My family was in two businesses - they were in the textile business, and they were in the candy business. The conversations around the dinner table were all about the factory floor and how many machines were running and what was happening in the business. I grew up very engaged in manufacturing and as part of a family business.
I have always been fascinated with precious stones, especially colored ones, and knew that I would eventually join the family business and be a jewelry designer some day.
I started my career counting diamonds and schlepping gold jewelry around the world. The jewelry business is a very, very tough business - tougher than the computer business. You truly have to understand how to take care of your customers.
I love how significant jewelry is throughout the world and throughout time. People have been adorning themselves with jewelry for years and its one of the oldest forms of art and design. This is something that has and will always inspire me.
For food service industry and retail, I'm for the minimum wage being increased to at least $12. Not for manufacturing. Software and robotics are going to revolutionize manufacturing in the next 10 years. In the meantime, we have to compete with overseas manufacturing.
A little bit more than 50% of what you see on screen is handcrafted and the other 50% was about emulating these textures on the computer. However, for us, when we were making it, we had to believe it was all handcrafted.
By the way on economics, South Carolina is an example to the country of what we should be doing as Americans. This country has a vast manufacturing base. It is growing in manufacturing where America is shrinking and it's because they have reduced taxes and lower regulatory burdens and been pro-business.
My father built a small business from scratch with years and years of sweat equity and many, many weeks away from home. He employed about 50 people, and by the end of his working years, the business was highly successful. He became a millionaire.
I had a strong identity in mind but then of course I had to trust Didier Dubot's expertise. They've been doing jewelry for so many years.
I am grateful to have been in this business for 16 years, which not a lot of women can say they have been fortunate to do that kind of run that many years in a row.
There's no such thing as a good time. I started an apparel-manufacturing business in the tech-boom years. I mean, come on. Get out of your garage and go take a chance and start your business.
Peace is handcrafted. It is made every day. Also friendship among people, mutual knowledge, esteem, is handcrafted. It's made every day. Respect the other, say that which one thinks, but with respect, but walk together.
Family businesses that have been around for generations are suddenly closing their doors, and while I'm not comparing my situation or my family's situations to theirs, the fact that my father's business, which has been around for 30 years, might not be around, it gives me a perspective that makes me want to fight even harder for a lot of people.
I've been working for many years and I think I've managed to work with some of the best people in the business, which has been rewarding and an apprenticeship.
I've always wanted to partner with a family business because their stories inspire me. One of my biggest hopes is that the family will invest in me, educating me about their business, and imparting many other valuable lessons. This process of helping an owner transition her business to trusted hands really excites me.
There has not been a conscious view of re-energising manufacturing. So, in some form, someone has to wave the Union Jack in the area of manufacturing.