To celebrate this International Women’s Day (and really, shouldn’t that simply be everyday?!), we’re profiling some incredible women in the lifestyle space. Meet Yulee Harris, founder of jewelry brand Hunter & Trove. —Noa Nichol
Hi Yulee! Tell us a bit about yourself to start
Hello! I’m Yulee Harris, the Designer and Founder of Hunter & Trove. I create jewelry treasures in my seaside Vancouver studio. I am a creator to my core, and my creative process always starts with a sense of curiosity. I am always on the hunt for the next opportunity to create a new treasure to add to the trove.
When and why did you launch Hunter & Trove? What niche were you aiming to fill?
Creating Hunter & Trove was a very organic process for me. It began from my own artistic self-expression and desire to create something beautiful from the materials I loved so dearly – gemstones, pearls, gold, silver and other – collected treasures from the ocean and my local vintage shops. I wanted to create a collection that holds meaning, and jewelry has a special way of doing that. It has an ability to be cherished more than its delicate size can show. It’s worn close, and is often given by ones we love, or worn for those we want to remember. These instilled memories and stories have a way of making something ordinary feel quite magical.
What products/services do you offer and what makes them unique?
Hunter & Trove creates minimalist necklaces, earrings, rings, and bracelets. Each piece begins with a beautiful base of 14K gold-fill, sterling silver, or gold vermeil, adorned with freshwater pearls and faceted gemstones. Many of our products are handmade in our small Vancouver studio, and I take much care in wrapping and packaging each piece as it makes its journey to our customers across the country. We love connecting with those that choose Hunter & Trove pieces and it’s such a delight to have our jewelry be a golden thread woven into their own stories.
As we approach international Women’s Day, what makes you proudest about being a female entrepreneur in today’s climate?
For much of my childhood, I saw my mother fearlessly build her own successful creative business and embody leadership that defied the norms of the traditional Korean culture she was born into. This foundation shaped my own sense of potential and confidence, and I feel proud to walk in her footsteps, carving a path for myself with Hunter & Trove.
Have you had to overcome any particular challenges, as a female business owner and brand founder? Have you felt any advantages, as a woman running her own show?
Balancing building my brand and managing motherhood has been an ongoing challenge – one that many women entrepreneurs are no stranger to. I created Hunter & Trove shortly after our first son was born, while still holding down a career in marketing and e-commerce, but what started as a passion project has since taken off. During this time, finding a balance with so many responsibilities was challenging and I had to become a master at efficiency. By the time my second son was born, I had decided to dive into Hunter & Trove full-time, sneaking jewelry design sessions into nap time. Being at the helm of Hunter & Trove as the decision maker for the business empowers me to continuously experiment. This is what allows me to always be growing, pushing myself, and find fascinating new projects to sink my teeth into.
In the same vein, how do you help give other women a leg-up?
In the early days of Hunter & Trove, I was lucky to work with other women entrepreneurs who were generous enough to share their expertise with me – whether in business and finance or related creative realms like photography and modeling. Now as my business is growing, I am thrilled to be paying it forward by offering flexible employment opportunities at Hunter & Trove. As a parent of young children, I understand the challenges of balancing family responsibilities and career, and I love that this creative work can fit in super well with a life schedule that doesn’t align with a traditional 9-5.
In terms of your products being available on Amazon, how has that shopping platform assisted you in running/growing your business and increasing your customer base online?
Amazon makes it easy for me to connect with customers from across the country. It’s such a delight to be able to share my work – inspired by my native province of B.C. – with customers from all around Canada, and know that with just a few clicks, my products will arrive in the hands and hearts of customers form all around the country. Being able to leverage Amazon’s operational expertise has also allowed me to focus on the creative and strategic side of the business, knowing I have a trusted powerhouse behind me as my business grows.
If you could give one piece of advice to other women entrepreneurs, or females thinking of starting their own business, what would it be?
“Feel the fear and do it anyways”. For me, this has served as a reminder to not seek the safety and comfort of things already known and understood, but to embolden yourself to actively seek out challenges that feel slightly beyond your experience and comfort.
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