attuning herself to her values and practicing discipline, such as going for a run. When she wants to stay up late, she chooses to sleep instead knowing it will help her to feel great the next day.

She gets her determination from her role model, her mother.

“She has shown me that hard work and tenacity take you a long way and that being told you can't do something might be the exact fuel you need to prove them wrong.”

As she worked in male-dominated fields, sewing on the side, and going back to school, Ellis’ mother had children to raise, mostly on her own. Seeing her mother do this growing up, Ellis can go back to her whenever she feels lost in life or needs a reminder to stay strong.

Ellis is an accomplished entrepreneur and creator. Her advice to other women is not to worry if you aren’t sure what your big dreams are yet! She never set out to start a jewelry company, but she worked hard to learn new skills and pursue her curiosity (which is what she loves most about herself) and it paid off. Not only did she fall in love with the craft of jewelry-making, but Ellis also fell in love with the art of challenging herself.

“Along the way, we gain new skills, develop our talents and broaden our horizons so that when opportunities present themselves, we are prepared.”

Keep up with Madeline Ellis and MIMOSA Handcrafted on Insta!

@mimosahandcrafted