WOMAN OF PASSION: Lush jewellery

“I stumbled into jewellery design when I decided to give up television during the Lent period seven years ago. I felt that I spent a lot of time watching people who had made something of themselves, something I felt I was yet to achieve.

“I lived in Slough, in England, at the time and there was this dainty accessories shop that I loved going to. I noticed during this period that I was spending up to 50 pounds on jewellery here weekly, and the pieces I was getting were not even unique.

So, with extra spare time on my hands, I bought a jewellery making kit that came with instructions. When I wasn’t doing my job at a recruitment agency, I was experimenting.

“Up to this point, I hadn’t been keen on art or creation. I wanted to be in the media. I even took an undergraduate degree in media from the University of East London. My first job was a two-year stint in a media house in Kenya where I was doing news directing and television production. Back in England, it was difficult to get a job in the media so I took up a job in a recruitment agency as I waited.

DISCOVERING HER PASSION

“In just a few short weeks of practice, I had made enough jewellery to share with my mother. Then I began selling pieces to friends. One of these friends heard of a competition for young entrepreneurs and told me about it. I had nothing to lose so I applied – and won. The prize came with a year’s support and guidance from an accounting company. Under this mentorship, I began putting structures around my side hustle.

“For two years, all through 2011 and 2012, I balanced my job and my side hustle and learnt as much as I could about my trade. Then, in 2013, I gathered my tools and locked them away. I felt like I wanted a ‘serious career’ and jewellery making did not seem this way to me at the time. Having put my tools of trade away and resigned from my job, I embarked on what I felt was a more traditional career path – teaching.

“I started with a short course and then a post graduate degree in teaching from the University of Greenwich. I settled for lifelong learning teaching because then I would get to teach the over 16s who already had an idea of exactly what they wanted out of life. I taught for two fulfilling years.

“Then, I began to think about coming back home. I mean, while my parents and siblings live in England, I had no mortgage or husband and children tying me down there. I knew I would need money to settle down when I came back home so I got my jewellery making kit out once again and began creating. I moved back in December 2015 and it was to a pleasant surprise. All the jewellery pieces I had made in preparation to my coming back were sold out that first week.

SETTING UP SHOP

“Now with newfound enthusiasm, I decided to make jewellery design my main hustle. I launched myself into the Kenyan industry at the Nairobi Elegance Affair fashion show in February 2016. I admit that at the back of my mind those first months, I flirted with thoughts of going back to teaching if things didn’t work out. But as my social media presence grew and my sales increased, my resolve to stay in jewellery design was strengthened. Then, inspired by a card that I made for my mother on her birthday which my friends loved, I began making cards alongside the jewellery.

“Now, alongside the two businesses, I run a YouTube channel, The CrazyCoolLush. Here, I motivate women who may be following in my footsteps, talk about weight loss from my experiences struggling with it and also share lessons from my entrepreneurship journey. I also run a lifestyle blog.

“The ultimate dream for me is to see my jewellery brand go international. At the moment, apart from Kenya, I sell in England and I am trying to break into the US and Canada. I make a range of items like body chains, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, head chains and hand harnesses. A piece from my collection will cost anything between Sh500 and Sh3,000. Chain, metal, beads and recycled fabric are my materials of choice.

“The most valuable lesson I have learnt on this journey is the importance of networks as well as social media in business. It cannot be overstated.”

ANGELA’S WORDS OF WISDOM

• There is no right time to start; start now.

• Do your research before you start but make sure you do something with the findings.

• Network every chance you get. Networks will increase your net worth.

• Have three or four people in your network who are in the same industry as you.

• Start with what you have. It is enough.

• It is enough that you believe in what you are doing. Not      everyone will understand your vision. Not everyone will come on board.