DEVOTED mum Louise Gillespie has recently started up her own business and one of her main motivations behind this decision was to create a job for her teenage daughter.
“My 16-year-old daughter Jessica is currently completing her GCSE’s” said Louise, “and she wants a part-time job while she studies and moves on to her A-Levels. Jobs are extremely difficult to come by at the moment, so I thought that if I had my own business then I could give her a job.”
So, 39-year-old Louise set up Jessies Jewels – selling costume jewellery which she buys from suppliers in the UK and then sells at house parties, through a variety of events and on Facebook.
And, whilst running the business Louise also holds down a full time as a practice manager at affirm of solicitors, where she has worked for 23 years. “Running this business is like light relief for me” she said, “It’s so nice to get stuck into something which is completely different to my day job, I am a very upbeat forward thinking person so am really motivated to make Jessie’s Jewels a success.”
Louise initially got the idea to set up the jewellery business when she was shopping with her daughter Jessica for costume jewellery. “I couldn’t believe how expensive it was” she said, “and, it just planted the seed in my head – I thought I could sell jewellery much cheaper than this and still make a profit.”
Now Louise, along with some help from her daughter Jessica, sells a wide range of products at house parties, vintage fares, fashion fares and the jewellery is displayed at numerous locations throughout the Knowsley area, including the Knowsley Chamber of Commerce and the Kirkby Unemployed Centre.
Presently products are sourced from the UK but Louise has long term plans to go further afield in the future to the likes of Hong Kong and India where she will be able to import in larger quantities.
“I have big plans for the business” added Louise “and I really think we can make it a success. As part of my job at the solicitors I run the business side of things, so it is really nice to be able to use my business skills for this new exciting project.
“I decided to set up my own business for a number of reasons but definitely one of the main factors was for my daughter. I have only got one child and as a mum, it’s important to me to be able to help my daughter where ever I can and if that means I can create her a job, then that’s all the better.”
Louise’s daughter Jessica Hill added: “I am really pleased that mum has set the business up and I enjoy working on it with her. I am hoping in the future as I get older, that I can take on more of an active role. Being in business at such a young age is a very exciting opportunity for me and I think other mums and daughters should think about doing the same thing.“
Once Louise had decided to start up the business she came along to The Women’s Organisation where she received free help and advice under the business start-up programme.
She said: “I first heard about The Women’s Organisation through Knowsley Chamber of Commerce – and through another woman who had been supported by the organisation to start up her business as well.”
Louise worked on a one-to-one basis with a business adviser who helped put her business plan together.
She added: “I really found The Women’s Organisation to be very useful. Although I am extremely business minded myself I am quite happy to take on any advice that people have got.”
If you would like to find out more about Jessies Jewels please visit the website at https://jessieandco.co.uk/
And, if like Louise you are a woman who is interested in starting up your own business please call The Women’s Organisation on 0151 236 6601 or email info@thewo.org.uk Alternatively visit the website at www.thewomensorganisation.org.uk
