A beady eye on business

Nov 14 2007 by Iain Laing, The Journal

THE wife and daughter of one of the North-East’s most prominent entrepreneurs are following in his footsteps and launching their own business venture.

Jill and Kate Watkin – wife and daughter of the Tyneside-born entrepreneur Karl Watkin – have joined forces to open up LeBeado, a jewellery and accessories retailer with a difference, delivering a truly individual approach to style.

The first LeBeado store is opening up in Old Elvet, Durham, this month with other outlets planned including Newcastle in early 2008.

Jill and Kate say LeBeado will revolutionise the way people buy and make jewellery, beaded gifts and soft furnishings.

Taking advantage of the extensive travelling the pair have done in recent years, the stores will stock more than 5,000 different types and style of bead from rare 2,000-year-old Roman trade beads to the latest colours of the current fashion season.

Bead and jewellery lovers will be able to mix and match the beads to create unique and individual one-off pieces of jewellery, gifts or clothing.

They can also bring in an outfit they want to accessorise and let LeBeado’s staff help design the perfect piece. Beading classes and parties for children and adults are also in the pipeline.

Kate had been looking for a business idea and Jill found inspiration in a bead shop in New Zealand during an adult gap year.

She explained: “While I was in New Zealand, I stopped in a small town in the South Island called Nelson.

“I visited the Bead Gallery and ended up staying there for days. Even Karl found the whole thing fascinating, which is when I decided we were definitely on to something!

“Picking up more beads on my travels, I returned home to Northumberland full of enthusiasm. Kate had been working for marketing and PR agencies in London but was so excited she decided to move back to Northumberland immediately and Lebeado was born.”

Kate said: “I was doing in-house PR for a start-up venture which provided me with invaluable small business experience.

“However, it was annoying working incredibly hard for someone else to receive all the benefits.

“Having always been a repressed art student, LeBeado seemed like the obvious way forward as I can never find any accessories I like.

“Mum and I both passionately believe that we are creating a unique phenomenon with LeBeado and are very clear where we are taking the business to revolutionise people’s concept of buying jewellery. We are confident our customers will feel the same.”

North law firm Ward Hadaway advised Jill and Kate on the lease for the LeBeado store in Durham.

Lucy Guthrie, assistant solicitor in Ward Hadaway’s property team, said: “We are really pleased to have helped Jill and Kate with their exciting new venture. It’s a great idea for a business and we wish them every success.”

Karl Watkin has long been one of the best-known North-East entrepreneurs whose current ventures range from Middlesbrough-based biodiesel firm D1 Oils, to a Chinese goldmining company, a Newcastle company which makes artificial grass and a private jet business Plane Chartering.