February 3, 2023 • 42 mins
This week, Rachel Zoe speaks with jewelry designer and human ray of sunshine, Jennifer Meyer, about growing up with famous parents, the idea of being a “nepo baby” and dealing with harsh critics online. Jennifer is one of the kindest and most respected designers in the business for good reason.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to Currently with Katore, where I share my
latest style obsessions, all of which you can access through
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I stocked or curated e storefront with trendy accessories, she
come furnishings and more that will make you feel so refreshed.
(00:21):
As always, everything has my stamp of approval and is
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(00:41):
what are you waiting for? Head to Katour dot com,
that cure at eure dot com and get started today.
Hi everyone, I'm Rachel Zoe and you're listening to Climbing
(01:02):
in Heels. This show is all about celebrating the most
extraordinary women who will be sharing their incredible journeys to
the top, all while staying glamorous. Okay, so I'm the
luckiest because today with me, I have one of my
very best friends for what feels like fifty years but
it's definitely our whole adult life. And she is a
(01:25):
Los Angeles based jewelry designer, super mom, super friend, super everything,
and also happens to be a brilliant, successful jewelry designer,
Jennifer Meyer. And today Jen opens up about her own
struggles with brutal comments haters, explaining to her kids about
(01:45):
her divorce before she was ready to even talk about it,
her struggle with anxiety like many of us have. She's
one of the strongest women I know, and she also
happens to be really is kind of like everyone's favorite person.
And you know, I use an example in this conversation
about when we did a Zoom birthday in the pandemic
(02:08):
for her. I swear to god, I think there was
like ten pages of Zoom people wanting to like say
happy birthday and like sing their love for Jen. So
I'm very excited for you to hear this episode. It
is most definitely one of my favorites. Hi babe Hi,
So obviously you being one of my closest friends. I
(02:29):
know what I feel like most everything, but I probably
don't even know close to everything at all, and I
think I want to. I'm sure that every single one
of my listeners knows who you are. But Jennifer Meyer
is one of the obviously one of the greatest jewelry designers,
but she's also just an overall like everything jen is
(02:51):
like in everything. She's like the best mom, the best girlfriend,
the best boss, like the best sister. I say that
only because one of the things I've always admired about
you is your ability to be the best everything too
(03:11):
so many people, So I want to know, like, what
kind of kid were you? Were you? Like sweet? Funny?
Were you mean? Like what kind of kid were you?
That's a good question. I definitely hope I wasn't mean.
I grew up on the beach. I grew up like
very free and like always you know, running around naked
on the beach and just like living life and everything
(03:33):
always felt like very happy. And then I think a
lot shaped me when my parents got divorced when I
was like almost eight years old, and I think I
got young I was. I think at that point I
really became a people pleaser. And I remember it from
like a really young age of like just wanting to
make sure that everyone was okay, that my mom was okay,
(03:57):
that my sister was okay, that my dad was okay,
and just always sort of like had this attitude of like,
I'm okay, I got this, don't worry about me, I'll
worry about everybody else. Yeah, And I still like that,
by the way. Yeah, it's it's one of it's I'm
working on it, definitely working on it. But it's a
(04:19):
lifelong process, you know. So I always was really lucky,
and even through my parents divorce, I had an amazingly
close family. I mean, you know everyone in my family
and how close we all are. I always had a
lot of great friends, and my friendships were always super
important to me and making sure that I had a
(04:40):
really loving type group and that people were always really
good to each other and really had each other's back.
And I all of my friendships now are just years
and years and years. And how many years did you
and I meet. I'm gonna go it's funny because I
want say twenty and it was actually before I moved
(05:02):
to La so it's like twenty yeah somewhere, Yeah, somewhere
between twenty and twenty five years. And like, I'm so lucky.
So I think that I am somebody who I don't know.
I hope I'm all those things you said, I am.
I really are trying to be well, you know, it's funny.
I want to point something out because as you're saying it,
(05:22):
I think about it because there's a lot of people
that are like, Okay, I have those three close girlfriends
and that's all I needed and I'm good, right. But
for you, it's funny because I'll never forget in the
pandemic when we were all doing zoom birthdays and zoom
baby showers and zoom everything, right, and I remember on
(05:45):
everybody's birthday there was like anywhere between like five and
ten people on their zoom birthdays, right, And on your
zoom birthday, I will never forget because we all went
around like what do we love about Jed? And literally
I think there was ten pages on the zoom of people.
It was incredible, and I was like, Wow, you are
(06:06):
so loved. And I think what's interesting is that what
I've seen is that that's clearly transferred into like your
professional life right, certainly into your mom life, right. But
I think that you know, as you've grown, and I
remember when you started making jewelry because it's when I
was living like around the corner from you. And the
(06:29):
very first emire piece I got was the good Luck
term the good Luck necklace, which is the sweatshirt you're wearing,
which is her Now, dare I say this is like
your brand, it's your brand ethos, right, like this is
your signature, right yeah? Still one of our best selling pieces,
of course, forever forever. Going back to I always said,
(06:51):
I remember my daughter in kindergarten. She came home one
day She's like, Mom, I really want to be popular.
I said, you do, and she said, yeah, I just
want to be the most popular. And I said okay,
And she said how do I do that? How do
I become the most popular? And I said, okay, you
want to know how to become the most popular person?
She said yes, And I said, always be kind to
(07:12):
everybody name I said, no matter what, be good to
yourself first, and be kind to everybody around you. It
doesn't matter who they are, what they look like, what
they've said in the past. You just be kind and
then everyone likes you, you know. And I think that
kindness is so important. And I am I'm so lucky
I did I had. I don't even know there's one
(07:35):
hundred people on that zoom and everyone had a story
and it was made so it meant so much to me.
You have a lot of friends by being a good friend,
and it doesn't just go one way. You got to
give a lot, and I really try and give a
lot to a lot of people, but there are I
am lucky. I do have a small core group of
(07:57):
girls that I depend on, and I don't know what
I would do without you. Know you, I mean, I've
known you for twenty five years. You're my sister, You're
one of my best friends on the planet. You know
everything about me. You and I can when we connect,
we just catch up from where we left off. And
it's listen, I Sarah Foster where it's like she's you know,
my first cur call in the morning and my wife. Right,
(08:21):
it's like you get you get these these girls or
Ali who you know been best friends since sixteen, or
I have so many I could my list can go
on and on. But it's like, but it's a lot, Jen,
It's a lot to give. That's a thing, Like I
think that's the thing about being a working mother friend, right,
(08:43):
being a friend, you have to really work for that,
not work like it's painful, work like it's a lot
of time, right listen, Aside from Ruby and otis my teenagers,
who you know, I want to give everything to and
I do everything I can. It's like, that's the greatest
joy in my life is giving and receiving from the
(09:07):
people I love the most. I know that sounds so cheesy. No,
it's what fills me. It's literally what makes me happy
every day. You've come up in this incredibly beautiful life
right in this place, and we've talked about this, right
and there's obviously this whole thing going on about like
NEPO babies and whatever, which, by the way, well, first
(09:30):
of all, I'm not one, right, But here's the thing.
I don't even know why this is a thing right now,
because to me, what that is just coming from is
people who are working hard and seeing that maybe people
meet people easier, people like came up a little quicker,
and that may be true. But the thing that I
will always say is it doesn't matter how you get there,
(09:51):
it's actually how you stay there. If you are not
working your ass off or your brand or your product,
or you're acting or you're singing, your talent, whatever that is,
if it's not deserving of success, it will never last
right undred percent. I mean, listen, I think if you
grow up in a certain way, you can't deny your
privilege like I can't. I can't deny how lucky I was.
(10:14):
I can't deny that I was given so many beautiful
opportunities because of my family or the people that I know,
you know what I mean. But it's like, well, aren't
going to wear jewelry they don't like people, aren't going
to work with a brand that has a shitty like
foundation of course, or that they don't treat their customers well,
(10:35):
or you know what I mean. Like I think that
you can be given opportunities and it's what you do
with those opportunities. And it's believe me, there's a lot
of people that I know that have grown up in
very privileged families and have had every opportunity and haven't
done shit with it, no, you know what I mean.
