My Thoughts on Running a Business

I’m often asked how I run my business—what motivates me, how it all started, and what has shaped my journey. So I wanted to share some of the principles that have guided the way I’ve built Libelula:

1. Never compromise on quality. If customers truly love your product, they’ll come back for more.

2. Keep costs low, especially in the beginning. During the first two years of Libelula, I worked on a made-to-order basis and held no stock beyond the jewellery I personally wore.

3. Do what you can yourself early on. I handled my own accounting in the beginning to minimize expenses.

4. Build a flexible team. Even after 13 years, I’ve never had a large permanent staff aside from my accountant. Instead, I collaborate with talented people as needed. I’ve worked with the same photographers since the start—one for campaigns and one for product shots. In 2022, I brought on an assistant, and two years later, a designer—both on a flexible, time-based basis. This approach helps keep costs manageable.

5. Design what you love. Create pieces you genuinely enjoy and would wear yourself.

6. Be personal, not private, on social media. People connect with authenticity—impersonal accounts rarely inspire.

7. Support others instead of competing. There is space for everyone willing to work hard. Admiring another designer’s work doesn’t diminish your own. Lifting others up only adds to your strength.

8. Think big from the start. I always aimed for an international market and high-profile clients. It took years, but that vision never changed.

9. Act without fear. You can’t grow something meaningful in a mindset rooted in fear—just start.