October 18, 2024 • 12 mins
Our host Darriel Roy interviews Tracy Kennedy, the CEO of Rustic Gem Jewelry
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello and welcome. Thank you so much for watching This
shows all about giving you insights and joke, using brands
that help you to live your best life and give
you confidence. As always, I want to kick start your
morning with a motivational advice to help you to feel
inspired and energize to start your day today, I want
to talk about the importance of where you place your attention.
(00:20):
The reality is our attention holds great power because what
we focus on dictates how we feel and what we
attract into our lives. Ironically, just like the phrase paying attention,
we literally pay the price for what we decide to
focus on, whether it's in a positive or negative way.
We always have two options to place our attention on
things that make us feel good or things that drain
(00:42):
our energy. For example, something as small as watching negative
content on social media or constantly complaining on what's lacking
in our lives can deeply affect our moods in a
negative way, whether we realize it or not. The great
news is we can always shift our focus by simply
deciding to take our attention off which joins our energy,
and choosing instead to focus on things that give us
(01:04):
a deep sense of happiness. As Jame Clear quotes, the
more control you have over your attention, the more control
you have over your future. Next up on the show,
we have Tracy Kennedy, the CEO and founder of Proactic
Gem Jewelry. Tracy, thank you so much for being on
the show today.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
How are you doing. I'm doing great. Thank you so
much for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Well, thank you for being here. I was telling you
earlier that I love your jewelry. So let's get into it.
Let's talk about your entrepreneurial journey. I know that it
started during a difficult time when you were on bedress,
pregnant with your son, and you taught yourself to learn
to make jeury. So tell us about that period in
your life.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Yeah, that was That was a tough and interesting period.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
So I had a one year old at the time,
and I was pregnant with my second son, and I
went to the doctor one day and they said you're
going to be on dead rest for the next fourteen weeks. Wow,
which was not easy to hear, especially since you know
I'm a very I'm a type a personality. I'm always,
you know, getting things done and super busy. I had
been doing consulting for nonprofit organizations in a leadership role,
(02:11):
and so stopping everything and starting to be on bed
rest was a struggle. So when I sat down, I realized,
you know, not always kind of been crafty and making things.
And I dabbled a little bit in jewelry making but
didn't really get into it. And so when I was
sitting there for twelve weeks waiting for my son to arrive,
I taught myself to make jewelry. And it was so wonderful.
(02:33):
It was you know, it was almost therapeutic during like
kind of a scary, tough time.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
So yeah, I love that you turned a dark period
into your passion and Russy John Jewelry was born. So
that's amazing. And you describe this job as your passion
and really your dream job, so so tell us about that.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yeah, it really is.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
I mean there's something about sort of the full circle
of jewelry making that I find really powerful.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
You know, when you're actually like working with.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Your hands and you're busy and and you're making these things,
there is sort of a meditative, kind of therapeutic component
of it. And then there's the design, right, and that
really ignites like your or my creative instincts, and I
love playing with visual balance and trying to find that
perfect balance. And then you know when you have a
(03:25):
product at the end, something physical that you can put
put on that makes you feel really good about yourself
and feel confident.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
It's all around, it's pretty amazing.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
And Tercy, you talk about your jewelry being inspired by
the vibrant energy of big city fashion. Tell us about
how California ties into that as well.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, California. It's I grew up actually in a small rural.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Area in northern California and then moved to San Francisco
and spent many, many years in the city. And you know,
I always sort of had half my heart in rurals,
you know, Bay, and then I had half my heart
in San Francisco and like the excitement of the city.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
And so through my jewelry, I've been able.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
To sort of blend those two by using a ton
of natural stones, but then having sort of designs that
are really on trend, often geometric shapes with really clean lines.
And I've found that the blend of those two things
really kind of marries sort of my city and rural vibes.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
And each piece is handcrafted in your California studio where
you are right now, tell us a bit of a
creative process.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
So I really I love the design process. For me,
I get inspiration just when I'm out and about walking around.
