With Kelly Twigg & Iain SainsburyFeeling stuck or overwhelmed in your jewellery business? You're not alone. In this episode of the Jewellers Academy podcast, Kelly Twigg and Iain Sainsbury talk about the challenges of running a jewellery business and why having people to turn to for advice can make such a difference. They share their own experiences of juggling all the different parts of running a business, making decisions and trying to do everything at once. Hear how connecting with other jewellers, sharing ideas and getting support through business mentoring can help you feel more confident and make progress. Plus, find out how the Jewellery Business Academy brings jewellers together and what the new one-to-one mentoring option offers.
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When you first start a jewellery business, it's usually because you love making jewellery. But it doesn't take long to discover just how much else is involved! Suddenly you're responsible for your website, photography, social media, marketing, accounts, pricing, packaging and everything else that goes into running a business. And somewhere in all of that, you need to find the time to actually make your jewellery. It can be overwhelming, particularly when you're working on your own and don't have anyone to ask for advice.
In this week's episode of the Jewellers Academy podcast, Kelly Twigg from Willow and Twigg is joined by fellow jeweller Iain Sainsbury of Iain Sainsbury Bespoke Jewellery. Both Kelly and Iain run their own jewellery businesses and are mentors on the Jewellery Business Academy.
They're talking about the challenges of running a jewellery business, why it's so helpful to connect with other jewellers and how business mentoring can help you make progress without trying to do everything at once.
You don't have to know everything
Kelly has been running her jewellery business for seven years, but she remembers how overwhelming it felt at the beginning.
Having previously worked in the Royal Navy, she was used to being part of a team with people around her to offer support and advice. Starting her own jewellery business meant suddenly having to make all those decisions herself. From choosing a website platform to understanding insurance, accounting and legal requirements, there was so much to learn.
And that's before you get to the questions that come up as your business grows. How much should you charge for your jewellery? Is it worth doing a particular market? What equipment do you need for photographing your work? How do you get started with Instagram Reels?
These are all things that other jewellers have experience of, and being able to ask someone who has already worked through the same problem can save you a lot of time and frustration.
As Iain explains, sometimes the most useful thing is simply having someone outside your business who can offer a different perspective.
Sometimes you need someone to tell you you're doing fine
One of the interesting things Kelly and Iain discuss in this episode is how often jewellers put pressure on themselves to achieve too much, too quickly.
You might decide that you're going to launch a new website, create a collection, improve your photography and start selling at markets, all within a few weeks.
But when you're trying to do everything at once, it's easy to feel as though you're not making progress with anything.
Kelly shares how this comes up in the Jewellery Business Academy mentoring groups. At the beginning of the year, students often set themselves big goals, such as launching an entire website in a month. As the year goes on, they learn to break those goals into smaller, more achievable steps. Instead of completing the whole website, the goal might be to choose a platform or finish the homepage. And those smaller steps soon add up.
Kelly also shares the experience of one student who had fallen behind with her course work and almost didn't attend her mentoring session. She decided to come along just to listen, but left feeling reassured and much more positive about her business.
Sometimes hearing that you don't have to do everything at once is exactly what you need.
Running a jewellery business can be lonely
If you work from home or have your own workshop, you probably spend quite a lot of time on your own.
Kelly and Iain both talk about how isolating this can feel, particularly when the people around you don't really understand what goes into running a jewellery business.
Your friends and family can be wonderfully supportive, but they might not understand why the rising cost of silver is causing you problems or why you're spending hours trying to work out your pricing. This is where having a community of fellow jewellers can make such a difference.
In the Jewellery Business Academy mentoring groups, students come together from different countries, with different styles of jewellery and businesses at different stages. Some are just getting started. Others have been running their businesses for years.
Everyone brings their own experiences, ideas and knowledge to the conversation. And quite often, the most useful advice comes from another student who has dealt with exactly the same problem. It's also lovely to have people who understand your achievements. Someone who knows how much work went into getting your website live, having a successful market or making your first sale.
Your jewellery business doesn't have to be perfect
Another important part of the conversation is the idea that your business is always going to be evolving.
Iain is on his third website, and Kelly talks about how different her jewellery business is today compared with when she started seven years ago.
Both agree that it's easy to spend too much time trying to get everything right before you put it out into the world.
Take your website, for example. It doesn't need to have every page finished before you launch it. You can start with the essentials and add more as you go.
The same applies to other areas of your business. You can change your branding, develop new collections, try different ways of selling and rethink what you want your business to look like.
You don't need to have all the answers at the beginning.
And that's another reason why business mentoring can be so useful, even when you've been running your jewellery business for a while. The challenges you're facing now may be completely different from the ones you were dealing with a year ago.
Listen to the podcast
If you're feeling stuck in your jewellery business, struggling to decide what to focus on or just wishing you had someone to talk things through with, this episode is for you.
Kelly and Iain share their own experiences of running jewellery businesses, the lessons they've learnt along the way and why having support from other jewellers can make such a difference.
Listen to Feeling Stuck in Your Jewellery Business? Here's What Helps with Kelly Twigg and Iain Sainsbury on the Jewellers Academy podcast.
How jewellery business mentoring can help
Kelly and Iain are both mentors on the Jewellery Business Academy, our year-long programme that helps jewellers start and grow their businesses.
Alongside the monthly business training, students take part in small-group mentoring sessions where they can ask questions, share experiences and work through the challenges they're facing. There's also an individual mentoring session included.
For 2027, we've introduced an additional individual business mentoring option for those who would like more personalised support.
This gives you six 45-minute sessions across the year with a mentor who gets to know you, your business and your goals. You'll have the opportunity to work through particular challenges, get advice and review your progress together.
You can learn more about it and enrol here: https://www.jewellersacademy.com/the-jewellery-business-academy
About Kelly
Kelly Twigg is a jeweller and content creator behind Willow and Twigg. She has completed the Jewellers Academy Diploma in Silver Jewellery and is now studying the Wax Jewellery Diploma, sharing her experience through the popular Diploma Diaries. Kelly is known for her honest, practical and engaging jewellery-making content, where she shares the learning process as well as the finished pieces. She has written a book on making jewellery with sea glass which is coming out in 2027 published by Bloomsbury.
https://www.willowandtwigg.com/
https://www.instagram.com/willowandtwigg
About iain
Iain Sainsbury is a British fine jewellery designer and goldsmith based in South Cambridgeshire, specialising in bespoke commissions and one-of-a-kind pieces. With a background in high-precision medical science and a PhD, as well as experience shaped by military discipline, Iain brings a meticulous approach to his jewellery making, combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. His work focuses on ethical sourcing, using materials including recycled precious metals, Single Mine Origin gold and responsibly sourced gemstones, with a particular interest in sand casting, architectural forms and creating jewellery with personal meaning. Iain has exhibited at Goldsmiths North, Desire and Handmade Chelsea, and his ATOMIUM collection was shortlisted for the NAJ Collection of the Year 2025. He is also a Jewellers Academy mentor and tutor.