Today on GET REAL Podcast...ADINA EDEN!
ADINA is the queen of JEWELS! She is the designer and founder of Adina Eden, a MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR, family-run, one-stop jewelry shop.
Adina’s namesake jewelry line has gained A-LIST CELEBRITY fans like, BILLIE EILISH, CARDI B, KYLIE & KENDALL JENNER, ARIANA GRANDE…and the list goes on!
IN THIS EPISODE, we talk:
• Building her BRAND from the ground up
• The PURPOSE behind the PIECES
• Making FORBES 30 UNDER 30 list
• How she went from POWERLESS to POWERFUL
• Flipping the script of her LIFE
Shop Adina Eden, HERE!
Listen to ADINA EDEN on GET REAL Podcast...NOW!
Connect with ADINA:
Adina Eden Jewelry Instagram
Adina's Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
At a.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Carry lamb.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
She's a queen and the talking Hey, so you know
she's getting really not afraid.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
To feel episode and so just let it flow. No
one can do we quiet carylone is sound for care alone.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
I am so excited to be here with you.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Adina. You are such a powerhouse. Like literally, you're are
you twenty seven to twenty eight?
Speaker 1 (00:37):
You're not even thirty twenty seven, You're already Forbes in
the thirty under thirty.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
You started this incredible jewelry line when you were in
college in your dorm room, and now you've grown aDNA
Eden to becoming this like huge megabrand that all the
celebrities are wearing cardib the gin at Kylie Jenner. It's
just unbelievable what you have done. How are you?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I'm good. I'm good. Yeah, it's been I mean it's
been a crazy ride.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
So how did you get this idea? I love your
mission statement.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
It's all about like jewelry to you is all about inclusivity,
and it's all about everyone gets to be a part
of jewelry because clothes and fashion can kind of be
limiting and leave people out of the conversation sometimes, and
that's such an interesting point, whereas jewelry everyone can accessorize.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah, so that was something that I kind of felt
my whole life. Just I was overweight as a kid,
and so to me, I was left out of fashion
a lot when it came to clothing, and so jewelry
was my way of feeling like an equal to my peers.
And so that's kind of where I channeled all of
my fashion energy into and it little by little became
(01:58):
like my passion. And I just figured, you know, if
I love this, take what I love and you know,
turn it into something more and help other girls who
are in the same situation as me to talk to me.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
About your love of jewelry. What do you love? What is?
What about jewelry lights you up?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
So you know, I just love when you take a
very basic outfit. So I'm a very basic girl. I
don't like I don't like to you know, like today
I got glimmed and like, there's nothing I hate more.
I really just love to be so natural and just
chilled and casual because then I like to really elevate
my style with jewelry. So even if I'm wearing, you know,
(02:39):
a pair of denim, you know, nineties jeans with sneakers
and a T shirt throwing on you know, a tennis necklace,
a chain, earrings, and then like an epic bracelet and
then my watch just makes me feel put together and
it makes it really it takes away that the jeans
are sixty dollars and the shirt is ten and like
(03:01):
I end up feeling so much better about myself. And
like when I walk into a room, people are like,
who is that? Like she's shining you know from this,
you know from these, from these pieces. And to me,
when I look in the mirror, I used to hate
looking in the mirror. You did, yes, And I was
a kid, and it took me a very long time
to learn to look in the mirror and to like,
(03:22):
you know, my reflection and see what I was and
like what I was looking back at. But to me,
whenever I pass the mirror and like I see like
a piece of gold or like a shine, I'm like,
that's me. Like I know that that's me, and I'm
that these pieces make me feel that way. And so
my jewelry, just my love for jewelry just got deeper
and deeper as I got older and as I started
(03:45):
to understand it more. I felt like a very big
attachment to jewelry. I can't leave my house. I don't
have jewelry on, Like it's just crazy. It's like it's
like putting on underwears, Like I really can't leave my
house with that jewelry on, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
And I love that you have so many earrings in
your ears, and I mean so many. I okay, and
I got some of your you sent me some of
your jey. I don't know if you knew this, but
I freaking love them. I love your stacks because I
have four. I have four and three and I'm kind
of the same way. I love that with your jewelry.
(04:17):
It's you don't ever have to take it out if
you don't want to, and it doesn't like rust or tarnish,
and you can keep it in. Because I'm that same way.
I love to have earrings and accessories in, but I
don't want to have to change them all the time
or think about it all the time, although you can
with yours. How did you get into stackables and how
did you get into ear rings? And how did you
make because you do all of it, it's like a
(04:39):
one stop shop. And how do you have the bandwidth
to know what is happening out there in the market,
Like I'm so overwhelmed by fashion and especially just like
this industry, there's so many people selling stuff. But you
have cut through and people come to you and you
are like this goat. I mean, Cardi B y'all have
(05:00):
had a relationship since the beginning of your launch, Like
right when you got started, it says like, how did
you cut through?
Speaker 2 (05:07):
And how do you stay cutting through?
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Is it because you're so passionate, like it truly comes
from your entire soul?
Speaker 3 (05:14):
I think. I think definitely, because I'm very passionate and like,
for me, this is more than just you know, a
piece of metal. To me, it's much more than that.
And I think when people hear me speak or when
I interact with my customers, they kind of feel the
same thing. When they hear me talking, they're like, wait,
that's actually pretty powerful. I never even put that together,
(05:34):
and I never even realized that about myself. But at
the same time, I'm very very selective. I don't want
to just have it all and just you know, anything
you want, you'll find your life. I'm very particular on
the quality on how the jewelry sits on when you
put it on. Like to me, a necklace that's gonna
flip every time you put it on. It's just it
(05:56):
doesn't matter the price. I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna.
It's not worth it for me, you know. So we
take quality control very seriously. When I first started, I
was still kind of overweight, so I had to make
I would make jewelry by hand. I would make pieces
that would fit me, and I would make sure they
were perfect. And then people were like, this jewelry is
so perfect. It it kind of fits my body perfectly, just
(06:19):
because I was literally measuring them and doing it, you know,
specifically for their measurements. And eventually, obviously I grew out
of that, but I figured out because I had that
like research from before, I figured out what's the right
sizing for everything. When I make necklaces, it's not just
a standard you know, fourteen or sixteen inch chain. There's
(06:40):
an extender on it because some people need to wear
it longer. And that's where the concept of the stacking
came in. So started it was like, okay, one necklace,
and then it was like, wait, like I wish I
had ten nexts so I could put on, you know,
so much more jewelry. But then I was like, okay,
let me just stack these together. So if I create
this at sixteen inch and this aid eighteen and this
(07:01):
at twenty, I'll be able to wear all three together.
And that's how I started to slowly stack and people
were like, wait, are you wearing two necklaces at the
same time? Like this was unheard of, literally unheard of.
People were only stacking, you know, for years, and I
was like, or like bracelets, and I was like, yeah,
like I'm putting this together. And before before I knew it,
(07:23):
that's just how I did it. I was just stacking
tons and tons of chains and necklaces together, and people
were buying the entire luck as is.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Because you had already created it.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
I would already created Yeah, is.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
That is this?
Speaker 1 (07:36):
You were kind of saying this earlier, But is the
jewelry and the expression of the jewelry. Is that what
made you feel self love and made you feel like
when you could look at a mirror, and is that
kind of what changed it off for you?
Speaker 2 (07:50):
It?
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Yeah, absolutely, it changed everything for me. I started to
not look at how my body looked and I started
paying attention to my face, to you know, my neck,
to my ears, to my wrists, and it changed the
way that I looked at myself and at my body
and the way that I appreciated myself. And you don't
realize it sometimes when you're in it, but like when
(08:13):
you're so tough on yourself and you just like hate yourself,
it's very very hard to succeed and to make it
in life and to really focus on other things because
your mind just keeps thinking about that one thing. And
when I slowly started to pull away from that, I
did also don't go wrong. I did also lose a
(08:34):
lot of weight, got very healthy, went to the gym,
worked out. I did kind of take my life, take
control of my life back, because I was in this
cycle of like being depressed, then eating, then being called fat,
then eating like it was this whole thing. And I
was like, let me stop the cycle here. And the
minute I did that, Plus again, your body doesn't go
(08:55):
from four hundred pounds to like you don't go from
like a size twenty to a size six in the day.
But I started to learn how to appreciate my body
and what parts of my body I love and through
that I was able to focus on the rest of
the world.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
I couldn't focus in school. I wasn't the best student.
I was always like borderline CB, couldn't ever get an
A no matter how much I studied, Like my mind
was always focused on other on my.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Weight, well, focus on feeling not enough.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
And I never necessarily I didn't necessarily struggle with being overweight,
but I struggled with eating disorders.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Like I would do believing it.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
And I would like eat so much and then throw
it up, and then I would try to do like
if I would like try to like run on the treadmill,
I guess, like for three hours if I ate like
six candy bars or something. I had a very distorted
relationship with food, and like when your mind is completely
consumed with what you're eating and how you look and
every single it's like my whole brain was.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Just consumed with that and you can't think about anything else.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Yeah, And I think people don't understand that that, Like
it is a disorder, whether whichever side of the spectrum
it's on, it's it's like it was just taking over
my mind. I couldn't focus on anything else, and then
I was like thinking about my next meal and like
what I'm going to eat for lunch and what I'm
gonna eat for dinner and.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Like if it's just isn't you're trapped in prison?
