From beads to beauty: Mother turns passion into business
Mysterious Gems grew from a side hustle into a market and retail venture
Friday 28 August 2026 | 13:00
Updated 28 August 2026 | 14:54 FJT
Illisapeci Takalaiyale started making jewellery in 2018. Eight years later, the mother of three has expanded her business journey into a new salon.
Photo: Kritika Chand
What started with a few beads in 2018 has grown into a business journey for 35-year-old Mrs Illisapeci Takalaiyale, a mother of three children.
She continues to turn her passion for jewellery into opportunities for her family.
Mrs Takalaiyale is originally from and a resident of Nayatuyaba, Toga, in Nausori, and was inspired by a family member who taught her how to make jewellery.
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“I started with beads, beads of all sorts and later started working with shells, cowries and gem stones,” she said.
She began selling her creations as a side business while working at a retail shop in Waimanu, Suva.
What started as a small venture gradually grew into a business as she sold her jewellery online and at markets.
Her business, Mysterious Gems, later expanded to a small jewellery cart on Level 2 of MHCC, followed by a pop-up shop at Suva Port South Gate.
However, she eventually stopped selling at MHCC after rental costs increased and the limited space made the venture difficult to sustain.
“The rent was so expensive and the space was limited,” Mrs Takalaiyale said.
The income from her jewellery business at the Suva Port South Gate allowed her to invest in another venture.
In April 2026, Mrs Takalaiyale opened a salon, Mysterious Beauty, at the Yatu Lau Arcade, hoping to create a larger source of income for her family.
Throughout her journey, she said her husband, Mr Ellen Takalaiyale, had supported her in building and expanding her businesses.
Mrs Takalaiyale said her experience in jewellery-making had also taught her the importance of staying creative and adapting to changing trends.
“You cannot continue selling the same thing; you have to be more creative and make unique designs over and over again,” she said.
For Mrs Takalaiyale, entrepreneurship is about making money to provide for her family.
“I love to come to work every morning and I love working hard for my family,” she said.
Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is simple: “It’s not easy. It takes discipline, hard work and your time.”
