Disco Beads began by accident! Founder Vic Harrigan was passionately enjoying her maternity leave by creating fun pieces of jewellery for her friends and family when it went wild! Everywhere she went, people just couldn’t believe their eyes and wanted some for themselves! After a while, she went back to work but people still asked for them and Vic realised that here was a business idea that she could do from home with her new baby on her back! She resigned from her teaching position and her home quickly became a hive of industry! As fast as she could make them, people bought them, so she had a website built and knuckled down to full time beading! Soon she outgrew her 'three beadroom house' and her husband Billy joined her in their new beachside workshop. Customers started to call in and before they knew it..they had added a shop!
So what is it that is just so special about Disco Beads?
The first answer is that the beads themselves have a spherical mirror layer and a coloured coating on top, so when the light hits them they reflect as a cat’s eye does and appear to glow! Hence the name ‘Disco’....they literally appear to light up! Flash photography captures the effect the best...check out our customers selfies to see, or even enter your own to win a £50 Gift Voucher!
The second reason they are so popular is that they are handstrung by the sea in Cornwall, in a sleepy little tourist resort! Anyone who visits Mawgan Porth will spend some time chilling in the Disco Beads shop with the Disco Fairies! It is not just jewellery...it is a way of life! Our whole ethos is about being fun and creative, loving what you do and doing what you love. Have a look at our Disco Beads Philosophy to see how we encourage others to ‘Spread the Love’!
The third reason is about how Disco Beads make you feel! There is a design and style to suit every pocket and every palate, but regardless of which you choose you are sure to stand out from the crowd and receive untold amounts of comments and compliments when you wear them! We love to hear the stories of Disco Bead lovers meeting in far flung airports and noticing each other only by the beads! Kuala Lumpa is about the most random place we know of where this has happened! If you have a magical Disco Beads story we would LOVE to hear it….email shine@discobeads.com to let us know!
The only downside of being in sleepy Cornwall (from a purely business perspective of course!) is that we are literally out on a limb! So to spread the Disco Beads love we relied upon holiday converts returning home and initiating others into the shiny fold! From this was born the Disco Beads Ambassador scheme. We knew that all those home bound recruits would be the best to spread the word, promote and sell the Disco Beads out of Cornwall so we gave them the opportunity to get involved! Once people see the beads and know what they do,then they are hooked! The Ambassadors are like shiny pebbles dropping into a pond, spreading this remote Cornish Brand in waves throughout the UK and even as far as Australia and New Zealand! They benefit by having the opportunity to earn some extra cash from home, and of course by receiving discounted Disco Beads jewellery to feed their addictions! If this sounds like fun, find out more here!
Having begun by accident, our growth has been unplanned and unconventional! Neither Billy nor Vic have had any business training so the learning curve has been steep and not without some sharp and challenging corners! We certainly haven’t got everything right and we certainly don’t have all the answers….but by golly we have worked hard and given it everything we have got! Being part of a team can be incredibly fun and rewarding but it is also full of responsibility and obligations. Ultimately, being happy and encouraging and supporting those around you to find their own happiness and worth is the goal. In life as well as in business. Good luck with your own journey! Remember to be happy! Let your light shine!