Meet Alex Cannon, founder and creative director of CRAFTD London
Alex Cannon is the creative director behind men’s jewellery brand CRAFTD. Staying ahead of the game for style and trends, he ensures the brand offers fashion-forward ranges as well as being timeless. His creative steer and strong personal style filters through every aspect of the CRAFTD brand from initial concepts and design through to the look and feel of every product drop that lands on the CRAFTD website.
As a model and previous founder of a footwear brand, Alex spotted a gap in the market for high quality, fashionable men’s jewellery at an affordable price. Wanting to create products that lasted but still had a style-led element, Alex reached out to friend and entrepreneur Danny Buck to get the idea moving. As a pair, they started small, reinvesting profit and strategically building the CRAFTD brand into the successful lifestyle brand it’s known for today.
CRAFTD was established in 2018, but has rapidly grown to become a wider lifestyle brand, building a huge following and fanbase in the UK, across Europe and now in the US. Alex is keen to continue enjoying the journey of building CRAFTD into a global brand and building a community who want to express and experiment with their style.
For Alex the vision is big, but wants to stick to humble roots of putting the jewellery at the heart of the brand: “I want people to feel something when they wear our products, that’s why all our products are designed with a story and stand for something. Wearing a CRAFTD piece is more than just how it looks, it’s telling people what you’re about without speaking.”
There’s always a lightbulb moment before the beginning of a new venture. What was that moment for you?
With the modelling I was doing at the time and often abroad so in and out of water etc. I couldn't find jewellery that I liked, that was of a reasonable price and good enough quality to not discolour during these kinds of shoots. Then it made sense for me, so I decided to make my own!
How do you prepare for all the unknown obstacles when running your business?
You can’t really prepare, you just have to expect them and take them head on. Fortunately we have an amazing team and everyone pulls together to help each other when needed.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?
To make sure that you remember why you started, sometimes you lose sight of that when it gets tough. When you take a second to remember how it felt before, it’s both humbling and motivating. That keeps me going.
How did you conquer those moments of doubt that so often affect entrepreneurs or stop many with great ideas – what pushes you through?
Don’t overthink things, it's easy to paralyse your progress by doing this; follow your gut and go for it. Regret scares me more than anything.
How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in your industry?
I want people to feel a certain way when they wear CRAFTD, that’s why they are designed with a meaning behind them. It’s more than just a necklace.
What plans do you have for CRAFTD over the next two years?
You will see more product variations and product categories coming, more collaborations with people who align with the CRAFTD look and values. The best is yet to come, for sure.
How important is company culture and what is your top tip to get it right?
Company culture is extremely important, energy and attitude is infectious and it spreads. We give everyone a lot of freedom, everything is performance based so as long as you get the job done, keep progressing and do it with a smile on your face; we’re good! That keeps morale very high because everyone enjoys their work and life.
What social media channel would you say has worked the best for your business and why?
Facebook and Instagram has been big for us and helped us scale via targeted ads. There’s been a shift lately, other platforms are now becoming more prominent so the focus is moving there.
Thinking about the future, do you have any strategic partnerships or upgrades in the pipeline?
There’s lots in the pipeline, but nothing that I can share right now unfortunately. Stay tuned!
What are your top tips for entrepreneurs wanting to get their business out there?
- Know your strengths.
- Surround yourself with people who share your vision .
- Take pride in your product/service.
- Put the customer first.
