Marissa Wehrer’s jewelry is more sophisticated than a simple friendship bracelet.
Her pieces include long, beaded necklaces adorned with various gems and large beads as well as trendy, leather chokers and simple, stackable bracelets. Her business, Geo By Riss, has gained a few fans who consistently follow her work since its inception three years ago.
The 21-year-old marketing senior turned heads her sophomore year by handmaking beaded necklaces and bracelets and marketing them to fellow students. She launched her blog, Jewelry and Journey, where she talks about new jewelry trends and traveling, and the rest is history.
“My mom got me into it my freshman year of college and we bonded over it,” Wehrer said. “It was my creative outlet.”
Most of her customers find her through word-of-mouth or Instagram. Running her jewelry company helped her learn more about marketing and brand identity, she said.
Making custom pieces and connecting with customers are her favorite parts of her work, and she even credits her sophistication in style preferences to the shop.
Although her venture has been a success thus far, Wehrer is putting Geo By Riss on hold.
Wehrer landed a marketing job in Alicante, Spain and will move there after she graduates in December. She sees the job and the move as a way to market herself to her following in a new way: Travel blogging.
“I feature my travels on my blog, so I will be creating tons of content abroad as I travel around Europe,” Wehrer said. “Geo By Riss is on a hiatus until further notice.”
The blog is accompanied by an Instagram account of the same name and currently has around 800 followers.
“Geo By Riss is on hiatus until further notice,” Wehrer said. “But there are exciting things to come with the blog, ‘Jewelry and Journey.’”
Though she is pursuing this new opportunity, Wehrer admits her jewelry business is far from complete.
Once she returns from Spain next August, Wehrer is open to the possibility of being in the jewelry business full time. Until then, what is left of her stock can be purchased online through her site, jewelryandjourney.com.

Gallery • 5 Photos

Emily Brauner

LSU marketing sophomore Marisa Wehrer will appear at Delta Zeta's Mocktails on Monday, Oct. 27 to sell her new jewelry line, Geo by Riss.