Achieving Success with Culture

Caroline Boateng combined her Ghanaian heritage and passion for creativity to launch the glass jewellery brand Created by Culture. Her company not only produces wearable art but also supports Ghanaian artisans who use recycled glass to create custom beads, providing a sustainable solution to environmental issues.

Caroline migrated to Australia from Ghana in the early 1990s. Inspired by traditional bead makers during a visit to Ghana, she decided to start her business. Here are her tips for launching a side hustle:

Honour Traditional Craftsmanship

Caroline emphasizes the importance of respecting and preserving generational skills. She collaborates with Ghanaian artisans using traditional methods to create beads, from collecting and cleaning bottles to grinding them into powder and baking them.

Do Good and Succeed

Created by Culture focuses on social and environmental change while ensuring sustainability. Caroline addresses Ghana's waste problem by setting up glass recycling points and collaborating with local hotels. She also provides sustainable employment for artisans and pays them upfront to secure their livelihoods.

Structured Side Hustling

Balancing a full-time finance job with her side business, Caroline dedicates weekends to growing Created by Culture. She stresses the importance of separating her main job from her side hustle for mental well-being.

Listen to Customers

By selling at markets and gathering customer feedback, Caroline continuously adjusts her business. Starting with necklaces, she expanded to earrings based on demand, highlighting the importance of flexibility in business growth.

Stay Organized

Caroline's well-organized home office enhances efficiency. She uses labeled containers to manage materials, ensuring everything is in place during production.

Complete Packaging

Caroline chooses sustainable packaging materials to align with her brand's environmental values. She also utilizes customizable templates from Officeworks for marketing, helping to tell her brand story and attract customers.

Source: Officeworks