At just nineteen years old, Nicole is the founder, owner, and creator of the jewellery company Umbrella Bird Jewellery. Umbrella Bird jewellery consists of unique, carefully hand-crafted wire jewellery that reflects the splendour of British Columbia’s natural beauty. She is an incredibly inspiring young woman who proves that with hard work and dedication, you can make your dreams a reality.
Name: Nicole Del Negro
Year: Third
Program: Bachelor of Arts with a Master in Business Management.
Favourite Season: Fall. The leaves are bright and colourful, and I get to wear cozy sweaters. I love walking down Main Mall at UBC and admiring the colours.
Current song or band you can’t stop listening to: Always has to be Taylor Swift.
Tell us about Umbrella Bird jewellery. How do you create your pieces?
All of my jewellery is wire wrapped. I make pieces using only three pairs of pliers, wire, and beads. Wire wrapping is a really interesting medium, because it’s very low-tech. This allows me to make pieces whenever and wherever I want. One of my favourite things to do is make pieces for people at craft fairs. It is a lot of fun for me to show people how I make my jewellery, and it’s also fun for them to watch. People are often quite removed from how the things that they buy and use are made, so I enjoy being able to share my process with them.
How did you get started?
I’ve always loved creating things. As a child, I was always drawing, painting, sculpting. One day, a friend left me wire at my house after a craft fair, and I decided to try working with it. I made a simple bird nest pendant that I gave to my mom. All of her friends loved the piece and kept asking where she got it. It kind of snowballed from there as I realized I could make stuff people liked and were willing to pay for.
Where do you find your inspiration?
I love going on Pinterest to find shapes, styles, and concepts that catch my eye. Vancouver and the west coast have also greatly influenced my work. My newest piece is a rain cloud pendant, inspired by the rain that seems ever-present this time of year in Vancouver. It is always an exciting challenge to start with an idea and develop it into a finished piece that I would be proud to put my name on.
Where did the name Umbrella Bird come from?
Well, we live in Vancouver which means umbrellas are our number one accessory, so I wanted to play off of that. The bird part was inspired by the Stellar’s Jay, which is BC’s provincial bird, and can be seen in my logo.
I noticed on your website that Umbrella Bird supports charity organizations and events. Why do you think it’s important for businesses to give back?
It [charity] has always been something I did, even before Umbrella Bird. I think that if you have more than you need, you should help others. My ability to help is pretty limited, but the skill set I do have is making jewellery and I’ve managed to find a way of turning that into helping people. For example, I donate a portion of my earnings to charities, or donate pieces to silent auctions. I like knowing that something I made…can make a change.
What are some of the charities you’ve worked with in the past?
I’ve supported the Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Red Cross, Covenant House Vancouver, Global Change for Children, Hope International Development Agency, and Indian Umbrella. The Canadian Cancer Society is especially important to me personally, so I also volunteer with them every year.
How do you make your business stand out?
By providing great customer service. I love getting to know my customers and working with them to create custom pieces and make their experience with Umbrella Bird Jewellery as pleasant and memorable as possible. A point of pride for me is that the vast majority of my Etsy reviews are 5/5 stars, and many customers comment that they are impressed with my customer service. I pay attention to details, and people appreciate it. One of the best parts of supporting small businesses is the personalized attention that we are able to provide.
How do you find time to balance your business and school work?
It’s always a bit of struggle, especially since I also work as a tutor, and have two internships with non-profits. Basically, I prioritize. I focus on doing what I absolutely need to do for school, jewellery, work, and the internships. Once I’ve done that, then I do anything extra. This has resulted in my business growing slowly, but steadily, but I’m happy with that.
What advice do you have for young women starting their own businesses?
Just go for it. When I first started, I was unsure and felt really unprepared. But it’s worked out so far. You can’t worry about being perfect, because you won’t be perfect from the get go. There will be lots of learning opportunities and you just have to adjust as you go. I always keep reminding myself: What’s the worst that can happen? Another piece of advice I can give is to develop relationships with people in your field, and support each other. I’ve gotten to know so many amazing people through craft fairs and events and the help we give each other is priceless.
Nicole’s jewellery can be purchased on Etsy, at Scout and Co, and at Craft Fairs. She will be selling at the upcomming Britannia Christmas Craft Fair and the River District Craft Fair.
Be sure to also check out Umbrella Bird Jewellery on Facebook and Instagram!