Northumbria graduate adds a bit of sparkle to her career

Denise’s career path has taken some interesting twists and turns. After graduating in Business Studies from Northumbria she worked for the likes of British Gas, Norwich Union, Safeway and Norfolk Police.

However, in 2009 she decided to try to turn her passion into a profitable full time business. She made the leap from creating jewellery and crystal headpieces as a hobby to making it a successful enterprise, with the formation of Crystal Pig. “Setting up your own business is not easy,” Denise explained, “you have to have a goal and a business plan and determination. Not only that, it’s very cut-throat out there with many hobbyists trying to compete, you just have to decide to go for it but beware of the pitfalls”

None of this appears to have set Denise back though and she has taken to the challenge like a duck to water. She already sells her products online through her own website as well as being stocked in some local shops. She has scores of satisfied customers who leave their messages of thanks and photos of their purchases in use, on the Crystal Pig Facebook page. Denise also makes the all important trips to wedding and craft fairs where she tells me her pieces go like hot cakes. “A high point was at a wedding show when I turned round, saw our empty table and panicked we’d been robbed. ‘It’s OK!’ my husband told me, ‘We’ve sold everything!’”

A normal working day for Denise starts at 7am and she finishes when all the work is done! “It isn’t just a 5 day a week job as you become everything from IT/Webmaster to buyer to seller to designer to admin” she explains, but for Denise it’s become a profitable labour of love.

It’s especially satisfying for Denise when a customer tells her how great her designs are. “Although friends and family can do the “wow!!” you can always think they are being biased so when you actually get it from customers, it really makes the hard work worthwhile!!” This sort of positive feedback really helps to raise Crystal Pig’s profile and although only a relatively new company, has already featured in publications such as Prima and Wedding Ideas.

The company’s future lies very much in the hands of Denise and is set to grow and grow. She already has plans to move her work space from its current location of her kitchen table to a barn in the garden. With more space available to create her beautiful pieces and her ambition to create specific lines for UK shops, the business will surely go from strength to strength.  

If you would like to view some of Denise’s creations or to commission your very own Crystal Pig  design visit www.crystalpigaccessories.co.uk