And then there's people that let's take our best friend
(10:56):
Kate Hudson for example, Sure she grew up her families
who it is and I've never seen anyone work harder
or a being more talented, and you know what I mean,
Like she would have been I think as famous as
she is no matter what, because she's as talented as
they get and kind and works her ass off, so
a thousand percent. I actually think one step further, I
(11:18):
actually think that people are harder on people that were
handed things, meaning like I think the expectation is so
high at that point that I remember a very famous
probably one of the most famous athletes in the world,
when one of their kids went out to play. They
got destroyed, destroyed, And I thought, how horrible is that?
(11:41):
Like you don't want to get your violin out? But
at the same time, it's like there's a pro and
a con. And I think you're exactly right. You earn
your place in this life, and I think how you
get there may be easier for some, but I think
you have to earn your place. And I think that
hard work and success proves itself ultimately, especially in the
case of someone like Kate Hudson, Like she's still freaking
going what is she twenty years into this now and
(12:03):
on top of her freaking career right now. So God
bless Yes, But I do want to talk about something
we've talked about before, because I'm a firm believer in
education not defining you, and I have had some of
the most successful women I know on this podcast who
were like, yeah, I dropped out in ninth grade, or
this is so funny. I just had this entire conversation
(12:27):
with my boyfriend last night how I basically lied to
my family and told them that I graduated college and
I didn't. And I'm like, he was just dumbfounded. He's like,
how do you even do that? How do you actually
even do that? That's what's so freaking genius. By the way,
like how did you Oh, it's literally like the most ridiculous.
(12:48):
I went to Syracuse for three years. I want abroad
to Rome. I was like, did all my stuff. And
then my senior year, I had left Syracuse because I
had some like autoimmune stuff, and I was like my
mom was like, just come home, and I was like, great,
I'll go to UCLA Extension. I did all these classes.
By the way, Ali Wise was there. We did all
these classes together. It was great. By the way, I
(13:09):
bullshitted my way through that. I was in LA my
senior year. I was like having a blast, but Syracuse
was like, Oh, because you're gonna still finish, we'll let
you walk. I was like, Oh, this is perfect. I'm
gonna tell my family I'm graduating. They won't know. My
entire family flies up to Syracuse, which is it's not
(13:30):
easy to get to Syracuse from Los Angeles. It's like
it's a process. Spend the whole weekend there, celebrate the
whole weekend with me, get hotel rooms. This is a
big deal. I'm the first person in my family to
graduate college. Dah da da. And my dad was like, great,
once you get a job and once you graduate, like,
I'm going to help you with your first apartment. I
moved in with my friend Brian first. We were having
(13:52):
a blast living on Crescent Heights. And one day I
get a call from my dad. He had been a
speaker at something at Syracuse, and MAKE said to my dad,
you know, when Jennifer is ready to graduate, we want
to be we want to be supportive and how can
we help her? And my dad was like, oh no, no no, no,
if we all went there, she graduated, got the diploma. Well,
when they gave me the diploma, it was it was
blank inside. I just didn't tell anyone and I got
(14:16):
a call for my dad. Oh my god, that was
a day. Now, the funniest story are you kind of
did you tell your kids yet? Not really? Yeah, exactly
how I'm like, maybe leave that out until they graduate,
do you know what I mean? I was like, I
don't know what I'm thinking. By the way, I wasn't
(14:38):
even worried. I wasn't even scared. I had already gotten
like an incredible job at this point. I my first
job out of college. I like faked my way. I
don't know how, and I became editor. I became beauty
Fitness Editor West Coast Beauty Fitness editor of Glamor magazine.
Stop twenty one, twenty two years old. Stop it. Yes,
(15:02):
it was before our money, yeah, before a role before
oh my god, I'm dead. Yes, And I basically like
met with the editor in chief of Glamour magazine, like
somehow slid into an interview there. I don't know how
it happened. Someone had just quit and I was like, listen,
I don't know really how to write. I don't really
know what I'm doing, but I swear to God, if
you want to know what's cool in LA Who's Cool Magazine?
(15:26):
I was like, hire me. It was like I think,
I don't know. Probably got paid twenty two thousand dollars
a year. At the time, I was like Jack Pott,
of course, like I was making with seventeen five by
the way, right, it was so much money for me,
I can't even tell you. And I was, I mean,
my dad, my family was like, oh my look at
(15:48):
this genius who just graduated Syracuse got this major job.
Our daughter is incredible. So by the time I had
the job, and then my dad called me, I swear
to God, like I thought he was going to reach
through the phone and strangle me. And but if he's
that's the thing. And you went to Carlthorpe and you
went to Crossroads, right, well, I went to Carlthorpe and
(16:11):
then went to Brentwood for seventh and eighth grade. They
kicked me out. Brentwood kindly asked me to leave, and
then which is finds still some of my best friends
are from seventh grade, Jane and Brian and Alex and
then Crossroads when I was in ninth grade, they were
like they believed in me. They were like, we see you.
We got to Crossroads believed in me and they were like,
(16:34):
we want to give this girl an opportunity, and they
did and I completely thrived there and you know, they
really like nurtured my artistic side and my like hippie
dippie side, and Crossroads was the best experience of my life.
So then okay, So then after all this, and then
you went through fashion right, Glamor, you did our Money,
you did Ralph right yep, and then you started Jenmyer Tory.
(16:58):
I did. Okay, So why why? Like what, you were
not married yet? Right? You were you married? I can't
know you were almost married? Well I wasn't married yet. No,
I wasn't even engaged yet. I mean, it all happened
very quickly. Yeah, you know, I just remember Thrasher like
I just I don't know. I don't remember marital status.
I just remember where we were when it was and
(17:20):
I came over to see it all. Well I did.
I think Toby and I moved in together, like the
week we started dating, So that makes sense that it
would all alur together. You are just so you know,
you are the quintessential California. You are just the California girl.
You just are. You're like that's like you grew up
fancy but not but you're the most not fancy person.
(17:42):
I will tell you this, Thank you. I don't feel fancy.
You're not fancy, but I will class this classy, but
not thank you. What I realized in my life when
it came to school, when it came to work, it
was like the one thing my family and my parents
always instilled in me was you need to get a job.
(18:04):
I don't care if it's your dream job or you
are pouring coffee somewhere. A job is non negotiable. Yeah
that is. We will help you in your life in
ways we can not. Without a job. Without a job,
you get nothing. So working for me was always instilled
in me, like do not sunk around. You need to
do and you need to do a good job. Both
(18:24):
your parents fucking work their asses off, Like totally. Your
parents are ballers, both of them and all of them
but my stepmom, they're all amazing. So for me, I
think I always had this belief in life everything will
always work out. Yeah, you still do. I try. It
(18:46):
gets harder as you get older, but it does. But
you've said that to me a lot. In a crumbling moment,
You're like, it's going to work out, and I listen.
I think we say that to help each other get
through something. But I also think there is this really
big part of us that does believe it because it
does right one way or another. You have to believe
to receive. Yes, you know what I mean, you really
(19:06):
do and you can't fight what the universe has in store.
And I think I worked for Armani and I did
all of that, and you and I worked together there
because that was you would literally come into pull clothes.
I mean, it was amazing. It was fun. And then
working for Ralph Lauren. And while I was at Ralph Lauren,
(19:28):
I was traveling a lot and doing a lot of
things with Toby at the time, and I really wanted
to start my jewelry company. And Rebecca McCabe, who was
my boss who now runs Chanel, I was really open
and transparent with her and I was like, listen, I
still want to do stuff with you guys, but I
really want to start this jewelry company. And I always
(19:49):
say to people be really honest and transparent because if
it works for your job and your boss can make
it work, then they will, and if they can't, then
it's not the job for you. Which is time too,
because most jobs you can't do multiple jobs. It just
doesn't work for people totally. But I do think that
if you're honest with people, you're never it's not going
(20:10):
to blow up in your face, right totally. And she
was like, you know what, great, We're going to figure
out how you can still help us and how you
can create your business. And it all worked out beautifully.
And I started this jewelry business out of not knowing.
I didn't know what the hell I was doing. I
had no clue. I literally had no training whatsoever. And
(20:31):
I completely taught myself and it was really important for
me to do it on my own and one gave
me any money. I remember saying to my dad, I'm
gonna yeah, no, I just did. I figured it out
and yeah, I was up on Thrasser and it all
it all worked out. It truly worked out in that time.
(20:52):
But I think that's important, Jem, because I think to
your point, I think the work ethic that you have,
that you're sister has, that your parents have, that now
you're you know that Eli and Carson have. And I
think there's this thing where it doesn't matter how what
you grow up with, who you grow up around, who
(21:14):
you're surrounded by, celebrities non celebrities, It doesn't actually matter.