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (10:23):
And it was literally it's literally do you know who
Glennon Doyle is? Have you heard of Glennon Doyle? She's
an author? She's an author. She said something and I
just had to give her, quote quote her credit for this.
She was like, she's like any bitty, but she's been
had eating problems her whole life. And she was like,
I probably have spent like eighty to eighty five percent.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I'm probably misquoting this, but this is a general idea.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
She's like, I probably spent like eighty to eighty five
percent of my brain space obsessing about food. She's like
what and exactly like what you are saying, and now
how you have flipped it. She's like, what could I
have created? What art could I have contributed? How I
have changed the world? You know, how could my genius
and my gifts have impacted the world instead of me
(11:08):
thinking about body? And it's like for girls in general,
I mean guys too, but girls, young girls and women,
it's like we're so flooded by that like stereotype of
you have to be perfect, that it literally poisons and
destroys all the creative genius that we have and all
the contributions we can be giving to the world because
(11:28):
we're thinking we have to If we don't look right,
then we're not worthy, we don't matter, and that's just
so not true.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
And I feel like I feel like as a kid,
I missed out on so much child be of that. Yes, yeah,
also apart from the fact that like I didn't have
friends and I was bullied, I felt like an outcast.
So like all those things on top of it added
to like this, like you said, like the space in
my mind that I should have been focusing on just
(11:54):
being a kid was so preoccupied with like adult things
or things that like I shouldn't have been dealing with
or shouldn't have been, you know, experiencing. And I think
after that it was I remember there was a moment
where I said, like I'm going to take my life back.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
And what was that moment? How did it hit?
Speaker 3 (12:12):
I think I was I was about to graduate high school,
and I remember everyone they were trying us, like they
were measuring us for the graduation gowns, and like the
person didn't even measure me, like they knew they just
had to give me like the largest size. And I
just was like, I cannot feel this pain again. I
(12:35):
really can't feel this pain again. I felt so shitty, honestly,
and I was like, I really can't feel this ever again.
And I from then I said I have to do
something to change my life. I graduated a few days later,
and after that, I said, I'm not going to treat
college like I did school my whole life. I'm gonna
I'm gonna love it, I'm gonna appreciate it, I'm going
(12:56):
to study what I want. I'm going to take my
life back on my own terms.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Hell, yes you did say that and did that.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
And then I right away. I remember, before I even
had my graduation, I went to a nutritionist, Like literally
the next day, I went to a nutritionist, and I'm like,
I have to change my life around. Like I don't.
I was on a million diets my whole life, but yeah,
I want to just figure out a way that I
could have a little bit of everything and not feel
(13:24):
like constricted and confined. And she's like, I'm going to
help you and and I'll really never forget. Like her
name is Beth Warren, and she was there for me.
And before I knew it, I was going I was
excited to go to I was excited to go on
the scale for the first time in my life. Wow,
like be afraid to go to the doctor because like.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
For checking away.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Yeah, I got on the scale, you know. And and
it was just little by little it just started changing.
And then she's like, Okay, I think we could start
to incorporate workouts into your routine. And before I knew it,
being so busy with cope, staying up all night doing
making necklaces, having this passion, this drive, this busy.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
You're on fire now for now you went from like
feeling totally lost and you say this, from powerless to
now you were just like exploding with like you're what
was like dying to come out of you this full
time is now on like overdrive.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
That's what I think. That's exactly what it was. And
I had all this stored up energy that like I
saved when I was when I used to sit in
my bed or in my room for hours on end
with no friends or nowhere to go on a Saturday night,
I like had all of that energy and I just
channeled it this and I was like, and I remember
saying it. My father asked me, like, like from where
(14:40):
to where? Like I never knew you even loved jewelry.
And I was like, I was like, Dad, you know what, Like,
you guys live paycheck to paycheck your whole lives. You
guys are immigrants. You've worked like dogs from the minute
you landed in this country. You've always had that disadvantage
that you're not American. And I said this, I'm going
(15:01):
to make that sacrifice worth it. I'm going to go
and start. I said this is just the beginning, Like
this business is going to go so so far. And
I said, there's going to be a day where you're
not going to have to work because I'll be able
to support you. And I was like, I'm not going
to stop until I reach that point. And that's why
I haven't stopped yet.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Oh my, And you do it with your brother, right,
he's the CEO.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
So you have like built and you know each other
the whole, so the whole family's working in.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
A whole family. Basically, I started it. I was doing
everything by hand. I was driving to people's houses delivering them,
you know, bracelets, necklaces, whatever they wanted. Then people started
telling me, can you make me You know, my daughter
has a bot mixbuck, Can you make me ten bracelets
for her best friend. I'm like, no problem. I was
at that point, I was like making more money than
(15:51):
like I even knew what to do with. Like I was,
I wasn't touching the money at all. I never took
a salary for the first three or four years. That's
when I told my brother, Like my brother was graduating
high school and I'm like, Meyer, I think this can
really be something. Why don't you help me make a website?
Right now? I'm only on Instagram, I'm only on text message.
There was no dms, there was no Instagram stories. It
(16:13):
was you made a post, you put the price in
the caption, here's my number, call or text me done.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
And when you were posting, were you posting like how
you had them stacked and likes sost on me?
Speaker 3 (16:25):
I would put it on my sister, on my cousins,
on like a mannequin. I would you would show myself.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
You were still you're still nervous to show yourself yes,
but you would show how I would wear it that.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
Yes, I would show the people would buy the full stack.
They're like, hey, I want all these four necklaces as is.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Can you please.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Drop it off to my house right now. I have
the party tonight and I want to wear it. And
it was crazy. It was crazy, and I used to
literally get on my car and I would go deliver it.
It would give me cash and I would feel like
a million bucks. I would feel like a literal million bucks.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I really do believe this, like the people.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
I don't know, this has been said a lot of
different times, and I'm gonna say it wrong, but like
the amount of your suffering, it like the more pain
and you have experienced, the more like joy you can
experience on the flip side, you know, like the depth
of the pain that you've gone to, it's like on
the other side, there's that much joy, you know, it's
(17:24):
and I so I feel like I do feel like
your passion and then the switch that you had, like
the feeling of wanting knowing there was so much in
you that wanted to come out, but being so paralyzed
and trapped by this thing that we all are, which
is a standard of beauty which is bullshit, but like
we all get sucked up into it, especially when we're young.
(17:46):
But then like you flipping that script and then actually
making the standard.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Of beauty.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Self worth through jewelry and saying, listen, I'm gonna like
express myself. I'm not gonna sit on the sidelines of
life anymore. I'm actually going to step into the center
fold of life and be in the middle of it
all and.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Be proud of myself and shine.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
It's it's it's that's this story is so powerful and
the fact that it's so much more than jewelry, like
it really is. It's not, oh, I want to wear
some jewelry and look good. It's like, no, I want
to express myself and be seen. And I love what
you do because you can like customize it towards your personality.
You know, all of your designs, Like you have some
(18:32):
that are flashyar some that are simpler, you have some
that are dangle ear rings. It's just like whatever you feel,
you can customize it. I really do feel that that
is an expression and how to express yourself.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
I think sometimes even like I look back at like
my wardrobe of like jewelry that I used to wear
in the past, and I'm like, I don't know how
I wore that, you know, but like at the same time,
that's who I was then, and that's what was That's
what was cool then. For sure, that was the fact then,
But that's who I was then. Today I'm different, you know,
Like today I'm on different, I'm in a different chapter
(19:06):
in my life. I express myself differently through my jewelry.
I'm more conservative, reserved, you know, I'm I'm my mom
always telling me like, you can't buy class, you know,
and I say that I'm a class I think I'm whatever.
I think I'm a classy person. And to me, like,
I've never been that type to go around with the blinky,
blinky blinky jewelry like that's and we'll if you look
(19:28):
on my on my page, you won't find that, you know,
because I take it so seriously that everything looks powerful
yet subtle at the same time. Dress it up, dress
it down, you know, because I feel like your mood
changes day to day, and you don't have to always
take off your necklace because you're in a different mood today.
I want you to be able to keep it on
and depending on how you feel you're going to change
(19:51):
because of how that necklace looks on you today, You
know what I mean. And I think that's what really
helped me get to where I am today, because I
realized it's not about having it all. It's about having
those few pieces that you own and making the most
of it. I love it.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
We talked about this a little bit earlier, but I
kind of want to do just like a little breakdown
because you are such a shining example of this.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
How do you go from feeling.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Powerless to powerful, especially in your world, like owning your jewelry,
like stepping into who you know that you are, putting
the standards aside of what we think we're supposed to be,
but actually deciding who you're going to be, deciding you're
going to be powerful.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
How do you make that switch?
Speaker 1 (20:39):
If someone is in high school in the mindset that
you were feeling unworthy, spending so much of their time
consumed with trying to keep up with the standards of
the world and missing out on the beautiful genius inside
of them, how do you switch it like you did,
from saying no more, we're gonna I'm to switch this
(21:00):
from feeling powerless to feeling powerful, Like what are the
you had a moment? Like you said you had a moment,
But then were there steps that you did? And were
there mantras that you live by? Was there practices you
put in place?
