We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Olga Shatrova. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Olga below.

Alright, Olga thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The idea for our business emerged very naturally; it wasn’t something I initially planned. From childhood, I enjoyed creative activities, whether it was crafting or designing. Later, when I pursued formal education in jewelry technology and engineering, I was simply immersed in the joy of learning and creating. At that time, I never thought I would become a jeweler or designer, let alone build a brand. I just loved the process of making jewelry and experimenting with designs.

After graduating and starting my career, I continued making jewelry, initially as a hobby and for friends. I wasn’t thinking about turning it into a business because, like many, I assumed that launching a brand required significant investments. However, over time, I began receiving enthusiastic feedback from friends and their networks. People genuinely loved my work, and this organic demand made me realize that what I was doing held value.

The turning point came when I felt the growing interest and realized that my jewelry resonated with people. Encouraged by this response, I decided to take a leap and create a brand. At first, I simply shared my creations on Instagram as a way to showcase what I loved doing. Over time, word of mouth and a growing following solidified the idea that this could be something bigger. Naming the brand after myself felt like the natural choice since my name was already recognized within my circles.

Building the brand was not just about creativity; it also meant learning about business processes, improving production techniques, and keeping up with fashion and design trends. The foundation of the business was the confidence that if people loved what I created, it was worth sharing with a broader audience. Bringing joy to others through our jewelry became the driving force behind everything we do.

Olga, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve always known that creativity was my calling. From an early age, I was captivated by crafts, learning to knit at the age of four, and later moving on to sewing under my mother’s guidance. During my school years, I made clothing not only for myself but also for my sister, which allowed me to develop my skills and creative potential.

As a teenager, I actively participated in art exhibitions and pursued drawing. When it came time for university, my choice was driven by a desire to merge my passion for the sciences with creativity. I enrolled in a program for jewelry technology engineering, where the curriculum included not only sculpture, painting, and drawing but also physics and chemistry, giving me a deeper understanding of the technological processes in jewelry making.

Precision in my work is crucial to me; I set high standards and consistently maintain quality. Each piece of jewelry is crafted not only with great love but with meticulous attention to the finest details. It’s important to me that my clients enjoy their jewelry and wear it for a long time. I believe this sets me apart from the others.

My greatest pride is seeing people transform when they try on our jewelry, even if they don’t buy it. Our jewelry enhances their appearance, lights up their eyes, brings smiles and joy, and truly makes each person genuinely happy.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn was the belief that I had to do everything myself. In the early days of our brand, I was involved in every single aspect—designing, modeling, overseeing production, communicating with clients, and even developing packaging. It felt natural to take full control because, like many entrepreneurs, I thought no one else could execute my vision as well as I could.

However, I learned that this approach had its limits. As the brand grew, I realized that scaling up required trusting others and delegating responsibilities. This was not an easy shift. It’s challenging to hand over something so personal and valuable, something you’ve poured your heart into, to someone else. But for growth and sustainability, it’s essential.

The real lesson wasn’t just about letting go; it was about finding the right people. Building a team of talented, trustworthy individuals who understand your vision and can execute it at the same high standard is key. Once I embraced this, it allowed me to focus on the bigger picture—developing the brand, pushing creative boundaries, and empowering my team. It was a transformative experience that showed me the power of collaboration and trust.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Our journey in building a social media audience was very intuitive. We followed our instincts and aimed to do everything as well as we could. In the beginning, we handled everything ourselves—taking photos, editing them, and posting. Back then, Instagram didn’t even have video features, but as soon as they became available, we started experimenting with videos too.

The key for us was sharing what we were genuinely passionate about: showcasing our creations and telling our story. We explored every new feature social media platforms offered. At first, our content wasn’t perfect, but with each attempt, it improved. Over time, we began to understand what resonated with our audience and adapted accordingly.

My main piece of advice? Don’t overthink whether your content will be perfect or whether you’re managing your social media “the right way.” Just start. Consistency and practice are crucial—keep creating, posting, and improving. Even if your content isn’t great at first, you’ll get better with time. Managing social media is a skill that improves with practice, like any other.

Above all, be genuine. Your audience can sense authenticity. Sometimes, an imperfect post or account that isn’t polished to perfection can connect with people far more deeply than a highly curated and calculated page. Authenticity and consistency will always win out in the end.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://olgashatrovajewelry.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olga.shatrova_jewelry/

Image Credits

Olga Shatrova