Celebrating International Women's Day with Inspiring Women

March 04, 2021

I appreciate the sentiment of International Women's Day every year. I find inspiration and strength on display from women daily, both in my personal life and in the artistic community. This past year brought about so many unlikely scenarios, but it also gave me time to truly reflect on what matters to me — and what matters to the Jada Jo community. 

International Women's Day 2021

The theme of this year's celebratory day is #ChooseToChallenge, and I am contemplating the ways we can embody that spirit within the Jada Jo team. Before you think, "Haven't we faced enough challenges this year?" I invite you to  think about this statement from International Women's Day: "A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change. So let's all choose to challenge."

This challenge is one we can bring within ourselves, to work towards tangible change for our friends, our family, and our entire community. One of the ways I'm looking to foster positive changes within the community is to actively seek out and align myself with other women working for change. 

Find networks of empowered women

I find inspiration and camaraderie daily from our Jada Jo team, but we can't operate in a vacuum. In order to thrive as a company and as members of our greater community, Jada Jo belongs to two organizations that allow women entrepreneurs, creative thinkers, and change makers to flourish in the community. 

• Women's Jewelry Association — WJA works to empower and advance women and men in the jewelry and watch-making business. The association provides opportunities for networking, conversations, education, and leadership development. Meeting and discussing the jewelry business with women who are traveling along the same path, even in different ways, offers a helpful perspective on the business aspects of Jada Jo Jewelry.
• The Female Founder Collective brings together women-led businesses that come together with the goal of supporting other women. The Female Founder Collective strives to uplift women both socially and economically. Their mission of empowerment resonates with me deeply, and their goal to facilitate change within our society aligns with this year's #ChooseToChallenge theme. 

Find a personal hero

I don't use the word hero lightly. When I say I admire Brené Brown, the word admire can't begin to cover the ways I look to her words for guidance. If we've chatted in real life, you may have heard me talk about her, particularly about the deep connection I feel with her book Daring Greatly. Her thoughts on vulnerability draw upon a speech of Teddy Roosevelt's, and I come back to her words often.

Building a business born creativity feels viscerally vulnerable at times, and that feeling isn't always a comfortable one for me. Returning to Brené's words time and again gives me strength to be in the “arena” and let failure and success be a source of change and growth. 

Look to industry trailblazers for inspiration

Starting Jada Jo Jewelry allowed me to bring together so many of my passions, and I'm grateful for that daily. Spirituality, beauty, and global culture all play a part in my business philosophy, but none of those things could be completely realized without including philanthropy in our mission. Part of our proceeds go to charity, and I strive to support charitable organizations with both my voice and my financial backing.

I knew philanthropy would be a crucial part of Jada Jo because of an inspiration of mine within the jewelry industry. Kendra Scott is a jewelry designer — and more! — based out of Austin, Texas. I'm drawn to the aesthetic of her jewelry, of course, because she also crafts pieces using natural gemstones, a material dear to my heart. Her passion for, and commitment to, philanthropy motivates me to dream bigger, to care more, and to give back to my community a little more each day. You can see where and how her company focuses on giving back on her website. 

The women surrounding me inspire me daily, and I hope I offer some level of inspiration to other women. Together, we can achieve so much and work together to change the world for the better. 

How will you be honoring International Women's Day? 

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