- 4 min read

Gold The Label: Perri Furbert

Christian Creative

Perri Furbert posing in a black hat and jacket

31 Magazine readers let me introduce you to this dynamic Becoming Proverbs 31 Woman!

Please meet Perri Furbert. She is the Owner & Head Designer for Gold the Label and has an amazing story to tell about her God-given journey to this amazing venture.

Perri, thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born and raised in Bermuda and I've been drawn to art and self-expression via creativity since as early as I can remember. I studied marketing in Toronto and it was during this time that my business was birthed. I'm an internationally published wardrobe stylist, I've worked as a creative/ art director, marketing is something of a sport for me and I'm the lead designer of Gold The Label. Because of all of this, in my free time, I really do like to chill.

Perri posing on the floor looking at samples

What made you want to launch a Christian Apparel Label?

Gold The Label had very unconventional beginnings, so the intention wasn't to launch a Christian brand. I rededicated my life to Christ the following year and as I grew stronger in my faith the rebranding to incorporate God into the business only made sense.

Can you share with us your journey to launching?

Gold The Label, which was then The Gold Label in 2010, started as a shoe customization business. I would create jewelry and unique upgrades to my heels and share them on Facebook. In time people would inquire about getting customizations for themselves and the business was born. I customized for weddings, proms, birthdays, and all other special events. A year into accepting shoe revamp orders, I started making jewelry and sold the pieces in two local establishments. The business rebranded in 2015 to have more of a faith-centered agenda, with merchandise that included positive and uplifting messaging.

Did you encounter any hurdles throughout your journey?

There are so many that come to mind, but when I first started designing and selling jewelry the gravitation toward my pieces was very slow. I decided to ask the business owners to remove my tags and display my items with all their other pieces. Sure enough, people started buying shortly thereafter. That was an early lesson about how selective local shoppers could be. It helped me a lot with how I strategically positioned the business after that. I remember being very grateful for that lesson so early on. I took matters a lot less personally after that.

How have you managed to keep on top of your work-life balance while running this business?

I strictly enforce work hours for myself. Which can be hard at times because truthfully, achieving balance isn't my goal. Having all the parts of this journey flow together where and how they can makes more sense for me because there really is always something to tend to when running a business. With that said, I do not answer work emails on the weekend or after 6 pm. Emergencies are of course an exception to this. I also *try* to get to the spa once a month.

Can you share with us how this entrepreneurial journey has challenged and strengthened your Faith in Christ?

My faith hasn't been externally challenged on this journey, but internally. I've had to remain fortified in what I believe to get through and navigate certain trials. Seeking God's direction with these matters and seeing how He always works it out, definitely strengthens my faith.

What values, declarations, and scriptures kept you thriving in this journey?

"Stay down 'til you come up"

has been a theme for me in so many seasons of this business. It speaks to being faithful over a little, so you can be ruler over much-- both stages I've witnessed very close and personal. I have so many scriptures I look to for business advice but one scripture, that also doubles as a declaration, would be Lord bless the works of my hands. Adapted from Deut 28. Lastly, 10% of the business's gross profits belong to God.

What tips can you share on being a Proverbs 31 Woman in this modern world and standing firm in your purpose and calling?

The Proverbs 31 woman really is that girl, she's confident in how God made her-- perceiving that her merchandise is good. I love that! God so carefully outlined how we should carry ourselves and these instructions have enlightened me to the fact that we really are capable of amazing feats that our family can benefit from. What I love about the description, and relate to the most, is the fact that she's a businesswoman-- she considers a field and she buys it. There's no mention that she had to run it by her husband first. His heart trusts in her and her decisions. I'm sure all divine order was in place in how she honored her husband, but it really speaks to the sufficiency of a woman and how we are equipped to do exceptional things; things for which our husband will be respected at the gates. Following closely to what God says in this chapter is the best advice I could give. She does it all.