The ancient art of beading has seen its modern twists over the years. This beautiful art of stringing beads together to make jewellery or other decorative items has become a trend among a lot of women entrepreneurs. Modern beadwork is often used as a creative hobby to create jewelry, handbags, coasters, plus other crafts.
Mastering this form of art has been a passion of Kim Figueiredo, and today her bead work is known by everyone in Goa. Coming from a family of artists, her intricacy and color combination in beading has been recognised and appreciated by one of India’s leading fashion designers, Wendell Rodricks.
Her mere love for creativity and thirst for new ideas has helped her grow her business over the years. Managing one’s home and pursuing one’s passion simultaneously can be a struggle for many women, but Kim has mastered the art of managing things without stress.
At Goan Insider we spoke to Kim as to how she mastered her skills and grew her business. Here are the excerpts.
Could you tell us a little about Kim’s Jewellery and how did the idea for your business come about?
I come from a family of artists. I have been more inclined towards craft than a brush and paints, and so I found my creativity in little glass beads. It was never meant to be a business but a mere love for creativity. However, friends and family seemed to love my work and wanted to buy pieces from me, so I thought why not?
Have you received any professional training or are you self taught?
Self taught, all the way. Thanks to Social Media and YouTube, I was able to learn this art form and perfect it over time.
How do you generate new ideas or designs?
I love color and structure. Ideas just flow when I’m in the right environment and Goa is just the place to be with our use of vibrant colors with the backdrop of nature.
How do you build a successful customer base?
I believe that if you create something you like with quality material and work is done with love, it finds people who will wear it. I have also had Wendell Rodricks who was a big supporter.
What motivates you?
The creation process and the tiny glass beads and what I can turn them into is motivation enough.
How hard is it to have a work-life balance?
Very hard! Beading is not a 2 minute job, or a ‘when you have the time’ kind of hobby. When I bead I have to make sure not to get interrupted as it is all about concentration, counting and colors, if you want the pattern and colours to flow.
Tell us how a day in your life looks like? Your schedule for a day right from the time you get up till you hit the bed at night.
Well, I would like to say that I start the day planning the designs I will do that day, but my day starts like everyone else’s, with a cup of coffee after which I make sure my house will not fall apart and stomachs will not go hungry. Then I sit to bead or design. As excessive beading can harm your muscles (as I discovered to my detriment), I take a break for lunch and start again at about 3:00 pm for about 2 hours. If I have other commitments, I start beading again after 6:00 pm till I can do no more, and give myself short breaks in between. I am lucky I have the support of my family who encourage me with my hobby.
What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Seeing someone wear and appreciate what I make, makes me very emotional and happy.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Having an artist like Wendell Rodricks appreciate my work has been very encouraging. Being invited to showcase my work at a global exhibition like the Lusofonia Macau is also something I never thought would ever happen to me.
If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
Absolutely nothing. I believe that everything that life throws at you, every turn that you make good or bad makes you a better person and moulds you to who you are. I am perfectly happy with who I am and the way things have turned out.
Do you have a story to share with the world? Send us an email at contact.goaninsider@gmail.com
Author: Jonas Monteiro
Jonas Monteiro is the co-founder at 'Goan Insider' and also the founder of 'La Festa', a food business in Goa. He is the founder of 'Artiste Domain', an event and digital marketing company based in India and the co-founder of 'Domain Records', a record label based in India and L.A. He is a qualified therapist holding a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology with over 4 years of experience in mental health. Jonas is also a well-renowned Musician, Singer-Songwriter, DJ, Writer and a serial Entrepreneur. A very social individual who loves connecting and interacting with people. To get in touch with him you can Follow and DM him on Instagram @jonasmonteiromusic or email him at jonascastilhomonteiro@gmail.com
