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Exquisitely British - The British Entrepreneur Club for Luxury Brands
Lucille Whiting
Founder of Sophia Alexander Fingerprint Jewellery
By Clare Heighway - 7th April 2015
We chat to Cambridge entrepreneur Lucille Whiting about the highs and lows of running luxury fingerprint jewellers, Sophia Alexander.
Tell us a little bit about yourself, Lucille.
I am 33 years old and have been a professional jeweller for over 10 years. I live in a village just outside of Cambridge with my husband and four small children. I am happily work obsessed, very child centric and love to be busy.
Where did the idea for Sophia Alexander Fingerprint Jewellery come from?
I spent a number of years making baby hand and foot sculptures, so when a friend gave birth to her first baby, I cast his tiny feet in silver. For his first birthday, I wanted to give something a little different, so I bought her a ‘fine silver’ fingerprint necklace. One day, as she was walking through town, her son dropped his comforter. When she bent down to retrieve it, she caught her necklace on the handle of her pushchair. It fell to the floor and broke in two. Inside her precious ‘silver’ pendant was some kind of white, chalky substance. She was understandably devastated and I was left feeling rather embarrassed.
I realised that with my background in sculpture I could replace the gift with something stronger, using traditional jewellery making techniques. I was thrilled with the end result. Real, heavy, hallmarked silver, this time made to last. I knew I had something really special straight away. These could be made not only sterling silver, but 9ct gold, 18ct gold, or even platinum.
Who is your ideal customer?
Absolutely anyone with someone special. A mother, father, grandparent, child or even a beloved pet. We have made pendants for dogs, cats, horses and even the odd tortoise.
What has been your biggest challenge so far?
Making ourselves seen in the sea of companies making fingerprint jewellery from metal clays has been very challenging. It’s immediately obvious that our jewellery is of a completely different calibre, but nobody will ever know that if they can’t find you in a Google search. It’s been a learning curve.
What has been your biggest highlight?
Every client is special, but I always love it when clients send thank you letters and emails. The sentiments they express are so beautiful and it reminds me that the value of our jewellery is so much greater than its cost.
What or who are you inspired by?
My husband and my children undoubtedly. They are my motivation each and every day.
Do you have any advice for other entrepreneurs?
Be critical of every aspect of your business, from your process, to your branding, to your customer service. It's so important to constantly strive for perfection and there is always room for improvement. Be patient, because as frustrating as it is, nothing happens overnight.
What does your "typical" work day look like?
A friend sent me meme a while ago that said “I don’t have a 9 – 5, I have a “When I open my eyes, to when I close them”. That just about sums it up. I usually get to bed sometime around midnight, sometimes later if I really want to finish something.
Do you have any favourite British brands?
My love for British brands is quite child centred. I love Seraphine Maternity clothing, The Gro Company, Little Knitwitz, Cob Web Knits and Indigo Herbs of Glastonbury. My daughters are big fans of Jellycat floppy bunnies and we have a few gorgeous personalised gifts from My 1st Years.
What do you think is important in developing a successful British brand?
Be absolutely passionate about your product and your brand. Use the best materials you can find and surround yourself with talented people. Really listen to your customers. Make them feel involved and valued, and always deliver.
How do you manage the work/life balance?
I think the work/life balance thing is a bit of a myth when you own a business. I am lucky to spend a lot of time raising my children. I have a supportive husband, flexible working hours and a talented team behind me. Yet sometimes it feels like my feet don’t touch the ground. Life is fun, frantic and at times, incredibly stressful, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
What are your plans for the future?
The great thing about owning your own business is that it can be very organic, constantly changing and evolving. This year we launched a brand new range of fingerprint wedding and commitment rings. We asked our clients to put forward suggestions for new designs and the response was utterly overwhelming. We have fingerprint rings with stunning classic roman numerals and tiny engraved wedding vows. We also have some really contemporary designs inspired by Lord of the Rings and Alice in Wonderland. It’s been a very exciting process.
Who knows where next year will take us, but I’m looking forward to it.
If you'd like to see more of the Sophia Alexander Fingerprint Jewellery collection, visit their website at www.sophia-alexander.com
Follow Lucille and her team.
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