Often, the best products are the ones with a story behind them.

Teah Mazzoni’s Anchor Me bracelets started as a quest to find a simple nautical themed bracelet with an anchor on it.

“Nautical themed jewelry is really hot right now in accessories. I went to shop after shop. The anchors were ornate or gaudy,” she said.

Finally she decided to make one herself with leather and anchors she sourced online. Mazzoni used the extra materials to make bracelets for her two best friends and her brother. Tying them on was a symbol of their bond.

“They’ve been my anchor in life and have kept me grounded,” said Mazzoni. “When things are good, they’re the first to celebrate.”

The gifts were well received said Mazzoni, an English language learning specialist for Old Rochester Regional Schools. Then she started getting requests from her brother’s friends on Facebook, asking for the bracelets.

“It was really neat that people I didn’t know very well wanted something I designed,” said Mazzoni, a Mattapoisett resident.

Then at a Memorial Day cookout, Mazzoni brought a bracelet as a hostess gift.

“I was swarmed by women who were bidding on it,” said Mazzoni. Her boyfriend Tim Keogh joked that she shouldn’t give any more away. They talked about it and decided it could be a fun summer project.

“We came home that afternoon and registered the website,” said Keogh.

Friends of friends of friends, located mostly in the tri-town area, purchased the bracelets. Mazzoni and Keogh set up an Etsy page, an e-commerce platform for craftspeople, and approached local shops.

Isabelle’s in Mattapoisett and Lakeville Cards & Gifts agreed to sell the bracelets.

“They took a chance and bought them from me,” said Mazzoni. “The next week they called me up and wanted more. It kind of blew up from there.”

Mazzoni and Keogh began contacting more stores. Stores in Newport, Nantucket, Block Island, Florida, and St. John in the Virgin Islands purchased bracelets from her. And in Marion, it’s become Serendipity’s bestseller this year.

Every store has reordered at least once.

Social media – the Anchor Me Facebook page has more than 1,400 likes – has generated much of the interest, said Mazzoni.

The simple design and low price point – they're $11.95 each – have lead to staggering sales. Mazzoni made her first sale on June 1. As of Aug. 15, she had sold 2,134 bracelets.

“I’ve never been my own boss or in the retail industry,” she said. “I’ve loved every single second of it.”

Going forward, Mazzoni and Keogh are working on a new line with “a little more of a romantic feel.”

There’s also a chance the couple could present their business on ABC’s reality series “Shark Tank.” They are currently in the second round of casting for the show, which gives entrepreneurs a chance to pitch their businesses to potential investors.

Returning to school in a few weeks means Mazzoni may have to spend some late nights filling orders, but it’s worth it.

“It’s something Tim and I are really passionate about,” she said. “It’s not a gimmick.”

Visit Anchor Me's website at www.anchormebracelet.com.