The Womens Conference
The Nations Premier Forum For Women
JESSICA MINDICH, Founder & CEO, Jewelry For A Cause
Ten years ago I happily left behind my days (and nights) as General Counsel for an internet company to raise a family. After 6 years, with no regrets and two kids now in school, I found myself aimlessly wandering around the supermarket day after day, desperate to go back to work. I was full of self doubt that any of my skills were malleable into a career outside the law, and too scared to find out. I spent a lot of time wishing someone would just offer me a job. They didn’t. So here’s how I finally took matters into my own hands, and how you can too!
- GET IN THE GAME... Before I started Jewelry For A Cause, I developed a new business idea every minute, but I always found a reason not to move forward. After being out of the work force for so long, I was afraid to fail. Having heard my routine of self doubt one too many times, my enormously supportive husband firmly said, “Stop telling me all the reasons you will lose...You are not even in the game!” In that instant I realized it was time to play...win or lose.
- MAKE A LIST OF YOUR TOP 5 GOALS. I made a list of my top five goals for my new career, and with every idea, from the sublime to the ridiculous, applied that rubric to see if it met them. Many, many ideas failed this test. JfaC (Jewelry for a Cause) has grown so fast, and so many amazing clients and opportunities have come my way, applying this same rubric has also stopped me from veering off course and making poor business decisions.
- DO NOT EXPECT THE JOURNEY TO BE A STRAIGHT PATH. I started JfaC by selling fine jewelry and donating a portion of the proceeds to a charity that was meaningful to the recipient. This was a great way to work out the logistics of running a business, but ultimately not that interesting or challenging. Five miles into a hike with my good friend, I asked her to let me create something for the 6 boys she needed to buy holiday gifts for...no strings attached. That night I designed my first school crest bracelet. They were such a hit that within 3 months my company was creating eco-hip and affordable school crests for many of the schools on the east coast. Just this past September, in what I consider to be the ultimate compliment for my school crest division, JfaC was featured in the book True Prep, the sequel to The Official Preppy Handbook by Lisa Birnbach. Now we are the exclusive jewelry designer of True Prep jewelry!
- GO AFTER LOW-HANGING FRUIT. Don’t expect your first client to be a big fish, or to be invited onto Oprah the minute the ink is dry on your business cards. You will be quickly frustrated. For JfaC, this meant focusing on building relationships with area schools and local stores which could give feedback on designs and sales figures and which also allowed me to make mistakes without jeopardizing our relationship and my company’s good name.
- INVOLVE YOUR FRIENDS. Your friends all have their own incredible job and life experiences. Ask for their advice on a problem you are having or for their opinion on an idea...and LISTEN! You may just find your next rock star head of sales like I did!
Jessica Mindich is the Founder and CEO of Jewelry For A Cause, www.jewelryforacause.net a company that creates affordable jewelry to be used as fundraising and marketing tools for both retail and wholesale clients. The TALISMANS line, designed for retail philanthropy, is sold in over 50 stores across the USA including Kitson, Fred Segal, Lester’s, Room at the beach etc. JfaC’s extensive wholesale business creates custom jewelry for schools, universities and not for profit organizations. Two designs from the TALISMANS line, the Wave and the Black Buddha, will be sold at the SWAP boutique at this year’s Women’s Conference.
