Launching Pagano London

This business was not founded by a someone who went to business school. Nor was it founded by someone who had worked in a small business before. Gabriela Pagano had to learn everything herself in order for Pagano London to become what it is today. The most valuable asset she had was that she is a true entrepreneur: she had a vision, a dream, and a passion – and she knew what she wanted to create.

“HAD I KNOWN WHAT I WAS GETTING MYSELF INTO, I DON’T KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE STARTED TO BE HONEST! BUT NOW THAT I SEE WHAT IT HAS GIVEN ME, I WILL ALWAYS ENCOURAGE OTHER ENTREPRENEURS TO FOLLOW THEIR DREAMS… THE REWARD IS INCREDIBLE”

-GABRIELA PAGANO, PAGANO LONDON

The first step was coming up with a name. Gaby wanted the business to be completely her own, so naturally she decided on her name, Pagano. Pagano is an Italian family name, which stems from the word “pagan”, whom didn’t believe in any God but rather the power of nature. It was a natural choice for her brand.

She then decided that between her busy schedule as a mom and rebuilding her home, she would not be able to commit to a physical store to sell her crystals. She began to explore the idea of opening an online store, however there was one problem… she knew nothing about website development. Nor did she care to learn. Nor did she have ANY interest coding. This was the only option for her, however, so she enlisted a team of online experts to help her build her platform.

Sophie Southmayd was one of the first she brought on board. With a degree in Marketing and Business Management, Sophie owned a social media and small business consulting company, with an expertise in online branding. And she happened to be a close friend that understood Gaby’s aesthetic, and helped her create her brand’s DNA.

While the website was being developed, Gaby and Sophie launched Pagano London’s Instagram account @paganolondon, where she could analyse the reaction to images and crystals that inspired her. It was also a great way to start to build buzz around the collection’s launch in June 2019, and a creative outlet for them to work on while they anxiously waited for Pagano London’s website to be built. Since launching the platform in October 2018, Pagano London has grown to just under 5K followers. Please see instagram.com/paganolondon to check it out for yourself.

Next came the fun part- buying her first collection. Working initially with local suppliers, Gaby has spent a lifetime collecting crystals and was expected to come up with her first collection in a matter of months. Not phased with the strict timeline she had given herself, Gaby threw herself into the buying process which was mentally and physically exhausting. In just six months, Gaby selected 184 pieces for her first collection which consists of Agate, Amethyst, Citrine, Hermiker Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, Apophyllite, Celestite, and many more. These specimens come from all over the world, including Argentina, Morrocco, India, Canada, USA, UK, Peru and more.