Disclaimer: This assignment was prepared for the Public Relations program at Conestoga College. It is not intended to represent the views of the College, PR program or faculty.

Young Jewellery-Maker Dazzles More Than Just Her Customers
17-year-old, Vancouver girl is a polished example of a ‘next generation of niche-market entrepreneurs’ a recipe of ingenuity, creativity and social media.

Jessica Jacobsen is a shining example of a young girl, propelling into her future, driving her own self-made digital Delorion. Having her vision firmly in place at an early age, to pursue her career in Fashion Merchandising, Jessica has been working towards getting accepted to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology, in Vancouver. Competition is stiff but she remains undeterred. In hopes of making her portfolio even more appealing, Jacobsen started a business on Facebook, which she has turned into golden opportunities.

Noticing, early on, that her daughter had a unique flair and tenacious passion for fashion, Jacobsen’s mother sent a note to Jessica’s Grade 1 teacher, explaining that Jessica had been dressing herself in the ‘outlandish outfits’ she sported. It came as no surprise when Jessica announced that she wanted to pursue a career in fashion. Once decided in her path, she put the wheels in motion to make her dream a reality. She’d begun making jewellery at the age of six, and once a senior in high school, Jessica decided to start her own line of dazzling delights called Happitude. With the help of social media site, Facebook, Jessica’s project has turned into a thriving business. Her first lot of jewellery sold out within 10 minutes and orders have been coming in steadily since then. Custom orders take about a week to fill, with the choice of rings or earrings at a very wallet-conscious price.

Recent recipient of the Young Entrepreneur Award (2011) from the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, Jacobsen is very confident that her business will keep expanding as she is looking to soon accept credit card payments and her line, Happitude, will be available for sale at privately-owned boutiques, throughout the Vancouver area.

Along with learning exceptional interpersonal and business skills that will assist her throughout the rest of her life, Jessica has also learned something about herself and her abilities. When asked if she had any advice for other budding entrepreneurs, her only advice was, ‘Don’t listen to any negative opinions. If you are passionate about something, you should just try your hardest to pursue it.’

And that she is, in more ways than one!