Speaker 3 (21:11):
So I think it was two things. First of all,
I believed in a higher power. So I think if
you believe in a higher power, whatever that is, whether
it's God or something else, I think that's extremely important
because I remember saying to God. I'm Jewish, so I'm religious.
I remember saying to God, this has to stop. You've given.
(21:33):
Look at everyone around me. Of course the grass is
green on the other side, but look at everyone around me,
and look at me. I'm the most giving person. I
love everyone. I give with all my heart. I'm selfless.
I do charity, Like when are you gonna make it
up to me? Not that the not I'm like, and
not that the world owes me anything, but I'm going
(21:54):
to go on this journey. Just have my back, That's
what I said. I'm like, I'm not asking you to
to move oceans for me, but just have my back.
And I think when things get tough, when you look
up to that higher power and you say like where
are you? Like are you here? Do you love me?
Do you care for me? You end up saying yourself, Okay,
(22:14):
there's only so much that they can do, like I
also have to contribute, you know, And to me, I
was like, okay, I'm gonna put I'm gonna contribute, but
you have to also contribute and help me. I'm not
going to be this helpless person anymore. I'm no longer
ten years old. I have a mouth, I have a voice.
(22:35):
Help me. And then apart from that, I read a lot.
I educated myself. I wanted to learn you know, what
it's like to go from nothing to something, because at
that moment, I felt literally like nothing. I was like,
I'm either gonna die right now and just kill myself,
or I'm gonna make something out of myself. There's nothing
I don't want any other there's no other option for me.
(22:57):
This is what it is.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Because you knew there's greatness. You knew.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
I knew there was.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Greatness in me. I from when I was ten years old.
I remember I was ten years old sitting in my classroom.
I had heard these girls in my class making fun
of me in the staircase and like you could hear
in the staircase, right, so they were like two floors down,
and I heard them making fun of me, And I
remember going back to the classroom and I said to myself.
(23:23):
I remember looking up to God and I remember saying,
I know I'm better than all these girls. I was
raised better. I'm such a I'm a much better person.
I'm not just religious, but like, I'm good to people.
I care about people, I love people with my whole heart.
You know, why don't I have this. I remember saying
I'm like and I said, I said, I'm like, Mark
(23:44):
my words. They're going to remember my name for the
rest of their lives, and not for this. I'm going
to give them a reason to remember my name for
the rest of their lives. And let me tell you
that every single person that ever bullied me has written
me an apology, had found me on Instagram and dmd me,
or has had my number and texted me and said
(24:05):
I'm sorry for what I did.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Yeah, how does that feel? Did it feel like you
hoped it would feel it?
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Did it? Did it? It made me go back and
tell that little girl like we made it, you know,
we did it. And at the same time, we did it,
and I still have my family with me. I haven't
lost anyone along the way that was important to me.
I never stepped on anyone to get to where I am.
I embraced and I loved everyone in my life, and
(24:37):
they all accepted the sacrifices that I took to get
to where I am. I sacrificed my entire teen, teenhood
and young adult life working, but I knew it was
going to be worth it. I knew I was going
to get here. Like in the beginning, I didn't know,
but once things started.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Happening, did you see it?
Speaker 3 (24:54):
I knew it was. Yeah, like I saw it, I
envisioned it. I was like, I know it sounds crazy,
but like s no, I have that feeling in your
heart and you're like, I know that there's still so
much left for me. It's it's not this is just
the it's just the cusp, like we're so we're just
starting to touch like the pinnacle of it, you know.
And it was so crazy because little by little I
(25:19):
started to have this idea in my head. Like I
would I would say to myself, you are better than them,
You're better than this, you could do better. People would
reach out to me, Hey, can you sponsor, you know,
a necklace for a charity event or whatever. I would
say yes every time because I learned in order to get,
you have to give, and like I didn't forget those things,
(25:40):
you know, so also giving back being there for other
people that helps a lot. And I learned when I
started to educate myself that you're not the only one
going through problems. Everyone has problems. That you could see
someone who weighs one hundred and twenty pounds and she's
a size too, and she looks amazing, but she goes
home and no one in her family appreciates her. But
(26:03):
then there was me that was three hundred pounds and
I was going home and I was the funniest person,
and my parents were like, you're so funny. We come
home from a depressing day of work and you light
up our world and whatever.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
You know, they were always loved at home.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
I was. I felt loved. Yeah, Like my parents always
gave me that extra love because they knew I wasn't
getting it in school and knew I wasn't getting it
for my peers. My siblings were going out to parties
and I was never invited or I was invited, but
like I would go and like stand on the side,
you know. So I always felt I always felt that
sense of like I could do whatever I set my
(26:37):
mind to. And I think having, you know, having seen
my parents in the way that they suffered, that definitely
gave me also a passion and a drive because I
remember saying one day, like, I'm not living paycheck to
paycheck my whole life, and I don't want to work
for someone because why should I go and hustle and
make them the money. I knew that I'm a hustler,
I knew that I had it in me, but I said,
(26:57):
why not take the full check to my pocket? Yeah,
I said, well do it your way exactly. And from
there I started to really begin this journey. And it
was a lot of self help. It was a lot
of I went to a therapist and then I did
self help. Then I had a therapist. I got over
my past. That's another thing you have to let go.
(27:18):
The world doesn't owe you anything. You can't say because
I had no friends, or because I went through this,
or because my parents didn't have money that I now
deserve all this. No, you have to go out and
get it. For yourself. And I promise you God that
higher power, whatever you believe in, will give it to you.
The world will collaborate together for you when you go
(27:40):
for it.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
But when you make the shift, when it makes the shift.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
Yes, because because you have to go for it, you
have to protect yourself. I looked at it like it's
self defense. I'm about I'm going to die or I'm
going to defend myself and I'm going to fight till
my death. And that's how I looked at it. I said,
I might as well die trying, and that's what I did.
And before I knew it, Yeah, and before I knew it,
I'm telling you, it was almost like I could see
(28:05):
this literally like shift in my life. And I saw
just how people started to respect me. I saw how
my parents started breathing easier when they looked at me.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
I see you took you were taking power of yourself. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
Yeah. And at one point my parents told me, I
hope your siblings learned from you. I hope they're going
to be like you. And one by one they graduated.
I brought them into the business. I started them at
the bottom. They started packing. They knew there's no just
walk in here and become a manager, and you know,
we built a team together. We Without my family, I
(28:43):
don't know where I'd be. You also have to surround
yourself with people who love you and who are going
to support you and who are going to be there
for you no matter what, unconditionally. But I had to.
I had to do it for myself. I had to
make up for all those lost years.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Yeah really, yeah honestly.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
And I feel like that's why you're such like a
firework explosion, because you're like, we're let's go. Let's go, girls,
Like we're not playing anymore.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
Tell me how your family.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Tell me about your family in a business, and how
your family dynamic has changed now since adena Aiden has
taken off.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
So I mean, it's funny, like we can never have
a conversation where we're not like where the business is
not somewhat mentioned, or like where we're not mentioning like
you know, an upcoming something that we're doing or what
we're thinking of. But my family is happy, you know.
I think after seeing how my parents really sacrificed and
(29:46):
suffered so much throughout the years, I think this was
the validation we all needed. We come from a very
small community, and no one really ever knew like who
we are? Like what's who's adena komkachi? Like what who
are you? You know? Your father's from Syria, your mother's
from Israel, Like who do you think you are? You're
straight off the boat, you know. And this was the
(30:07):
validation that we needed to prove that you could come
from nothing and you could make something of yourself. And
you don't need to have a special last name to
make to make something of yourself. You don't need a
father who's rich to help you in business. We bootstrapped
the entire way. We had no My father couldn't give
(30:27):
me ten dollars if I asked for it, and I
had to make it all on my own. And so
I think now it's like we all breathe easier, you know,
we all live a very different lifestyle where obviously don't
go and throw money and you know whatever, but we live,
we enjoy life, and I think it's something that we
(30:48):
all really needed. And there's no one else I'd rather
share not only my wealth with, but my success with,
because there's nothing like family. You learn along the way.
I don't care your friend is your friend for ten
years or a hundred years or your family, friends, or
you just met. There is nothing in the world like family.
There's nothing like a mother, like a sister, like a brother,
(31:11):
No one can ever replace them. And ten out of ten,
if I'm feeling down, the first person I'm calling is
my mother, my brother. I'm a sister, like straight up,
you know, before I call any friend. And so it's
really it matters a lot who you surround yourself with
and how you look at life and how you change
that perspective. Because I always felt like the world owed
(31:32):
me something, and that's how I looked at life. I
looked at life like, you know, God's going to do
it for me because I deserve it. But it's not
how it works. He'll do it for you when you try,
when you go for it, you know, and when you
do things honestly, you have to be very damn honest.
I met many cheaters, many lawyers who tried to screw
me over because I was eighteen. I was nineteen. They thought, oh,
(31:53):
she's a girl, she's a ditch. She doesn't know Today
they beg to work with me, and I told them, said,
I'm going to be a really big company one day,
and you're gonna you're gonna regret that you screwed me
over and one by one they texted me, they messaged
me on WhatsApp, Hey can we do business together again?
