These are pieces that are part of Beth Millner’s wildflower series. (Photo courtesy of Beth Millner Jewelry)

MARQUETTE — Businesses of 500 or fewer employees might not be considered truly small businesses — compare a business with 10 employees to one with, say, 450 — but Beth Millner Jewelry has received a state award in this category.

Beth Millner Jewelry, located at 521 W. Washington St., Marquette, has been recognized by Michigan Celebrates Small Business for the Small Business Administration’s top Women-Owned Small Business for 2020.

The recipient is defined as a small business owned by at least 51% by a woman or women, but also having outstanding growth, innovative products, increasing jobs and sales, community contributions and overcoming adversity.

“With my little team of seven here, that was a pretty big, flattering award to get,” Millner said.

The 16th Annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business awards gala will be held virtually on July 28, according to Michigan Celebrates Small Business, with 94 businesses to be recognized for their role in growing Michigan’s economy and creating jobs.

“Michigan’s small businesses are the lifeblood of our local economies and play a vital role in making our communities attractive places to live, work, visit and play,” said Josh Hundt, chief business development officer for the Michigan Economic Development Corp., in a news release. “As the state continues to recover from the COVID-19 outbreak, we are honored to recognize and celebrate these small businesses, which demonstrate the resilience, innovation and grit that sets Michigan apart.”

Millner has had to adapt to the pandemic as well, having pivoted earlier this year to making masks and metal nose pieces to help the community during the pandemic.

She credited co-workers with getting the recognition.

“My whole staff is really what won the award,” Millner said.

Miller has been at the West Washington location since 2012, she said, although she opened her business from home in 2007, and even traveled to art fairs and festivals before that.

What sets apart the Millner line of jewelry from other such artisans?

Hard work, of course.

“I think I have a distinct style, and the quality of craftsmanship,” Millner said. “Not to say others don’t also have those, but I’ve kind of stuck with this nature vein and the tree theme pretty heavily with my work, and I also have charged enough to be able to afford to hire people, pay bills and expand the business, and I think it’s sometimes hard for folks to charge what they’re worth and make a little bit of money to keep going.”

Some of Millner’s pieces use mixed metals, such as combination of copper, brass and silver.

“The mixed metal is really popular, and that’s not an easy technique,” Millner said, “and so that’s why you’re not seeing that with a lot of other people’s work because it’s not simple to solder all these layers together like that.”

Another reason for Millner’s success, she pointed out, are colleagues such as Janna Lies, shop manager, and Nina Lehto-Clark, who works in the studio. Millner designs the jewelry and makes the prototypes, but Lehto-Clark produces the items.

For their work, she is grateful.

“This the most longevity I’ve had in my team, and thank goodness because when things rumble with a pandemic like that, to have people who you know and trust are like your work family, it makes it a lot easier than maybe someone who’s a couple months in and you don’t necessarily know them as well,” Millner said.

For more information, visit Beth Millner Jewelry on Facebook or bethmillner.com.