But ultimately, when you have that work ethic right like
in you, no one can take that from you. But
I also think that your passion for making jewelry and
finding your own kind of thing was everything to you.
Right That's where I started to see you just like
(21:36):
light up. It went from being like a job that
you were good at, that was part of your being,
that Jemire jewelry became you like it's your thing and everybody.
And it's funny because everywhere I go, I'll see like
a piece, whether it's a heart, or whether it's like
a signature like beginning piece, or whether it's like the
(21:56):
newer ones now, and it's it's so amazing for me
even to see it out in the wild on people
that don't know you. They're like, oh my god, my
boyfriend got oh my god, I've wanted this forever. My
parents got this for me for graduation. It's funny because
I think a lot of people on the outside who
know you, your brand, your jewelry, they may know a
lot about your background, they may not. I think for
(22:17):
people that do, they're like, oh, she hit the jackpot,
she has this dream life. But I also think you're
one of the least spoiled, most grateful, down to earth
people I know. So I was friends with you for many,
many years before I knew anything about where you were from,
or who your parents were anything. But you have very
successful parents. It's not that they're like celebrity famous parents.
(22:40):
They are just ballers in the industry right, in the
entertainment industry. But I think what's really important for people
to know is what were or what are some of
your greatest challenges in this Have you had haters? Have
you had copycats? Have you had people that write it
about you and try and take you down? I really
(23:02):
I'm a very sensitive person. Yeah, and my feelings can
get hurt very easily. I hate it, but it's true,
and I get and I also get anxiety and I
suffer from really bad anxiety attacks. And I had to
really work hard in my life to like learn how
to not get anxiety attacks anymore, because when an anxiety
(23:23):
attack comes on, it feels like a heart attack and
you can't control. So I don't get those anymore. But
it's I remember you getting one in a car on
the way to an event. Yeah, and you called me
and you were like, you don't understand I'm pulled over
on the side of the road, like I can't breathe.
They were that bad. Yeah, it's and it's like crippling.
So when things happen in the outside world that hurt
(23:45):
my feelings, like I kind of have to tune it out.
And when people are haters or people have mean things
to say, you know what, they don't know me and
they don't they don't they don't have my phone number
to call me and say, hey, what's the problem, or Hey,
this hurt my feelings. I believe everything is work outable. Yeah,
(24:08):
I believe every situation. You can talk through anything. And
I think that I get upset when somebody. I get
upset if somebody's upset, but I almost every time try
and handle it right then and there. And like whether
it's a text or a call or I heard this
or if I don't feel like doing that, then I
(24:29):
know that person. I wish them well in life, but
that person's not for me, and I don't need to engage,
you know what I mean. I just decide to not
let it eat me up alive, either deal with something
or let it go. You have this incredible ability to
hit things straight on but like I feel like when
something is upsetting you, I feel like you do deal
(24:50):
with it in that moment and you say how you feel.
And I think that's a really hard thing to do,
especially for I think strong women, because I think of
you as being very strong woman one hundred percent, which
is funny because I think people think of me as
being a very strong woman. And I feel like everything
you just said, I'm hurt by everything, all those things,
(25:10):
and I think you're right. You do have to think
about those people that are the haters, and you go,
hold on. I've never even had a meal with them.
I've never spoken to them on the phone. And that's okay.
People can have their opinions. That's totally fine. And if
something hurts my feelings, I'm gonna find a way to
talk to that person, or if that person's not a
(25:32):
part of my life, I choose just be like, you
know what, wish them well and they can feel what
they want, and I just I don't have that space
in my life. My daughter needs me to help her
with her friends for the weekend, and that's going to
take my priority right now because she's, you know, a
teenager and she's working her own stuff out, you know
what I mean. And I think as far as stuff
getting written about me or my life, I'm not a
(25:53):
famous person, I'm not a public person like that, but
I think like there's been more or less it's all
love stuff written, and I always appreciate when people take
the time to be supportive of me and my business.
I think the hardest moment was when I wasn't ready
to announce my divorce yet because we were protecting our
(26:13):
children and we were trying to figure out we were
still living in the same house and figuring out what
we needed to do. And I'll never forget. I was
driving and I got a call from Toby's publicist saying
People Magazine is going to run a story tomorrow about
you getting divorce and if you guys want to make
a statement, you have to do it in the next hour.
And I felt like the whole world yeah, because it's
(26:37):
not whoever decided to call People Magazine didn't realize in
that moment. It wasn't about like, oh, Toby and are
just stay, oh we're getting divorce. It's sitting your two
young children down and having to tell them and say, like,
life as you know it is going to change, and
your parents are getting divorced and calling the school and
(27:00):
kids talking to them at school and all this other stuff.
So in that moment, you want to find the person
who did that and say fuck you. Yeah, like the
fuck is wrong with you? It's so mean, why'd you
do that? That's not your decision, by the way, But
I realized also in that moment, the universe really does
have your back, and the universe really does know what's
(27:24):
right for you in that moment, because God only knows
how long it would have taken us, and there was
never going to be a good time exactly. There was
never going to be a good time, and we were
done with that marriage. So it was time to tell
our kids and it was time to move on. And
now your best friends. So's my best friend, and my
kids are happy and we just have a life together
(27:46):
as best friends. So that was great, and I remember
that like it was literally last week. I think, as
far as work goes again, everybody's been so kind and
love and supportive of my brand and supportive of me,
and I love that so much. One of the more
frustrating things I went through that became really public that
(28:09):
I never commented on I never said no comment. I
just ignored, ignored, ignored. Was there was this whole thing
with Mega Markle where people had said I had done
something that I wasn't supposed to do or posted pictures
or whatever. There is somebody that it got back to me.
Somebody tried to take me down. And that's really hurtful
(28:32):
because I know, I know in the world that the
specific person who was trying to like hurt me, and
I've never addressed at because that's a whole other situation.
I'm like that they can live their life. I don't
have room for this, but I would never ever do
something against a contract. And at the time Megan Markle
(28:55):
was had just started dating Prince Harry and it was
a whole beautiful world old and whatever it's turned into,
God bless them, God bless everybody. But at the time
to have Megan Markle wearing anything of yours was a
really big deal. Oh my god, I texted to hear
I was freaking out and there were no gifts. She
bought everything and we got a call from the Palace saying, oh,
(29:19):
Mega Markle would love to purchase some of your jewelry.
Fantastic They we signed whatever you sign, you know, you
don't tell anybody. Great, I don't need to tell anybody.
Pictures can be used or posted or you can whatever
after they have been in the world. Right. So it's
like if she was at a press thing and the
pictures were everywhere, great, free reign. I also purchase every
(29:43):
single one of my pictures right from the photographers. I
don't I did everything by the book. Somehow, somewhere there
was a story leak to I don't know the Sun
or Hello or whatever. I don't know what those magazines
are in New England, but whatever they are, and it
was basically saying that like I had posted pictures like
(30:09):
illegal I don't even know illegal, like like prematurely or
like against contract, you weren't allowed to post said pictures
of Megan in the necklace. Something was and it became
this huge thing. By the way, welcome to By the way,
nothing ever happened legally, I never nothing it was, but
it didn't go away. It was in People, it was
in the Daily Mail, it was in Women's Wear Daily,
(30:32):
it was in all this, all of these publications. You
don't want negative shit written, especially your business that you
work so hard. And I'm so above bored and I
do everything by the book and that bummed me out. Well,
I didn't say one word about it because I was
just like, you know what this, I know the truth
(30:52):
and let's just just go away and I don't need
to start a whole narrative. But it got you because
it was like, what are you talking about? Like in
my like, I would never I would never do anything
that I wasn't supposed to do. I've never met Mega Markle.
I don't know her, and by the way, Jen, you
don't need to. And there was a really big moment,
(31:14):
you know, when she like presented her son to the
world for the first time. She was wearing this three
bezil diamond necklace of mine, and all of a sudden,
it's like the website was like shut down, Like you
can't even imagine how many orders we received from that,
and like, God bless her. I would have given her
that necklace at that time for that, like but yeah,
plus a diamond ring or something anything, but you couldn't
(31:37):
give anything. They bought. Oh they're very Yeah, they paid,
they paid for everything. Yeah. And you know, as a company,
you just post when people are wearing your jewelry. Beers,
you're excited about it, you know what I mean? Those moments,
those are really hard for me because I'm terrifying and
I'm sad that people are lying, and I'm sad that
(32:00):
people are like I'm a small business like any which
way you cut it. So it makes me sad when
people try and take me down in ways that are
just like it's hurt flo. I would never do that.
