Adriana Carrig knows firsthand how game-changing a kind word or gesture can be for someone going through a rough time. Throughout most of her childhood and teen years, the Chatham mom of two boys, Ford, 4, and Jett, 2, remembers how it felt to be bullied. For Carrig, it wasn’t always the obvious mean girl bullying. “It was really just competitive cruelty,” she says. “I felt like people were never about supporting one another. They were just about themselves and tearing other people down.”
It wasn’t until college that Carrig experienced a feeling of unwavering support in the form of sisterhood, and she found it in the very world that often gets a bad rap for exclusion. “When I joined Delta Zeta at The College of New Jersey, I discovered that girls can be nice to one another,” she says. “They can lift each other up and support each other’s dreams. That was really the first time I felt that.”
That feeling of being seen and supported inspired Little Words Project, the multi-million dollar jewelry and lifestyle brand that promotes kindness and positivity through its super cute beaded bracelets. Beyond its massive online presence, LWP has 13 shops in several states, the first of which opened in Manhattan’s West Village in 2021, plus a kiosk at Disney Springs in Lake Buena Vista, Fl. The newest Little Words shop opened this spring at The Mall at Short Hills, where Carrig shopped as a teen growing up in Livingston.
As Delta Zeta’s VP of membership at The College of New Jersey back in the day, Carrig’s job was “to keep the love circulating” among her sorority sisters, literally. “What better way to do that than through these bracelets that I’d been making for myself over the years to get through difficulty and navigate the bullying,” she says.
You are all you need.
BUILDING A BRAND FROM THE GROUND UP
The idea was to give her handmade bracelets with kind and inspiring words to others with the hope that each one would eventually be passed on to someone else who needed it. “The concept of paying it forward happened intrinsically in that group,” she says. Today, Little Words remains true to that mission. Each bracelet comes with a unique code, letting wearers share their personal stories online and track each bracelet’s journey. “Every bracelet becomes a one-of-a-kind story,” she says. “It’s profoundly personal.”
Carrig’s first monetary investment into Little Words came after college, when instead of getting a full-time job or going to law school, she decided to put $5,000 into the business. She set up shop in her parents’ basement, with her mom hand-filling each beaded letter with black marker and her dad handling shipping. Carrig credits her parents not only for working alongside of her as she launched the company but also for teaching her that she could do anything. “My mother’s proof of that,” Carrig says, sharing her mom’s journey as a Mexican immigrant who built a new life for her family in New Jersey.
Her husband Bill, Carrig’s college sweetheart from TCNJ, was also hugely supportive. It was Bill who named the company Little Words Project. Today, he serves as the company’s co-CEO alongside Carrig.
CELEB FANS, COLLABS & A MISSION THAT MATTERS
In the early days of trying to get her bracelets into stores, Carrig met with resistance from jewelry manufacturers. “They would say things like, ‘My kid could make this.’” Her gut told her to keep pushing.
Fast forward to 2013, when she officially launched Little Words. More than a decade later, the company has a huge online and social presence, and has been worn by A-list celebs like Lance Bass, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Alicia Keys, Sophie Turner, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, Cynthia Erivo, Millie Bobby Brown, Jessica Alba and many more; and has collaborated with powerhouse brands like Nordstrom, Target, Disney, Wicked, and the WNBA.
Business grew steadily, picking up huge wins when Nordstrom and Target began stocking her bracelets. Nordstrom placed its first order of Little Words bracelets in 2018. “It was surreal,” Carrig says. “Suddenly, we had to figure out how to fulfill these major orders…things we never imagined when we were making bracelets in my basement.”
Asked when she experienced her first pinch-me moment as a founder and entrepreneur, Carrig points to being profiled in Forbes. “Seeing Little Words in Forbes was an ‘I made it’ moment,” she says. “I’d always dreamed of making the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and even though I missed the age cutoff, that article was proof I was on the right path.”
Over the years, Little Words bracelets became more and more popular, with customers buying them not only as gifts of support and encouragement but to celebrate life’s milestones and friendships. The words “strength” and “believe” are perennial best-sellers, and online stories tie both words to overcoming everything from infertility to breast cancer. One of her most meaningful partnerships is with S&P Pharmacy, which gives fertility patients a bracelet engraved with the word “hope” alongside their medication. Carrig herself struggled with infertility before welcoming her sons, making the “hope” bracelet especially poignant for her.
fill your own cup.
Carrig’s perspective as an entrepreneur and founder changed dramatically when she became a mother. Now she feels even more intentional about the words she uses with her sons and herself. “Kindness begins with self-talk,” she says. “Motherhood taught me the importance of giving myself grace.”
It’s particularly fitting that Little Words’ first-ever Word of the Year for 2025 is Grace, an initiative that came on the heels of Carrig’s first book, The Power of Little Words: How One Kind Word Can Change Everything. The book shares her stories of adversity and how important the words we tell ourselves are as we try to achieve our goals—in her case while she grew her company and family.
It’s the kind of book you’ll want to keep on your nightstand and pick up when you need a bit of motivation, advice or inspiration. From creating your own destiny to treating other with kindness, the book follows Carrig’s journey while sharing advice to thrive in whatever it is you set out to do while staying kind. Inspiring quotes—like “Share your authentic self, put your mission out there, and you will find your people”—are spread throughout the book along with words like courage, self-love, resilience and gratitude.
Today, Little Words Project has 46 corporate employees at its New Jersey headquarters in Mountainside, along with additional staff at its retail locations. As she looks to what’s next for the business, Carrig is also carving out time to mentor young entrepreneurs and women navigating challenges. Her nonprofit, Herself Co., aims to promote self love and mental wellness in young women. She’s also the co-host of The Glow Through It podcast (with her bestie Mariah Grippo), which features conversations about motherhood, business, friendship and more.
HOMEGROWN IN THE GARDEN STATE
Carrig is grateful to be able to raise her boys in New Jersey, a state she credits for much of her resilience. “Everything about this state shaped who I am,” she says. Her Jersey ties run deep as evidenced by this fun fact: Her grandmother once ran a jewelry business in East Orange.
These days she loves spending weekends with Bill and the kids walking through downtown Summit or Montclair or heading to the beach in Long Branch (where she has a shop at Pier Village) or Manasquan. She also loves that shopping trips to Short Hills now include a stop at her own store, where you can not only buy bracelets and charms but also make your own creations at the Bead Bar, an experience that speaks to the community behind the brand.
“At the end of the day, this business is about more than bracelets,” Carrig says. “It’s about empowering people to believe in themselves, share kindness, and know they’re not alone. I built Little Words Project from that feeling, and it’s still the heart of everything we do.”
Adriana gives us a shout-out on her Instagram page. See what she has to say about her article on njfamily.com.
Get the latest on the best things to do with your family in and around New Jersey by signing up for our newsletter and following us on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram!
Read More:
Let’s Talk: NJ Activist Deb Belfatto is on a Mission to Boost Women’s Wellness
Tenafly Mom of 4 Danielle Sherman-Lazar Shares Parenting Lessons In ‘Mothers Are Made’
Meet Brittany Hadley Storm, Singer-Songwriter + Creator of Customized Lullabies
Jennifer Salvato Doktorski’s ‘Finding Normal’ Offers a Powerful Look at Eating Disorders
Popular Now:
How to Book a Taylor Swift-Inspired Airbnb at The Jersey Shore
Where to Find Labubu Dolls in New Jersey
This is New Jersey’s Most Underrated Town, Travel Site Says
These 30 Towns Are the Top Places to Live in NJ, According to Niche
This NJ Gem Was Just Named One of the Best New Hotels on the Planet