You know, I'll see a shape or something that sort
of inspires me, and I'll come back to my studio
and I'll draw it out in different shapes and sizes
and really try.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
To strive for that visual balance.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
And then of course, I when I'm actually putting everything together,
I've got all my stones out, I've got all my
metal components out, I've got my music, and I'm really
looking for that perfect visual balance. And when I see it,
when I put it together and I know it, I'm like, yeah,
that's it.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
We're there.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
And Russick Jump Joey has so many beautiful pieces walks
with the different collections that you guys have.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
I have. I primarily make necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets,
and I use a ton of natural stones.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I have like favorites like aminozite and labradorite, onyx, amethyst,
like some of those really pretty natural jumpstones that are
fairly common. And so my most recent collection is the
Sunset Sparkle collection and that one was really fun because
it really was like purples and pinks and all and
(05:40):
all the colors you would see in a sunset, almost
like you're at the beach and you're watching the sunset.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
It was kind of my tribute to the end of summer.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
And then next week, actually I have a Fall collection
coming out and it's got those sort of rich, warm
colors of fall, you know, the deep burnt oranges and
beautiful colors you know, at gold and browns that really
make you feel connected with fallen and some deep kind
of teal greens to throw in there.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
So very very nice. And of course the holidays are
around the corner as well. What are some pieces that
our consumers can pick up.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
You can find the pieces on my website at Rusticgemjewelry
dot com and I'm also on Instagram at Rustic Gem Jewelry.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
And each piece in Rustic Gem Jewelry is made with
your customer in mind to show up in the world.
Being confident tell us about the importance of thought as
a brand.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yeah, I think that's one of the things about the
work that I do that I'm really most passionate about,
you know, I really feel that as a woman who's
been in business for a long long time that when
you walk into a room, you want to show up
so that you are listened to, so that you're respected,
and so that your confidence and what you have to
offer that room really shows up the moment that you
(06:52):
walk in. And I have found that having handmade, unique,
on trend good quality jewelry is sort of like the
exclamation point to the entire vibe that you give when
you walk into a room, and so I design my
jewelry with that as the end product for my customers in.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Mind, absolutely having a nice statement piece like nice ear
rings or a nice ring, it definitely raises your confidence
and compliments your outfit. Right, So absolutely agree with that.
And you're not just an entrepreneur, you're also a philanthropist,
So talk to us about the importance of giving back
for you as an entrepreneur and as well as a brand.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Yeah, I mean, I think that that's something that has
been sort of part of who I am for my
entire life. I sort of grew up professionally doing consulting
in leadership for nonprofit organizations, and so when I shifted
my gears and went into you know, being a jewelry designer.
It was really important to me that there was a
component that gave back. So I have given back. For example,
(07:53):
when there was a fire crisis in northern California, I
had proceeds going specifically to some of the organizations there
that had been impacted. And I just think it's really
important I as a as a value of both my
own personal life and then also my brand. I think,
you know, caring for other people, doing what you can
for other people should be a you know, a guiding
(08:14):
light and everything that you do. So I'm also very
excited because I'm working on a program that I'm going
to implement in the new year that's going to have
some additional impact in terms of Rustic Gem Jewelry giving
back to the community.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Oh that's wonderful. And speaking about giving back, I always
see on your on your social media that you talk
about manifestation and the law of attraction. So how do
you think how do you think manifestation has played a
part in your success as entrepreneur.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
That's a great question.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I think manifestation is like literally my favorite word right now.
You know, I truly truly believe that what you put
out and what you give to the universe will come
back to you. And I believe that there's you know,
there's energy in that. And sometimes it's as easy as
some some wrong positive self talk, and other times it's
(09:04):
really you know, paying someone an authentic compliment, being purposeful
and kind, and how you communicate it always comes back
to you. And I really think that as a business
owner and as a small business owner and an entrepreneur,
constantly putting that positive, really kind, forward facing attitude means
(09:28):
that it comes right back. And I think about manifesting
every single day, So it's very important.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
And of course the holidays are just around the corner.
