The Business of Sharing Joy with Daniel Boettcher

Lateral Action

This week’s guest on The 21st Century Creative podcast is Daniel Boettcher, the founder of The Intrepid Wendell, a bespoke jewellery salon in Washington, DC.

If you visit Daniel’s website you’ll see he greets his visitors with the words ‘We love to share your joy’ – this is the guiding principle of Daniel’s business and his mission in life. And if you visit his office in Washington, then he tells me you will see jewellery pieces you won’t see anywhere else.

All Daniel’s creations are custom-made for his clients, and he goes to extraordinary lengths to make something special and appropriate for each client – not only does he spend time getting to know them and their tastes, he also travels the globe to source the materials and craft skills he needs to make the pieces.

In a typical year Daniel and his Vice President Joshua Collier rack up hundreds of thousands of air miles, as they visit mines, industry fairs, private dealers, and craftsmen and women who are the living embodiment of generations of artistic tradition.

As well as serving private clients, Daniel’s jewellery is worn by the USA’s two times Olympic judo champion, Kayla Harrison, and by 10-year-old Clarissa Capuano, a Global Down Ambassador, who raises awareness for people with Down Syndrome.

I’ve been working with Daniel for a few years, and never cease to be astonished by the boldness of his vision and the lengths he is prepared to go to make it a reality. He’s also a very sharp and engaging chap who is excellent company, so it was a pleasure to sit down with him in London to record this interview.

In this conversation Daniel talks about what motivated him to create a very unconventional jewellery business, and how he has dealt with some of the challenges he faces in an industry that has some very well established conventions. He also talks about his approach to designing and creating a unique piece of fine jewellery for each of his clients.

Listen to this interview for an inspiring example of what it takes to succeed in a high-end creative business. You’ll also learn the surprising and charming story behind the name The Intrepid Wendell.

Earrings by The Intrepid Wendell

About The 21st Century Creative podcast

Each episode of The 21st Century Creative podcast features an interview with an outstanding creator in the arts or creative industries.

At the end of the interview, I ask my guest to set you a Creative Challenge that will help you put the ideas from the interview in to practice in your own work.

And in the first part of the show, I share insights and practical guidance based on my 21+ years experience of coaching creatives like you.

Make sure you receive every episode of The 21st Century Creative by subscribing to the show in iTunes.

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