The Pepperdine Women in Business Club welcomed founders of Gorjana Jewelry, Gorjana Reidel and Jason Reidel, on April 3, in Elkins Auditorium. The two said learning to overcome obstacles and following their hearts is what helped their business grow.
Gorjana Jewelry was created 20 years ago out of the Reidel’s apartment in Laguna Beach, California, but now has 50 stores nationwide, according to the Gorjana website.
“We were so thrilled when they agreed to come speak,” said Ava Hoffman, Women in Business Club president. “Just because it’s a female-run business and they have such a strong hold in the community.”
The event started off with Gorjana Reidel and Jason Reidel explaining how they got their business started. Jason Reidel said, while in law school, he realized he wanted to be an entrepreneur as opposed to having a “regular job.”
After trying out many different things that ultimately didn’t work, Jason Reidel said he started helping Gorjana Reidel sell jewelry. Gorjana Reidel would make the jewelry, and Jason Reidel would market it. They originally thought this would only last around a year, but after they teamed up, the company started to take off.
“You have these milestones early on,” Jason Reidel said. “I remember our first $1,000 order. It was a really big deal. ”
One lesson Gorjana Reidel said was necessary for the two of them to learn was how to handle adversity. Rather than feeling sorry for themselves when faced with a challenge, they came to understand obstacles are an opportunity.
“We didn’t really have a choice,” Gorjana Reidel said. “We had to get through it. Once you have an obstacle, you’re like, ‘Okay, how do we get through this, how do we fix it and what did we learn from it.’ It just became a natural process.”
One aspect of their company Gorjana Reidel and Jason Reidel said is important to them is their ‘bleeding hearts,’ as they always say “yes” to donating. In a given year, the two will donate around $1,000 to different charities.
“[For] anyone that has a charity function that needs donations, we donate,’” Gorjana Reidel said. “There are some things that are just automatic that we do.”
One piece of advice Jason Reidel said is crucial for entrepreneurs is ‘doing’ instead of ‘talking.’ Often, people who want to be entrepreneurs spend too much time talking about their plans instead of putting them into action.
“You’re waiting for that perfect moment to start something, and you just got to start one step at a time,” Jason Reidel said. “And just put one foot in front of the other, and realize there’s more action to that then trying to plot it all out.”
The Reidels also said it is critical to understand that no matter what people do in life, they should follow their passions. Rather than focusing on money, they should focus on growth and purpose.
“If you make your decisions with your heart, you’ll be good to go,” Jason Reidel said. “If you have a good idea, just listen to your heart.”
Hoffman said the Women in Business Club will apply what they learned from Gorjana Reidel and Jason Reidel by instilling confidence in every member.
“We’re going to continue to inspire our members,” Hoffman said. “We’re going to continue to remind people that they’re unique, and what they bring to the table doesn’t take away from what someone else brings to the table. It’s all about tapping into your skills and what those unique qualities are.”
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