Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in jewelry but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Pamela Card, Founder of Pamela Card Jewelry, located in Vancouver, BC, CA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Pamela Card Jewelry is a timeless collection of handmade jewelry deeply inspired by antiquity. All pieces are designed using the historic practice of lost wax casting - which allows for a hands-on approach to design. Often the pieces will come out with a slightly different texture than the next making each piece a little more unique and personal for the wearer. The contradiction of the extravagant and the fractured has always been something that I use to With a deep appreciation of art and history; the designs embody the jewelry style at a time period that bridges Roman, Greek, and Ottoman art. Each piece is created to appear excavated as if dug from the ground and placed on display at a museum to tell its tale.
The Pamela Card customer is someone who wears jewelry not solely as an embellishment but as a means of personal expression. He or she who appreciates wearing designs that evoke a deeper sense of nostalgia as its own unique tale defines each piece. The jewelry is designed to give the wearer feelings of courage, love, and protection, so they feel emboldened each day.

Tell us about yourself

While working in fashion in Montreal, I began taking jewelry courses as a completely playful and exploratory self-expression mode. I felt extremely free carving out of wax and found that even mistakes, like carvings that lacked symmetry, ended up even more beautiful and unique (in my eyes). I started to feel like I needed a bigger creative output, so I decided to focus all my energy on jewelry design and move to Istanbul.

I became set on the idea of creating jewelry that represented not only the opulence of the past but represented the fragmented and imperfect jewelry and relics that had been excavated and placed on display in the museums and palaces I had visited - even though I wasn't fully sure how to create a company. The contradiction of the extravagant and the fractured has always been something I use to create each collection

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

This line of work has opened up the possibilities of meeting empowering women and men in wildly inspiring industries. I have had the opportunity to style writers, musicians, and artists I have looked up to for years. I am incredibly fortunate to share my creations with influential people who take the time to appreciate what I have produced thus far.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

I love to have complete control over all aspects of my business
; however, I have quickly learned that growth is stunted, and creativity can be hindered when you try to handle all aspects of your business. Even though my team is exceedingly lean, I have hired an assistant to help in the areas of packaging, shipping, and inventory which has been a huge relief. I also have learned to trust and delegate what needs to be done concisely.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Know that you cannot do every aspect of your business to perfection. If you need business/marketing help, seek it. Don't be afraid to lack knowledge in certain areas if you take on every aspect of the business for an extended period of time. In that case, your creativity will fail and falter as you spread yourself too thin.
  2. Be financially aware. If you don't have funding, start working made-to-order, the cash flow or lack thereof for the first little while will be less daunting.
  3. Invest in the photoshoot. If you're a brand whose main presence is online, hire an experienced model in the industry who knows how to move/show off the product with little/no guidance. Hire a photographer who vibes with you and who has a super compatible aesthetic; it may be a little more than you want to pay, but in the end, you need clients to see the best version of your brand online, and you have to be extremely proud of what you launch online.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.pamelacardjewelry.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamelaCardJewelry/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamelacardjewelry/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelacard/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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