Hoola Jewelry's business model has passed the phase of gaining traction in the market and is now well on its way to picking up speed.
The Chelsea-based jewelry company relaunched itself a year ago, hiring sales reps across the Midwest. That is a far cry from the company’s roots of one woman peddling jewelry. Today, founder Laurie Gravelyn employs six people at its headquarters and 60 sales reps across the Midwest. And its looking to hire more people now.
"Our infrastructure is set up for growth," says Gravelyn. "That's why we need more reps."
Most of its 10 job openings are for sales reps but the firm is also looking for a regional sales director. That position is aimed at better organizing the growing company’s sales staff and adding more people to it.
Hoola Jewelry makes small, customizable kits of jewelry. For instance, users can add gemstones or precious metals to the hoop of an earring. The firm's sales reps are working to sell the kits at their own private parties. Company sales are up 185 percent over the same three-month period a year ago. Gravelyn expects sales to spike again as it adds more options to its kits, including gold options to the primarily silver-based line.
"It's a classic contemporary look that will that will add a lot to our line," Gravelyn says.
Source: Laurie Gravelyn, founder of Hoola Jewelry
Writer Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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