Island Entrepreneur Shines with Tarnish-Free Jewelry at Fort Myers Beach-I Shine Forever Chains

The salty breeze, the welcoming community, and the magic of permanent jewelry come together in this heartwarming conversation with Emmy, owner of I Shine Forever Permanent Jewelry on Fort Myers Beach.

Emmy shares her fascinating journey from making beaded jewelry as a seven-year-old in Venezuela to becoming a fixture of Fort Myers Beach's vibrant business community. After relocating from Nashville with her family in 2019, Emmy launched her permanent jewelry business in 2023, creating pieces that are welded directly onto customers without clasps. Her unique, nickel-free, tarnish-resistant creations can withstand swimming, showering, and everything the beach lifestyle throws at them.

What truly shines through our conversation is Emmy's passion for Fort Myers Beach itself. "As soon as I get out of the car, I'm just like, okay, I'm home, I love it," she says, describing that unmistakable ocean smell that greets visitors. Operating her boutique-style tent near Snug Harbor and Wahoo Willie's every weekend, Emmy has become part of the fabric of the community, sponsoring the Sunday concert series at Bayside Park and building relationships with neighboring businesses who rush to help during Florida's unpredictable weather events.

Emmy's business represents more than just jewelry—it symbolizes Fort Myers Beach's remarkable resilience. Having weathered Hurricane Ian and subsequent storms, she's witnessed firsthand how the community has rebuilt, with beaches renourished and waters cleaner than ever. Between creating custom hand chains and bracelets, she enjoys the island with her family, sampling local restaurants and soaking in the sunset views that make this slice of paradise so special.

Whether you're a local or planning your next beach getaway, stop by Emmy's tent Friday through Sunday, or find I Shine Forever Permanent Jewelry on Instagram and Facebook to discover pieces that, like the memories made on Fort Myers Beach, are designed to last forever.

I Shine Forever Chains 

Emmy Akin

[phone]
[e-mail]

https://www.facebook.com/IShineYouShineForeverChains/

https://www.instagram.com/ishineforeverpermanentjewelry?fbclid=IwY2xjawL46xJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFkQXEwd0pINDVlYTFVQ3NhAR7_mWyquW4c7--y4IoCQvlzenb9maJkvUZ8LYelUtYATwo-oMppvpgxVs7crQ_aem_M1lmDc3D3MHeSiXNtQMruw

Ft Myers Beach-Good Neighbor

To Nominate Someone to be Featured

Or

To Subscribe to the Newsletter

CLICK HERE

https://cabowabojim.com/listen-to-podcasts/

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Fort Myers Beach Good Neighbor
podcast, where the sun's alwaysshining and the stories are even
brighter.
Each episode we bring youcloser to the neighbors, local
legends and beachside businessesthat make Fort Myers Beach the
slice of paradise we all love.
Pull up a beach chair, grab adrink and let's meet the people
who make this island feel likehome.
We want to send out some islandlove to Eric Tibbs from Edward

(00:21):
Jones State Insurance, usa andHome Well Care Services Fort
Myers.
Love to Eric Tibbs from EdwardJones State Insurance, usa and
Home Well Care Services FortMyers.
They are the businesses thatallow us to share the soul of
our community with everylistener, from local stories to
the positive vibe of island life.
Here's to celebrating all thatmakes Fort Myers Beach the slice
of paradise we all love.
Here's your host, cabo, jimSchaller.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Good day everybody.
Today we have Fort Myers BeachGood Neighbor Emmy from I Shine
Forever Permanent Jewelry andshe's going to share her story
about how she's a nonprofit areaand helping the community here
in Southwest Florida.
So pleasure to have you on theshow today and share your story.
So let's jump right in.
And why don't you share alittle bit about what you do?

Speaker 3 (01:05):
right in and why don't you share a little bit
about what you do?
Thank you, jim.
So again, my name is Emmy and Iown I shine forever permanent
jewelry.
I am one of the businesses thathas the privilege and the honor
to be on the Island, um, everyevery once in a while.
I'm there, um, pretty muchevery week, friday, saturday,
sunday.
Um, I try to be there, like Isaid, Friday, saturday, sunday.
I try to be there, like I said,every once in a while on

(01:25):
Wednesdays.
But I love being on the islandso much.
The atmosphere, all the peoplevisiting.
It's really gotten so muchbusier than most people think.
It's back, we're back.
So it's really really nice tobe on the island sharing my
business with all the touristsand all the locals.

