Today we’d like to introduce you to Lausanne Miller.
Hi Lausanne, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In some ways I’m your classic corporate girl turned entrepreneur, but I’ve worked as a designer in one form or another for my entire career. Prior to starting my jewelry line, I worked in fashion for 13 years as a designer and design director for large brands. I’d always held this idea of creating a jewelry line in the back of my mind as a someday, next chapter, maybe thought. That someday came when I went through a layoff and got the not-so-gentle encouragement I needed to give it a shot. And so, I did. Unlike a lot of people whose path includes keeping a corporate job and starting out by doing their own business on the side; I dove in and took it on full-time in the beginning. In some ways I think that kind of intense focus and also fear helped me to really get it off the ground and devote the attention it takes to get things in place how you want them. It’s been a lot of learning and growing and trial and error in the almost three years since I’ve launched and I certainly still have a lot left to learn and tackle, but it does feel good to have a better grasp on parts of it now. And while I feel like my voice has grown product-wise in each collection since I started, there will never be anything like the feeling of having those first styles come to fruition and getting packaging created, and a website up and running. All those firsts were so challenging but also so meaningful.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it’s definitely not been a smooth or steady road. I’m pretty sure all small business owners can relate to the roller coaster that is not only business but the emotional connection you have tied to the business when it’s your own. It cuts deeper, that’s for sure, and it’s extremely hard to not go up and down emotionally along with your performance. My number one struggle has been the marketing piece and reaching the right audience, at the right time. Or really maybe having the resources, financially and otherwise, to do so. Earlier on I had a few bumps in the road with finding the right manufacturing partners and figuring out some of the technical sides of website functioning. But ultimately those were easier to overcome than say the struggle of finding time and motivation to do a bunch of reels for Instagram. For me, the biggest pain point was and is the reach.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Shop Lausanne jewelry is a small batch, demi-fine jewelry line. Demi-fine basically means this sweet spot of really great quality without the fine jewelry prices. All materials are sustainably sourced 14 -18k gold, sterling silver, and semi-precious stones. I specialize in gold vermeil jewelry which tends to be less known/popular in the US but in my opinion, is such a great material. Vermeil (pronounced “ver-may”) is a technical term for an especially high-quality type of plating which requires the base metal to be sterling silver (as opposed to brass) and the gold plating to be at least 2.5 microns thick, which is 2-3x thicker than standard plating. It allows me to create high-quality, long-lasting jewelry at prices that you can afford to treat yourself to, and is also great for sensitive skin. I think jewelry should be kept and enjoyed forever but I don’t think it needs to be limited to pieces you can only afford to buy for big life moments. I love making collections that you can keep adding to each season and think about it in the same way you might consider investing in a great pair of boots or wool coat. It’s timeless and you’ll wear it for a very long time, but you also should be able to get that new one you fall in love with each season.
I design things in collections and each grouping has a story or meaning behind it. Things that I felt, was going through, or inspired by at the time of creation that I hope can be little seeds of connection and encouragement to whomever wears the pieces. To me, jewelry is one of the easiest but most personal forms of style and self-expression. It’s small, so it doesn’t need to make this loud statement and almost creates an intimacy between yourself and whomever is close enough to view it and get a little insight to who you might be.
I strive to make each piece really special and unique. Pieces you won’t find anything like elsewhere. And to be honest, those have always been my bestsellers too. At times I’ve strayed a little from that rule for myself because there was a certain style or type of item I wanted to wear or wanted to round out a collection and they haven’t performed in the way the deeply meaningful ones have. So that’s been my grounding rule of thumb as I’ve gone on, and the privilege that comes from running your own brand, you get to choose to do only what really moves you, and in turn hopefully speaks to others as well.
What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I don’t know that I could chose just one. There’s so many that I keep learning, some repeatedly. But a few would to be have patience and be kind to yourself along the way. Having other small business friends helps with that, to have a community around you who understand the highs and lows. Another thing I’m still trying to get better at is being more strategic with business planning. It’s easy to chug along and hope things work without a realistic plan in place, and I’ve definitely made some mistakes that way with marketing expenses and investments. I’d say don’t be afraid to seek out or hire help, but also don’t be afraid to pull the plug on a trial or method and pivot if it isn’t working.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shoplausanne.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lausannejewelry/
