Inspiring Profiles: A Conversation with Stephanie Gottlieb

By Alexis Trifon

Stephanie Gottlieb is a New York-based jeweler with a booming social media presence. Her jewelry designs are timeless yet unique and fashionable. Stephanie's signature "color" the rainbow, is reflected in the jewelry too. In addition to Stephanie's career, she is a wife and mother to two young children. I have followed Stephanie on Instagram since 2018 and had the pleasure of meeting her at an event. Stephanie is a true trailblazer and an inspiration to many young women, including myself! Life with Lex is thrilled to publish our conversation with SG. We discuss all things motherhood, social media, and being a female entrepreneur in today's world.

What originally drew you to the jewelry business? "Initially, I took an internship through a family friend's introduction. I was only supposed to be there for a few months while I searched for my “dream job”, but I ended up loving everything about diamonds and jewelry. I stayed at that company for five years before starting my own business."

What was the point when you realized you wanted to start your own business- were you scared to do so? "I left when I felt that my output was more than I was gaining. I was so invested in the success of what I was doing that I treated the business as my own. When I realized there wasn’t much more room for growth at that company, I took the leap to try building my own brand, knowing that I would have the creative freedom to do whatever I could dream of! I was definitely scared—I had no idea what would happen, but I believed in my vision and always strived for success. I knew that I would never be satisfied building something that I couldn't really own. I didn’t want to fail, but I felt good about the knowledge and skills I had built."

Are there any women in your life or in the business world that have inspired or inspire you? "I listened to a podcast about a year ago, Leave your Mark, with Aliza Licht, featuring Jackie Giusti Seaman, the Senior Vice President, Global Marketing and Communications at Stuart Weitzman, and I was so inspired by Jackie’s journey. When I coincidentally got to meet her just a week or two later, I was even more impressed by the woman in front of me. She is poised, elegant, KIND, and such a huge success in her field. I could tell that the people working for her respected and adored her, and I think that’s so important. Not to mention that she’s a mother all the while."

How has Instagram or social media affected your business? "Our business was built using the Instagram platform—it allowed me to transform a true “word of mouth” business into something much larger! For the first 8 years of my business, I spent next to $0 on marketing, and for a new and growing business, that is a HUGE advantage."

Where do you find inspiration for your jewelry designs or collaborations? "I’m inspired by my clients, my peers, travel, and my own daily life. I design jewelry that’s meant to be worn daily and loved, and so that is a consideration in everything I do. But mostly, I’m thinking about how a piece of jewelry will be worn now and enjoyed for a lifetime. I create pieces that I hope will one day become future heirlooms that are loved by future generations! I always say that my designs lean towards the classic, but with a modern SG twist."

Is your company mostly female and what do you believe is the importance/benefit of that? "Our company is entirely female-run! I think there’s so much to be said that there are women behind the jewelry—we understand what a woman wants to wear, how she will wear it, and her considerations for spending."

As a successful woman in a male dominated industry, what challenges or doubts have you faced?

"When I first started out, establishing myself and being taken seriously were true challenges. This industry is very much about who you know, so I had to work on my existing relationships to build a reputation with vendors and jewelers. On the client-facing side, most male shoppers have an inherent trust in the capabilities of their male counterparts over a female diamond salesperson. It also took time to shift the mentality of our shopper to understand that I really knew what a woman was looking for and could provide the same level of service/pricing as my competition."

How do you balance being a mother whilst running your own company? "This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. It is so difficult to constantly feel that you’re missing something when you’re focusing on one area of life. But I’ve decided to be 100% focused and present on whatever it is I’m doing at the moment—when I’m at work, I focus on work. And when I’m home, I focus on my kids and my husband."

What’s a stigma or quota about women entrepreneurs or women in business that has affected you? "A lot of people think that if you’re a great mother, you can’t be a great business owner, and vice versa. I really think that you can do both! And it’s just about finding the time, being focused, and prioritizing."

What is your advice for women in business? "My advice is to collaborate! Don’t look at other women as your enemies, but rather, how can you build one another up? This is something that took me too long to realize, but in recent years, it has been key to my success."

What is your wish for the next generation of businesswomen? "I hope that the next generation will be good role models and pave the way for a generation of women who do good for the world with their success, who genuinely care about their customers, and who can support other women."

Resources to Help:

https://www.cweonline.org

https://wgefund.org

https://foundingmoms.com

https://womensventurefund.org

https://www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/10000women/

https://www.uswcc.org

https://www.astia.org

https://www.ewomennetwork.com