(01:46):
What I do is jewelry for ladies, the men, the children, anybody
that wants jewelry.
I will, I will put it on thempermanently with a little welt,
and it's just a great newaddition to your, to your, style
.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
I love it.
So let's back up your story alittle bit.
And how did you get involved inall this to start with?

Speaker 3 (02:11):
So, basically, I came here from Nashville, tennessee,
my husband and my two childrenmy two boys moved here in 2019.
And we decided to just chooseFlorida because of the weather
and I'll be closer to my mom.
My mom lives in the East Coast,so we decided to come here and

(02:32):
in 2023, I decided to open mybusiness.
I'm just very personable, Ilove people and I love to work
with the public.
So I decided I had always madejewelry.
As a child, I used to makelittle beaded jewelry, little

(02:53):
things back in the 90s, and Iwould sell them to my neighbors
and my friends.
I was like seven years old,working with my best friend.
We literally just started alittle business on the side and
then now here I am much older Iwon't give you my age, but just
much older and now I have actualgold that I work with and

(03:14):
stainless steel and sterlingsilver.
But yeah, basically just myhusband and I we talked about it
and we decided that this wouldbe a great business to get into
and I love meeting new peopleand, honestly, I have so many of
my friends are now, or used tobe, clients, so now our friends

(03:35):
I mean I've celebrated birthdayswith my clients Just, it's just
a really great community thatI've built, working really
really hard out in the heat andin the sun on the beach, but I
love it.
I wouldn't have it any otherway.
That's why I'm so dark.

Speaker 2 (03:49):
There you go.
I love it so.
Fort Myers Beach.
Why Fort Myers Beach, of allplaces?

Speaker 3 (03:54):
So I was invited for an event in Fort Myers Beach a
while back I think that was in2022.
And I just loved it so much.
I just thought it was, you know, just you know, fun place,
beautiful, even though you knowwe were still trying to get it
back.
You know you can see the beautythrough the devastation and I

(04:16):
just really I love you.
Know, I'm a Caribbean woman.
I'm from Venezuela originally.
I love being on the beach, Ilove the ocean smell, I just I
love it so much and I just likeI said, I like meeting people
from all over the world.
Um, I meet a lot of Venezuelansthat come and visit.
Germans, austrians, um, people,swiss people, I mean just from

(04:40):
everywhere.
Uh, french, um, I don't knowwhy, a lot of Germans, which is
great.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
It's a worldwide destination, right.

Speaker 3 (04:49):
Right, yeah, I love the atmosphere.
I just you know, I love, I lovethe like.
The smell is the main thing forme.
As soon as I get out of the carI'm just like, okay, I'm home,
I love it.

Speaker 2 (04:59):
Right, and that humidity hits you in the face.
We love that.

Speaker 3 (05:02):
It's fine.
Like I said, I'm a Caribbeanwoman.
I got it, I'm good.

Speaker 2 (05:06):
It's in your blood.
There we go.
So running a business by thebeach, I mean it sounds like a
dream job, right, but we've alldealt with storms throughout our
personal journeys orprofessional journeys.
Has there been something that'shelped to find you and where
you are now?

Speaker 3 (05:22):
So for me, my um the business has yeah, it is
difficult, especially because Idon't have a brick and mortar
place.
I set up a beautiful tent, youknow, just kind of like a, a
boutique style situation, andI'm right there by snug Harbor,
nervous Nellie's and WahooWillie's, so I'm in a very
central spot.
Um, I, um I, the sundaysconcert series down at bayside

(05:49):
um park.
So, um you know, remind meagain the question, just your
biggest challenge?

Speaker 2 (05:57):
oh yeah, the biggest challenge has been the weather
for sure.

