Beachside Beginnings: the Journey of Coastal Caviar’s Kelly Schneider ’14
By Alexis Carabetta ’24
If you’ve been admiring stunning charm necklaces popping up on your social media, chances are you’ve stumbled upon the creations of Kelly Schneider ’14, founder of Coastal Caviar.
Schneider was inspired by the beach. “I started Coastal Caviar on a whim,” she said. One day she was sitting by the shore, scrolling on her phone looking for a charm necklace. After lots of searching, Schneider found herself lost in a sea of overpriced options and difficult online shopping experiences. Realizing there was a gap in the market and a chance to craft something different, she decided to make her own charm necklaces. “That night I ordered hundreds of charms,” she said. Although this may have seemed like an impulsive decision, her action and entrepreneurial spirit became the first wave of Coastal Caviar.
Schneider graduated from Providence College with degrees in marketing and graphic design. During her senior year at PC, she had an internship with the jewelry company Alex and Ani, leading to a full-time job as a social media coordinator upon graduation. She describes working for Alex and Ani during the height of their success, immersing herself in the world of charm jewelry and meaningful design. After about three years at Alex and Ani, Schneider moved to Boston to work at Rue La La, an online shopping boutique offering discounted luxury items, where she further honed her social media marketing skills. By November 2019, her passion for fashion and digital marketing culminated in the launch of her first business, KES Creative, a digital agency assisting retailers in the fashion and beauty space to create a powerful online presence. After the COVID-19 pandemic began, however, Schneider transitioned into a full-time creative role at TJX.
Schneider credits these experiences with preparing her to launch and shape the vision for Coastal Caviar. When creating the business, she was motivated to create a charm necklace-building experience unique from the ones she had encountered online. Identifying this gap as one of her points of difference for Coastal Caviar. Schneider thought, “How can we make the experience of creating a charm necklace online fun?”
A unique part of purchasing a charm necklace is the experience of building the necklace itself. Schneider invested a lot into the custom charm builder on the Coastal Caviar website to deliver the artistic experience to customers. “There is definitely something special about it, and that has helped set us apart as a company,” she said.
Additionally, Schneider knew she wanted her business to support a charity. As a native of Marblehead, Massachusetts, Schneider was inspired by her love for the ocean. A portion of the proceeds from each piece is donated to Sailors for the Sea, an organization dedicated to ocean conservation and a mission that Schneider and her fiancé, Colt Bozigian, find very meaningful.
Schneider is an inspiration for PC students to chase their entrepreneurial aspirations. She thrives on the constant anticipation that comes with running her own business, where each day brings new challenges and exciting growth opportunities. Operating as a two-person team, Schneider and Bozigian build charm necklaces morning and night, when they are not working on their full-time jobs. However, both continue to hustle because of the excitement of seeing Coastal Caviar succeed. Some of her most exciting work includes a personalized charm necklace she made for influencer Alix Earle, celebrating her boyfriend, Braxton Berrios of the Miami Dolphins, and sending personalized Super Bowl charm necklaces to Keleigh Teller, Taylor Swift, and Brittney Mahomes.
Schneider cherishes all her customers, treasuring the opportunity to understand their stories and the meaning behind their chosen charms. “The one-on-one conversations with customers and hearing their stories are my favorite part about owning Coastal Caviar,” she said.
Schneider had some unique career advice for PC students. “Whatever it is you’re passionate about, try to do something extra that sets you apart in that space,” she said. For example, knowing she wanted to enter the fashion industry upon graduation, Schneider started a fashion blog while she was a student at PC. She believes this helped her stand out in job interviews, serving as a powerful example of the positive impact of personal branding.
Schneider encourages students wanting to start their own business. “If you have a good idea and you believe it’s a good idea, just go for it,” she said. She urges students, even if they do not see immediate success, not to give up. Although her first digital agency business did not take off, Schneider says it pushed her in the right direction and she sees every step as part of the process.
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