Stephanie and Faith are the co-founders of Strung Pretty, a brand that they launched after a chance meeting proving that serendipity is a sign of amazing things to come. A duo that bring out the best in each other, it’s no surprise that together they have launched a biz that has been a huge success in the short time since launching. We spent some time with the dynamic duo to find out more…
Tell us about the journey that lead you to launching your brand Strung Pretty…
We are both American expats who met on the high street in St. John’s Wood in the summer of 2019 with our families and dogs. After that chance encounter, we became instant friends. Unfortunately, not long after we met, the COVID pandemic began to severely impact not only London and the U.K., but countries across the globe with most going into a strict lockdown. While the lockdown was slightly eased during the summer months, it was still a far cry from “normal”. Everyone was required to wear masks in a taxi, in stores and in restaurants and we wanted to turn the feeling of being covered up and lost (on so many levels) into something beautiful and fun. That is when we decided to launch our brand Strung Pretty. We wanted to create something that made you feel beautiful, while serving a purpose. Anna Wintour was quoted saying “Fashion is a reflection of our time” and we couldn’t agree more. Our chains are designed to look like high end jewelry, while also serving as a place to hang your mask when not in use, keeping your mask safe and yourself stylish. Given the current economic situation that many are, in we also needed to make sure that our pieces were affordable so that everyone can look their best. In the spirit of making everything functional, we also decided to modify our chains so they could be used with eyewear or sunglasses as well. Again, keeping with our goal of joining high end fashion with function and affordability.
What has been the biggest learning curve since launching the business?
We have learned so much since starting this business and continue to learn new things on a daily basis. We both do it all. We learned how to build a website, put together marketing materials, create and design jewelry, and use Instagram and other social media outlets as a business tool as well as to engage with our followers so that they understand not only how our chains can be styled but also so that they get to know us as well. Each day is a chance for us to learn something new and reevaluate what is or isn’t working. We had a vision for what Strung Pretty could be and decided to do whatever we needed to in order to make this dream a reality.
With two founders, your story of how you met is so fun and inspiring, who’s involved in the brand and what roles do they play?
We are both partners and equally involved in the brand and every decision we need to make. We constantly ask each other for advice and always make sure that our chains and content are of the highest quality as it represents not only our brand but also ourselves.It is very helpful that we both had a similar vision on how to get to where we are today but also where we would like to take the brand for the future. We each have our own unique backgrounds and knowledge base which we believe come together to create something amazing.
What advice would you offer to anyone wanting to become an entrepreneur?
Find a network of other entrepreneurs to help support you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and learn from others who have been successful. You will have hard days and you will make mistakes, but that’s the beauty of it…you live, you learn, you grow.Looking back since launching the brand, is there anything you would do differently? We don’t believe in doing anything differently. Each of our successes and mistakes have honestly made us stronger. We know that sounds cliche, but it’s true!
Looking back since launching the brand, is there anything you would do differently?
We don’t believe in doing anything differently. Each part of our successes and mistakes have honestly made us stronger. I know that sounds cliche, but it’s true!
Talk us through an average day in your life…
We wake up and have an early morning conference call about anything that happened over night (e.g., new orders, styles, supply chain) and the day ahead. We then discuss and delegate responsibilities for the tasks at hand. Our days vary widely, but most days consist of fulfilling orders, creating content for our social media platforms and forming relationships with other entrepreneurs or small businesses as well as others in the fashion world to grow our business and our brand.We also think it is important to give back and help those who are trying to start a business of their own. Of particular importance to us is empowering more women to become entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Our readers love to travel, what destination is at the top of your bucket list?
We are both booked and hoping to fly to Greece this Summer to stay at the Elounda Blue Palace Hotel in Crete. Fingers crossed that this will happen!
How much has social media played a role in the success of your brand?
Social media has played an enormous roll in the success of our brand. It serves as a way for us to showcase our chains and engage with our followers. Our goal was to create a digital look book that not only displays our current (and previous collection) but also shows how they can be styled as either a mask or eyewear jewelry. Based on this, we have been contacted by numerous businesses and boutiques who have seen our collection and want to work with us to either supply their employees with chains or sell in their store. It has also been a place for us to connect and support other brands. We also wanted to use our social media to connect with our clients, and provide them a chance to get to know the faces behind the brand and share a glimpse of our lives (as well as some fun reels which we can’t help ourselves not to do).
What is your go-to quote when lacking motivation?
“When you least expect it, something great will come along. Something better than you ever planned for”
What’s next for the business?
We are always thinking of ways to grow and expand our business while staying true to our brand and aesthetic. We have a number of things planned for the future so welcome everyone to follow us and see some of the exciting things we have in store.
What does self care mean to you?
We are both mums with primary school aged kids. It is important to take care of yourself while growing your business. Faith enjoys reading and getting lost in a good book to relax. Currently, she is reading The Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly. Stephanie enjoys doing yoga, taking her dogs for long walks and riding the Peloton. She loves being active and spending time outdoors to destress.
Where can people find out more?
You can shop our collection on https://www.strungpretty.com and find styling tips on our Instagram page @strung.pretty.
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