Does Rustick Jewelry have a holiday collection?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
So I'm really excited because I'm just putting the flenishing
touches on the winter collection, so that will be dropped
in early November. And it's really exciting because, I mean,
for a small business, we've been working on this for
a long long time and so everything will come up
come out in November, and of course the holiday shopping
(09:59):
is such an important time, especially for small businesses. You
know a lot of people are a one woman show
like I am over here, so I'm pretty excited it's
going to have all the wonderful greens and reds and
deep blues and all the things that make you think
about winter. So I just want to remind everyone that
is so important to shop small during the holiday season.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
I love that. And you know, as an entrepreneur, it
comes with its share of challenges, right, It's not always easy.
So what are the challenges that you went through as
a business owner and how did you get through it?
And also what did you learn about yourself in the process.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Yeah, that's a really really good question, and I think
one that you know is important in this particular journey.
You know, from a small from like a tactical perspective
like today, I'm you know, when you have a small business,
you are the marketing.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Department, you're the CEO, you're the CFO. I'm also a
photographer for my jewelry business, So you really are doing
kind of everything.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
And I think that what happens is that by doing
all of that and carrying so much you really have,
your business sort of becomes part of your identity and
it can carry on an extra added value because of that.
And what I have found is that anytime I come
up against a challenge, the best thing I can do
(11:15):
instead of letting it sort of consume me, is to
allow it to teach me something right, allow myself to
evolve as a business and a person with the learning
from that particular challenge and to know that, you know,
business success is important, but it's not entirely tied to
my identity. So I think it's really important for business
(11:37):
owners and entrepreneurs to remember that and keep plugging along.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
That's true, right when you remind yourself that it's your
passion and that you're doing this because you love it,
I think the success comes right. Everything falls into place
when you do it for the right reason. So I
totally agree with that. And Tracy, for our viewers that
want to buy some pieces from you, where can they
do so I learn more about your journey as well?
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yes, thank you.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
You can check out the website which is Rusticgemjewelry dot
com and I'm also on Instagram at Rustic Gem Jewelry Perfect.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Tracy, thank you so much for being on the show today.
Congratulations on all your success and we can't wait to
see what other pieces are in store for you.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Thank you so much, it was lovely to chat with you.
Appreciate it.
Hello and welcome. Thank you so much for watching This
shows all about giving you insights and joke, using brands
that help you to live your best life and give
you confidence. As always, I want to kick start your
morning with a motivational advice to help you to feel
inspired and energize to start your day today, I want
to talk about the importance of where you place your attention.
(00:20):
The reality is our attention holds great power because what
we focus on dictates how we feel and what we
attract into our lives. Ironically, just like the phrase paying attention,
we literally pay the price for what we decide to
focus on, whether it's in a positive or negative way.
We always have two options to place our attention on
things that make us feel good or things that drain
(00:42):
our energy. For example, something as small as watching negative
content on social media or constantly complaining on what's lacking
in our lives can deeply affect our moods in a
negative way, whether we realize it or not. The great
news is we can always shift our focus by simply
deciding to take our attention off which joins our energy,
and choosing instead to focus on things that give us
(01:04):
a deep sense of happiness. As Jame Clear quotes, the
more control you have over your attention, the more control
you have over your future. Next up on the show,
we have Tracy Kennedy, the CEO and founder of Proactic
Gem Jewelry. Tracy, thank you so much for being on
the show today.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
How are you doing. I'm doing great. Thank you so
much for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Well, thank you for being here. I was telling you
earlier that I love your jewelry. So let's get into it.
Let's talk about your entrepreneurial journey. I know that it
started during a difficult time when you were on bedress,
pregnant with your son, and you taught yourself to learn
to make jeury. So tell us about that period in
your life.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Yeah, that was That was a tough and interesting period.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
So I had a one year old at the time,
and I was pregnant with my second son, and I
went to the doctor one day and they said you're
going to be on dead rest for the next fourteen weeks. Wow,
which was not easy to hear, especially since you know
I'm a very I'm a type a personality. I'm always,
you know, getting things done and super busy. I had
been doing consulting for nonprofit organizations in a leadership role,
(02:11):
and so stopping everything and starting to be on bed
rest was a struggle. So when I sat down, I realized,
you know, not always kind of been crafty and making things.