I would never mess with someone's livelihood, you know what
I mean? And why you don't need to John, And
that's the thing. You're not a jealous person. You're not
a jealous person at all. That's not what drives you.
(32:22):
And that's why you have so many girlfriends. I'm friends
that are boys, by the way. And honestly, her team
called us and they were so supportive and they even said,
we have no idea where this came from. And that
was enough for me, and I didn't feel like there
was a reason to say anything publicly or do anything publicly.
(32:43):
But going back to being kind or things being written
about you, I just think that you've got to take
everything with a grain of salt and not worry about
what the outside world says or doesn't say, and just
do that's that you can do, because if you know
the truth and you move with honesty and love, then
(33:05):
it really doesn't matter. You have a And I don't
say this because I love you for my whole adult life.
You have this real kind of magic around you that
people want to be with you. You work really fucking hard,
and you feel things really fucking deeply, and you mom
really fucking hard. Before we jumped on, I was having
(33:26):
this debate with my team at this whole NEPO thing
to me is so annoying, only because I just think
it's not fair and I don't even know why it's
a thing. And I have had to defend a lot
of people in my life are like, oh, well it
was easy for them. Oh well it was they got this,
And it's like, no, it's not. Actually sometimes it's actually harder.
Watching you build your business has been You are very grassroots,
(33:51):
you have a small team, you have this beautiful store,
and you have like a real business. But I still
in a lot of ways feel like it's a small
business and it's by brick, you know, and I think
everything matters. It's totally a small business. For sure. It's
a great business and it's a super successful business, but
you're expanding. Yeah, of course I want to talk about that, Jenna.
(34:13):
I want to talk about that. Well. I want to
talk about it because I don't know that people were
seeing that coming, right, because I think all of a sudden,
there was a sweatshirt. I love jewelry. That is my brand.
Of course, find Joys. That is so important to me.
But like, I just want to do more and more.
I can't really stop myself. And the sweatshirts really came
out of COVID where I was like, let's just send
(34:33):
our friends like a bunch of sweatshirts and be fun.
And then all of a sudden, we're like, holy shit,
everybody wants to buy a sweatshirt. So I didn't even
then we did the toe. I carried that all summer.
We carried that all summer. My kids where that Skyler
Whear's his good luck had every every weekend. When you
play tennis, it's like his hey Skyler. And now I
(34:57):
need to plug totally. Not because John's my friend. If
I didn't know her, I would tell you I am
completely obsessed with the fragrance. I have it on literally
right now. You can't smell me through my computer, but
I have it on right now. But more importantly, I
want to talk about the candle. Yeah, because launched this week.
By the way, my team tried to swipe it. They
were like, do you need this? And I was like, everyone,
(35:19):
get off my freaking candle. I'm lighting it right here,
right now, and it smells perfect, And I really think
that the whole sort of good luck of it all.
It's kind of like it makes you happy when you
look at it, because you're like, I could use this
right now. Listen, Like life is complicated, like we all
need like little extra love and luck and protection. But yeah,
(35:43):
the candle and the fragrance, Oh my god, it took
so long to develop that set because I really wanted
that beakey, yummy, delicious, like feeling of your tan and
you smell like spuntan lotion, but like I wanted people
to always when they come up, she'd be like, oh
my god, you smell so good good what is that
that feeling? And did the perfume and people went crazy
(36:05):
and loved it, and I love it and I was like,
in my whole house to smell like it. Ye. So
there's the candle and of course you have to have
a little good luck jewelry dish that comes with it
a hundred percent. And I feel like, okay, so can
you give me a little teaser of what's to come
three years, five years, ten years, twenty years. What's do
you do that? Or do you only live in here
and now? I really try and live in here and now.
(36:28):
But like, I do think it's really important to like
manifest feelings. Yeah, feelings are really important to me, and
like emotionally and mentally, like I just want to keep
growing and feeling calm and being trusting that there is
just a plan in place and that everything is just
(36:48):
working out exactly the way it needs to. I really
find watching you right now. It's funny because as you
were talking, I was going to say, you fuck looks
so hot. Now I feel like you're just really feeling
it right now. I don't know, I can't explain it.
I feel like you're walking with a confidence right now.
I feel like even just what you're wearing, I'm like, what,
(37:12):
who are you? I'm so proud of you. I'm like,
you're wearing things a little tighter, you were sequence sexy,
Like I freaking love it and I feel like you're
just owning your beauty. Your natural beauties has always been there,
but like just kicking at right now. Listen. I love
(37:33):
my age. I feel really good. I'm really happy. And
business so yeah, business is great, but I do feel
and I don't know what it is, but I do
feel like, both personally and professionally, like there's a lot
of change happening yeah, and a lot of change that
(37:54):
will happen, and I'm trying just to be really excited
for it rather than anxious about it and know that
like at every moment, everything has worked out so perfectly,
even if in the moment it felt scary or not
perfect or sad or confusing, it was all perfect and
(38:18):
it all comes full circle. It all comes full circle.
So I think, yeah, we're having the best time expanding
on the lifestyle part of the business, which has been amazing.
The toads of sweats are fragrance, the candles, it's just
doing great. I feel like it should like good luck
leisure wear. And then my kids are my kids, and
(38:45):
I live for them. They're the greatest and like personally
just thriving, you know, like I love watching it trying
to thrive by the way every day is easy. I'm
not gonna lie, but I don't think every day should
be easy. And I think because you won't appreciate the
good days if you don't have shitty ones A and B.
I have to tell you that, like having lived a
(39:07):
lot of life at this point personally and professionally, I
do believe and I agree with you that I do
think the universe makes so many decisions for us that
we would never have made ourselves because we just couldn't.
And in the moment it's terrifying, And in the moment,
you're like, what the fuck? And then after a year later,
(39:28):
two years that you're like, think, God, that happened, right, please,
thank God? Right, Oh my God. I love you. So
I'm honestly in awe of you. I think you do
do it all. And I know we all crumble and
we do and we're human and we have anxiety and
all the things. But like, you really are so much
(39:48):
to so many people, and I think there's a lot
of love in your brand, and there's a lot of
love that you give. And I you know, I wanted
to have you on because I want other people to
know like who you are. I love you madly, you too,
have a good day, babes. Okay, it's that time of
the show when I answer to listener questions, so let's
(40:09):
see what we have to day. Okay, what should I
get my new boyfriend for Valentine's Day? I have always
fallen back on a great like weekender, a travel bag.
If you are with someone who happens to like move
around a lot, go away with the guys, or just
(40:30):
go away for work a lot, you can never go
wrong with a chic travel bag. I just I think
it's literally one of the best guy gifts. I think,
like a great beanie or a hat. I am fortunate
that Roger wears Man jewels, so that has really served
me over the years. I'm a big believer in Man
jewelry because I think it's really special. I love, like,
(40:53):
definitely the days of ties and things like that are
most definitely gone. I love getting coats for guys. If
you're confident in the size, or if you guys are
out and about and you see him eye something, that's
always obviously the best thing to do because then they're
shocked and really excited and you know they love it. Okay,
(41:13):
what's your go to fragrance that I wear all year round.
I'm definitely I have so many favorite fragrances. I am
a huge tom Ford fragrance person. I have my own
fragrance that I love. I love to wear a Warrior
my Rachel's a Warrior fragrance, and honestly, I really love
my Jen Meyer fragrance. It's so good. It really does
(41:34):
make you feel like you're at the beach. It's a
really beautiful fragrance and looks really pretty sitting on your vanity.
Don't forget to submit your questions for next week's episode.
All you have to do is DMUs your questions to
at Climbing in Heel's pod on Instagram and I might
just answer your question. Thank you so much too, Jen
(41:55):
for coming on the podcast today, opening up about her
life very candidly, and you know, her incredible business, what
it took to build it, her struggles, the future of
the business, what she's most excited about. This was really
a fun one and you know, Jen comes from an
incredible family, but I have to say she is gracious
and hard working. And of course thank you too, my
(42:16):
amazing listeners as well for being here. And if you
want more Climbing in Heels content. Follow me on at
Rachel's Zoe and at Climbing in Heels Pod on Instagram
for more updates on upcoming guests, episodes, and all things creature.
