This year, Biko—the jewelry brand that Corrine Anestopoulos launched during her third year at TMU—will commemorate its 20th anniversary. Little did she know then that celebrities would don her creations, that Biko would be one of the first e-commerce sites on Shopify, or that Mattel would seek her collaboration for Barbie’s 60th anniversary. From her modest start, Anestopoulos is now selling her handcrafted jewelry in stores worldwide.
Anestopoulos’ journey began with a personal epiphany about the transformative power of jewelry. “I was at Pitman Hall and a fashion student put me in these big earrings for a fashion shoot. I looked at the photos and at that moment, I really felt the power of what jewelry could do for a person.”
Graduating from Image Arts '05, Anestopoulos spent the first eight years doing everything on her own, from crafting each piece to traveling to tradeshows.
“I was reaching the point of burnout,” she admits. “Learning to ask for help was the first big transformation.” She also wishes she had embraced the power of community earlier."
“When COVID hit, I joined the TMU Fashion Zone. Being with other people experiencing the same things made me realize I wasn’t alone. The mentorship was incredible: I had an advisor who taught me everything I know about online ads. Joining the Fashion Zone and other entrepreneurial groups has really helped me and my business grow.”
Best advice for future founders: “It’s not easy. You’re going to work harder than if you had a boss but it’s going to be the most rewarding thing you do. As an entrepreneur, the sky’s the limit. That’s really exciting.”
What keeps Corrine Anestopoulos motivated?
“It's about our team and how we can use our success to help others—that has become my purpose. I’ve been working with Rethink Breast Cancer for the past seven years. We’ve released two collections with MedicAlert. The more I grow the company, the more good I can do.”