Because they're international, and it's just it's not like a satisfaction,
(32:15):
but it's like, you.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Know, like you knew you're worth the whole time.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
I think worth the whole time.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
Yeah, they didn't see it, but you knew it.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
And you're like, it's not that you needed to show them,
but I mean, because you're doing it for you. But
also it has to feel good to be able to
have that.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
Like absolutely that moment where you're like, see, it's a
very very rewarding feeling, and not with malice. It's just
a rewarding feeling. Like I believed in myself that I
would get here, and there were many people who doubted me,
you know, and I don't have to show them. I
don't have to call them up and tell them. They
see it for themselves. And that's the beautiful part. And
(32:52):
that's what I say, when you have to be elegant
and classy about it, because when you do things right,
you do not have to tell people. They will tell you.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
That is so true. It speaks for itself.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
Yeah, talk to me about your.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Relationship with Cardi B.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
I love this, Like how did y'all meet and how
have y'all what is y'all's relationship been.
Speaker 3 (33:13):
So we first met at a Laqwan Smith show. So
Laqwan was also first starting out, like I'm not kidding you,
like six years ago, five six years ago, first starting out.
He was doing a show. He's like, can I you know, like,
hey guys, like, could we use some of your jewelry
for our show? Said? For sure, I said, And like
(33:35):
I was like not scared of anything. I'm like, the
only thing is I have to be there. Like I
was like I have to be there to you know,
like I want an invitation. He's like, of course, we'll
send you four or five. We'll give you four or
five tickets. Absolutely, So my brother and I went and
we did something the night before. Who told him can
we prepare like swag bags? Like and at the time,
like no one was really giving anything for free, like
it was still very new the influencer marketing thing. We
(33:58):
went there, we made the night before boxes and bags
for everyone with jewelry and like, and again we were
small companies so like you're investment, you're getting on lot.
You're speaking from your your your your your stock, you know.
And we went there. First of all, it was my
first ever and fashion week. I was like blown away,
(34:19):
like this was it was crazy, like my first time
I got glammed and I was like wow, like this
is crazy, Like this is like the life I could
be living, and you know, showed up. Lakwan was so nice.
He was like, whatever you guys need, anyone that you
see that you want me to introduce you to, I will.
And like that's another thing. People who also are on
(34:41):
the same boat as you and who help you and
are not like bad people or who aren't jealous. That
also is that's a very big thing too, because there
are some people who are not going to help you.
And Cardi B walked in and like I didn't know
who she. I knew who she was, but I didn't
know who she was, you know. She it was also
just starting out almost she saw us and she's so funny.
(35:04):
She was like she's like, oh, you guys got jewelry,
Like let me see what you got. We're showing you that.
She's like, put it on me, put it on me.
She's like picking her hair and like she's wearing this
like open like by like I'm not getting you. Her
boobs were basically out, like just her nipples recovered and
I'm not used to that. And I'm like, oh my god.
We like I'm so confused. I put the jewelry on
for her. She's like, I'm not gonna forget you guys,
(35:25):
and I'm like, okay, whatever.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
She leaves there.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
The following year, Lakwan text us again. He's like, guys,
you want to be in there. We're like, yes, Cardib
sees us. She's like, I know you you the jewelry
girl straight up like that and like me and my
brother and like we're shaking. We're shaking. We gave her jewelry,
she put it on. She's like, I'm gonna tag you
guys everything like and she did and she never lot
like she like so many people tell you, I'll tag you,
(35:51):
I'll tag you, I'll tag you, and you never hear
from them again. She tagged us, and then I think
maybe two years ago, you get a text. We got
a DM from her agent or her manager or someone
or stylist saying like hey, please see screenshots from Cardi
herself asking for these items. I said, absolutely, no problem,
(36:12):
send it over to her. It was all real jeweler,
like who's diamonds. We sent it over. She did two
stories on Instagram. We gained like twenty thousand followers in
a night. It was crazy. Wow, Yeah, it was crazy.
And she I mean, I mean like if I see
her on the street today and I tell her why am,
She'll remember me, like she's She's an amazing, amazing person.
(36:33):
And she really did. She also didn't forget where she
came from, and she supported us like you have no
idea how much it helped us at the time, and
just just too for the placement it looked. It was amazing,
you know, because it gave us a legitimacy that we needed,
yes at such a like early stage of our business.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
And then you had like Kylie Jenner and you have
Hayley Bieber And is it just like word of mouth?
How did all these celebrities?
Speaker 2 (36:58):
How did it happen?
Speaker 3 (37:00):
I think a lot of it definitely is word of mouth,
But also the stylists are usually the same, So the
stylists communicate with each other and they're like, oh, check
out this brand, you know, they're very they'll give you
whatever you need. They're very easy. You don't have to
send it back right away or if they want, I'll
tell you to keep it. Like one day I was
I remember I was in Miami. It was a Saturday night.
We don't use our phone on the sabbath, So Saturday
(37:22):
night I open up my phone and I see an
email from Adidas, Like what is this like? Adidas with
ex Kylie Jenner campaign. Hi Dina, and again this is
all coming to my personal email. I have no assistant,
I have nothing, nothing. It's all me. I don't even
know how they got my email. Hi Dina. We would
like to pick some jewelry for this campaign that we
(37:44):
have with with with Kendall Jenner. It's gonna be very exclusive,
so you won't be able to We'll share the images
with you after, but we request that you don't, you know,
post anything until we have the like until we do.
The first post said no problem. They sent me eighty
items eighty eight zero. I was like, all right, I'm
going to send them everything. I'm like, I can't take
(38:06):
a chance, right, send it to them. End up using
one item one one item out of the eighty and
I told him, if Kendall wants to keep anything, let
her keep it. Don't worry about it.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
Kendall posted a picture that same day that they had
that she had the campaign. Her hair was like tied
up in like a towel, like she just got out
of the shower, and she was wearing our herringbone choker.
I was like, could we post it? Could we not?
Like Adida still didn't release the campaign, but like Kendall
posted this picture. I email the girl. She's like, absolutely,
(38:45):
if Kendall posted that picture, you could take the credit.
No problem. We repost it. You say, this is our necklace.
And the girl answered us back literally in an.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Hour, So we tag you guys kind of tag I wish.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
I wish. I don't even think she knew it was
from us, Like she she wore it out of the campaign.
We put it on our Instagram, sold out overnight, gone, gone.
We restocked it, I think four times, and we sold
out four times, like overnight. Wow.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
The power of influence. It's crazy, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
Yeah? Yeah, what I loved was that one. It was
an affordable choker. I think it was at the time.
I mean, now the silver went up, but I think
at the time was fifty eight to sixty dollars and
we had twenty thirty percent off on our website for welcome.
People gravitated towards it. It was a basic chain. You
can't go wrong with a basic change. And Kendall is
like the epitome of like minimalist, basic girl but like
(39:45):
it girl, you know. And people went crazy for it.
And I think that's when the whole fad of like minimalists,
less is more started happening. And she kind of like
broke broke the ice for us, and it was crazy.
It was absolutely crazy. So you know, it's all about
the relationships you built. Adidas reached out to us one
(40:07):
hundred times after we gave them whatever they wanted. We
built a relationship, you know, And and that's how it
works in this business. You know, the minute you say no,
they're onto the next. There's a million other people they
can ask. It's just who's going to give it to
them first, Who's going to be the most reliable, the
most compassionate, who's gonna you know, who's not going to
cheat them and go and post the picture before them
and undermine them. I learned that, you know, you can't
(40:30):
you know you know how many times celebrities come pull
up to our store. The girls calling from the store, Hey,
the celebrities in the store, you know, someone massive, like
a list. Can we lock the door that they're they're
here with their security. Can they lock the door? I
said yes. They're like, there's a couple of customers and start.
I said, let the customers in on their store, finish
and then you know, and then once you let them out,
(40:51):
lock the door. They're like, should we call paparazzi, And like, no,
we don't do things like that. We don't call paparazzi.
Like everyone's like, oh my god, should we call paparazzi? Like,
you know, like this is like Millie Bobby Brown is
literally in our store. She's getting her ears pierced. I'm like, no,
the girl's face timing. Millie knows me. I have a
personal relationship with Millie. Millie face we FaceTime. Millie's like,
(41:13):
thank you for not calling paparazzi because the door is locked.
There's no one outside on the street looking in here.
I'm with my sister taking my time doing piercings. I
go to her, Millie, the store is yours, whatever you want.
Tell the girls, don't worry about it. You get pierced.
She's like, my boyfriend wants to get to Pierce. I'm like,
you could also let your security guards get Pierce. I'm like,
(41:34):
the time of your life. Don't worry about it. My
girls are there to help you. Oh for an hour,
I'm not kidding you. She was there for a full hour.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
So you have a piercing on site too. Yeah, Oh
that's so cool.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
Yeah, yeah, it was crazy. She just walked in. She
didn't even DM me and like we were on DMZG.
She didn't even DM me. She just popped in and
like it was crazy. It's crazy, you know. So like
things just happened sometimes and it's all about how you
take it.
Speaker 1 (42:01):
And they're not taking the low hanging fruit, like you
see the bigger picture instead of saying, oh, we could
get a quick shot and get our name on that,
you know, maybe get some sort of hit on a
magazine or you know, trending article. But then you've lost
the respect of that person, that celebrity. All right, So
(42:23):
you're in for the long run, you're in for the relationships,
you're in for being actually the good person.