I will see you all next week.
Welcome back to Currently with Katore, where I share my
latest style obsessions, all of which you can access through
my shopping community Cretur. I'm all about starting your year
off with little luxuries to elevate your every day. So
I stocked or curated e storefront with trendy accessories, she
come furnishings and more that will make you feel so refreshed.
(00:21):
As always, everything has my stamp of approval and is
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Heels listeners an additional twenty five percent off your first
purchase with code Climb twenty five Climb twenty five. So
(00:41):
what are you waiting for? Head to Katour dot com,
that cure at eure dot com and get started today.
Hi everyone, I'm Rachel Zoe and you're listening to Climbing
(01:02):
in Heels. This show is all about celebrating the most
extraordinary women who will be sharing their incredible journeys to
the top, all while staying glamorous. Okay, so I'm the
luckiest because today with me, I have one of my
very best friends for what feels like fifty years but
it's definitely our whole adult life. And she is a
(01:25):
Los Angeles based jewelry designer, super mom, super friend, super everything,
and also happens to be a brilliant, successful jewelry designer,
Jennifer Meyer. And today Jen opens up about her own
struggles with brutal comments haters, explaining to her kids about
(01:45):
her divorce before she was ready to even talk about it,
her struggle with anxiety like many of us have. She's
one of the strongest women I know, and she also
happens to be really is kind of like everyone's favorite person.
And you know, I use an example in this conversation
about when we did a Zoom birthday in the pandemic
(02:08):
for her. I swear to god, I think there was
like ten pages of Zoom people wanting to like say
happy birthday and like sing their love for Jen. So
I'm very excited for you to hear this episode. It
is most definitely one of my favorites. Hi babe Hi,
So obviously you being one of my closest friends. I
(02:29):
know what I feel like most everything, but I probably
don't even know close to everything at all, and I
think I want to. I'm sure that every single one
of my listeners knows who you are. But Jennifer Meyer
is one of the obviously one of the greatest jewelry designers,
but she's also just an overall like everything jen is
(02:51):
like in everything. She's like the best mom, the best girlfriend,
the best boss, like the best sister. I say that
only because one of the things I've always admired about
you is your ability to be the best everything too
(03:11):
so many people, So I want to know, like, what
kind of kid were you? Were you? Like sweet? Funny?
Were you mean? Like what kind of kid were you?
That's a good question. I definitely hope I wasn't mean.
I grew up on the beach. I grew up like
very free and like always you know, running around naked
on the beach and just like living life and everything
(03:33):
always felt like very happy. And then I think a
lot shaped me when my parents got divorced when I
was like almost eight years old, and I think I
got young I was. I think at that point I
really became a people pleaser. And I remember it from
like a really young age of like just wanting to
make sure that everyone was okay, that my mom was okay,
(03:57):
that my sister was okay, that my dad was okay,
and just always sort of like had this attitude of like,
I'm okay, I got this, don't worry about me, I'll
worry about everybody else. Yeah, And I still like that,
by the way. Yeah, it's it's one of it's I'm
working on it, definitely working on it. But it's a
(04:19):
lifelong process, you know. So I always was really lucky,
and even through my parents divorce, I had an amazingly
close family. I mean, you know everyone in my family
and how close we all are. I always had a
lot of great friends, and my friendships were always super
important to me and making sure that I had a
(04:40):
really loving type group and that people were always really
good to each other and really had each other's back.
And I all of my friendships now are just years
and years and years. And how many years did you
and I meet. I'm gonna go it's funny because I
want say twenty and it was actually before I moved
(05:02):
to La so it's like twenty yeah somewhere, Yeah, somewhere
between twenty and twenty five years. And like, I'm so lucky.
So I think that I am somebody who I don't know.
I hope I'm all those things you said, I am.
I really are trying to be well, you know, it's funny.
I want to point something out because as you're saying it,
(05:22):
I think about it because there's a lot of people
that are like, Okay, I have those three close girlfriends
and that's all I needed and I'm good, right. But
for you, it's funny because I'll never forget in the
pandemic when we were all doing zoom birthdays and zoom
baby showers and zoom everything, right, and I remember on
(05:45):
everybody's birthday there was like anywhere between like five and
ten people on their zoom birthdays, right, And on your
zoom birthday, I will never forget because we all went
around like what do we love about Jed? And literally
I think there was ten pages on the zoom of people.
It was incredible, and I was like, Wow, you are
(06:06):
so loved. And I think what's interesting is that what
I've seen is that that's clearly transferred into like your
professional life right, certainly into your mom life, right. But
I think that you know, as you've grown, and I
remember when you started making jewelry because it's when I
was living like around the corner from you. And the
(06:29):
very first emire piece I got was the good Luck
term the good Luck necklace, which is the sweatshirt you're wearing,
which is her Now, dare I say this is like
your brand, it's your brand ethos, right, like this is
your signature, right yeah? Still one of our best selling pieces,
of course, forever forever. Going back to I always said,
(06:51):
I remember my daughter in kindergarten. She came home one
day She's like, Mom, I really want to be popular.
I said, you do, and she said, yeah, I just
want to be the most popular. And I said okay,
And she said how do I do that? How do
I become the most popular? And I said, okay, you
want to know how to become the most popular person?
She said yes, And I said, always be kind to
(07:12):
everybody name I said, no matter what, be good to
yourself first, and be kind to everybody around you. It
doesn't matter who they are, what they look like, what
they've said in the past. You just be kind and
then everyone likes you, you know. And I think that
kindness is so important. And I am I'm so lucky
I did I had. I don't even know there's one
(07:35):
hundred people on that zoom and everyone had a story
and it was made so it meant so much to me.
You have a lot of friends by being a good friend,
and it doesn't just go one way. You got to
give a lot, and I really try and give a
lot to a lot of people, but there are I
am lucky. I do have a small core group of
(07:57):
girls that I depend on, and I don't know what
I would do without you. Know you, I mean, I've
known you for twenty five years. You're my sister, You're
one of my best friends on the planet. You know
everything about me. You and I can when we connect,
we just catch up from where we left off. And
it's listen, I Sarah Foster where it's like she's you know,
my first cur call in the morning and my wife. Right,
(08:21):
it's like you get you get these these girls or
Ali who you know been best friends since sixteen, or
I have so many I could my list can go
on and on. But it's like, but it's a lot, Jen,
It's a lot to give. That's a thing, Like I
think that's the thing about being a working mother friend, right,
(08:43):
being a friend, you have to really work for that,
not work like it's painful, work like it's a lot
of time, right listen, Aside from Ruby and otis my teenagers,
who you know, I want to give everything to and
I do everything I can. It's like, that's the greatest
joy in my life is giving and receiving from the
(09:07):
people I love the most. I know that sounds so cheesy. No,
it's what fills me. It's literally what makes me happy
every day. You've come up in this incredibly beautiful life
right in this place, and we've talked about this, right
and there's obviously this whole thing going on about like
NEPO babies and whatever, which, by the way, well, first
(09:30):
of all, I'm not one, right, But here's the thing.
I don't even know why this is a thing right now,
because to me, what that is just coming from is
people who are working hard and seeing that maybe people
meet people easier, people like came up a little quicker,
and that may be true. But the thing that I
will always say is it doesn't matter how you get there,
(09:51):
it's actually how you stay there. If you are not
working your ass off or your brand or your product,
or you're acting or you're singing, your talent, whatever that is,
if it's not deserving of success, it will never last
right undred percent. I mean, listen, I think if you
grow up in a certain way, you can't deny your
privilege like I can't. I can't deny how lucky I was.
(10:14):
I can't deny that I was given so many beautiful
opportunities because of my family or the people that I know,
you know what I mean. But it's like, well, aren't
going to wear jewelry they don't like people, aren't going
to work with a brand that has a shitty like
foundation of course, or that they don't treat their customers well,
(10:35):
or you know what I mean. Like I think that
you can be given opportunities and it's what you do
with those opportunities. And it's believe me, there's a lot
of people that I know that have grown up in
very privileged families and have had every opportunity and haven't
done shit with it, no, you know what I mean.
And then there's people that let's take our best friend
(10:56):
Kate Hudson for example, Sure she grew up her families
who it is and I've never seen anyone work harder
or a being more talented, and you know what I mean,
Like she would have been I think as famous as
she is no matter what, because she's as talented as
they get and kind and works her ass off, so
a thousand percent. I actually think one step further, I
(11:18):
actually think that people are harder on people that were
handed things, meaning like I think the expectation is so
high at that point that I remember a very famous
probably one of the most famous athletes in the world,
when one of their kids went out to play. They
got destroyed, destroyed, And I thought, how horrible is that?
