Jordan Cullen, a Melbourne entrepreneur, is reshaping the jewellery industry with his innovative offline-to-online retail approach through Cullen Jewellery. The company, which now employs 107 staff after a significant hiring push in the past six months, is set to open 15 new international showrooms in 2025.
The idea for Cullen Jewellery stemmed from Cullen’s own frustrating experience when searching for a custom engagement ring. After purchasing a lab-grown gemstone, he approached multiple large retailers in Melbourne, asking for a tailor-made ring to fit his vision. Most rejected his request, but one retailer finally connected him with local jewellers who could bring his idea to life.
“It wasn’t seamless, but they understood what I wanted, and they were able to get it done,” Cullen recalls. “I realized that if I hadn’t been so persistent, someone else might have given up. That’s when I saw a gap in the market for custom rings with lab-grown gemstones like moissanite or diamonds.”
In 2018, while still a business student, Cullen formed a partnership with those jewellers, marking the beginning of Cullen Jewellery. He and an intern, now a senior employee, combined digital marketing expertise with the jewellers’ craftsmanship, attracting clients and boosting their profits.
Cullen quickly realized the jewellers’ business was in decline, and he saw the potential of online retail. “I always believed digital marketing was the future. Online retail was going to be huge, and they weren’t embracing it,” he says. Despite initial hesitation from the jewellers to share full details of the business, Cullen continued to push forward with his marketing strategies, which would later fuel the brand’s growth.
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