The FV Mother & Daughter Duo

Hello!

I hope this finds you enjoying some warmer Spring weather if you are in the Southern Hemisphere, or preparing for the colder months in the North.

At FV, you may or may not know we are primarily a Mother/Daughter team. I am Helen, and Jane is my youngest of two daughters. Some people think we look so alike, others question us! I feel so lucky to be working, learning and growing alongside my daughter. It is very special that she has taken an interest in what I do. Together we have big plans for FV and I cannot wait to see how upcoming seasons unfold…

Family businesses have their challenges, we often get asked about our work/family dynamic so together we thought we would answer some of the commonly asked questions by our FV friends what it is like to be a Mother/Daughter team and how we navigate our work and family relationships.

Roles

Jane and I play very different roles for a start with very different and clear responsibilities , there is very little overlap in what we do. Jane is based in London, and her role is almost completely digital. Jane manages the website, the social media pages, and any other digital components of the business and that’s a lot!.

While we share in some of the design, my key concentration is on sales, retail partner growth and care, orders and procurement. It has been important to establish roles early on to ensure everything gets completed, but also so we are not stepping on each other's toes duplicating tasks which waste time & energy. I trust in Janes capabilities and good decision making, and I have absolute respect and admiration for her knowledge in the digital space that is beyond me, and vice versa with business management, sales, product creation and procurement etc.

Family Time vs Work Time

When we need to have a conversation or meeting about work then we try to make sure we both know that it is a work chat. On the weekends when we facetime this is always family time. It is important that there are some boundaries and separation between the two, otherwise it can be very easy to get it all mixed up. There are times when we need to speak as business colleagues, but also special and precious times as mother and daughter. Family is always first.

Conflict & Stress

While we have never really had a disagreement, there have certainly been times where we have both professionally challenged the other to get a better business outcome. That’s healthy and shows commitment and respect for each other. There will always be times when stress and pressure will cause the ball to be dropped – but that is business! Communication is the key. Ensuring we both know where each other is at, and working ahead of schedule so nothing gets missed. Being able to take on more when needed is also really important, while being open to learning and adjusting and being nimble enough to make a business directional change quickly. In a small family business there are lots of tasks to be completed, so at times we have both had to take on things outside of our comfort zone.

Jewellery

We remain true to our core brand values and the FV DNA of designing jewellery that makes women feel more fabulous when they put on a piece of FV. Coupled with this, we ensure we have an FV piece of jewellery for every budget. Jewellery doesn’t have to be expensive to both look good & be loved. We design with our customers in mind, we ask our retail partners what is missing or what they are looking for, and we check in with our regular customers for designs and inspiration.

As we have continued to grow over the last eight years, we are confident that we really do have something for every woman. Infused in our designs is a personal touch. The design and sampling component can be long and arduous, it is so helpful to have the two of us bounce ideas and have input to ensure pieces are as perfect as they should be. Jane and I are very much on the same page about making sure every woman that puts on a piece of FV Jewellery feels special, while looking and feeling fabulous!

We love working together and we are so excited for what is to come at FV…

If you are in a family business, well done! It is not always easy going, but so worth it.

Take care & stay fabulous!

Helen x