Entrepreneur portrait: Lynda Low

09 Dec Entrepreneur portrait: Lynda Low

82SB: Please introduce yourself

Lynda: I’m a senior tech executive with more than 20 years’ experience having spent 16 years in HP & 6 years in Dell Technologies in strategic sales & leadership roles growing their PCs, enterprise server & storage solutions business in Asia Pacific.

I was fortunate to be given many opportunities in both companies to learn and grow in roles that span across many facets of the business. I was part of the leadership team leading both companies’ biggest transformations from helping HP as part of Compaq merger to grow their storage #1 market share leadership in APJ to transforming Dell’s enterprise channels business from USD350M to more than USD1.2B in 2-3 years. Some of the executive leadership positions I held include Strategy & Operations lead for HP Storage in APJ; Country Storage GM China for HP, Chief of Staff to Dell President AP, and Enterprise Channels lead for Dell Enterprise Business.   I am recognised as a specialist in strategic business management and channels sales growth with an excellent track record in developing new market opportunities as well as teaming with high performance sales leaders & channel partners to accelerate business growth. 

3 years ago, I decided to take a break from the intensity of being in a fast paced highly competitive tech environment to pursue some of my personal interests and got myself certified as a Executive Coach trained in Solutions Focused Approach.

8S2B: How did you get the idea for starting your business?

Lynda: I didn’t set out thinking about starting a “business” per se but was more driven about finding ways to share my corporate experience through consulting & executive coaching work; as well as my passion for customised fine jewellery.  I wanted to learn how I may transform the next chapter of my life using a “gig economy” approach which will allow me to not only stay engaged to grow in my tech experience but also give me an outlet to pursue something totally different.

My business partner/collaborator Karen & I were ex colleagues in HP. Over the last 15 years we remained as close friends after she left HP to pursue her artistic passion in jewellery designing and art.  I have witnessed Karen’s growth as a international award- winning jewellery designer and have come to appreciate her artistic finesse when it comes to repurposing as well as creating unique jewellery pieces for myself.  

 When I decided to take a break from my corporate pursuits, i asked myself  why not introduce Karen’s artistic talents and service to my friends here in Singapore who has similar challenges of finding a good jeweller to not only be able to create new but also help repurpose our old jewellery in a beautiful way.   

For this blog post I will share more about my journey thus far setting up and launching a bespoke fine jewellery business RockCandy Joaillerie that’s specialised in helping our customers rationalise & repurpose their preloved jewellery. 

8S2B: What is the best word/mantra fitting your mindset?

Lynda: Be curious. Go learn, have fun and just do it!

8S2B: What is the message you’re trying to spread?

Lynda: For RockCandy Joaillerie, we want to spread the message that you need not buy something new to own a new piece of jewellery! Through our signature ReImagine – Repurpose – Refresh concept, we help our customers rationalise their existing gemstone collection or heirlooms in dated settings and transform them into brand new pieces.

You can say we are driving a conserve and reuse movement with preloved gemstones or as we love to put it “Drab to Fab” movement! We believe beautiful gemstones especially vintage collections that are sentimental shouldn’t be kept in drawers gathering dust. When we reimagine and restyle them in a different light, we not only bring the “bling & shine” back, we give them a new lease of life as a modern day favourite! We are probably the first in the industry to be completely focused on helping our clients restyle their old jewellery into new.

From some of the beautiful stories  of romance, love and filial piety behind some of the gemstones that our client shared with us, I must say we are awfully proud to be their bespoke jeweller of choice preserving the sentimental stories behind every gemstone, as well as conserve gemstones that mother nature had taken millions of years to create . 

We want to spark Joy and create the “Wow” when our clients when they see their transformed pieces.

8S2B: What do you wish to provide to people?

Lynda: We provide bespoke jewellery service to our clients who looks to us to give their old jewellery in dated settings or heirlooms a new lease of life!  We collaborate with Karen Lee, an international award-winning designer & a highly established jeweller in Hong Kong to provide from jewellery design service to the making & handcrafting of pieces by their team of artisan craftsmen based in China.  Through our fuss free Consult-Concept-Create process, we provide a end to end service from design concept to creation to our clientele.

We also offer seasonal ready-to-wear collection to our customers as well.

Unlike other jewellers, we don’t out-source. We own our team of artisan craftsmen and factory, and source gemstones as a wholesaler in HK.  Customers can expect high quality pieces at nonretail inflated prices.

8S2B: In your opinion, how do you differentiate yourself from your competitors?

Lynda: We found there aren’t many retail jewellers who are willing to repurpose a client’s existing collection. They are keener to sell you their latest designs or new pieces.  Occasionally you may find some small jewellers who are able to provide restore and simple reset service, but they don’t necessary have at their disposal an award-winning designer or the creative resource to work on redesigning & repurposing multiple pieces at one go.  In fact, some of our clients came to us because their very own family jewellers had turned them away and even advising them to just “chuck” them away!     

So what sets us apart are the following:  Designs by an international award winning designer/artist; extremely fine workmanship with craftsmanship recognised by the industry that jewellers in the region have come to rely on and commission them for their high jewellery pieces.  As a certified gemmologist, Karen is able to offer free assessment to our clients on their collection. Being a established jeweller & diamond wholesaler in HK, we are also able to offer our clients choice selection in gemstones, pearls and jade without the retail price tags.

In the world of jewellery, customers look for unique designs as well as fine workmanship that not only looks good but wears well. Combine this with our ethos to always first help our customers repurpose what they have (big or small!) FIRST. then we have a unique selling proposition that has so far resonated very well with our customers.   They love us for our willingness to help them transform their old collection from Drab to Fab as well as provide exquisitely hand crafted one of a kind pieces.

8S2B: How long have you been running your business?

Lynda: Two years since our first showcase in Singapore in October 2017.

8S2B: How many staff do you have currently?

Lynda: Right now, is myself working as the business agent. I collaborate closely with my business partner Karen Lee who is based in Hong Kong.  As an established jeweller, she has her very own team of artisans in her design studio & factory based out of China. 

8S2B: What are your plans for the future?

Lynda: Grow! I hope to grow the business and take it to the level where we are seen as the go to jeweller of choice when it comes to repurposing and restyling jewellery in the SEA region.

8S2B: What advice would you give to other new entrepreneurs?

Lynda: You need a lot of passion to carry you through days of uncertainty and to continue to push forward with any ideas you may have.  A “can do” attitude and a large dose of humility especially when you face rejection. Step up and be your own resource.  I do my own jewellery photography, photo/video editing and as much as possible, write my own content. I’ve learned to bootstrap whenever possible… J

If you want to know more about this company visit: https://www.rockcandyjoaillerie.com/