Speaker 2 (42:29):
That you said.
Speaker 3 (42:30):
And that's why a lot of these you know, influencers,
bloggers and celebrities, that's why they keep coming back because
first of all, when they meet me, they're like, oh,
like you wouldn't hurt a fly, Like they don't feel
intimidated by me, which is the biggest thing, because a
lot of these girls will feel intimidated by other you know,
by people who are around them. And and like I say, like,
(42:51):
because I say, like, thank god, I'm not a size too,
because I don't intimidate them. It's a lot of size too.
But like then I asked them and they're like, no,
it's you know, like you're there's something about you. You
just like give off this vibe of a good person.
And I don't feel threatened, you know, being next to
you and sharing my like so many you don't how
many of them share their life with me. And I'm like, whoa,
I never even knew that. Like I could call TMC tomorrow,
(43:14):
you know, why would I do that? Like, it's more
about building the relationship, establishing something, having something there.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
You know.
Speaker 3 (43:22):
I always say, I don't know where my business is
gonna end up, and tomorrow I could be the next
Cardia of Jewelry and if I need, if I need
Millie Bobby Brown one day to you know, model my jewelry.
I know that she'll do it for me, even if
be like even if she can or she's summer, she'll
she'll make it happen that she'll show up, you know
what I mean. Like so many times they're in contract
(43:44):
with other jewelry brands and they're like so many people
are like, I'm in contract with other jewelry brands. I
can't post, but I'm gonna send you a picture when
I get it. And they literally like they're in their
pajamas and like this is like I can't even tell
you what big celebrities they are, Like you don't even
think these you will wear pajamas, you know, And they're
in their house and like they're they're taking a picture
opening the box, and I'm like, oh my god, Like
(44:06):
it's so crazy, you know, to think that I went
from being this girl that no one even looked at,
like I was invisible, and then to being like Kylie
has like she has a box with my name in
her house, you know, like it's a Dina Eden, it's
my name, it's me it's not just a random jewelry
company that you don't even know who the face of
the brand is.
Speaker 2 (44:25):
Like, it's that makes me Terry Adina crazy.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
It's so crazy to think of it sometimes like that,
that little girl in me is like so proud. You
have no idea, You.
Speaker 2 (44:37):
And God and cry you.
Speaker 1 (44:41):
You went back for your little girl though, you know,
because you said you had that moment. You had that
moment where you said, it's either I'm gonna call it.
It's gonna be I'm gonna it's gonna be over, or
we're gonna go. I'm gonna we're gonna do this, and
you did. You said, Okay, here we go. I'm not
leaving you behind. I know, I know what we're capable of.
I know what you're worth. And look at what you've done.
(45:01):
How's that feel to have your wildest dreams come true?
Speaker 2 (45:05):
Because I know you're a visionary.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Even you saw you posted something where it's like you
manifested Was it like Beverly Hills.
Speaker 2 (45:12):
Or some big street that you have a storefront on now?
Speaker 1 (45:16):
And you said manifested Beverly Hills And then you have
like a Rodeo drive or something, and you have like
a shop on it.
Speaker 2 (45:23):
Now, it's like, what.
Speaker 1 (45:24):
Does that feel like to actually have your wildest dreams
come true? Because it's like you are someone who's wildest
dreams are coming true. And also now you're married, you're
traveling the world with your husband, You're going to like Italy,
like you're like living your wildest dreams.
Speaker 3 (45:43):
It's, uh, there's you know, I can't describe a feeling.
Speaker 2 (45:47):
There's as good as you thought it would be, or bet.
Speaker 3 (45:49):
As good as I thought it would be. I I
you know what it is. It's of course life. There's
always going to be reality checks and moments where you
say to yourself, like I could lose this the minute,
or I'm afraid like that the stakes are higher now
I have more responsibility, but I learned to just go
with the flow and just be in the moment. Like
(46:12):
you can't you know. I remember when I was in
therapy and my therapist told me, like, we're here to
work on letting go of your past, but then you
also can't dwell too much on the future, and let's
figure out how to focus on the present, how to
enjoy the moments now, be in the moment, enjoy the moments.
You know, because tomorrow all the stuff for the pictures.
(46:33):
If you don't enjoy it today, you know. And I
learned it the hard way because there were so many
times where I was like, this is a blur, I
don't remember this or whatever, and I learned to just
really soak everything in. I don't as much as I
post about my life. There's so much I don't post,
and there's I'm barely on my phone and I live
(46:53):
every moment.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
You know, if you're not obsessed with your phone, it's
not glued to your hand. Do you have is your
relationship with your phone? What's your what's your valaries?
Speaker 3 (47:03):
So I really only the own some home on Instagram
usually is at night. Just when I scroll through Instagram
or I go through I want to see what other
fashion houses are doing, get some insco you know, look
unto let's say, if I'm if I'm going to be traveling, look,
you know, shop online. But during the day, I'm like work, work, work, work,
very busy. I have where we have, you know, over
(47:26):
five dozen employees, So it's about managing all of them. Who, yeah,
phone calls, text messages, a dina, I have a question here,
the stores calling me up there's a question, there's a customer.
Speaker 2 (47:37):
How many stores do you have?
Speaker 3 (47:39):
We have two stores right now, we're hopefully hopefully opening
a third store. We've done a ton of pop ups though,
we've tested out so many different locations.
Speaker 2 (47:47):
Where are your best locations? Where are your stores?
Speaker 3 (47:50):
So I have so right now, we we had a
we had a pop up in the one that you
saw in La But we do have now a set
store in Dumbo and in Soho, and we'll see where
we'll open up.
Speaker 2 (48:04):
We're very New York.
Speaker 3 (48:05):
We're very very New York. So we want to kind
of like get that down pat first and then you know,
expand and move more, you know, nationally within the country.
Speaker 1 (48:16):
Man Adina, So doing this though, it's like a dance. Though,
like starting a business is like a dance because you
don't have a rule book, there's no instructions.
Speaker 2 (48:23):
You kind of just have to feel your way through it.
Speaker 1 (48:25):
How do you know when the right move is, when
to pull back, like when you're when to hire more people?
Speaker 2 (48:31):
When to you know?
Speaker 1 (48:32):
Like, how how do you navigate this? Because it's all instinct.
Speaker 3 (48:37):
I'm sure, yes, So a lot of times you don't
a lot of times it's a risk, truthfully, but it's
about to see. I can't I can't really speak for
other companies, but one of the things that I would
say from what I've seen of the mistakes of other people,
of other business owners, is that they've had a lot
of funds and they were it was their money to lose.
(48:57):
One thing that sets us apart is we made that money,
and if we lost it, it's our money. And so
we learned to be very very smart in our decisions
and to really feel things first before we just go
and you know, say Okay, let's go throw one hundred
thousand dollars into this event. You know, we don't do that.
(49:19):
We have budgets, we have plans, we have open to buys.
We take everything really into consideration. But sometimes it pisses
me off. Sometimes I call my brother because he's a CEO,
and I'm like more of the emotional person, like I
don't know numbers. I call him up. I'm like, Mark,
I want to go buy something. Could I buy it?
He's like no, I'm like why. He's like, I'm like
it's a ride off. He's like, it's not a right,
(49:40):
just go buy this, you know. And so it's like
sometimes it's annoying, you know, but it builds character and
it makes you. It makes you stronger, it makes you
realize what's really important in life. Don't get me wrong,
I'm the first person to walk into Sheannel and buy
a bag. But it's it teaches you, you know, timing
(50:01):
and importance of things and how to you know, really
plan and just be smart about things. And again, it's
because it's our money on the line. We didn't take
money from anyone else. It's our money. So I can't
just like I said, I can't go call my dad
and say, hey, Dad, can you give me a million
dollars because I made a mistake.
Speaker 2 (50:19):
You know.
Speaker 3 (50:20):
So you're gonna make mistakes no matter what. It's just
how big those mistakes are gonna be. It's how you
take those mistakes and end up turning it for the better.
And it's about making short you know. You have to
know you're never gonna make everyone happy. You can't make
everyone happy. And there was a time where I used
to get depressed about it when I would see a
bad review and I'm like, oh my god, I'm gonna
(50:40):
call this person personally and apologize, you know. And sometimes
I used to used to be like, I'm so sorry,
like what can I do? You know? But then you
learn you can't please.
Speaker 2 (50:49):
Everyone, and that's a hard lesson to learn.
Speaker 3 (50:52):
It's a very hard lesson to learn. Until this day.
It really does hurt me sometimes that there will be
people who will who will, you know, talk shit about
my brain or say that they weren't.
Speaker 1 (51:01):
Police sucks because you poured your whole heart into it
and you're like no, but how do you let that?
Speaker 2 (51:06):
You just have to let it go, just.
Speaker 3 (51:08):
Like, yeah, to let it go, and you have to
think about the people that you did make happy because
out of it it's so good.
Speaker 2 (51:14):
Though. If they're talking shit, then that means like people
are talking yeah.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
I always say, and I always say like like like,
you know, if someone is pissed off at what you're doing,
it means you're doing something right. Because the whole industry
at one point, I felt like the whole industry was
against me and it took a very long time to
prove my name and like people didn't have respect for me,
And I.
