Case studies: Sheila Fleet - Orkney Designer Jewellery

Sheila Fleet
Address: Tankerness
KW17 2QT

Tel: 01856 861203
Fax: 01856 861204

Email: info@sheilafleet.co.uk

Background

For Sheila Fleet, ideas are the lifeblood of her business. In ten years, Sheila has transformed her family business, Sheila Fleet - Orkney Designer Jewellery, from one employing just three people into an international success story providing work for more than 30 staff based at Tankerness, Orkney.

Ideas

“Ideas are not a problem for me,” Sheila says. “I find inspiration all around me, from Orkney’s seascapes and stunning skies to its rich history and folklore. But the trick is to create something from your idea that works in the marketplace and that is where the true skill of a designer lies.”

“Looking back, I realise there were two important cross-roads in my life that brought me to where I am today,” she recalls. “The first was my decision to go to college and the second was to start my own business in my mid-forties. I have never looked back, but both decisions required a lot of confidence – confidence that I was doing the right thing and confidence that I had the necessary skills to carry it through.”

Experience

For 26 years prior to establishing her business, Sheila honed her design skills working for some of Britain’s leading jewellers. “I am indebted to the jewellers who helped me develop confidence in my own designs and gave me the opportunity to sell them,” she says.

“It was this training and insight into the industry that gave me the springboard to start up my own business.”

Support from Highlands & Islands Enterprise

The business began trading in 1993 with support from Orkney Enterprise (part of Highland & Islands Enterprise, the northern counterpart of Scottish Enterprise) and Orkney Islands Council. Far from being at a geographical disadvantage, Sheila has discovered that running her business from Orkney, a location many consider to be remote, has considerable advantages.

“First and foremost, Orkney provides inspiration for my designs. I also operate two concessions – one in Jenners in Edinburgh and one in Loch Lomond Shores. These have been very successful and I have developed jewellery collections with these customers in mind – the Castle Collection and Lomond Reflections.”