Dublin City Enterprise News Talks To... Da Capo Goldsmiths
This month we chatted to Sé O'Donoghue from Da Capo Goldsmiths, designers of unique rings in Dublin. Da Capo is one of the businesses featured in the ‘Designer Dublin Trail’ on June 10th 2011 to celebrate 2011 Year of Craft.
About Sé O'Donoghue & Da Capo Goldsmiths......
Sé is a goldsmith who trained in the Crafts Council jewellery course in Kilkenny in the mid 90's. After he had worked in Germany and Dublin for a number of years he then set up his own studio along with Lee Harding, a fellow Kilkenny graduate. Together, as Da Capo Goldsmiths, they have been making extraordinary and unique items of jewellery since 2000.
What drove you to set up the business ?
I have a strong interest in design and having our own business meant being able to determine the visual style of the work I was making. While I have worked in some very good workshops in the past, I always felt that the jewellery was adhering to very established ideas of what it should look like. Our work in the last 10 years is anything but avant garde, but I'm happy that we have consistently challenged perceptions of what is expected and surprised our customers. Our studio specialises in tailoring and designing specifically to each individual customer. This means that we have to be flexible and resourceful in our thinking and deliver the best result, whether it be very conservative with nuanced detailing, or bold contemporary interpretations. Our goal is that the end piece should always be apt and suitable to the wearers own taste and style.
Did you get any assistance in the beginning from family or friends ?
My father had been running his own business for a number of years, so I had first hand experience of seeing someone building up a business, and also no delusions of the effort and commitment involved. A lot of putting yourself out there is enormously to do with confidence and belief in yourself. Along with my family, my wife Treasa was a key element in encouraging me to go and do it.
Did state support agencies give you any advice ?
In the first year we attended a mentoring course which was good to reassure us that we were organised and going about things in the right manner.
What valuable lessons about running a business have you learned along the way ?
While it was unpopular for a long time during the last decade, myself and Lee always believed in prudence, and have always focused on being a good studio first, rather than leveraging ourselves with loans to chase larger targets and taking greater risks. A lot of factors were taken into account when we were deciding what kind of a studio we wanted to run. We need to be able to support ourselves, but we also wanted to have time for our families as we were both embarking on having children and they will only be small once.
What in your opinion is the best and worst thing about being your own boss ?
A good thing is being in control of your own time and being flexible to choose when and how you do your work. A difficult thing can be learning to switch off and leave your work to one side when you are supposed to be having some time off.
...in 5 years’ time ?
At the moment it is all about surviving and managing cashflow. I have faith that we will still be open, but no business of any description can be certain of the future held in the next couple of years. We are inventive enough, resourceful enough and not adverse to hard work, so we should be stronger and better 5 years down the line. We need to make a positive step beyond Ireland to grow our reputation and market. We already have a number of clients coming from abroad to commission our work and there is definitely a seed there to be nurtured.
What would you say to someone starting up their own business now ?
While it is very important to take whatever good advice you can get when starting out, I would say the most important thing is to have a clear and definite idea in your own mind of what you want your business to be. Take on board opinion when it is sought or offered, but think for yourself. Be practiced at presenting yourself and your idea and learn to be succinct and brief. Do plenty of research on where you think your audience or market is, and then be decisive.
Do you have a role model or businessperson that you admire ?
I really admire Orla Kiely for setting up such a good business model without losing any of the lightness of touch or the personality of her objects, and the guys at the Brown Bag animation studio for their ambition.
...and the last word ?
The last 10 years has seen a phenomenal change in how people communicate and exchange and access information with the growth of the internet. The next 10 years are likely to see a similar revolution in how manufacturing is organised and executed. The technology that is arriving and imminent is quite exciting with direct printing in metals and plastics viable for small batches or large volumes. Last October Stratasys brought a "printed" car to an auto fair in America while last month we made the worlds first printed titanium ring. What these developments can do in freeing the potential of designs will be unprecedented.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Sé for taking part in this interview with us. For more information about Da Capo, please visit: www.dacapo.ie or www.trulybespoke.blogspot.com . Alternatively you can contact him on (01) 6753867 or e-mail on se@dacapo.ie .
During the month of June, Dublin City Enterprise Board is organising ‘Designer Dublin’ as part of the Year of Craft 2011, a celebration of craft. There will be exhibitions and interactive talks with experienced and successful designers. Further information is available here on the website, just click on the ‘News’ link.