Speaker 2 (51:37):
Was like, why do you feel like they were against you?
Speaker 3 (51:39):
I think one I was very young too, I was
starting this niche that people were not prepared for affordable jewelry.
There was no affordable jewelry. That's why I started this,
because it was either go to Claire's.
Speaker 2 (51:50):
Doesn't say Claire's, go to Players and Yeah.
Speaker 3 (51:53):
Gets away for ten bucks and it's gonna last you
a minute, or go to like a Tiffany and Co
go to a Cardier. Like there was no I couldn't
find anyone that had like a real niche yeah, that
had affordable jewelry that's gonna last, that I can wear
for a few months and it's not going to turn
my neck blue, and that it's also not going to
cost me so much money. Like how much money is
(52:15):
a seventeen year old have in her pocket?
Speaker 1 (52:17):
You know?
Speaker 3 (52:18):
Or if I ask my parents to buy something, I'm
not gonna tell my parents, hey, go buy me the
necklace for five thousand dollars or for two thousand dollars.
I can tell them, hey buy me this necklace for
one hundred seventy eight, you know what I mean. And
that's kind of what I wanted to do also, because
you know what, I was like kind of like a
Middle America my whole life, and I was like you
always get you always get like it's like being the
middle child. There's nothing worse. It's like you're either the
(52:41):
eldest or the youngest.
Speaker 1 (52:41):
Being the middles, so you're in the middle right now,
I'm the eldest, Oh you are okay, yes.
Speaker 3 (52:46):
But being the middle, like you just always everyone over,
always overlooks you, and I just felt like it's it
kind of it was hard at times. It was like
I don't have like my parents have enough to put
food on the table, but they don't have enough for
us to go on VIC while the whole school is
is off for vacation and everyone's coming back with a
ten and I'm like pale as a ghost, you know,
like things like that. And as a kid, I know
(53:08):
it sounds dumb saying it now, but as a kid,
it's like your whole life, you know. So I think
I just kind of learned.
Speaker 1 (53:16):
You wanted everyone to have the opportunity to have nice things,
but have them be really good quality.
Speaker 3 (53:21):
Yeah, And I kind of like I learned like it's
important to to really like to take to take importance
of the quality of what you're selling and make sure
people are happy with that. And if someone if when
when a little girl tells me that she Like a
lot of times they was singing this sort of like
I'm saying, I saved up this money to buy this
necklace from you. I'm happy that they were even able
(53:43):
to save up the money, because like, go save up
money for something that's like a thousand dollars. It's gonna
take you forever or it's gonna feel like forever, you
know as a kid. But like it makes me so happy,
you know. And then I always end up giving them
something for free and they get so happy and and
like and like it. It's amazing. It's very crazy to
see like people do the same thing like I did.
(54:04):
They're saving up, they're buying something that they want, and
like then shame on me if that necklace breaks the
minute they walk out of the store, you know what
I mean?
Speaker 2 (54:12):
Right, yes, yes, as for them, you know, somebody is
spinning their hard earned money.
Speaker 1 (54:19):
Money you want on your end, your heart wants them
to be so proud of that piece and to have
it and to feel so good when they put it on.
Speaker 2 (54:29):
Yeah, like what if they put on their neck turns
blue or for breaks right away and it's like they say.
Speaker 3 (54:35):
I'd be devastated, you know, So that to me also
is like I always think of that when i'm you know,
like fighting on a price and they're like, well the
quality will be well, won't be as good, And I'm like, okay,
I'll pay the extra money. Then it's fine. You know,
like let the cost of the good be a little
higher because I want to make sure that this is
going to be good quality, you know.
Speaker 1 (54:54):
Genuinely want to make people happy and feel proud.
Speaker 3 (54:57):
Yeah, when I go into the door and I like,
people's just how their whole mood changes when they make
a purchase and they're not breaking their bank. You have
no idea. It's a very rewarding feeling. I feel every time.
It's like a new feeling every single time. It doesn't
get old. It does not get old.
Speaker 2 (55:19):
What does it make you feel?
Speaker 3 (55:20):
It makes me feel I'm there for people in a
way that I never had anyone there for me. And
I always said when I was a kid my parents
it was hard for my parents to understand what I
was going through. They were immigrants. It was very hard
for them, and I felt very alone. And I said,
I'm going to make sure that one day I'm going
to have so much power that I won't let anyone
else feel this, or if they're feeling this, I'm going
(55:42):
to let them know they're not alone. And I think
I obviously can't do that for the whole world, but
the few lives that I can touch, to me, it's
to me, it's more rewarding than anything else. When I
see someone else happy, it makes me happier than me
actually being happy for myself. That's really what makes me
happy is giving and seeing how how it affects people
(56:05):
and how it changes them and how it makes them
feel worthy and important.
Speaker 1 (56:09):
Hmm.
Speaker 3 (56:10):
That's something that I could give to other people. I
do it every single day.
Speaker 1 (56:15):
So that's really what your brand is about. It started
for you, yes, for you to feel worthy, for you
to feel important, for you to feel your power, for
you to feel like you belonged, and now you've just
transferred that to you made it. It's grown and now
it's for everyone. So when people put on your jewelry
Adena Eden, they are worthy, they have power, they belong
(56:39):
they deserve to shine like they worked hard for this,
and it's such a your hearts and it just as
much as theirs. You're not just trying to take their
money and make a business and like, yes, obviously you
want to make money and grow your business, but you
it's not about taking someone's money.
Speaker 2 (56:54):
It's about giving them this feeling that jewelry gave you.
Speaker 1 (56:59):
Man, that's an that's I mean, that's the heart of
probably not I mean, obviously it's beautiful, incredible jewelry and
the price point and everything in the quality, but like
the heart of your intention is so powerful.
Speaker 3 (57:12):
And I think that's why I became successful because I
do too. When you do things out of the goodness
of your heart, it just people feel it, people see it.
It works, you know, Like, and that's why I always said,
I I'm a businesswoman, not listen, not I could sell anything,
like you don't know me in business mode. But that's
why I never wanted to be the CEO of the company,
(57:33):
because I didn't want to be driven by the money.
I wanted to be driven by the impact. And that's
what sets me apart so much for my brother, Like
I'm the emotional side of everything and he's like the
number and like the brain side of everything. And that's
why we get along perfectly because he's like, you know,
if you were in charge, the whole world's going to
take advantage of you and you're gonna end up, you know,
(57:54):
on the street. But you have me to tell you, like, yes,
you could give this, you could do this, but like
don't give a million dollars to charity right now, because
like you got to hold off. You know what I mean.
You are a great partnership to great partnership and that's
why it flows and it works. And like some things,
he'll tell me like, you know, why are we doing this?
And I'll tell him like, this is why we're doing this,
(58:14):
you know, and I'll like give him like this like
strong powerful thing.
Speaker 1 (58:18):
You have heart behind it when you know why you're
doing it, you know why.
Speaker 3 (58:21):
And he's like he's like and you know what, And
don't think that he had it any different, Like he
was also son of immigrants. He lived in a world
where all of his friends had, you know, their father's money,
and he didn't. And he he also had different experiences
and he couldn't go on every vacation with his friends
and travel like them. And he said, we're going to
be soldiers until we can really have the life that
(58:44):
we want. Like we did it together. We said, like
we have to change, we have to change the fate
of the Concachi family. We have to make something out
of ourselves, and that's.
Speaker 1 (58:53):
What we did. How incredible your parents taking the huge
move to come over here as immigrants and then as
their children to see for them to like have instilled
that passion and that drive and that like risk taking,
you know, to be able to make such a big move.
I mean, that's a huge deal. And then for you
guys to take their sacrifice and their hard work and
(59:15):
their dream and their vision and to grow it. I mean,
how proud must your whole family be?
Speaker 3 (59:23):
And like, put aside college education what I learned from
professors and mentors and role models. Without my parents I
would be I would not be half the person I
am today. Like my parents are not just the first,
our first supporters and our biggest fans, but they raised
(59:43):
us so well that I can see the true difference.
I really can. I can see such a big difference
in myself and in how I was raised, how I think,
how I work, how I live, and how my peers do.
And I really and I always say I my parents
most of the credit, because it was it was because
(01:00:03):
of them. Like they they always reminded us of what
they did for us. And yeah, at times it was annoying,
you know, Like you see those memes where it says,
like my father told me he had to climb mountains
to go to school when he was a kid. Like
my father tells us that till this day. But like
and like, and I'm sure some of it is true,
but and like he's all us, like, you guys are
going to school, You're being driven to school, Like you
(01:00:24):
have no idea how lucky you are, you know today
you know, thinking about that, He's right, like we had
it much easier than them, even though we didn't have
it as easy, but that set us apart. And then
having them to push us and instill the confidence in us.
My mom always told me you can be whoever you want,
whatever you want to do, you can be. It doesn't
(01:00:45):
matter what society says. You have to be. Be whoever
you want. Like I tell my mom, no one works.
You're the only woman in this community that works. That
we have a dual income. And she's like, Adina, I
do what I have to do for this family to
pay for the right because we went to private school,
we went to Yeshiba to pay for the right education
for you guys, to give you whatever I can, to
(01:01:07):
never have to tell you now that she said, as
a woman, I push you to do the same, to
never have to rely on the man's money, and to
always be your own boss, sign your own check. And
I was like, you're right, that's what I want. Wow. Yeah,
And that's why we got to where we are today
because I'm not just doing this because the paycheck is nice.
