Bowdon entrepreneur sets up online pearl jewellery company

An entrepreneur from Bowdon has established her own pearl jewellery brand and ecommerce business.

Olivia Smith, a Royal Marine’s wife, set up Olivia & Pearl with a Start-Up Loan from funding provider X-Forces, which she used to research, develop and market the brand.

The company sells a mix of classic and contemporary jewellery with the aim of making pearls affordable for a new generation of pearl lovers.

Olivia said: “I was an avid lover of pearls as a little girl and often remember my dad returning from business trips with pearls.

“Having worked as an actor for 10 years and in advertising for a while, all I really wanted was to have control of my destiny and autonomy over my career. After I married, I also struggled with place and purpose as a military spouse – how do you maintain a career and friendships when you move around so much.”

She continued: “When I finally made the leap to start up my own business, I wanted to turn my love for pearls into a brand and was privileged to receive mentoring from X-Forces CEO Ren Kapur MBE.

Speaking further, Olivia said her friends are her “ultimate inspiration” in developing Olivia & Pearl, adding: “Each piece tells a story and has been designed with the modern woman in mind.”