Dorsey Founder Meg Strachan Takes an Outsider Approach
Dorsey founder Meg Strachan says entering the jewelry industry without prior experience helped her challenge established product conventions and target consumers already interested in lab-grown diamonds. The eight-figure brand has also shifted away from rapid customer acquisition toward long-term product development and brand building.
Key Takeaways
- Meg Strachan founded Dorsey in 2019 after working in brand marketing and growth at consumer startups.
- Dorsey built its business around lab-grown diamonds rather than mined stones.
- Strachan says the company targeted consumers already interested in lab-grown diamonds instead of focusing on skeptics.
- Dorsey moved away from a growth-at-all-costs DTC approach toward long-term brand and product development.
- Strachan challenged production conventions involving lab-grown stones, including rivière necklaces and lab-grown sapphires set in sterling silver.
Dorsey Founder Meg Strachan Entered Jewelry Without Industry Experience
Meg Strachan launched Dorsey in 2019 after working in brand marketing and growth at startups including Bandier and Girlfriend Collective. She entered the jewelry business without prior experience in the category and says that lack of industry background influenced the company’s approach to products and customers.
Strachan says being a beginner allowed her to question practices that experienced jewelry professionals accepted as standard. That approach became part of Dorsey’s product development process as the company built a business around lab-grown diamonds.
Dorsey has grown into an eight-figure business, according to Strachan. The company says its diamond business is growing 100 percent year over year.
Strachan’s previous experience was primarily in consumer-brand marketing and growth rather than jewelry manufacturing. That background shaped the way she approached customer acquisition, branding and product development after launching Dorsey.
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Rather than treating established jewelry practices as fixed requirements, Strachan says she repeatedly questioned why particular materials, stones and styles were handled in certain ways. Some of those decisions led to products that became important to Dorsey’s business.
Dorsey Built Its Brand Around Lab-Grown Diamonds
Dorsey’s business model centers on lab-grown diamonds, while Strachan describes the mined-diamond market as being associated with exclusivity. The company positioned itself toward customers who were already interested in lab-grown stones rather than attempting to persuade consumers who rejected the category.
When Dorsey launched, Strachan says some consumers were still asking whether lab-grown diamonds were real or fake. She did not treat those consumers as the company’s primary audience.
Instead, Dorsey focused on shoppers who were already curious about lab-grown diamonds and interested in the company’s designs. Strachan says the company concentrated on customers who were asking questions and considering the category.
That approach also shaped the company’s marketing strategy. Strachan says Dorsey relied on product appeal and word of mouth rather than building campaigns specifically around changing the opinions of consumers who were skeptical of lab-grown stones.
The company’s positioning developed as more consumers became familiar with lab-grown diamonds. Dorsey focused on design alongside the type of stone, allowing the brand to compete on more than the distinction between mined and lab-grown diamonds.
Strachan says that being either a mined-diamond company or a lab-grown company is not sufficient by itself to define a brand. She says design, product development and storytelling also contribute to the company’s identity.
That approach gave Dorsey room to develop products without making the lab-grown category its only defining feature. The company instead used the category as part of a broader consumer-brand strategy.
Customer Focus Shaped Dorsey’s Market Strategy
Dorsey’s customer strategy was based on identifying consumers who had already expressed interest in lab-grown diamonds. Strachan says the company chose to serve those shoppers rather than spend its resources trying to convert skeptics.
The approach also affected how Dorsey interpreted customer reactions to its products. Strachan says consumers responded positively to designs that some production partners initially considered unconventional.
That difference between manufacturing expectations and customer response became relevant to the company’s product development. Strachan continued to ask whether a proposed design could serve customers even when a factory questioned the idea.
Dorsey’s focus on interested customers also separated its marketing strategy from efforts centered on explaining or defending the entire lab-grown diamond category. The company could concentrate on its own products and designs rather than making every customer interaction a debate over the category.
Strachan says word of mouth helped persuade some hesitant consumers after they encountered Dorsey’s products. The company’s strategy therefore placed product design at the center of customer acquisition rather than relying solely on campaigns designed to alter perceptions.
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The approach also gave Dorsey a defined customer base to build around. Instead of attempting to appeal equally to consumers with opposing views about lab-grown diamonds, the company focused its initial efforts on people already considering the category.
Dorsey Shifted From Rapid DTC Growth to Long-Term Brand Building
Strachan initially brought the direct-to-consumer model she had encountered at earlier startups to Dorsey, including an emphasis on rapid customer acquisition, immediate revenue growth and delayed profitability.
She later concluded that approach was not suited to Dorsey’s business. The company shifted its focus toward long-term brand building, product development and a more deliberate approach to growth.
Strachan said the change was driven by a decision to build a brand designed to last. That meant placing greater emphasis on product evolution and brand development rather than prioritizing customer acquisition above other business objectives.
Her experience at consumer startups gave her firsthand knowledge of the DTC growth model, while running Dorsey gave her an opportunity to reassess how that model applied to a jewelry brand. This approach aligns with steady small-business growth strategies that emphasize controlled expansion rather than rapid growth at any cost.
The change also shaped Dorsey’s approach to its market position. Strachan said relying too heavily on either mined or lab-grown diamonds as a defining brand story could limit the company’s ability to expand. She instead emphasized product, design, and brand development as parts of Dorsey’s long-term strategy.
Product Experimentation Challenged Established Jewelry Conventions
Strachan’s outsider perspective became particularly visible in Dorsey’s product development. She says production partners sometimes rejected ideas because they did not fit established jewelry practices.
One example involved rivière necklaces, a traditional jewelry style in which stones are set continuously around the neck. Strachan says a production partner advised against creating the style with lab-grown stones because the approach appeared unconventional.
Dorsey proceeded with the design, and Strachan says the resulting rivière necklace became one of the company’s most popular products.
She encountered similar resistance when she proposed using lab-grown sapphires with sterling silver. According to Strachan, the objection was based on the idea that the combination was not something traditionally done in jewelry.
Rather than abandoning the idea, she questioned the reason for the restriction. The company proceeded with experimentation instead of treating the established practice as a fixed requirement.
Strachan says the difference between what factories considered unusual and what customers wanted became an advantage for Dorsey. Product decisions were evaluated according to customer response rather than solely according to conventional manufacturing expectations.
That approach remains central to the company’s stated product philosophy. Strachan says Dorsey is not trying to replicate what other jewelry companies are doing.
For Dorsey, the strategy has meant combining lab-grown diamonds with designs that challenge assumptions about how jewelry should be made and marketed. The company’s product development process has therefore been shaped by both customer interest and Strachan’s willingness to question established practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Dorsey?
Meg Strachan founded Dorsey in 2019. Before launching the jewelry company, she worked in brand marketing and growth at startups including Bandier and Girlfriend Collective.
When did Meg Strachan launch Dorsey?
Strachan launched Dorsey in 2019. She entered the jewelry industry without prior experience in the category.
What type of diamonds does Dorsey sell?
Dorsey built its business around lab-grown diamonds. The company says its diamond business is growing 100 percent year over year.
How did Meg Strachan’s lack of jewelry experience influence Dorsey?
Strachan says her lack of industry experience allowed her to question established jewelry practices. She applied that approach to product development, including designs that production partners initially considered unconventional.
How has Dorsey changed its growth strategy?
Dorsey initially followed elements of the rapid-growth direct-to-consumer model, including a strong focus on customer acquisition and revenue. Strachan says the company later shifted toward long-term brand building, product evolution, and a longer-term approach to growth.