And I dabbled a little bit in jewelry making but
didn't really get into it. And so when I was
sitting there for twelve weeks waiting for my son to arrive,
I taught myself to make jewelry. And it was so wonderful.
(02:33):
It was you know, it was almost therapeutic during like
kind of a scary, tough time.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
So yeah, I love that you turned a dark period
into your passion and Russy John Jewelry was born. So
that's amazing. And you describe this job as your passion
and really your dream job, so so tell us about that.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yeah, it really is.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
I mean there's something about sort of the full circle
of jewelry making that I find really powerful.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
You know, when you're actually like working with.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Your hands and you're busy and and you're making these things,
there is sort of a meditative, kind of therapeutic component
of it. And then there's the design, right, and that
really ignites like your or my creative instincts, and I
love playing with visual balance and trying to find that
perfect balance. And then you know when you have a
(03:25):
product at the end, something physical that you can put
put on that makes you feel really good about yourself
and feel confident.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
It's all around, it's pretty amazing.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
And Tercy, you talk about your jewelry being inspired by
the vibrant energy of big city fashion. Tell us about
how California ties into that as well.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, California. It's I grew up actually in a small rural.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Area in northern California and then moved to San Francisco
and spent many, many years in the city. And you know,
I always sort of had half my heart in rurals,
you know, Bay, and then I had half my heart
in San Francisco and like the excitement of the city.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
And so through my jewelry, I've been able.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
To sort of blend those two by using a ton
of natural stones, but then having sort of designs that
are really on trend, often geometric shapes with really clean lines.
And I've found that the blend of those two things
really kind of marries sort of my city and rural vibes.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
And each piece is handcrafted in your California studio where
you are right now, tell us a bit of a
creative process.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
So I really I love the design process. For me,
I get inspiration just when I'm out and about walking around.
You know, I'll see a shape or something that sort
of inspires me, and I'll come back to my studio
and I'll draw it out in different shapes and sizes
and really try.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
To strive for that visual balance.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
And then of course, I when I'm actually putting everything together,
I've got all my stones out, I've got all my
metal components out, I've got my music, and I'm really
looking for that perfect visual balance. And when I see it,
when I put it together and I know it, I'm like, yeah,
that's it.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
We're there.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
And Russick Jump Joey has so many beautiful pieces walks
with the different collections that you guys have.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
I have. I primarily make necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets,
and I use a ton of natural stones.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I have like favorites like aminozite and labradorite, onyx, amethyst,
like some of those really pretty natural jumpstones that are
fairly common. And so my most recent collection is the
Sunset Sparkle collection and that one was really fun because
it really was like purples and pinks and all and
(05:40):
all the colors you would see in a sunset, almost
like you're at the beach and you're watching the sunset.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
It was kind of my tribute to the end of summer.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
And then next week, actually I have a Fall collection
coming out and it's got those sort of rich, warm
colors of fall, you know, the deep burnt oranges and
beautiful colors you know, at gold and browns that really
make you feel connected with fallen and some deep kind
of teal greens to throw in there.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
So very very nice. And of course the holidays are
around the corner as well. What are some pieces that
our consumers can pick up.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
You can find the pieces on my website at Rusticgemjewelry
dot com and I'm also on Instagram at Rustic Gem Jewelry.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
And each piece in Rustic Gem Jewelry is made with
your customer in mind to show up in the world.
Being confident tell us about the importance of thought as
a brand.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yeah, I think that's one of the things about the
work that I do that I'm really most passionate about,
you know, I really feel that as a woman who's
been in business for a long long time that when
you walk into a room, you want to show up
so that you are listened to, so that you're respected,
and so that your confidence and what you have to
offer that room really shows up the moment that you
(06:52):
walk in. And I have found that having handmade, unique,
on trend good quality jewelry is sort of like the
exclamation point to the entire vibe that you give when
you walk into a room, and so I design my
jewelry with that as the end product for my customers in.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Mind, absolutely having a nice statement piece like nice ear
rings or a nice ring, it definitely raises your confidence
and compliments your outfit. Right, So absolutely agree with that.
