Meet April Le | Owner and Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with April Le and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi April, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Behind every risk is hope. The most life-changing decisions I’ve made in my life were high-risk. I am comfortable with routine and knowing what to expect, but there have been times in my life, times when I either felt stuck or trapped or at a crossroads. It was during those times when I had to just say, F*ck it, I have to do this. Sometimes it’s a leap of faith. Other times, you have to do what you have to do to feel alive again. Taking a risk can come from desperation or it can come from months or years of contemplation. Maybe it’s an impulse. Regardless of where the desire to take a risk comes from, you can’t expect things to change if you’re sitting around all day, thinking that the mere thought of manifesting your dreams is enough to make things happen. It’s obvious, but sometimes you need to hear it: You have to do the work. And for me, far more often than not, it has paid off. Taking a risk can change the trajectory of your life.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the owner and designer of Ordoñez Le, a jewelry line established in 2023. I make all my jewelry by hand in my little studio. The pieces evoke what I would call “grown-up whimsy,” so you’ll find things like hearts and stars and padlocks clasps mixed with lapis lazuli and citrine, and colorful beads—Czech glass, ceramic, gold-filled. The pieces can be worn dressed up or down, and I package them beautifully, so they make fantastic gifts. I also run Casa de Goddess, a print-on-demand (POD) design shop on Etsy. Running two businesses takes a lot of time and work, but I enjoy what I do.

Creativity fuels my spirit. Inspired by the jewelry my daughter was making with her beading kit, I thought, “I can do this, with gemstones and gold-filled chains and enamel charms and silk thread.” I had a small business in 2006, fifty07 by April Lynn Ordoñez, and I made jewelry, handbags, shirts, and stationery. Ordoñez Le is on another level, and the tools and components to make jewelry are more easily accessible and much better quality today than they were 18 years ago.

Starting a company today is so much easier than it was 18 years ago. Not that it’s easy. E-commerce platforms like Shopify and Etsy, and POD sites like Printify, have simplified many aspects of running a small business. One of the most important things that has helped me get to where I am now is my knowledge of digital marketing. I worked in digital marketing for the past 15 years and all the skills and knowledge from those years of working in both corporate and startup environments prepared me to lead the marketing and digital aspects of my creative endeavors. In college, I was a publicity intern for a local radio station and was sending out Lenny Kravitz and Nikka Costa press kits for the PR department at Virgin Records. Those work experiences may not seem related to what I’m doing now, but publicity and PR are completely relevant to my businesses. Press is vital to growing my brand and business, so thank you for the opportunity to share my story. It is very satisfying work, being able to design and make new pieces daily, and, on the business side, knowing that I can apply all the things I’ve done for other companies and use them for my own businesses.

The biggest challenge for me is time and workload. There are only so many hours in a day to do what I want to do with both of my businesses. And there’s so much to learn. I am my only employee. I track inventory. I source all of the material–material for making my pieces, material for packaging and shipping. I design. I make the jewelry. I ship the packages.. I do the admin and bookkeeping. I do all the marketing. I am the photographer. I’m the social media manager. I am the SEO person. I’m the ads person. I’m PR. I research my competitors. I research what the big brands are doing, what the small brands like myself are doing, and not just in the jewelry industry, but all industries. What are celebrities wearing? What is Target selling? What’s Neiman Marcus selling? What’s new with Canva? It’s me doing all the research. I’m the one who does all of it. Some days are dedicated to making pieces and messing around with beads and charms. That’s the fun part. Some days are all numbers. Calculating costs, inventory, determining prices. Not the most exciting part, but necessary.

The biggest lesson is that even if what you’re doing now doesn’t seem important or align with your lifelong goals, it will likely prove useful and meaningful in the future. Don’t dismiss that college internship as just easy college credit plus free NSYNC concerts. If you look closely, you’ll find that almost every life experience has something valuable to offer.
I am very proud of what I’ve built–and this was all in the past several months. I’ve put in so many hours, and I’m ready to invest more. There are so many Netflix shows I want to watch, but you know what? I can’t stop thinking about my work! That’s how obsessed I am with my businesses. Everything I hear and see inspires my work: “Oh look, the color of the clouds and the sky. Those colors would make a pretty necklace.” “This Thuy song would be great with my new earrings on my Instagram Story.” “That thing my mom just said, I’m turning that into a shirt.” That kind of obsession. I’m starting to think that that’s part of the key to success.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are so many places in San Diego! Here are some of my favorite spots:
Japanese bento boxes + sparkling ume soda + from Nijiya
The most decadent entremets from Parisien Gourmandises and Paris En Rose
Xio long bao and mapo tofu from Ju Feng Yuan in Poway
Animae for upscale deliciousness. Met Tara Monsod, she is amazing and I love her kare kare.
Strawberry picking at Stehly Farms
Biscuits and scones from California Mountain Bakery
The Music Box in Little Italy is a great venue. I watched The Last Dinner Party there, and the security was top-notch. My 7-year-old was with us and they put us right up front, front row.
Hike Iron Mountain or Ramona Grasslands or Torrey Pines
Almond croissants from The French Oven in Scripps Ranch
Balboa Park. Hang out at SDMART or The Nat or The Mingei, walk around the gardens
Warwicks, Verbatim or Diesel to grab a book
Plant-based tacos from Trilogy Sanctuary
Creamy gelato and my favorite avocado toast from Escogelato
Watch a play at the La Jolla Playhouse or Old Globe
Watch a comedy at The Balboa Theater
Oxtail bone broth from Woomiok
Kimchi Stew from Grandma’s Tofu House
Birria from Tuetano Taqueria
Coffee and burritos from Mujer Divina
The best poke in town from Hawaiian Fresh Seafood
Queen Califia’s Magical Circle in Escondido. Such a fun spot for kids.
La Jolla Tide Pools

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mom and dad were and still are a primary source of inspiration, love, support, and encouragement. My mom’s in her 70s and she’s still running marathons, and my conga-playing, motorcycle-riding dad left his life here in San Diego to live in the jungles of the Philippines. They’ve taught me about perseverance, empathy, and the importance of pursuing the things that bring joy and purpose to your life.
My sister is the coolest person I know, and her art, her style, and her taste in music energize me and make me want to create more.
My daughter is the coolest kid I know, and her fearlessness and curiosity about life and the world keep me curious, too.
My husband is my number one fan. He’s the one who attended my trunk shows when I first started making jewelry in 2006, and he’s the one who encouraged me to quit my corporate job to focus on my creativity. He rocks out on his electric guitar in his office while I design and work next door in my office. It’s a great, artistic environment and I could not do this without his support.
And of course, all my mentors and teachers throughout the years who made me feel like my creative endeavors were meaningful and worthwhile: Ms. Williams, Mrs. Thonert, Mrs. Earnest.

Website: https://ordonezle.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ordonezlejewelry/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ordonezlejewelry

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ordonezlejewelry
https://www.pinterest.com/ordonezlejewelry/

Image Credits
Image Credits: April Le