(11:41):
Like you don't want to get your violin out? But
at the same time, it's like there's a pro and
a con. And I think you're exactly right. You earn
your place in this life, and I think how you
get there may be easier for some, but I think
you have to earn your place. And I think that
hard work and success proves itself ultimately, especially in the
case of someone like Kate Hudson, Like she's still freaking
going what is she twenty years into this now and
(12:03):
on top of her freaking career right now. So God
bless Yes, But I do want to talk about something
we've talked about before, because I'm a firm believer in
education not defining you, and I have had some of
the most successful women I know on this podcast who
were like, yeah, I dropped out in ninth grade, or
this is so funny. I just had this entire conversation
(12:27):
with my boyfriend last night how I basically lied to
my family and told them that I graduated college and
I didn't. And I'm like, he was just dumbfounded. He's like,
how do you even do that? How do you actually
even do that? That's what's so freaking genius. By the way,
like how did you Oh, it's literally like the most ridiculous.
(12:48):
I went to Syracuse for three years. I want abroad
to Rome. I was like, did all my stuff. And
then my senior year, I had left Syracuse because I
had some like autoimmune stuff, and I was like my
mom was like, just come home, and I was like, great,
I'll go to UCLA Extension. I did all these classes.
By the way, Ali Wise was there. We did all
these classes together. It was great. By the way, I
(13:09):
bullshitted my way through that. I was in LA my
senior year. I was like having a blast, but Syracuse
was like, Oh, because you're gonna still finish, we'll let
you walk. I was like, Oh, this is perfect. I'm
gonna tell my family I'm graduating. They won't know. My
entire family flies up to Syracuse, which is it's not
(13:30):
easy to get to Syracuse from Los Angeles. It's like
it's a process. Spend the whole weekend there, celebrate the
whole weekend with me, get hotel rooms. This is a
big deal. I'm the first person in my family to
graduate college. Dah da da. And my dad was like, great,
once you get a job and once you graduate, like,
I'm going to help you with your first apartment. I
moved in with my friend Brian first. We were having
(13:52):
a blast living on Crescent Heights. And one day I
get a call from my dad. He had been a
speaker at something at Syracuse, and MAKE said to my dad,
you know, when Jennifer is ready to graduate, we want
to be we want to be supportive and how can
we help her? And my dad was like, oh no, no no, no,
if we all went there, she graduated, got the diploma. Well,
when they gave me the diploma, it was it was
blank inside. I just didn't tell anyone and I got
(14:16):
a call for my dad. Oh my god, that was
a day. Now, the funniest story are you kind of
did you tell your kids yet? Not really? Yeah, exactly
how I'm like, maybe leave that out until they graduate,
do you know what I mean? I was like, I
don't know what I'm thinking. By the way, I wasn't
(14:38):
even worried. I wasn't even scared. I had already gotten
like an incredible job at this point. I my first
job out of college. I like faked my way. I
don't know how, and I became editor. I became beauty
Fitness Editor West Coast Beauty Fitness editor of Glamor magazine.
Stop twenty one, twenty two years old. Stop it. Yes,
(15:02):
it was before our money, yeah, before a role before
oh my god, I'm dead. Yes, And I basically like
met with the editor in chief of Glamour magazine, like
somehow slid into an interview there. I don't know how
it happened. Someone had just quit and I was like, listen,
I don't know really how to write. I don't really
know what I'm doing, but I swear to God, if
you want to know what's cool in LA Who's Cool Magazine?
(15:26):
I was like, hire me. It was like I think,
I don't know. Probably got paid twenty two thousand dollars
a year. At the time, I was like Jack Pott,
of course, like I was making with seventeen five by
the way, right, it was so much money for me,
I can't even tell you. And I was, I mean,
my dad, my family was like, oh my look at
(15:48):
this genius who just graduated Syracuse got this major job.
Our daughter is incredible. So by the time I had
the job, and then my dad called me, I swear
to God, like I thought he was going to reach
through the phone and strangle me. And but if he's
that's the thing. And you went to Carlthorpe and you
went to Crossroads, right, well, I went to Carlthorpe and
(16:11):
then went to Brentwood for seventh and eighth grade. They
kicked me out. Brentwood kindly asked me to leave, and
then which is finds still some of my best friends
are from seventh grade, Jane and Brian and Alex and
then Crossroads when I was in ninth grade, they were
like they believed in me. They were like, we see you.
We got to Crossroads believed in me and they were like,
(16:34):
we want to give this girl an opportunity, and they
did and I completely thrived there and you know, they
really like nurtured my artistic side and my like hippie
dippie side, and Crossroads was the best experience of my life.
So then okay, So then after all this, and then
you went through fashion right, Glamor, you did our Money,
you did Ralph right yep, and then you started Jenmyer Tory.
(16:58):
I did. Okay, So why why? Like what, you were
not married yet? Right? You were you married? I can't
know you were almost married? Well I wasn't married yet. No,
I wasn't even engaged yet. I mean, it all happened
very quickly. Yeah, you know, I just remember Thrasher like
I just I don't know. I don't remember marital status.
I just remember where we were when it was and
(17:20):
I came over to see it all. Well I did.
I think Toby and I moved in together, like the
week we started dating, So that makes sense that it
would all alur together. You are just so you know,
you are the quintessential California. You are just the California girl.
You just are. You're like that's like you grew up
fancy but not but you're the most not fancy person.
(17:42):
I will tell you this, Thank you. I don't feel fancy.
You're not fancy, but I will class this classy, but
not thank you. What I realized in my life when
it came to school, when it came to work, it
was like the one thing my family and my parents
always instilled in me was you need to get a job.
(18:04):
I don't care if it's your dream job or you
are pouring coffee somewhere. A job is non negotiable. Yeah
that is. We will help you in your life in
ways we can not. Without a job. Without a job,
you get nothing. So working for me was always instilled
in me, like do not sunk around. You need to
do and you need to do a good job. Both
(18:24):
your parents fucking work their asses off, Like totally. Your
parents are ballers, both of them and all of them
but my stepmom, they're all amazing. So for me, I
think I always had this belief in life everything will
always work out. Yeah, you still do. I try. It
(18:46):
gets harder as you get older, but it does. But
you've said that to me a lot. In a crumbling moment,
You're like, it's going to work out, and I listen.
I think we say that to help each other get
through something. But I also think there is this really
big part of us that does believe it because it
does right one way or another. You have to believe
to receive. Yes, you know what I mean, you really
(19:06):
do and you can't fight what the universe has in store.
And I think I worked for Armani and I did
all of that, and you and I worked together there
because that was you would literally come into pull clothes.
I mean, it was amazing. It was fun. And then
working for Ralph Lauren. And while I was at Ralph Lauren,
(19:28):
I was traveling a lot and doing a lot of
things with Toby at the time, and I really wanted
to start my jewelry company. And Rebecca McCabe, who was
my boss who now runs Chanel, I was really open
and transparent with her and I was like, listen, I
still want to do stuff with you guys, but I
really want to start this jewelry company. And I always
(19:49):
say to people be really honest and transparent because if
it works for your job and your boss can make
it work, then they will, and if they can't, then
it's not the job for you. Which is time too,
because most jobs you can't do multiple jobs. It just
doesn't work for people totally. But I do think that
if you're honest with people, you're never it's not going
(20:10):
to blow up in your face, right totally. And she
was like, you know what, great, We're going to figure
out how you can still help us and how you
can create your business. And it all worked out beautifully.
And I started this jewelry business out of not knowing.
I didn't know what the hell I was doing. I
had no clue. I literally had no training whatsoever. And
(20:31):
I completely taught myself and it was really important for
me to do it on my own and one gave
me any money. I remember saying to my dad, I'm
gonna yeah, no, I just did. I figured it out
and yeah, I was up on Thrasser and it all
it all worked out. It truly worked out in that time.
(20:52):
But I think that's important, Jem, because I think to
your point, I think the work ethic that you have,
that you're sister has, that your parents have, that now
you're you know that Eli and Carson have. And I
think there's this thing where it doesn't matter how what
you grow up with, who you grow up around, who
(21:14):
you're surrounded by, celebrities non celebrities, It doesn't actually matter.
