Karen Tadd-Rodriguez

Karen Tadd-Rodriguez started selling her handmade jewelry and leftover beads on Etsy in 2006, just to earn a little extra while raising her family. By 2008 she had opened Arte Bella Surplus, an Etsy shop that supports artists with her carefully curated beads and jewelry-making supplies.

Karen manages every part of the business herself — from photographing new items to hand-writing labels and packing orders — so that her customers feel the care she puts into supporting their creativity. “Every bead, every package, every order — I want it to feel personal,” she says.

As her business grew, Karen turned to DreamSpring for support. The $74,050 term loan she received helped her buy new equipment, restock inventory, and consolidate debt, which gave her more room to focus on the creative aspects of her shop. With working capital from DreamSpring, she’s been able to expand on signature items like her “Rose Water Babies” bead mix and imported Czech glass flowers, connecting her work to a widening community of jewelers and artists the world over.