Jewellery entrepreneur Mukosha Mulenga on believing in yourself and your dreams

We love it when Enterprise Nation members join and immediately get stuck into the benefits. Mukosha Mulenga, founder of Eleora Gems, is one of those members.

Mukosha became part of the Enterprise Nation community via our partnership with GoDaddy. After using GoDaddy's Website Builder, Mukosha started to explore the many benefits of membership with Enterprise Nation.

So far, he's accessed lots of the member only webinars and contacted two business advisers from the Enterprise Nation community. We spoke to Mukosha to find out more about his business story.

Describe your business in one sentence.

Eleora Gems is a wholly Zambian owned gemstone and jewellery company specialising in handmade items using silver, gold and colour gemstones.

How did you come up with your business idea?

We founded Eleora Gems because of our passion for gemstones and the need to create fine jewellery form the natural resources that Zambia is endowed with.

As a Christian couple, we wanted to create a business that reflects our values. The word 'Eleora' means 'God's light'. It is our desire to remind the wearer of every piece that we produce that even in the darkest times, God's light always shines on them.

My wife and I opened this company to expose the hidden treasures held by Zambian soils. We began Eleora Gems with an online store and due to popular demand, found a convenient physical store at the prestigious Arcades Mall in Lusaka.

From as far back as I can remember, probably when I was in my early teens, I became intrigued with coloured stones that came out of the ground.

As soon as I was old enough to comprehend rock formations, chemical processes and the like, I started to collect a few gemstones. By 2009 this hobby transformed into a trade and in early 2018 the company Eleora Gems was registered.

What start-up challenges have you faced?

Growing the business to its current position was a difficult task because it is capital intensive. We had to use new sales techniques and make full use of social media platforms.

We also got constant communication and feedback from several clients and with that Eleora Gems has been able to produce high quality pieces for sale locally and internationally.

All our materials are sourced locally in a bid to reap back into the communities and we use local labour for all our processes, this is another way of paying back to the community.

What has been your biggest achievement so far?

The biggest achievement so far has been getting international recognition and a platform on various local media.

It isn't easy being set apart from big and already known jewellery brands. We're slowly making our mark and we hope to achieve more in the next few years

What is your next big business goal?

Our next big business goal is to have a physical store opened up in Europe. We feel the European market fits well with our designs and business model. Sharing our passion for gemstones should not be limited to a few.

What do you think will be your biggest challenge getting there?

The first challenge we see is learning the business culture in whatever country we decide to set up shop.

Logistics could also pose a challenge because we aim to keep production in Zambia. We're keen to ensure that all the materials used in our products are ethically sourced.

Finally, what are your three tips for business success?

• Believe in yourself and your dreams. No one will be able to visualise your concept like you.

• Don't let failure hold you back. Its inevitable to encounter failure but it's at this point where you decide to learn from the mistake, pick yourself up and try again or throw in the towel.

• Take some time out to rest, enjoy time with friends and family so your mind refreshes itself. An overworked mind does not produce any meaningful ideas.

Become part of the Enterprise Nation community

We're proud to have entrepreneurs like Mukosha as members in our amazing community of small business owners. Join today for the full range of member benefits!