Want to learn what it's like being a part of The Jewelry Loupe Project? Here's what our JLP graduates have to say!
It was time to level up my jewelry business, and the Jewelry Loupe Program came as such a gift. With encouragement and advice from my mentor, community with my cohort, and the series of modules tailored to emerging designers, I brought a new collection to market and am excited to watch my business grow. Thank you so much to the WJA for this wonderful program.
-Isabel Dennis
The Jewelry Loupe Project absolutely helped propel my jewelry business to the next level. It gave me the impetus to move forward with a long-awaited new collection, emboldened me to expand my design scope, and surrounded me with community and a new view of the jewelry industry.
-Aurora Mazzei
More than anything, the Jewelry Loupe Project connected me to such exceptional, supportive, and talented network of women who I am proud to call friends, and excited to continue cheering on as we grow.
-Emma Rose
Being accepted into The Jewelry Loupe Project was definitely one of the high points of 2020! The program proved to be invaluable in that it provided me the opportunity to learn from top industry professionals who shared their knowledge of design, marketing and business practices. My Mentor was amazing and was there for me throughout all phases of the program. She was always there to answer questions and provided awesome insight whenever I needed guidance. I also loved working alongside my amazing cohort! I am so grateful for my fellow designers who helped to hold me accountable for goals and deadlines, while acting as a sounding board for new ideas and troubleshooting challenges. I would definitely encourage any emerging designers to apply to JLP!
-Lindsay Knox
The Jewelry Loupe Project was truly tailored to my needs as an emerging designer. It has given me a better understanding of pricing, marketing and branding, and of the industry in general. It also provided clarity around creating a coherent and intentional collection through design. For me, the best part was having a mentor who is herself a jeweler and business owner. She gave me confidence in my work and helped me hone my design thinking as well as answering my many technical questions. Community with and learning from my JLP peers has also been really valuable.
-Monica Riley
The Jewelry Loupe Project was a bright spot in a very hard year. Virtually meeting with my mentor, attending workshops, and meeting with fellow mentees gave me the motivation and structure to work on my first fine jewelry collection. My mentor, April Higashi, was extremely generous with her time and insight and gave me advice on design, pricing, and sourcing gemstones. I also loved the camaraderie among mentees! During our weekly Zoom hangouts, we would chat about jewelry and pandemic life and everything in between.
-Olivia Shih
The Jewelry Loupe Project was an amazing experience of mentorship and community. We were able to get tips from industry professionals on designing, marketing, pricing, and bringing our work to the marketplace, all while getting individual help and feedback from our mentors and building support for one another within our mentee group. There were so many generous women behind making this program happen for us, even through a pandemic, and I’m incredibly grateful.
-Kate Eickelberg
I was a part of the very first Jewelry Loupe Program here in the Bay Area. I had been working on building my business for about 4 years prior to joining the program, and it wasn't until my mentorship with Tura Sugden, and the JLP that I was able to build my line + business with confidence. Tura along with the entire team behind JLP provided me with an abundance of knowledge, tools, and resources to bring my business to where it is today. I’ve made lasting relationships with people within the industry that I would never have had the chance to form without this amazing mentorship. Needless to say, I will be forever grateful to have been apart of something so useful and extremely special.
-Alissa Bailey
Trying to bridge the gap between art jewelry and fine jewelry can feel daunting and impossible by oneself. JLP paired me with the perfect mentor, Betsy Barron, who helped me develop a note of confidence using my artistic voice. Through the program I gained direct connection to gallery owners I had hoped to meet in the industry. The studio can be a space of solitude, but can often be isolating. In the program I met lifelong friendships and connections. These cohorts are other strong women whom I share ideas and challenges with, and we help each other along the way. I can't begin to thank WJA North California Chapter enough for creating such an impactful program for my business and I.
-Alexis Pavlantos
It was time to level up my jewelry business, and the Jewelry Loupe Program came as such a gift. With encouragement and advice from my mentor, community with my cohort, and the series of modules tailored to emerging designers, I brought a new collection to market and am excited to watch my business grow. Thank you so much to the WJA for this wonderful program.
-Isabel Dennis
The Jewelry Loupe Project absolutely helped propel my jewelry business to the next level. It gave me the impetus to move forward with a long-awaited new collection, emboldened me to expand my design scope, and surrounded me with community and a new view of the jewelry industry.
-Aurora Mazzei
More than anything, the Jewelry Loupe Project connected me to such exceptional, supportive, and talented network of women who I am proud to call friends, and excited to continue cheering on as we grow.
-Emma Rose
Being accepted into The Jewelry Loupe Project was definitely one of the high points of 2020! The program proved to be invaluable in that it provided me the opportunity to learn from top industry professionals who shared their knowledge of design, marketing and business practices. My Mentor was amazing and was there for me throughout all phases of the program. She was always there to answer questions and provided awesome insight whenever I needed guidance. I also loved working alongside my amazing cohort! I am so grateful for my fellow designers who helped to hold me accountable for goals and deadlines, while acting as a sounding board for new ideas and troubleshooting challenges. I would definitely encourage any emerging designers to apply to JLP!
-Lindsay Knox
The Jewelry Loupe Project was truly tailored to my needs as an emerging designer. It has given me a better understanding of pricing, marketing and branding, and of the industry in general. It also provided clarity around creating a coherent and intentional collection through design. For me, the best part was having a mentor who is herself a jeweler and business owner. She gave me confidence in my work and helped me hone my design thinking as well as answering my many technical questions. Community with and learning from my JLP peers has also been really valuable.
-Monica Riley
The Jewelry Loupe Project was a bright spot in a very hard year. Virtually meeting with my mentor, attending workshops, and meeting with fellow mentees gave me the motivation and structure to work on my first fine jewelry collection. My mentor, April Higashi, was extremely generous with her time and insight and gave me advice on design, pricing, and sourcing gemstones. I also loved the camaraderie among mentees! During our weekly Zoom hangouts, we would chat about jewelry and pandemic life and everything in between.
-Olivia Shih
The Jewelry Loupe Project was an amazing experience of mentorship and community. We were able to get tips from industry professionals on designing, marketing, pricing, and bringing our work to the marketplace, all while getting individual help and feedback from our mentors and building support for one another within our mentee group. There were so many generous women behind making this program happen for us, even through a pandemic, and I’m incredibly grateful.
-Kate Eickelberg
I was a part of the very first Jewelry Loupe Program here in the Bay Area. I had been working on building my business for about 4 years prior to joining the program, and it wasn't until my mentorship with Tura Sugden, and the JLP that I was able to build my line + business with confidence. Tura along with the entire team behind JLP provided me with an abundance of knowledge, tools, and resources to bring my business to where it is today. I’ve made lasting relationships with people within the industry that I would never have had the chance to form without this amazing mentorship. Needless to say, I will be forever grateful to have been apart of something so useful and extremely special.
-Alissa Bailey
Trying to bridge the gap between art jewelry and fine jewelry can feel daunting and impossible by oneself. JLP paired me with the perfect mentor, Betsy Barron, who helped me develop a note of confidence using my artistic voice. Through the program I gained direct connection to gallery owners I had hoped to meet in the industry. The studio can be a space of solitude, but can often be isolating. In the program I met lifelong friendships and connections. These cohorts are other strong women whom I share ideas and challenges with, and we help each other along the way. I can't begin to thank WJA North California Chapter enough for creating such an impactful program for my business and I.
-Alexis Pavlantos