jBloom

jBloom's story starts in a basement in Missouri. Jennifer Bonacorsi founded the company in 2013, hand-stringing jewelry while her four young daughters played nearby. It grew into a family-run direct sales jewelry company, now based at 5230 Highway 94 in Saint Peters, Missouri, with Jennifer as founder and Bret Bonacorsi as CEO. Its tagline is "Wear Your Story", and personalization has been at the center from the start: stamped charms, names and dates, symbols and custom designs.

The company's mission, in its own words, is to use "personalized and permanent jewelry as the tool to reach others, investing in their lives and their families." It lists its core values as faith, trust, recognition, on trend, quality and change. jBloom is a member of the Direct Selling Association, and its Hope Necklace sends $10 from each sale to Basket of Hope, which delivers baskets of games and books to children with cancer and other serious illnesses.

The biggest recent change came on May 1, 2024, when jBloom announced it had acquired Plunder Design, the vintage-inspired jewelry company run by Hillary and Abe Adams. Rather than close Plunder outright, the Adamses chose jBloom as a new home for their sellers, and Plunder Stylists were invited to continue as jBloom Designers. jBloom said at the time that it would focus its growth on its award-winning PermaLinx line.

Rather than closing up shop, Hillary and Abe Adams believe in the power of collaboration and were intentional about choosing jBloom as a soft place to land for the Plunder salesforce.

Bret Bonacorsi, CEO of jBloom — jBloom press release, May 2024

What jBloom sells

The catalog has three parts. Personalized items include stamped charms, name and initial pieces and custom designs built from a customer's own artwork or a loved one's signature. The fashion line covers necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, scarves and a small men's range, refreshed in spring/summer and fall/winter catalogs. PermaLinx is the permanent line: bracelets from $35, anklets from $45 and necklaces from $65, in silver, gold, rose gold and black stainless steel. The company describes the steel as made for everyday wear, including showering and swimming.

PermaLinx is not welded. Each piece is closed with a small, secure link, takes three to six minutes to fit, and can be cut off with scissors if the wearer wants it removed. Designers book PermaLinx boutiques (pop-ups) at homes, events and markets, or one-to-one appointments of about 15 minutes. jBloom also runs two subscriptions: the Bloom Box at $39 a month, which the company says holds items with a retail value of $90 to $110, and Earring Extravaganza at $20 a month for one exclusive pair of earrings.

jBloom calls its kit a Starter Collection, and there are three to choose from. The January 2025 collection list showed these prices:

• PermaLinx Collection, $175: pliers, a cutter, jump rings in four finishes, practice bracelets, a dozen PermaLinx chains, a tote, one catalog and business supplies.
• jBloom Collection, $175: about 15 sample pieces (earrings, charms, necklaces, bracelets and a bangle), necklace and earring displays, a ring sizer, a tote, 15 catalogs and business supplies.
• Perfect Pair Collection, $325: both of the above together.

The PermaLinx page still listed the PermaLinx Starter Kit at $175 in 2026. The company says a new Designer can earn back that investment by selling five bracelets. Keep in mind that five $35 bracelets is $175 in retail sales, not $175 in profit, since commission and chain costs come out of that. On top of the kit, the personal PermaLinx online store and access to jBloom's business suite cost $12.99 a month (first month free), plus an optional $4.99 monthly email newsletter. New Designers are paired with an experienced mentor Designer for training. Collections and bonuses change with each season, so check the current contents with a jBloom Designer before you enroll.

jBloom says Designers earn 30% to 40% commission on everything they sell, and commissions are paid weekly by direct deposit. The rate depends on your sales level, so newer Designers should plan around the lower end.

Designers who build a team can also earn on their team's sales and work toward leadership titles, and the company runs incentive trips it calls Rewards Trips. jBloom has not published the full rank table on its public site, so check the company's current compensation plan for team commission rates, rank requirements and any monthly sales minimums before you sign up. PermaLinx changes the math a little: each pop-up produces several sales in one sitting, but every bracelet also uses chain from your own supply.

PROS

• Low-cost entry: a $175 starter collection, with a $325 option that covers both lines
• PermaLinx needs no welder, so the tools are cheap, small and portable
• Permanent jewelry pop-ups are a social, in-person event that brings in groups
• Weekly commission payments of 30% to 40%
• Personalized pieces make easy gifts and repeat orders
• Family-run company with a charity tie-in through the Hope Necklace

CONS

• Monthly website and business suite fee of $12.99, plus an optional newsletter fee
• Permanent jewelry is a crowded field, with many local studios and independent welders
• Linked rather than welded chains may not suit customers who expect a soldered finish
• The full rank and team bonus plan is not published on the public site
• Smaller company, so fewer Designers and less name recognition than larger jewelry brands