And you're not just an entrepreneur, you're also a philanthropist,
So talk to us about the importance of giving back
for you as an entrepreneur and as well as a brand.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Yeah, I mean, I think that that's something that has
been sort of part of who I am for my
entire life. I sort of grew up professionally doing consulting
in leadership for nonprofit organizations, and so when I shifted
my gears and went into you know, being a jewelry designer.
It was really important to me that there was a
component that gave back. So I have given back. For example,
(07:53):
when there was a fire crisis in northern California, I
had proceeds going specifically to some of the organizations there
that had been impacted. And I just think it's really
important I as a as a value of both my
own personal life and then also my brand. I think,
you know, caring for other people, doing what you can
for other people should be a you know, a guiding
(08:14):
light and everything that you do. So I'm also very
excited because I'm working on a program that I'm going
to implement in the new year that's going to have
some additional impact in terms of Rustic Gem Jewelry giving
back to the community.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Oh that's wonderful. And speaking about giving back, I always
see on your on your social media that you talk
about manifestation and the law of attraction. So how do
you think how do you think manifestation has played a
part in your success as entrepreneur.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
That's a great question.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I think manifestation is like literally my favorite word right now.
You know, I truly truly believe that what you put
out and what you give to the universe will come
back to you. And I believe that there's you know,
there's energy in that. And sometimes it's as easy as
some some wrong positive self talk, and other times it's
(09:04):
really you know, paying someone an authentic compliment, being purposeful
and kind, and how you communicate it always comes back
to you. And I really think that as a business
owner and as a small business owner and an entrepreneur,
constantly putting that positive, really kind, forward facing attitude means
(09:28):
that it comes right back. And I think about manifesting
every single day, So it's very important.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
And of course the holidays are just around the corner.
Does Rustick Jewelry have a holiday collection?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
So I'm really excited because I'm just putting the flenishing
touches on the winter collection, so that will be dropped
in early November. And it's really exciting because, I mean,
for a small business, we've been working on this for
a long long time and so everything will come up
come out in November, and of course the holiday shopping
(09:59):
is such an important time, especially for small businesses. You
know a lot of people are a one woman show
like I am over here, so I'm pretty excited it's
going to have all the wonderful greens and reds and
deep blues and all the things that make you think
about winter. So I just want to remind everyone that
is so important to shop small during the holiday season.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
I love that. And you know, as an entrepreneur, it
comes with its share of challenges, right, It's not always easy.
So what are the challenges that you went through as
a business owner and how did you get through it?
And also what did you learn about yourself in the process.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Yeah, that's a really really good question, and I think
one that you know is important in this particular journey.
You know, from a small from like a tactical perspective
like today, I'm you know, when you have a small business,
you are the marketing.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Department, you're the CEO, you're the CFO. I'm also a
photographer for my jewelry business, So you really are doing
kind of everything.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
And I think that what happens is that by doing
all of that and carrying so much you really have,
your business sort of becomes part of your identity and
it can carry on an extra added value because of that.
And what I have found is that anytime I come
up against a challenge, the best thing I can do
(11:15):
instead of letting it sort of consume me, is to
allow it to teach me something right, allow myself to
evolve as a business and a person with the learning
from that particular challenge and to know that, you know,
business success is important, but it's not entirely tied to
my identity. So I think it's really important for business
(11:37):
owners and entrepreneurs to remember that and keep plugging along.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
That's true, right when you remind yourself that it's your
passion and that you're doing this because you love it,
I think the success comes right. Everything falls into place
when you do it for the right reason. So I
totally agree with that. And Tracy, for our viewers that
want to buy some pieces from you, where can they
do so I learn more about your journey as well?
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yes, thank you.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
You can check out the website which is Rusticgemjewelry dot
com and I'm also on Instagram at Rustic Gem Jewelry Perfect.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Tracy, thank you so much for being on the show today.
Congratulations on all your success and we can't wait to
see what other pieces are in store for you.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Thank you so much, it was lovely to chat with you.
Appreciate it.
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