But ultimately, when you have that work ethic right like
in you, no one can take that from you. But
I also think that your passion for making jewelry and
finding your own kind of thing was everything to you.
Right That's where I started to see you just like
(21:36):
light up. It went from being like a job that
you were good at, that was part of your being,
that Jemire jewelry became you like it's your thing and everybody.
And it's funny because everywhere I go, I'll see like
a piece, whether it's a heart, or whether it's like
a signature like beginning piece, or whether it's like the
(21:56):
newer ones now, and it's it's so amazing for me
even to see it out in the wild on people
that don't know you. They're like, oh my god, my
boyfriend got oh my god, I've wanted this forever. My
parents got this for me for graduation. It's funny because
I think a lot of people on the outside who
know you, your brand, your jewelry, they may know a
lot about your background, they may not. I think for
(22:17):
people that do, they're like, oh, she hit the jackpot,
she has this dream life. But I also think you're
one of the least spoiled, most grateful, down to earth
people I know. So I was friends with you for many,
many years before I knew anything about where you were from,
or who your parents were anything. But you have very
successful parents. It's not that they're like celebrity famous parents.
(22:40):
They are just ballers in the industry right, in the
entertainment industry. But I think what's really important for people
to know is what were or what are some of
your greatest challenges in this Have you had haters? Have
you had copycats? Have you had people that write it
about you and try and take you down? I really
(23:02):
I'm a very sensitive person. Yeah, and my feelings can
get hurt very easily. I hate it, but it's true,
and I get and I also get anxiety and I
suffer from really bad anxiety attacks. And I had to
really work hard in my life to like learn how
to not get anxiety attacks anymore, because when an anxiety
(23:23):
attack comes on, it feels like a heart attack and
you can't control. So I don't get those anymore. But
it's I remember you getting one in a car on
the way to an event. Yeah, and you called me
and you were like, you don't understand I'm pulled over
on the side of the road, like I can't breathe.
They were that bad. Yeah, it's and it's like crippling.
So when things happen in the outside world that hurt
(23:45):
my feelings, like I kind of have to tune it out.
And when people are haters or people have mean things
to say, you know what, they don't know me and
they don't they don't they don't have my phone number
to call me and say, hey, what's the problem, or Hey,
this hurt my feelings. I believe everything is work outable. Yeah,
(24:08):
I believe every situation. You can talk through anything. And
I think that I get upset when somebody. I get
upset if somebody's upset, but I almost every time try
and handle it right then and there. And like whether
it's a text or a call or I heard this
or if I don't feel like doing that, then I
(24:29):
know that person. I wish them well in life, but
that person's not for me, and I don't need to engage,
you know what I mean. I just decide to not
let it eat me up alive, either deal with something
or let it go. You have this incredible ability to
hit things straight on but like I feel like when
something is upsetting you, I feel like you do deal
(24:50):
with it in that moment and you say how you feel.
And I think that's a really hard thing to do,
especially for I think strong women, because I think of
you as being very strong woman one hundred percent, which
is funny because I think people think of me as
being a very strong woman. And I feel like everything
you just said, I'm hurt by everything, all those things,
(25:10):
and I think you're right. You do have to think
about those people that are the haters, and you go,
hold on. I've never even had a meal with them.
I've never spoken to them on the phone. And that's okay.
People can have their opinions. That's totally fine. And if
something hurts my feelings, I'm gonna find a way to
talk to that person, or if that person's not a
(25:32):
part of my life, I choose just be like, you
know what, wish them well and they can feel what
they want, and I just I don't have that space
in my life. My daughter needs me to help her
with her friends for the weekend, and that's going to
take my priority right now because she's, you know, a
teenager and she's working her own stuff out, you know
what I mean. And I think as far as stuff
getting written about me or my life, I'm not a
(25:53):
famous person, I'm not a public person like that, but
I think like there's been more or less it's all
love stuff written, and I always appreciate when people take
the time to be supportive of me and my business.
I think the hardest moment was when I wasn't ready
to announce my divorce yet because we were protecting our
(26:13):
children and we were trying to figure out we were
still living in the same house and figuring out what
we needed to do. And I'll never forget. I was
driving and I got a call from Toby's publicist saying
People Magazine is going to run a story tomorrow about
you getting divorce and if you guys want to make
a statement, you have to do it in the next hour.
And I felt like the whole world yeah, because it's
(26:37):
not whoever decided to call People Magazine didn't realize in
that moment. It wasn't about like, oh, Toby and are
just stay, oh we're getting divorce. It's sitting your two
young children down and having to tell them and say, like,
life as you know it is going to change, and
your parents are getting divorced and calling the school and
(27:00):
kids talking to them at school and all this other stuff.
So in that moment, you want to find the person
who did that and say fuck you. Yeah, like the
fuck is wrong with you? It's so mean, why'd you
do that? That's not your decision, by the way, But
I realized also in that moment, the universe really does
have your back, and the universe really does know what's
(27:24):
right for you in that moment, because God only knows
how long it would have taken us, and there was
never going to be a good time exactly. There was
never going to be a good time, and we were
done with that marriage. So it was time to tell
our kids and it was time to move on. And
now your best friends. So's my best friend, and my
kids are happy and we just have a life together
(27:46):
as best friends. So that was great, and I remember
that like it was literally last week. I think, as
far as work goes again, everybody's been so kind and
love and supportive of my brand and supportive of me,
and I love that so much. One of the more
frustrating things I went through that became really public that
(28:09):
I never commented on I never said no comment. I
just ignored, ignored, ignored. Was there was this whole thing
with Mega Markle where people had said I had done
something that I wasn't supposed to do or posted pictures
or whatever. There is somebody that it got back to me.
Somebody tried to take me down. And that's really hurtful
(28:32):
because I know, I know in the world that the
specific person who was trying to like hurt me, and
I've never addressed at because that's a whole other situation.
I'm like that they can live their life. I don't
have room for this, but I would never ever do
something against a contract. And at the time Megan Markle
(28:55):
was had just started dating Prince Harry and it was
a whole beautiful world old and whatever it's turned into,
God bless them, God bless everybody. But at the time
to have Megan Markle wearing anything of yours was a
really big deal. Oh my god, I texted to hear
I was freaking out and there were no gifts. She
bought everything and we got a call from the Palace saying, oh,
(29:19):
Mega Markle would love to purchase some of your jewelry.
Fantastic They we signed whatever you sign, you know, you
don't tell anybody. Great, I don't need to tell anybody.
Pictures can be used or posted or you can whatever
after they have been in the world. Right. So it's
like if she was at a press thing and the
pictures were everywhere, great, free reign. I also purchase every
(29:43):
single one of my pictures right from the photographers. I
don't I did everything by the book. Somehow, somewhere there
was a story leak to I don't know the Sun
or Hello or whatever. I don't know what those magazines
are in New England, but whatever they are, and it
was basically saying that like I had posted pictures like
(30:09):
illegal I don't even know illegal, like like prematurely or
like against contract, you weren't allowed to post said pictures
of Megan in the necklace. Something was and it became
this huge thing. By the way, welcome to By the way,
nothing ever happened legally, I never nothing it was, but
it didn't go away. It was in People, it was
in the Daily Mail, it was in Women's Wear Daily,
(30:32):
it was in all this, all of these publications. You
don't want negative shit written, especially your business that you
work so hard. And I'm so above bored and I
do everything by the book and that bummed me out. Well,
I didn't say one word about it because I was
just like, you know what this, I know the truth
(30:52):
and let's just just go away and I don't need
to start a whole narrative. But it got you because
it was like, what are you talking about? Like in
my like, I would never I would never do anything
that I wasn't supposed to do. I've never met Mega Markle.
I don't know her, and by the way, Jen, you
don't need to. And there was a really big moment,
(31:14):
you know, when she like presented her son to the
world for the first time. She was wearing this three
bezil diamond necklace of mine, and all of a sudden,
it's like the website was like shut down, Like you
can't even imagine how many orders we received from that,
and like, God bless her. I would have given her
that necklace at that time for that, like but yeah,
plus a diamond ring or something anything, but you couldn't
(31:37):
give anything. They bought. Oh they're very Yeah, they paid,
they paid for everything. Yeah. And you know, as a company,
you just post when people are wearing your jewelry. Beers,
you're excited about it, you know what I mean? Those moments,
those are really hard for me because I'm terrifying and
I'm sad that people are lying, and I'm sad that
(32:00):
people are like I'm a small business like any which
way you cut it. So it makes me sad when
people try and take me down in ways that are
just like it's hurt flo. I would never do that.
