We had the honor of speaking with Yulee Harris, the founder of Hunter & Trove Studio, who discussed her motivation for founding the jewelry company, the things she is passionate about, how Amazon has helped her business grow and thrive in the market, the challenges she faced as a female entrepreneur and some very insightful advice for all aspiring women.
Yulee Harris is the founder and designer of Hunter & Trove, a demi-fine minimalist jewelry collection based in Vancouver. Recently featured as part of Amazon’s Designer Spotlight, her work can be found at www.Huntertrove.com and www.amazon.ca/huntertrove
When did you begin your professional career? And what inspired you to found Hunter & Trove Jewelry?
I feel I’ve always been a blend of artist and entrepreneur. I launched my first business at 19, a clothing collection while attending business school at university. I am a creator at heart, and for me, the biggest question is always, what should I create next? Then diving into the creation of strategic business development and problem-solving to make it a reality.
Hunter & Trove began from a love of stories and treasure hunting. Visiting vintage stores, I would feel immersed in the beauty of the stories held by these treasured pieces. My first pieces sold in boutiques and art galleries were inspired by these vintage pieces. Even now, I feel my jewelry is surrounded by beautiful stories; the meaning and memories created by those wearing my pieces.
What are you most passionate about? How has your business helped you develop personally?
I am in love with the creation process, the artistry in life, and the little poetic moments in the everyday. I love how creation is limitless, and how something can be made from nothing – just an idea.
A clothing design I created early in my career had a little message hidden within it: “Feel the fear, and do it anyways”. It was a reminder to not seek the safety and comfort of things already known and understood but to embolden yourself to intentionally seek out challenges that are beyond your experience and comfort. The things you don’t feel ready for, because what better way to become ready for a challenge than to simply just do it.
How did Amazon help your business grow and flourish in the marketplace?
Amazon has been a wonderful way to introduce Hunter & Trove to so many more people across Canada and be able to share my designer story with a wider audience. It also allowed us to tap into their operational and fulfillment capacity as the business scales up.
What obstacles did you encounter as a female business owner? And how did you overcome those difficulties?
I’ve always found the puzzle of deploying resources to be an interesting challenge to work through. The most limited resource of all can often be our time and focus. It’s a puzzle that is always shifting and being reworked especially as Hunter & Trove changes and grows. I’ve sought out solutions through technology or partnerships that improve efficiency and carve out time for key strategic planning to ensure that the daily efforts are leading toward key goals that are well thought through.
What particular advice would you like to give to all the aspiring women out there that would enable them to succeed in the corporate world?
Although I was much younger when I tucked that little hidden message into my clothing design, the words still ring true to me today: “Feel the fear and do it anyway”. Having faith that you can do the challenging things that come your way, and saying yes to those experiences that seem just on the outer bounds of what you feel capable of today.