Speaker 3 (06:00):
So you know just the.
You know you just have toprepare and then you know if it
rains, typically it'll rain forlike five minutes and then it's
back to being beautiful.
That's just Florida for you.
Or you can look away and like amile away it's like super dark
and then where we're at it'sbeautiful.
Or vice versa, with me a rainjacket and you know just kind of

(06:23):
being ready for for anything,having you know weights on my
tent.
You know things like that.
My neighbors have helped me somuch.
The guys you know the guys andthe girls from the bars.
They see me and they run andhelp me.
You know the business ownersaround the restaurants owners.
You know just very, very kindand honestly, just making those

(06:48):
connections I think has beenhuge for me because I'm alone
out there and they really comein, you know, and help me when I
need them.

Speaker 2 (06:55):
And that's really the sense of community everybody
kind of coming together to helpeach other out, and that's what
makes this place so special aswell, absolutely.
So, talking about the community, are there certain things that
you're doing to be involved ormaybe give back to the area?

Speaker 3 (07:09):
So, yes, so, like I said, I sponsor the concert
series down at Bayside Park andthat goes to the Chamber of
Commerce.
So you know, I pay asponsorship rate and I support
the island in that way.
So that is a weekly thing thatI do.

(07:30):
So that is, you know, somethingthat I love to do.
I love the concert series.
It's every Sunday at BatesidePark from four to seven.
If you get there a little early, it's amazing because you can
have food, you can have drinksat Stunk Harbor, at Wahoo
Willies.
You know they have the mostamazing food and atmosphere.
Um, and you know, honestly,it's just, it's just amazing

(07:52):
being there yeah, and it's.

Speaker 2 (07:55):
It's about sunday fun day, right, it's about getting
out on fridays, come onthursdays.
It's always fun down therealways always something going on
that's right talking about.
Talking about your jewelry isthere.
Are there certain things thatare maybe trending right now?

Speaker 3 (08:12):
oh yes, so trendy.
For example, what I'm wearingright here and, if you can see,
I have a hand chain, so it'sattached to my middle finger
here and then it's attached toand I have it's very custom made
.
So there's three differentchains that I put in and they're
all mine, um, my creations, andI basically just, you know, try

(08:35):
to style everything differentcolors, different, um widths, so
just adding everythingpermanently to you, which means
as well, but together, without aclass.
When you wake up, you have allyour jewelry on.
So all I had to do this morningwas get dressed and do my
makeup and my jewelry wasalready on.
So you know, those, uh, thosethings are top right now.

(08:58):
They're very important for theladies to be just ready in the
mornings.
We, you know, we're in a veryfast, you know, environment.
We're always up and going.
So if you have your jewelry on,that's one thing, one less
thing you have to worry about.
I also do rings.
The rings you can take off, youknow just anything.
It's just so fun to just haveall your stuff on.

Speaker 2 (09:19):
Very nice, very nice.
So I know it can't be all workand no play, but when you get a
moment of free time, what do youenjoy doing outside of work?

Speaker 3 (09:27):
Well, I mean, I take my kids down to Fort Myers Beach
.
We love to go to BellaMozzarella, right there on the
corner in Times Square.
We go eat ice cream next door,you know, just sitting there,
and they, you know, they can runto the beach and, just, you
know, watch the sunset.
We love to do that.
Every once in a while we loveto go to Snug Harbor.

(09:49):
It's one of my favorite places.
I love their food.
Their bay bread is amazing.
The boys love that and it's just, you know, it's nice.
Everybody there is so kind, Iknow everybody.
So we love to go and do that,love to go and have ice cream.
The boys just love to get inthe beach.
It's a very, you know, it'svery clean right now.

(10:09):
It's, you know, it's it.
They've really cleaned it upsince the storm, since Ian,
since Milton, since all of those, um, you know things that have
hit us so hard, and it's just,it's back.
So I let my kids get in thebeach.
It's just in the water, it'samazing.
We love, we just love to beoutdoors.
You know all businesses.

(10:30):
We go and shop, you know, just,you know things like that.

Speaker 2 (10:35):
Getting out and supporting the community.
And yeah, I was at the beachlast weekend too, and you know
they've done a great job withthe renourishment and the water
you know is the cleanest.
I've seen it in a long time.

Speaker 3 (10:46):
It nourishment and the water you know is the
cleanest.

Speaker 2 (10:47):
I've seen it in a long time.
It's nice to see it that way,right?
Yes, yes, yes yes, you can seeeverything in the water.
Sometimes you don't want to seeeverything in the water.
You can always download thatapp where they show you where
the sharks are.