I would never mess with someone's livelihood, you know what
I mean? And why you don't need to John, And
that's the thing. You're not a jealous person. You're not
a jealous person at all. That's not what drives you.
(32:22):
And that's why you have so many girlfriends. I'm friends
that are boys, by the way. And honestly, her team
called us and they were so supportive and they even said,
we have no idea where this came from. And that
was enough for me, and I didn't feel like there
was a reason to say anything publicly or do anything publicly.
(32:43):
But going back to being kind or things being written
about you, I just think that you've got to take
everything with a grain of salt and not worry about
what the outside world says or doesn't say, and just
do that's that you can do, because if you know
the truth and you move with honesty and love, then
(33:05):
it really doesn't matter. You have a And I don't
say this because I love you for my whole adult life.
You have this real kind of magic around you that
people want to be with you. You work really fucking hard,
and you feel things really fucking deeply, and you mom
really fucking hard. Before we jumped on, I was having
(33:26):
this debate with my team at this whole NEPO thing
to me is so annoying, only because I just think
it's not fair and I don't even know why it's
a thing. And I have had to defend a lot
of people in my life are like, oh, well it
was easy for them. Oh well it was they got this,
And it's like, no, it's not. Actually sometimes it's actually harder.
Watching you build your business has been You are very grassroots,
(33:51):
you have a small team, you have this beautiful store,
and you have like a real business. But I still
in a lot of ways feel like it's a small
business and it's by brick, you know, and I think
everything matters. It's totally a small business. For sure. It's
a great business and it's a super successful business, but
you're expanding. Yeah, of course I want to talk about that, Jenna.
(34:13):
I want to talk about that. Well. I want to
talk about it because I don't know that people were
seeing that coming, right, because I think all of a sudden,
there was a sweatshirt. I love jewelry. That is my brand.
Of course, find Joys. That is so important to me.
But like, I just want to do more and more.
I can't really stop myself. And the sweatshirts really came
out of COVID where I was like, let's just send
(34:33):
our friends like a bunch of sweatshirts and be fun.
And then all of a sudden, we're like, holy shit,
everybody wants to buy a sweatshirt. So I didn't even
then we did the toe. I carried that all summer.
We carried that all summer. My kids where that Skyler
Whear's his good luck had every every weekend. When you
play tennis, it's like his hey Skyler. And now I
(34:57):
need to plug totally. Not because John's my friend. If
I didn't know her, I would tell you I am
completely obsessed with the fragrance. I have it on literally
right now. You can't smell me through my computer, but
I have it on right now. But more importantly, I
want to talk about the candle. Yeah, because launched this week.
By the way, my team tried to swipe it. They
were like, do you need this? And I was like, everyone,
(35:19):
get off my freaking candle. I'm lighting it right here,
right now, and it smells perfect, And I really think
that the whole sort of good luck of it all.
It's kind of like it makes you happy when you
look at it, because you're like, I could use this
right now. Listen, Like life is complicated, like we all
need like little extra love and luck and protection. But yeah,
(35:43):
the candle and the fragrance, Oh my god, it took
so long to develop that set because I really wanted
that beakey, yummy, delicious, like feeling of your tan and
you smell like spuntan lotion, but like I wanted people
to always when they come up, she'd be like, oh
my god, you smell so good good what is that
that feeling? And did the perfume and people went crazy
(36:05):
and loved it, and I love it and I was like,
in my whole house to smell like it. Ye. So
there's the candle and of course you have to have
a little good luck jewelry dish that comes with it
a hundred percent. And I feel like, okay, so can
you give me a little teaser of what's to come
three years, five years, ten years, twenty years. What's do
you do that? Or do you only live in here
and now? I really try and live in here and now.
(36:28):
But like, I do think it's really important to like
manifest feelings. Yeah, feelings are really important to me, and
like emotionally and mentally, like I just want to keep
growing and feeling calm and being trusting that there is
just a plan in place and that everything is just
(36:48):
working out exactly the way it needs to. I really
find watching you right now. It's funny because as you
were talking, I was going to say, you fuck looks
so hot. Now I feel like you're just really feeling
it right now. I don't know, I can't explain it.
I feel like you're walking with a confidence right now.
I feel like even just what you're wearing, I'm like, what,
(37:12):
who are you? I'm so proud of you. I'm like,
you're wearing things a little tighter, you were sequence sexy,
Like I freaking love it and I feel like you're
just owning your beauty. Your natural beauties has always been there,
but like just kicking at right now. Listen. I love
(37:33):
my age. I feel really good. I'm really happy. And
business so yeah, business is great, but I do feel
and I don't know what it is, but I do
feel like, both personally and professionally, like there's a lot
of change happening yeah, and a lot of change that
(37:54):
will happen, and I'm trying just to be really excited
for it rather than anxious about it and know that
like at every moment, everything has worked out so perfectly,
even if in the moment it felt scary or not
perfect or sad or confusing, it was all perfect and
(38:18):
it all comes full circle. It all comes full circle.
So I think, yeah, we're having the best time expanding
on the lifestyle part of the business, which has been amazing.
The toads of sweats are fragrance, the candles, it's just
doing great. I feel like it should like good luck
leisure wear. And then my kids are my kids, and
(38:45):
I live for them. They're the greatest and like personally
just thriving, you know, like I love watching it trying
to thrive by the way every day is easy. I'm
not gonna lie, but I don't think every day should
be easy. And I think because you won't appreciate the
good days if you don't have shitty ones A and B.
I have to tell you that, like having lived a
(39:07):
lot of life at this point personally and professionally, I
do believe and I agree with you that I do
think the universe makes so many decisions for us that
we would never have made ourselves because we just couldn't.
And in the moment it's terrifying, And in the moment,
you're like, what the fuck? And then after a year later,
(39:28):
two years that you're like, think, God, that happened, right, please,
thank God? Right, Oh my God. I love you. So
I'm honestly in awe of you. I think you do
do it all. And I know we all crumble and
we do and we're human and we have anxiety and
all the things. But like, you really are so much
(39:48):
to so many people, and I think there's a lot
of love in your brand, and there's a lot of
love that you give. And I you know, I wanted
to have you on because I want other people to
know like who you are. I love you madly, you too,
have a good day, babes. Okay, it's that time of
the show when I answer to listener questions, so let's
(40:09):
see what we have to day. Okay, what should I
get my new boyfriend for Valentine's Day? I have always
fallen back on a great like weekender, a travel bag.
If you are with someone who happens to like move
around a lot, go away with the guys, or just
(40:30):
go away for work a lot, you can never go
wrong with a chic travel bag. I just I think
it's literally one of the best guy gifts. I think,
like a great beanie or a hat. I am fortunate
that Roger wears Man jewels, so that has really served
me over the years. I'm a big believer in Man
jewelry because I think it's really special. I love, like,
(40:53):
definitely the days of ties and things like that are
most definitely gone. I love getting coats for guys. If
you're confident in the size, or if you guys are
out and about and you see him eye something, that's
always obviously the best thing to do because then they're
shocked and really excited and you know they love it. Okay,
(41:13):
what's your go to fragrance that I wear all year round.
I'm definitely I have so many favorite fragrances. I am
a huge tom Ford fragrance person. I have my own
fragrance that I love. I love to wear a Warrior
my Rachel's a Warrior fragrance, and honestly, I really love
my Jen Meyer fragrance. It's so good. It really does
(41:34):
make you feel like you're at the beach. It's a
really beautiful fragrance and looks really pretty sitting on your vanity.
Don't forget to submit your questions for next week's episode.
All you have to do is DMUs your questions to
at Climbing in Heel's pod on Instagram and I might
just answer your question. Thank you so much too, Jen
(41:55):
for coming on the podcast today, opening up about her
life very candidly, and you know, her incredible business, what
it took to build it, her struggles, the future of
the business, what she's most excited about. This was really
a fun one and you know, Jen comes from an
incredible family, but I have to say she is gracious
and hard working. And of course thank you too, my
(42:16):
amazing listeners as well for being here. And if you
want more Climbing in Heels content. Follow me on at
Rachel's Zoe and at Climbing in Heels Pod on Instagram
for more updates on upcoming guests, episodes, and all things creature.
I will see you all next week.
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