A Mumpreneur’s story: Eve’s journey from banking lawyer to jewellery stylist

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Published on Friday, 21 October 2011 21:01

Last Updated on 21 October 2011

Monica Costa

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Eve King talks to London Mums about how she has turned her passion for jewellery into a business.

Stella & Dot is a boutique-style jewellery and accessories line, designed in New York, and available exclusively through in-home ‘Trunk Shows’ by Independent Stylists, and online. This autumn, Stella & Dot is bringing its innovative, modern home-based “social selling” business model to the UK, creating flexible, entrepreneurial opportunities for women. From the New York Times to the fashion pages of Instyle, everyone is talking about Stella & Dot.

The concept works on a social selling format which means that the jewellery is sold from in home ‘Trunk Shows’ (this is NOT a car boot sale as one journalist thought!) and online.

A Trunk Show might be having a few friends over for a glass of wine one evening, Sunday morning brunch, or a coffee morning after the kids have been dropped off at school. Women from all over the UK are becoming ‘Independent Stylists’ and each individual runs their own business independently with the help and support of a sophisticated e-commerce platform.

One of these women is Eve King. Eve explains, ‘I was a banking lawyer at a city law firm for a number of years but when I started my family I knew I wouldn’t be able to do both jobs well enough for me, so I gave it up.

For years I searched for ‘something’ to do. That ‘something’ had to mentally stimulate me as well as inspire passion and fit within family life. My husband used to say to me ‘why don’t you just set up an online business from home?’ and my response was always ‘there is no ‘just’ in setting up a business’ and also I’m a firm believer in having to have passion for what you’re selling!

In 2009 we relocated to America and while we were there someone I knew signed up to be a Stylist for Stella & Dot. In true British fashion I looked upon the whole concept with scepticism and refused to go to the Trunk Show I was invited to, simply because it wasn’t my thing.

In the safety of my own home, however, I did decide to check out the website and it was at that point I realised how amazing the jewellery was. Once back in London in 2010 I continued looking for that ‘thing to do’ and in September of this year I discovered Stella & Dot was coming to the UK! I signed up on the spot and since that day it has been a complete revelation to me. I can honestly say that it has given me everything I was looking for, and more, in an exciting, fulfilling yet part-time career that works around having a family.’ ”

www.stelladot.co.uk/eveking