Creating community through jewellery: Yoma Ziregbe’s entrepreneurial journey

Posted on: 2 June 2026 by Yoma Ziregbe in Where are they now?

Business Economics graduate Yoma Ziregbe shares how her university experiences helped shape her confidence and career. She also discusses the inspiration behind launching her jewellery community, Eloàme, and offers advice for students and graduates looking to build their careers or start something of their own.

What made you choose to study Business Economics at the University of Liverpool and what stood out to you most about your experience here?

When I was choosing my degree, I did not yet have complete clarity about the exact career path I wanted to pursue. However, I had always enjoyed business and economics, both at secondary school and at A level, so Business Economics felt like a natural choice. I selected the Accounting and Finance pathway because it offered both breadth and flexibility, allowing me to deepen my interest in the subject while keeping my future options open. It also gave me the space to explore my interests and refine my direction over time. One of the most rewarding parts of the course was a project I completed in partnership with Airbus. It was the most engaging coursework I had done because it offered practical, real-world experience. We were tasked with developing a strategy, which is especially meaningful to me now, as strategy is central to the work I do today.

You were involved in several roles during your time at Liverpool, including Student Representative, and Student Ambassador. How did those experiences help shape your confidence and professional skills?

I have always been quite a reserved person, and at the beginning of university I made a conscious decision to put myself forward more because I did not want to miss opportunities. Becoming a Student Ambassador and Student Representative played a key role in building my confidence. These roles helped me learn how to advocate for others, communicate clearly and speak up on behalf of my peers. They also strengthened my professional skills, as I was able to sit in meetings, engage with university staff and share feedback as the voice of students. These experiences have had a lasting impact on the way I work and communicate and they have also helped me develop the confidence to contribute meaningfully in my current workplace.

From analysing datasets to creating economic reports and presenting insights, your role at PwC seems very varied. What do you enjoy most about the work and what has surprised you about working in a professional environment?

What I have enjoyed most about working at PwC is the community. It is such a large community and a real sense of family. The most surprising thing about working in a professional environment has been how patient everyone is. I am a bit of a perfectionist, so I thought people would be as hard on me as I am on myself whenever I did not know something. But instead, they were patient and willing to teach me, even when we were under a lot of pressure. People were also very open to hearing and carrying out my ideas.

Alongside your career at PwC, you recently launched your jewellery brand, Eloàme, after working on it for four years. What inspired you to start the business and why was it important for you to create something so personal?

My biggest inspiration for starting eloàme was an insecurity I had growing up. I was unable to wear earrings because I had a severe allergy to anything that was not gold, and of course my mom was not going to give a child gold earrings to wear! She tried her best though. She would send me to school wearing earrings, and I would come home without them. After a while, I stopped wearing them altogether, and even on the rare occasions when I did wear earrings, I felt very insecure with them on.

I first came up with the idea for eloàme in 2022. At the time, it began as an alternative to gold jewellery, something that would help other people avoid feeling the way I did growing up. Then, in January, I had to get an X-ray and was told to remove all my earrings. I have six piercings, so without them I felt completely bare.

That was the moment I realised eloàme is bigger than jewellery. It is a community.

It is for the girls who have felt like I did, the girls who still feel that way, and even the girls who simply love jewellery. That is why, if you visit our Instagram, it says community and not brand or store, because eloàme is so much more than that.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you have faced throughout the process?

The biggest challenge I faced was not learning the technical skills but unlocking my creative side. When I first started this journey, I initially planned to pay others to handle certain parts for me. But I had to ask myself what I would really learn if I did that, whether I would still be able to keep the prices affordable, and whether they would bring my vision to life exactly as I had imagined it. I still had support, but I knew I needed to step into my own mind and unlock the creative side of myself, something I have always struggled with. At the same time, I was learning how to edit videos, create graphics and understand the business side of things, all while balancing my 9-to-5 job. It was not easy, but I was fortunate to have the most supportive family and friends who showed up for me every step of the way.

Looking ahead, what are your hopes and plans for the future of eloàme?

My biggest hope for eloàme is that when people come across it, they see themselves in it. I hope they feel the vision, understand the message and connect with something deeper than just jewellery.

Eloàme has never been just about me. It has always been about every woman who loves jewellery, every woman who wants to feel seen, and every woman who deserves to feel included.

I hope eloàme travels far and wide, carrying that message to as many women as possible. Nobody really prepares you for this kind of journey, but even if we touch just one woman and remind her that she is seen, that she is understood, and that she is not alone, then that already means everything to us.

Eloàme is not just Yoma. It is me, it is you, and it is every woman.

What advice would you give to current students and recent graduates who are trying to build their careers or start something of their own?

To everyone trying to build their career, the best advice I can give you is to start. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. You do not need to wait four years like I did. Start now. Start with the experience you have. Start with the knowledge you already have. And if you are afraid of making mistakes, remember this: even when you do have the knowledge, you will still make mistakes. Do not wait too long for the perfect moment. If you keep watching the wind and the clouds, you will never sow.