(01:01:30):
I'm doing this because, you know, I have a whole
lifetime of these things in my head of like I
have to do it, and it's just and it ended
up working out for the best because I love what
I do. But I didn't love what I do, it'd
be a different story. But I love what I do,
so it's like it's the best of both worlds.
Speaker 2 (01:01:48):
Really, man, your parents must be so proud.
Speaker 1 (01:01:51):
Though, to see their daughter and their children flourishing like this.
I mean, I can't even imagine as a parent how
much more proud you could be just to see your
kids really, really like becoming who they were meant to be.
That's so, that's that's just amazing. Adena Your story is amazing.
Your heart's amazing, your drive, your passion, your reason for
(01:02:16):
doing any of this is incredible and I just love that,
like you are instilling confidence in people and worse in
people by letting.
Speaker 2 (01:02:26):
And I love the inclusivity of jewelry. I love that.
Speaker 1 (01:02:28):
I love that clothes you know it is it's like
not it's with jewelry. Everyone can wear the jewelry. Everyone
can express themselves to jewelry.
Speaker 2 (01:02:38):
That's just so powerful. It's awesome. It's amazing.
Speaker 3 (01:02:42):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:02:43):
And you got married on top of all this, so
it's like everything started snowblalling and then you fell in
love and got married, and I know you're.
Speaker 2 (01:02:49):
Just like so happily in love.
Speaker 1 (01:02:51):
That's that happened in the middle of all this too, right, yes.
Speaker 3 (01:02:55):
And is your husband and jewelry Now he's not. He's
in real estate. But it's good because we both live
separate lives and work and then we come home and
it's like it really the rest of the world is
like it's just us, you know what I mean, which
is the nicest thing. And I was always afraid that
like I'm not going to like whoever I marry is
(01:03:17):
not like I'm not going to marry for love. I'm
just gonna marry for convenience. But Isaac is my best
friend in the whole world, and like he's very, very lucky.
Like I really love him so much and he loves me.
And that helps a lot too, because when you're happy
in your personal life, it's very it's much easier to
be happy in your business life too, and it just
(01:03:38):
like all coincides and just works hand in hand, so
like you can't have one with that other.
Speaker 2 (01:03:44):
So you're so happy.
Speaker 3 (01:03:46):
I am happy, very happy. Don't get me wrong. There's
days when I wake up and I'm just like, oh,
I don't want to get out of bed, you know,
And that's normal, that's yeah, everyone, for everyone. I'd be
lying if I tell you I'm happy all the time.
But majority I'm very happy.
Speaker 1 (01:04:02):
And I love your life. You love the life out
of your own, yes, man, Adina, you are so inspiring
like this, your whole story has just absolutely filled my
heart and inspired me so much. Thank you so much
for coming on here and sharing. I literally, I just
it's it's so cool to see how someone can shift
(01:04:26):
their whole life and like ut it like someone can
literally be how it can be so bad, it can
feel so isolating and so dark, and then you literally
made the decision and took the steps and created this
life that you love, and this life that's just like
on fire and the best way it's it's You are
(01:04:48):
so inspiring, especially for young women to hear this story,
and thank you for sharing your message. So honestly, thank you.
I always wrap up with leave your light, which is
what do you want people to know?
Speaker 2 (01:05:02):
It's just open ended.
Speaker 3 (01:05:05):
What do I want people to know? Does it matter
where you come from? It only matters where you go.
Speaker 1 (01:05:14):
I love it so true and you are so the
post your child to show that truth. Adina, thank you
so much for today. Seriously, your joy is amazing. You're incredible.
This is such a great conversation, and let everyone know
where we can follow you and find you and anything
else that information that needs to be.
Speaker 3 (01:05:33):
Shared, so you can file. You can find us in
Sauhouse sixty eight Prince Street or in Dumbo fifty five
Water Street if you're if you live in New York
or if you're like visiting here, and you can find
us on a Dina Eden dot com. Our instagram is
a Dina Underscore Eden and my personal instagram is it's
a Dina Eden. Thank you for having me, and thank
(01:05:56):
you for listening to my story. I love this opportunity amazing.
Speaker 1 (01:06:00):
Thank you so much, Adina, and just continue to have
the most blessed life. I hope I see you out
there someday.
Speaker 3 (01:06:06):
Absolutely, we'll do okay.
Speaker 1 (01:06:08):
Bye bye
At a.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Carry lamb.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
She's a queen and the talking Hey, so you know
she's getting really not afraid.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
To feel episode and so just let it flow. No
one can do we quiet carylone is sound for care alone.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
I am so excited to be here with you.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Adina. You are such a powerhouse. Like literally, you're are
you twenty seven to twenty eight?
Speaker 1 (00:37):
You're not even thirty twenty seven, You're already Forbes in
the thirty under thirty.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
You started this incredible jewelry line when you were in
college in your dorm room, and now you've grown aDNA
Eden to becoming this like huge megabrand that all the
celebrities are wearing cardib the gin at Kylie Jenner. It's
just unbelievable what you have done. How are you?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I'm good. I'm good. Yeah, it's been I mean it's
been a crazy ride.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
So how did you get this idea? I love your
mission statement.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
It's all about like jewelry to you is all about inclusivity,
and it's all about everyone gets to be a part
of jewelry because clothes and fashion can kind of be
limiting and leave people out of the conversation sometimes, and
that's such an interesting point, whereas jewelry everyone can accessorize.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah, so that was something that I kind of felt
my whole life. Just I was overweight as a kid,
and so to me, I was left out of fashion
a lot when it came to clothing, and so jewelry
was my way of feeling like an equal to my peers.
And so that's kind of where I channeled all of
my fashion energy into and it little by little became
(01:58):
like my passion. And I just figured, you know, if
I love this, take what I love and you know,
turn it into something more and help other girls who
are in the same situation as me to talk to me.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
About your love of jewelry. What do you love? What is?
What about jewelry lights you up?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
So you know, I just love when you take a
very basic outfit. So I'm a very basic girl. I
don't like I don't like to you know, like today
I got glimmed and like, there's nothing I hate more.
I really just love to be so natural and just
chilled and casual because then I like to really elevate
my style with jewelry. So even if I'm wearing, you know,
(02:39):
a pair of denim, you know, nineties jeans with sneakers
and a T shirt throwing on you know, a tennis necklace,
a chain, earrings, and then like an epic bracelet and
then my watch just makes me feel put together and
it makes it really it takes away that the jeans
are sixty dollars and the shirt is ten and like
(03:01):
I end up feeling so much better about myself. And
like when I walk into a room, people are like,
who is that? Like she's shining you know from this,
you know from these, from these pieces. And to me,
when I look in the mirror, I used to hate
looking in the mirror. You did, yes, And I was
a kid, and it took me a very long time
to learn to look in the mirror and to like,
(03:22):
you know, my reflection and see what I was and
like what I was looking back at. But to me,
whenever I pass the mirror and like I see like
a piece of gold or like a shine, I'm like,
that's me. Like I know that that's me, and I'm
that these pieces make me feel that way. And so
my jewelry, just my love for jewelry just got deeper
and deeper as I got older and as I started
(03:45):
to understand it more. I felt like a very big
attachment to jewelry. I can't leave my house. I don't
have jewelry on, Like it's just crazy. It's like it's
like putting on underwears, Like I really can't leave my
house with that jewelry on, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
And I love that you have so many earrings in
your ears, and I mean so many. I okay, and
I got some of your you sent me some of
your jey. I don't know if you knew this, but
I freaking love them. I love your stacks because I
have four. I have four and three and I'm kind
of the same way. I love that with your jewelry.
(04:17):
It's you don't ever have to take it out if
you don't want to, and it doesn't like rust or tarnish,
and you can keep it in. Because I'm that same way.
I love to have earrings and accessories in, but I
don't want to have to change them all the time
or think about it all the time, although you can
with yours. How did you get into stackables and how
did you get into ear rings? And how did you
make because you do all of it, it's like a
(04:39):
one stop shop. And how do you have the bandwidth
to know what is happening out there in the market,
Like I'm so overwhelmed by fashion and especially just like
this industry, there's so many people selling stuff. But you
have cut through and people come to you and you
are like this goat. I mean, Cardi B y'all have
(05:00):
had a relationship since the beginning of your launch, Like
right when you got started, it says like, how did
you cut through?
Speaker 2 (05:07):
And how do you stay cutting through?
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Is it because you're so passionate, like it truly comes
from your entire soul?
Speaker 3 (05:14):
I think. I think definitely, because I'm very passionate and like,
for me, this is more than just you know, a
piece of metal. To me, it's much more than that.
And I think when people hear me speak or when
I interact with my customers, they kind of feel the
same thing. When they hear me talking, they're like, wait,
that's actually pretty powerful. I never even put that together,
(05:34):
and I never even realized that about myself. But at
the same time, I'm very very selective. I don't want
to just have it all and just you know, anything
you want, you'll find your life. I'm very particular on
the quality on how the jewelry sits on when you
put it on. Like to me, a necklace that's gonna
flip every time you put it on. It's just it
(05:56):
doesn't matter the price. I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna.
