334: 10 Things I Learnt Launching My Own Jewellery Business with Jessica Rose

What does it really take to launch your own jewellery business?

In this episode, Jessica Rose shares the story behind the launch of her new jewellery brand, Jessica Rose Jewellery, and ten of the biggest lessons she has learnt along the way.

Jess first ran a jewellery business around 20 years ago, before moving into teaching and eventually building Jewellers Academy. Now she is back at the bench, creating an organic fine jewellery collection using wax, gold, gemstones and stone-setting techniques and experiencing first-hand what it means to build a jewellery business in today's market.

Jess talks openly about choosing what to make, investing in materials before you know when the money will come back, creating a cohesive collection, dealing with broken stones and things going wrong at the bench, and the self-doubt that can appear when you finally put your work out into the world.

She also shares her approach to photography, branding, building her own website, keeping the first version of the business simple and why launching your website is only the beginning.

In this episode:

Why Jess decided to start another jewellery business now

How she chose the style and techniques for her first collection

Why she started with creativity rather than a commercial idea

How she built a 28-piece jewellery collection over time

The reality of investing in gold, gemstones and professional photography

What she learnt when stones broke and settings went wrong