TGIF, Cowes! Today, we highlight the Jenny Bird of JENNY BIRD. This local queen is the mastermind behind some of our favourite go-to pieces in our jewelry box. #LocalLove
Give us your elevator pitch — tell us a bit about yourself. We want to know what you’re all about.
Jewelry that gives you a boost of cool and keeps you updated!
#LocalLove is all about showing love to bad-ass bosses like yourself. Can you share with us what you do for work and how you make an impact?
I guess what I do is obvious 😉 I am committed to helping raise others up through our craft and our brand’s community.
As such, we partner with Dress for Success Canada Foundation as one of their national sponsors each year. I also personally work with artisans from around the globe to generate income opportunities for them by working with them to design and sell jewelry they make.
How did you get into this line of work?
I just dove in and taught myself. One day at a time!
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given (career or otherwise)
If you never give up, you can’t fail. That has helped me in the many times I felt like giving up!
How about the worst?
You have to know someone in fashion for this to work.
If you could paint your ideal life, what would that look like in 5-10 years from now?
JENNY BIRD’s social impact platform or charity is making a broad and deep impact on the lives of disadvantaged artisans around the world and I am focused on the future of those charitable efforts. With continued effort, we can anticipate real change taking place in the next five to ten years.
What are your favourite resources that you’ve come across over the years (e.g., email extensions, design apps etc.)?
We recently opened a storefront in our Toronto office, rightfully entitled The Shop – a by appointment only experience and the HQ to where we host our community events. We’ve relied heavily on the Shopify POS system on our mobile phones to keep track of real-time inventory for those last-minute shopping appointments. I love being able to fulfill a customer’s last-minute request for an item by simply going through a few clicks on my phone.
Foursixty – I love this app for turning our Instagram and UGC content into shoppable galleries on our website.
On a more personal note, I like to start every day by meditating – even if it’s just for 10 minutes to get myself centered. It’s so important to take time out, so that I can add time back in. I usually follow that with a listen of The NY Times podcast, The Daily. It’s a 20-minute daily episode that makes the biggest news story of the day digestible.
Who are 3 of your favourite Canadian entrepreneurs that our readers should absolutely be in the know about?
@MicheleRomanow – She’s got lots of great advice she shares openly on social.
@luxtonwoman – Female founded by a friend of mine from my small-town high school of Fergus, Ontario. She makes the most incredible outerwear.
@smythebrand – I’ve long admired my friends Andrea and Christie. They are the go-to for blazers and jackets. Last year we collaborated on a blazer, forging our expertise- it was such a fulfilling experience.
xx
The Cowe