Working at Giulia Barela Jewelry (GBJ) in Rome, Italy, was my first experience outside of a nonprofit environment, and it was a great way to transition into the retail space. It was eye-opening to see a business run by an artist who is thoughtful in their designs and allows them to speak for themselves to connect with a consumer base. At GBJ, there is an excellent balance between passion and profit.
In 2012, the brand was born in the heart of Rome, where the designer, Giulia Barela herself, personally molds and casts her visions into existence in the form of wearable sculptures. The pieces do not just stand as jewelry but also as art as they are designed to be experienced by the wearer and to evoke a response, be it physical or emotional.
The jewels are composed with respect for the natural curves of the body. Anatomical studies help the designer achieve a lightness with the jewelry that allows the pieces to become a part of the wearer instead of simply an accessory.
As a communications intern, my essential tasks included marketing research, strategic planning for social media platforms, and graphic design. My second Gallup strength, input, makes me an excellent resource for my employers as I am a collector of ideas and knowledge. This strength aided me in creating a proposal to revamp Giulia Barela’s social media that listed new content ideas that will help them change their image to become more approachable to their followers, which is their goal. I was tasked with collecting information from our competitors and analyzing their social media and market reach in the States. To create the social media proposal, I had to tap into my futuristic strength, which relies on my creativity and ability to imagine/visualize different possibilities. However, I found the differing communication styles between my supervisor and me the most
challenging part to navigate; this was not because of the language but because I found myself to be more direct, and her way of doing things was a bit looser. I started to overcome this challenge by being more assertive with making my own schedule. During my time at GBJ learned that you have to be an advocate for your own business, which often means stepping into multiple roles to ensure quality control and that growth still follows your vision. It was inspiring to see a small business run entirely by women.
