Caroline Corbin is from a family of business owners but she initially resisted the pull towards entrepreneurship until 2021, when she needed jewellery that didn’t irritate her sensitive skin and so decided to start making her own.

That was the beginning of her micro enterprise, Coco Jewelry, which offers clients handmade affordable, delicate, and timeless necklaces, bracelets and earrings made from stainless steel and other hypoallergenic materials.

Even though Caroline is only 20 she already has ambitious plans to expand her brand and hopes to see it worn by clients all over the world.

Yello asked Caroline to tell us more about herself and her jewellery brand.

Describe yourself in one sentence. 

I would say that I am expressive in action and emotion, empathetic and always looking for new things to get into.

Please tell us a bit about your background.

I was born and raised in Barbados by two Bajan parents. My memories are pretty run of the mill; as a child I was always in water and had a lived-in tan, golden hair, and love for anything interesting. 

Not many of my memories stand out but I remember attending ballet and gymnastics quite often and ever since then I’ve never lost my flexibility and enjoy stretching and staying active. 

I got my secondary education at Providence Secondary School. Then I studied business, more specifically Human Resource Management, at BIMAP (the Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity).

My business knowledge truly comes from my parents who both have their own businesses and raised me with a business oriented mindset. I originally wanted to escape the business owner life but it seems to have followed me no matter my intentions!

Were you always a creative person? 

I definitely have always been creative. My late grandmother was an artist and we spent years of my childhood painting, sewing, building small coves in the garden, baking, and taking photos of whatever we could with her small Kodak disposable camera. 

From a young age I could also always be found doodling or painting on something, and I’ve explored many creative fields like graphic design, pottery, crocheting and now, jewellery making. 

What were your initial career plans? 

I laugh at this now, but I wanted to be a psychologist. 

I even took a free Yale course and, as much as I enjoyed learning about it, after having just a few ‘pretend’ clients and thinking about the schooling process, I realised that I would rather not spend the rest of my working life listening to strangers talk all day. 

Why / when did you start making jewellery? 

I started making jewellery because I struggled to find affordable jewellery that wouldn’t irritate my sensitive skin. 2021 is when I officially started making my own.

What was the first piece you made?

The first item I ever made was a pair of earrings. 

When did you start your jewellery line ‘Coco Jewelry‘? 

Coco Jewelry officially launched on 25 May 2021.

Where did the name ‘Coco Jewelry’ come from?

Coco is a nickname someone once gave me, and I thought it would make a cute business name.

What was the biggest challenge you faced starting the business? How did you overcome it?

I’ve wanted to give up many times as I struggle with confidence in my business and in myself. I haven’t quite overcome it fully, but a big help has been my personal support system, i.e. my parents and my ever supportive partner. 

Where do you get inspiration from for your designs? 

Sometimes things just pop into my head, but I get a lot of inspiration from just scrolling through Pinterest. I make sure not to copy what I see but rather use images as outlines for the final product. 

What materials do you enjoy working with?

I really love working with pearls and chain. I definitely intend to broaden my chain options in the future. 

Who are your customers? How do they find you? 

My customers vary in age and are mostly female. The majority of my customers find me on Instagram where you can direct message me to place an order. 

Coco Jewelry pieces are also in Piece of Barbados (next to Sandy Crest in St James) and The Pop Up Boutique (#6 Emperor’s Court, Worthing, Christ Church).

How do you plan to develop your brand over the next 12-18 months?

As the business grows I plan to move away from handmaking my jewellery. It’s a bit sad to think about, since it is a niche for my brand, but I’ve found that it’s hard to be efficient because handmaking pieces takes quite a while, so I’ve decided it’s not sustainable. 

I am extremely excited to release the next phase of Coco Jewelry where I’ll be able to offer more variety in my products and really dig deeper into what I truly want my brand aesthetic to be. 

I ultimately want to see Coco Jewelry in many more stores and being worn by people all over the world. 

What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

I would say to keep at it. If it’s something that you enjoy doing, it’ll hardly ever feel like work. I would also say to take risks and try things if you want to. Experimentation produces failures but it also produces victories from lessons. 

Lastly, you have to spend money to make money. I was scared to do this at first, and still am, but expanding my reach has gotten me into places I didn’t think I would be at this stage. 

Name three things you love the most about Barbados.  

Year-round sun. 

The variety of fruits. 

The fact that nearly every part of the island is within a short driving distance.  

What is your philosophy / approach to life? 

I constantly repeat to myself, “everything happens for a reason” and it’s helped me a lot with acceptance. 

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Why? 

Sometimes I wish I could disappear. Uncomfortable situations are one of the things that get under my skin the most, so I sometimes really wish I could just leave them immediately. 

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Want to see more of Caroline’s beautiful jewellery creations? Go to Coco Jewelry’s Instagram page.