Goldup Portrait, Margaux Gripon

💎 By discovering the reality of other women entrepreneurs, in their plain truth or through the stories they tell, we can accept ourselves better and create other facets of ambition.

🍉 This series gives you a glimpse of who the women participating in Goldup are, as they have a great time travelling toward their dreams.

👋🏾Let’s meet Margaux Gripon

✨ What was the spark that pushed you to sign up for Goldup?

I felt alone and I needed to be in contact with others who had the same mindset as me. I wanted to challenge myself, to get feedback on my project and to grow faster with the right coaching. And I really wanted a caring environment that gives you a boost to always go further, a Family environment :)

☝🏾Pitch your company in one line…

Ōkan Studio creates sculptural pieces that wrap you in self-confidence.

🙀 Biggest fear in doing this project?

To fail and to lose all the money that I’ll have invested in my company. I think that really, I’m worried about not measuring risk correctly and of making the wrong decisions.

💜 What’s the most satisfying thing in it?

I love my mission: freeing women from the confines of gender and upending the norms in jewelry making. I want to push the limits of creation, making women stronger and stronger and ready to go beyond what they thought possible.

I also love to be the person who’s completely responsible, taking my brand where I want, not wasting any time — and not knowing what tomorrow will bring is a real adventure!

🌟 One key moment “Wooow!” at Goldup?

During the pitch session with Oussama and Alice, I don’t know if it’s really a thing with women, but I’ve always had trouble talking about my project, almost as if I was ashamed, like it wasn’t serious. The fact that they took the time to really listen, to give me advice, that shook me, got me to think that yes, I should be here, I’m legitimate in what I’m doing, I should be super proud of myself.

🕵️‍♀️ A story you never expected with a client?

The store isn’t launched yet, but I wear my prototypes wherever I go. One evening, I was having a drink with a friend and she tried on one of my rings. A few minutes later, a woman at the next table saw the ring and asked where she had bought it. I turned red, and said, “I made it.” And she told me that she was a journalist with Numero Magazine… Destiny?

🔦 What have you learned about yourself?

I’ve learned to take a step back from my creation, to listen to the feedback people give me. I’ve gotten more pragmatic and do-it-yourself, while still holding onto my high standards for quality (once L’Oréal, always L’Oréal…).

And I think I still need to get better at negotiating — no one is going to fight for my business other than me, I need to dare to ask more to receive more.

👑 When you were a young girl, what did you dream of becoming?

I wanted to be a fashion designer. I would dream up dresses using random fabric, using my sister as a model. I didn’t go that way, without any doubt because of a lack of self-confidence… I went to business school instead. I don’t regret it though, because I’ve learned a ton and today I’m giving myself the means to put creativity at the heart of my project.

🐚 What would you say about Goldup?

Every Saturday evening, I couldn’t wait to get to the next Saturday. It’s all about meeting other women who all share a sense of care and optimism. I’ve met wonderful people who have really affected me, who have given their time or an intro to help me. There’s been all the support of the goldmothers and goldfathers, all ready to share their successes and their failures with total transparency.

🦋 Free ride: Anything you’d like to share?

I hope this program will see the birth of new goldmothers, female role models for tomorrow, the ones who can make their voice heard and inspire new generations of women to be even more ambitious entrepreneurs.