79 PROFILE Made FOR MUMS Merci Maman Founder Beatrice de Montille shares how the company holds motherhood at the heart of everything it does, and how it grew from a work-from-home job to the successful jewellery business it is today When did you start up and why? I started Merci Maman over 15 years ago. After the birth of my second child, my employer rejected my request for a parttime role and I couldn’t get the work-life balance I needed, so I started my own activity, originally as a sole trader working from home. But I have to say I always had that entrepreneurial flare. I was hoping to create a few jobs but did not envisage that it would become so big. We’ve had over 60 employees spread between London, Paris and Belin at the peak last year! What prompted you to launch the business? I was originally looking for a personalised gift for my daughter’s first birthday in 2007, and there was nothing I could find that I liked at the right price point. Noticing a gap in the market for handengraved pieces, I bought the equipment and created the first ever Merci Maman bracelet from my kitchen table. I wanted to create pieces of jewellery for new mums as there was nothing out there to specifically celebrate the arrival of a new baby. Today, the brand still holds motherhood at the centre of everything we do, focusing on cherishing special moments and celebrating the special bond between a mother and her child. What challenges have you overcome since the company’s launch? There have been many milestones along the way from recruiting my first full time employee, investing in marketing, stock, offices, launching new designs, translating the website in five languages, opening workshops in Paris in 2016 and then Berlin in 2018, etc. Managing growth is a nice problem to have but not always very easy. If I had to pinpoint a challenge though, I would say COVID in 2020. This issue was global, we had no idea how severe and how long it would be, and we had almost no sales for a few weeks. Then it was the exact opposite: a huge boost for e-commerce and many pieces of jewellery to create and ship but difficulties to ensure that our staff would remain safe. It was a real rollercoaster! Tell us about your product offering. Here at Merci Maman, we believe there is no greater joy than giving or receiving the gift of personalised jewellery. We design and hand-engrave necklaces and bracelets, primarily with names, dates, or words of love. From metal colour to chain length, adding birthstones or gemstones, each piece can be completely customised. Our prices start from £29 and our ‘Fine Gold’ collection goes up to £490. What are your most popular products? One of our most popular pieces is ‘The Duchess Necklace’. This is named after Catherine, Princess of Wales & Duchess of Cambridge after she was spotted
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0NTE=