Jenny Brown of Jenny Brown Jewellery

Describe yourself in three words. Determined, headstrong and hardworking. When you were at school, what did you want to be and why? At school my passion was always fashion but the convent environment didn’t allow such things! After education I started with modelling, fashion and then into jewellery thanks to my husband and business partner who is from a family of Jewellers in Peru. How did you get to be where you are today? A lot of trial and error. Living in Kenya, it was the hardest market to try and break with very different ethnic influences. However it proved to be a brilliant learning curve and the experience was a great platform to build on when I returned to UK in 1998. Despite the many years away keeping up with trends back home was invaluable and we were able to start the business with a strong core collection of items that we have continued to evolve over the next 15 years. Reaching this point in my career has been eventful but belief in the products and fierce determination plus keeping my financial feet firmly on the ground. Which aspects of your job do you enjoy and why? Most definitely working on new designs and constantly testing the market through our new and loyal customers who give me very positive and helpful feedback. What is your proudest achievement? Probably cracking the UK market within a few weeks of returning from Africa after being away for nearly 20 years. Never having had a business in the UK (hence very little experience in the home market), it was a case of treading cautiously but I always had belief in my product backed with good service and flexibility and an honest ethical ethos. What is the best advice you’ve been given in work or in life in general? Work hard, always keep your eye on the ball and never take anything for granted. Wise words from my father who was an undertaker and never failed to give me the great advice that only someone with integrity could. What is your next goal? It would be great to move into Europe but it has to be when the economy in general improves so for now to continue to expand our brand across the UK with new and exciting ‘simply gorgeous’ jewellery.