Speaker 3 (11:00):
supposedly it's so funny.

Speaker 2 (11:03):
Exactly, is there one thing you wish our listeners
knew about what you do thatmaybe they wouldn't be too
familiar with um, about me.

Speaker 3 (11:14):
So, like I said, I'm a venezuelan woman.
I am, I was born and raised invenezuela until I was 12 and
then my mother moved us here toflorida and I just I love being
a floridian.
I've been here since 1996.
So, unfortunately, I moved tonashville.
Fortunately, unfortunately, Imoved to nashville, met my
husband, we got married, had ourkids there and said, okay, we

(11:36):
got to go back home and raisethese children outside.
You know, nashville isbeautiful but the weather can
really, really, you know, put adamper on things.
So we love to live here.
Also, my jewelry is nickel freeand it's tarnish free, so you
can wear it in the beach, in theocean, in the pool, anywhere.

(11:58):
You don't.
I never even clean them, Idon't look at them, I just
shower and dry off and get readyand go.
So, um, yeah, nickel free,it'll never turn on you, it'll
never tarnish, it'll never, like, turn your skin colors or
anything like that, and that isone of the most important things
for people to know.
I do have some men's options aswell.

Speaker 2 (12:20):
So we got to get you something.

Speaker 3 (12:22):
Yeah, maybe a really nice black, you know bracelet or
something.

Speaker 2 (12:26):
Yeah.
I love it Definitely definitelyneed to come check it out.
Speaking of which, how wouldour listeners go about
contacting you or finding you ifthey were interested in
learning more or buying somejewelry?

Speaker 3 (12:36):
So if you Google I Shine Forever Permanent Jewelry,
I have a ton of reviews.
You guys can see pictures andall of my reviews that my lovely
clients have given me.
Also go on Instagram I ShineForever Permanent Jewelry on
Instagram and on Facebook andyou can also send me an email

(13:00):
info at I shine forevercom.
I am building the website is.
I don't really need a website,so it's kind of taken me a few,
you know, a few couple of years,but I'm you know it's, it's
getting there.
But you guys can also make anappointment um on Instagram, on
Facebook, um send me a textmessage, um.

(13:23):
All my information is online.

Speaker 2 (13:26):
Very good, Very good.
I mean it's been a pleasuregetting to know you.
Thank you for being such a goodneighbor and what you do to
help Mike Fort Myers.

Speaker 3 (13:33):
Thank you so much, the Paradise.

Speaker 2 (13:34):
Whale love yes, absolutely.

Speaker 3 (13:36):
Thank you so much.

Speaker 2 (13:38):
We'll see you at the beach soon, right?

Speaker 3 (13:40):
I'm sorry.

Speaker 2 (13:41):
We'll see you at the beach soon.

Speaker 3 (13:42):
Yes, please come by on Sunday.
Come by and see me, bring yourfriends, you know I will do that
.
We'll come and you know we'llbe there watching the band and
dancing away.

Speaker 2 (13:53):
Perfect, perfect.

Speaker 3 (13:54):
There's also three bars around, so that helps Well
there you go, you got to getyour juju on the dance right.
There you go.
I always say we survived ourmargaritas.

Speaker 2 (14:05):
Tequila we love our tequila.

Speaker 3 (14:08):
All right, Jeff.
Thank you so much.
Have a good one.
Thanks for tuning in to theFort.

Speaker 1 (14:12):
Myers Beach Good Neighbor Podcast, where
community meets paradise.
If you love what you heard,share it with a friend and keep
the good vibes going Until nexttime.
Stay sunny, stay salty and keepbeing a good neighbor.
Also, to nominate your favoriteneighbors, local legends,
heroes or island businesses tobe on the show, go to
CaboWaboJimmcom.
That's CaboWaboJimcom, or call239-427-4100.

(14:36):
We want to send out some islandlove to eric tips from edward
jones, state insurance usa andhome welfare services fort myers
.
They are the businesses thatallow us to share the soul of
our community with everylistener, from local stories to
the positive vibe of island life.
Here's to celebrating all thatmakes fort myers beach the slice
of paradise we all love.