How to go it alone as an entrepreneur, by 8 inspirational jewelry designers
Founding and running a business requires extraordinary determination and resilience. Here, eight incredible women behind some of our favorite fine jewelry brands explain how to become a self-made maker and go it alone as a female entrepreneur
Pippa Small
“Ever since my childhood, I have carried pebbles, gathered amulets from travels and tied special beads around my wrists. I have a large, white, ancient shell that I have been wearing on my right arm for over 20 years. It has metaphorically been the shell I hide in – my protective shell and my signifier; I have people who recognize me just by my shell! I don’t think I really could have envisioned another route for myself except having my own business – I never questioned it or wondered about alternatives. It took me a while to open up, to trust and let someone in to help me. I started by doing everything myself – I traveled and designed, marketed and sold. I think you do need a strong sense of self, a slightly stubborn streak to see beyond what other people deem impossible, and a deep love of what you do. The growth of ethical business practices and seeing young women taking their power back gives me hope for the future.”
Anita Ko
“All the hard work at ground level has led me to where I am today. My advice to someone starting up now would be to find a great mentor – someone you look up to in business, not just in your own industry – and learn everything you can from them. When I started my brand, I had the advantage of youth and exuberance and didn’t think much of courage, but without determination and tenacity I just don’t believe you can get very far in any business. As a female designer in fashion, things seem to be on a much more equal playing field; women are taken much more seriously in all avenues, but as an Asian American female business owner, I’m optimistic seeing how things are changing on a social level, and that many more women from all walks of life will have the opportunities that I have been so lucky to have.”
Lauren Rubinski
“I was always the one to keep track of what was in my mother’s and grandmother’s jewelry boxes; long before I was even thinking of creating jewelry, I was always collecting pieces or making bespoke ones. Endless determination was needed to start my own brand. Some days you feel unstoppable, and others you just want to give up. If you want to start something, you have to stay on your toes about the competition and constantly bring something new to the table. As women, our true power is our audacity. I think that, in a world where everything tells us not to be ourselves, we manage to stay daring. The most important thing I’ve learned from starting a business is that sleep is a true luxury! But when I see messages from women all around the world wearing my creations – from Paris to New York to Lagos – I’m speechless.”
Octavia Elizabeth
“I started Octavia Elizabeth about four years ago, when I was 26 years old. The amount of confidence I had to jump in still shocks me. Staying focused and continuing to grow is always something I think a successful small business needs to be intentional about. You can’t sit back and see what comes. It doesn’t ‘just happen’. Setting benchmarks and goals weekly, monthly and annually will keep your brand on track. I still have the first pair of ‘Whimsy’ earrings I made, to keep as a reminder of how far I have come. The most important thing I’ve learned is good time management, and also that the word ‘no’ does not mean ‘never’ – it just means ‘not now’. Though this is not in the jewelry realm, seeing the Bumble IPO with its female founder [Whitney Wolfe] this year was inspirational. Female-founded companies are in the minority; I really hope we continue to level that playing field.”
Ileana Makri
“I started my own brand during a very difficult time for me personally, as a single mother with two children. I have a tendency to look at the hard moments in life as the most valuable ones, because through difficulty you learn to become humble and wise, while easy times usually spoil you. Creativity is the force that makes every obstacle manageable. Talent and creativity are the driving force, while knowledge of all the facets of the business keeps you in the game in the long run. The most incredible thing about women is how powerful and efficient they are when they come together. I am a strong supporter of female power because I believe that women are resilient and determined when they set out to reach a goal. I believe they are the tougher sex.”
Irene Neuwirth
“A lot of courage is definitely a must. I’m an old-fashioned go-getter, so I am excited by a challenge, and when I get my heart set on something, it’s very hard to tell me no. That’s my secret superpower and it has served me well in business. I would say put yourself out there, don’t wait until things are perfect and don’t be afraid to fail. There will always be room for improvement, and that’s a good thing. Surround yourself with an incredible team – if you do that, and have a vision, the rest will come together, and it will always feel like a joy to work. I have never gotten carried away with having a business that’s successful on paper. I feel like it can go away as quickly as it came, so I try to keep my head down and work really, really hard.”
Suzanne Kalan
“Starting your own business means that, for a significant period of time, your working life and personal life become one. Having to meet the demands of my initial orders was tough. My husband and I were young and just starting our careers; we also had a baby to take care of. To fund my first order, I had to sell the bracelet my father gave me for my wedding. Coming from Armenian heritage and being a woman, I had two fundamentals against me in the workplace. The strength and charisma of women is what stands out to me – women are amazing creatures. They juggle their days, take care of their family, go to work or run a business and make it all work, all at the same time. In my industry, most of my peers, fellow designers and team members are women with families and don’t miss a beat on getting it all done.”
Melissa Kaye
“When making a jump as big as I did – from financial engineering to fine jewelry – there is a large learning curve, and I had to be open to learning and adapting. I’ve experienced many failures along the way and I have no doubt there will be more to come. Sometimes you end up ‘paying’ to learn, and that’s OK. It’s important to be able to go with the flow, make adjustments and keep progressing. Ask yourself if you’re truly committed. It takes a huge investment of time and sweat equity – not to mention the financial commitment – to make progress. It’s inspiring to see how many women now occupy the fine jewelry space, though parts of the industry are still male dominated. Think big and aim high! Even with an idea that may seem out of reach, you have to give yourself the room to explore it, otherwise it will never be in the realm of possibility.”