Laura Grove Design

1.  Tell us a few things about yourself:

I grew up in Atlanta, GA and attended Marist School. I went to college at the University of South Carolina as a fashion merchandising major and business administration minor, and pledged Tri Delta sorority. I’ve always loved doing creative things, from painting and drawing to re-finishing furniture. I used to host cheerleading camps at my house and would incorporate crafts for the girls and come up with routines, so I’ve always liked to come up with my own ideas and share them with others. For fun/stress relievers, I like to travel, work out, and hang out with friends. Favorite food is anything seafood!

2.  Where did your passion for jewelry/the line come from?

My mom used to make lanyards out of Swarovski crystals for flight attendants (she is a flight attendant for Delta Airlines), and she would customize them. She also made bracelets for moms with their children’s birthstones. So at a young age, I learned how to design jewelry, the importance of working with customers and meeting their needs, how to sell it, and making relationships with vendors. When I went to USC, I didn’t have a car so was looking for a job that was still fun and didn’t require me having to go somewhere off campus. Monogramming was really big at USC, so I started selling monogrammed products and some jewelry I made to my friends and sorority sisters. I had a great response from everyone, and started getting orders from sororities for bid day, and for ‘little sister’ and Initiation gifts. Later in my freshman year, I worked with the USC I.T. center to develop my website. I decided to just focus on the jewelry at that point, and have grown the line by home and sorority house shows in the beginning, and boutiques. After graduating, I was accepted into a prestigious corporate retail buying internship program in Seattle, but realized afterward how much I missed my business and that was my true passion! So I have been growing it full time since last Fall of 2014.

3.  Who/What inspires you?

Traveling, fashion magazines, bloggers, nature, friends and family.

4.  It’s so amazing all of your jewelry is made in the USA! What made you make this decision?

Thanks!! Since I started by making everything by hand myself, I started training friends and family members and then the network grew from there. I want to be able to give jobs to stay at home moms or other college girls looking for a part time job like I was, or people who just enjoy making jewelry for fun.

5. As a young entrepreneur, what is your advice for young women who want to follow their dreams?

I would say that the road to your goal isn’t easy and there are a lot of unknowns as far as how to get there, but if you stay focused and work hard every single day you’ll reach your goals one step at a time. There will be lots of challenges and sacrificing your time and even social life, but I would encourage them to follow their dreams and passions because there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing your childhood dreams come to life!

6. Where can we purchase your amazing jewelry?