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We speak to an nzgirl who has turned her love of beads and making jewellery with her friends into a full time job...
Name: Clementine Ludlow Age: 30 Job: Director of Bead Addiction
Where did the inspiration come from for your company? I’ve been making beaded jewellery for a few years now , with lots of people telling me I should sell my creations. The timing couldn’t have been better when I left the corporate world this year to have a baby. What I didn’t realise is that babies take up all your time so my idea of relaxing days making jewellery went out the window.
It was then that a good friend of mine had an epiphany that I should start up Bead Addiction, running bead parties to teach other people how to make their own wonderful creations. What a perfect idea, I still get to make things (I also make wedding jewellery), I still get to wallow in thousands of beautiful beads and I also get the pleasure of seeing other people learn a new skill. The business name sums me up to a tee!
What are the best things about your life? I love my life because my business works around me and my family, I’m learning new things everyday about running a business and running a household and I’ve made my hobby my job. The concept of a bead party means my job involves going to people's homes, meeting all the girls they’ve invited round and teaching them to make completely unique pieces of jewellery out of the thousands of beads I sell. It’s so much fun, everyone has a great time and it just doesn’t feel like work to me, it’s too sociable for that!
Where do you see yourself in the future? I’d like to grow Bead Addiction into a nationwide company, so people can franchise the Bead Party concept under the Bead Addiction banner. Currently I can only reach people in Auckland. I also love making wedding jewellery, as it’s always so beautiful and sparkly. I’d like to be recognised for my craftsmanship.
What’s the best business decision you've made? The best decision was not hesitating in going ahead with the Bead Party idea, I ran a few dummy runs with friends so I got lots of feedback, by the time I was running parties with the public, it felt like a well oiled machine.
And the worst? The worst is probably my inability to stop buying beads! I’m the sort of person that hates running out of things, so I’m constantly shipping new beads in for fear that I might run out of stock which in reality never happens!
Describe yourself (extra points if you can use a combination of the letters in your name and your company’s) in five words. Clementine has a Bead Addiction!! (Wow that was easy!) I’m confident, creative, positive and very talkative!!
Which nzgirl most inspires/inspired you? My nzgirlfriends have inspired me the most, I’ve had so many great people supporting and encouraging me, they’ve been the real inspiration. Carly Moulding who came up with the fab idea in the first place and has given me the drive to make it a success and a great friend Louise Tanguay who runs the The Sleep Store has been a wonderful business mentor. What are three important lessons you’ve learnt along the way? Believe in yourself, believe in yourself, believe in yourself!
Any advice for nzgirls? Positivity breeds happiness, success and contentment
Gemma
Find out more about Clementine's Bead Addiction business here.
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with her friends into a full time job...
It was then that a good friend of mine had an epiphany that I should start up Bead Addiction, running bead parties to teach other people how to make their own wonderful creations. What a perfect idea, I still get to make things (I also make wedding jewellery), I still get to wallow in thousands of beautiful beads and I also get the pleasure of seeing other people learn a new skill. The business name sums me up to a tee!
The best decision was not hesitating in going ahead with the Bead Party idea, I ran a few dummy runs with friends so I got lots of feedback, by the time I was running parties with the public, it felt like a well oiled machine. 