Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in jewellery but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ellinor Stenroos, founder of EVStenroos, located in Calgary, AB, Canada.

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

I create fine bespoke jewellery in 18 karat golds and platinum, from start to finish. By getting to know my clients and learning about their desires, I personalize the design experience and design direction to perfectly suit them and their lifestyles.

I work in and source only high karat precious metals, beautiful custom cut precious gemstones, and high-quality diamonds specifically for each piece to cater to the wearer's lifestyle, aesthetic, and budget. If so desired, the client can be part of the design process, as well as selecting gemstones and diamonds in person.

By creating each piece completely custom, the client can be confident in having a unique piece designed to work, made to fit, and suit them beautifully.

EVStenroos creates treasures that can be passed down for generations, making sure they are maintained and cared for throughout the years -leaving a legacy in the form of well-made, timeless, and unique pieces of fine jewellery.

Our client lives a modern 'hands-on' and active lifestyle, with a passion for 'things that work well. Our clients want to be unique and are confident in their own style. We don't necessarily create only modern jewellery, but for the active lifestyle of our clients, clean lines and generous amounts of high karat precious metals and durable precious gemstones and natural mined diamonds tend to work best for the desired 'daily wear.'

Tell us about yourself

I embarked on the journey of this professional designation 20 years ago. I grew up in Finland and lived there until I was 21 years of age. I moved to England to complete a degree in silversmithing, goldsmithing, and jewellery design in 2002.

Growing up in a rather barren landscape of rural Finland fuelled my imagination from an early age. I just had a desire to create 'beautiful things' -dreaming of diamonds, gemstones, tiaras, and beautiful golden things was a regular past-time for me as a kid.

I moved to Canada to work as a jewellery designer and goldsmith in 2005 and eventually, rather unprepared, started my own business. I have such a huge passion for my job, and I truly love creating jewellery that makes the wearer/recipient happy -every successful delivery "fills my cup!" Because it is my chosen profession, there has never been a "fallback" career, so every day is a motivation to make things work, grow, to be better.

The idea of working for someone else, under someone else's name, and selling my intellectual property for a fixed hourly rate simply does not appeal nor work for me. The ultimate motivator really is to get to continue to make a living from my passion and my own business.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

It is always wonderful to be recognized in various competitions, receive awards, or be featured in public events, but ultimately it is every single project being perfect for the client/recipient is the most significant, most wonderful, and important part of me. I love seeing a happy client, who has enjoyed the experience of getting a bespoke piece designed and made, and gets to walk away with a little piece of art, made to wear and last, that symbolizes or represents them or a time in their life. I am proud of every client who has passed my name on and happily does so, and I can rely entirely on word-to-mouth marketing if I so wish.

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

The hardest thing for me has been to understand and practice to set aside a budget for the things I struggle with, don't have time for, or don't enjoy. Feeling that being a bookkeeper is a lot of money and choosing to do that myself for several years ended up being a very valuable but incredibly expensive lesson to learn. Now I practice "go where you create magic" -your time is so much better spent where you shine, rather than avoiding some of the tasks that others could do for you effortlessly and at a reasonable cost.

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

  1. Expect no one to do any favours for you -not out of a jaded perspective but from an opportunity to take responsibility for everything you do and create. If you collaborate with someone, leave the expectation of them helping boost you at the door, and just run with it yourself -as much as you can!- showcasing what an amazing opportunity you had the great fortune of being part of.
  2. Go into everything with generosity, grace, and gratitude. No one likes to invest in/purchase from negative energy and bad headspaces. We all have bad days, difficult weeks, tough months, but abundance never comes from a forced approach and negative perspective. People want to be around great energy, and you will only create good things if you can give off that vibe (more often than not). Learn to leave the drama, no matter how much you are living it, by the door. That being said: absolutely be 100% be authentic, but it is helpful to keep your personal life and professional life somewhat separate; boundaries are easier to set and enforce this way -and you are going to want to have some firm ones in place in the compensation/work hours/days off/communication methods/solid fine print.
  3. Go where you create magic! And spend A LOT of time in that space, sharing it, loving it, exuding it. What comes around goes around.
    Greatness attracts greatness.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Know that despite keeping a personal and a professional persona online through different social media profiles, you are your business. If your business ideology doesn't align with your personal approach or how you conduct yourself, people will notice.

Be authentic, but be clear with yourself about your beliefs, your ideologies, and boundaries so that you can communicate them simply and clearly to your client/friends and family.

I would be as bold as saying "owning your own business" becomes you and your life, for better and for worse. It is a full-time dedication in many ways, all-consuming... make sure you really love it! Make sure you are the number one fan of your job/product/business. If you don't 'die-hard' believe in it, no one else can give you that drive, energy, and conviction to make it happen and make it great!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://evstenroos.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EVStenroos
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evstenroos/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EVStenroos
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellinorstenroos/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.