#148: Madeline Fraser, Founder and CEO of Gemist, a Customizable Jewelry Company, on Being a Three-Time Founder, Raising Millions in Venture Capital, Getting on Shark Tank, and Disrupting Industries

Madeline Fraser is the founder and CEO of Gemist. She is a serial entrepreneur and big thinker who loves creating consumer facing technology that solves a big problem. Over the past five years she has created and grown multiple start-ups. Raising millions in funding for ideas she believes will make our world so much easier. She started her first company while attending George Washington University in 2013, called Zoom Interiors. It was the first online interior design company that let you work with a designer virtually to furnish your apartment. The company grew quickly and landed a segment on ABC's Shark Tank. In 2015, she created Hutch, a mobile app that disrupted the furniture industry with a tech platform where you can try furniture on in your home before you buy. Hutch has grown quickly with funding through Series B.

Gemist is disrupting the jewelry industry and completely changing how you shop for it online. The site and app are literally giving you the power to design your own jewelry, offering a 100% customizable experience with options for the cut, setting, metal, stone, color, style, band, and size. Through its unique “Try-On” feature, the brand will send you Gemist rings straight to your home at no cost so you can be sure the fit, look, feel, and experience is exactly what you want before buying. All stones and jewelry are ethically sourced and handcrafted locally in Downtown Los Angeles.

Connect with Madeline Fraser

• Gemist
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Madeline on Instagram

Some of the Topics Covered by Madeline Fraser in this Episode

• What is Gemist and the pain point that led to Madeline founding it
• Madeline's entrepreneurial nature and founding her first company during college
• Getting Zoom Interiors, the first online interior design platform, onto Shark Tank
• Getting Sean Rad (founder of Tinder) as an advisor and the chairman of their board
• Transitioning from Zoom Interiors to Hutch
• Madeline's mantra as an entrepreneur
• The benefits of having a co-founder and an advisor
• Roles and responsibilities of multiple founders for Hutch
• Fundraising $17M for Hutch
• Transitioning from Hutch to Gemist
• The importance of a pitch deck
• Starting Gemist and fundraising through angel investors and VC firms
• What's been different for Madeline as she builds her third company
• Madeline's advice for finding a manufacturer
• Embracing fear and finding your inner power
• How Madeline has grown Gemist and connecting with consumers
• Executing "try before you buy"
• The story behind Gemist's name
• How COVID has impacted Gemist
• Gemist's approach to customer acquisition
• The big vision for Gemist
• How Gemist was able to partner with De Beers Jewelers
• How Madeline recharges from work
• Managing the emotional extremes of entrepreneurship

Links from the Episode

• Interior Architecture program at GW
• Shark Tank
• Zoom Interiors on Shark Tank
• Barbara Corcoran
• Sean Rad
• Hutch
• Zillow
• Principle
• #142: Javier Laval, Founder of FutureStream, Empowering Creators by Helping Them Monetize Their Livestreams, and Creator of Android Homme, on Building Innovative Ventures in the Entertainment and Fashion Industries
• #130: Chad Hall, Founder and CEO of Remodelmate, a Managed Marketplace for Bathroom Renovations, on Customizing and Simplifying Bathroom Transformations
• De Beers Jewelers