It's not worth it for me, you know. So we
take quality control very seriously. When I first started, I
was still kind of overweight, so I had to make
I would make jewelry by hand. I would make pieces
that would fit me, and I would make sure they
were perfect. And then people were like, this jewelry is
so perfect. It it kind of fits my body perfectly, just
(06:19):
because I was literally measuring them and doing it, you know,
specifically for their measurements. And eventually, obviously I grew out
of that, but I figured out because I had that
like research from before, I figured out what's the right
sizing for everything. When I make necklaces, it's not just
a standard you know, fourteen or sixteen inch chain. There's
(06:40):
an extender on it because some people need to wear
it longer. And that's where the concept of the stacking
came in. So started it was like, okay, one necklace,
and then it was like, wait, like I wish I
had ten nexts so I could put on, you know,
so much more jewelry. But then I was like, okay,
let me just stack these together. So if I create
this at sixteen inch and this aid eighteen and this
(07:01):
at twenty, I'll be able to wear all three together.
And that's how I started to slowly stack and people
were like, wait, are you wearing two necklaces at the
same time? Like this was unheard of, literally unheard of.
People were only stacking, you know, for years, and I
was like, or like bracelets, and I was like, yeah,
like I'm putting this together. And before before I knew it,
(07:23):
that's just how I did it. I was just stacking
tons and tons of chains and necklaces together, and people
were buying the entire luck as is.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Because you had already created it.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
I would already created Yeah, is.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
That is this?
Speaker 1 (07:36):
You were kind of saying this earlier, But is the
jewelry and the expression of the jewelry. Is that what
made you feel self love and made you feel like
when you could look at a mirror, and is that
kind of what changed it off for you?
Speaker 2 (07:50):
It?
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Yeah, absolutely, it changed everything for me. I started to
not look at how my body looked and I started
paying attention to my face, to you know, my neck,
to my ears, to my wrists, and it changed the
way that I looked at myself and at my body
and the way that I appreciated myself. And you don't
realize it sometimes when you're in it, but like when
(08:13):
you're so tough on yourself and you just like hate yourself,
it's very very hard to succeed and to make it
in life and to really focus on other things because
your mind just keeps thinking about that one thing. And
when I slowly started to pull away from that, I
did also don't go wrong. I did also lose a
(08:34):
lot of weight, got very healthy, went to the gym,
worked out. I did kind of take my life, take
control of my life back, because I was in this
cycle of like being depressed, then eating, then being called fat,
then eating like it was this whole thing. And I
was like, let me stop the cycle here. And the
minute I did that, Plus again, your body doesn't go
(08:55):
from four hundred pounds to like you don't go from
like a size twenty to a size six in the day.
But I started to learn how to appreciate my body
and what parts of my body I love and through
that I was able to focus on the rest of
the world.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
I couldn't focus in school. I wasn't the best student.
I was always like borderline CB, couldn't ever get an
A no matter how much I studied, Like my mind
was always focused on other on my.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Weight, well, focus on feeling not enough.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
And I never necessarily I didn't necessarily struggle with being overweight,
but I struggled with eating disorders.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Like I would do believing it.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
And I would like eat so much and then throw
it up, and then I would try to do like
if I would like try to like run on the treadmill,
I guess, like for three hours if I ate like
six candy bars or something. I had a very distorted
relationship with food, and like when your mind is completely
consumed with what you're eating and how you look and
every single it's like my whole brain was.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Just consumed with that and you can't think about anything else.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Yeah, And I think people don't understand that that, Like
it is a disorder, whether whichever side of the spectrum
it's on, it's it's like it was just taking over
my mind. I couldn't focus on anything else, and then
I was like thinking about my next meal and like
what I'm going to eat for lunch and what I'm
gonna eat for dinner and.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Like if it's just isn't you're trapped in prison?
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (10:23):
And it was literally it's literally do you know who
Glennon Doyle is? Have you heard of Glennon Doyle? She's
an author? She's an author. She said something and I
just had to give her, quote quote her credit for this.
She was like, she's like any bitty, but she's been
had eating problems her whole life. And she was like,
I probably have spent like eighty to eighty five percent.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I'm probably misquoting this, but this is a general idea.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
She's like, I probably spent like eighty to eighty five
percent of my brain space obsessing about food. She's like
what and exactly like what you are saying, and now
how you have flipped it. She's like, what could I
have created? What art could I have contributed? How I
have changed the world? You know, how could my genius
and my gifts have impacted the world instead of me
(11:08):
thinking about body? And it's like for girls in general,
I mean guys too, but girls, young girls and women,
it's like we're so flooded by that like stereotype of
you have to be perfect, that it literally poisons and
destroys all the creative genius that we have and all
the contributions we can be giving to the world because
(11:28):
we're thinking we have to If we don't look right,
then we're not worthy, we don't matter, and that's just
so not true.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
And I feel like I feel like as a kid,
I missed out on so much child be of that. Yes, yeah,
also apart from the fact that like I didn't have
friends and I was bullied, I felt like an outcast.
So like all those things on top of it added
to like this, like you said, like the space in
my mind that I should have been focusing on just
(11:54):
being a kid was so preoccupied with like adult things
or things that like I shouldn't have been dealing with
or shouldn't have been, you know, experiencing. And I think
after that it was I remember there was a moment
where I said, like I'm going to take my life back.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
And what was that moment? How did it hit?
Speaker 3 (12:12):
I think I was I was about to graduate high school,
and I remember everyone they were trying us, like they
were measuring us for the graduation gowns, and like the
person didn't even measure me, like they knew they just
had to give me like the largest size. And I
just was like, I cannot feel this pain again. I
(12:35):
really can't feel this pain again. I felt so shitty, honestly,
and I was like, I really can't feel this ever again.
And I from then I said I have to do
something to change my life. I graduated a few days later,
and after that, I said, I'm not going to treat
college like I did school my whole life. I'm gonna
I'm gonna love it, I'm gonna appreciate it, I'm going
(12:56):
to study what I want. I'm going to take my
life back on my own terms.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Hell, yes you did say that and did that.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
And then I right away. I remember, before I even
had my graduation, I went to a nutritionist, Like literally
the next day, I went to a nutritionist, and I'm like,
I have to change my life around. Like I don't.
I was on a million diets my whole life, but yeah,
I want to just figure out a way that I
could have a little bit of everything and not feel
(13:24):
like constricted and confined. And she's like, I'm going to
help you and and I'll really never forget. Like her
name is Beth Warren, and she was there for me.
And before I knew it, I was going I was
excited to go to I was excited to go on
the scale for the first time in my life. Wow,
like be afraid to go to the doctor because like.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
For checking away.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Yeah, I got on the scale, you know. And and
it was just little by little it just started changing.
And then she's like, Okay, I think we could start
to incorporate workouts into your routine. And before I knew it,
being so busy with cope, staying up all night doing
making necklaces, having this passion, this drive, this busy.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
You're on fire now for now you went from like
feeling totally lost and you say this, from powerless to
now you were just like exploding with like you're what
was like dying to come out of you this full
time is now on like overdrive.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
That's what I think. That's exactly what it was. And
I had all this stored up energy that like I
saved when I was when I used to sit in
my bed or in my room for hours on end
with no friends or nowhere to go on a Saturday night,
I like had all of that energy and I just
channeled it this and I was like, and I remember
saying it. My father asked me, like, like from where
(14:40):
to where? Like I never knew you even loved jewelry.
And I was like, I was like, Dad, you know what, Like,
you guys live paycheck to paycheck your whole lives. You
guys are immigrants. You've worked like dogs from the minute
you landed in this country. You've always had that disadvantage
that you're not American. And I said this, I'm going
(15:01):
to make that sacrifice worth it. I'm going to go
and start. I said this is just the beginning, Like
this business is going to go so so far. And
I said, there's going to be a day where you're
not going to have to work because I'll be able
to support you. And I was like, I'm not going
to stop until I reach that point. And that's why
I haven't stopped yet.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Oh my, And you do it with your brother, right,
he's the CEO.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
So you have like built and you know each other
the whole, so the whole family's working in.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
A whole family. Basically, I started it. I was doing
everything by hand. I was driving to people's houses delivering them,
you know, bracelets, necklaces, whatever they wanted. Then people started
telling me, can you make me You know, my daughter
has a bot mixbuck, Can you make me ten bracelets
for her best friend. I'm like, no problem. I was
at that point, I was like making more money than
(15:51):
like I even knew what to do with. Like I was,
I wasn't touching the money at all. I never took
a salary for the first three or four years. That's
when I told my brother, Like my brother was graduating
high school and I'm like, Meyer, I think this can
really be something. Why don't you help me make a website?
Right now? I'm only on Instagram, I'm only on text message.
There was no dms, there was no Instagram stories. It
(16:13):
was you made a post, you put the price in
the caption, here's my number, call or text me done.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
And when you were posting, were you posting like how
you had them stacked and likes sost on me?
Speaker 3 (16:25):
I would put it on my sister, on my cousins,
on like a mannequin. I would you would show myself.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
You were still you're still nervous to show yourself yes,
but you would show how I would wear it that.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
Yes, I would show the people would buy the full stack.
They're like, hey, I want all these four necklaces as is.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Can you please.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Drop it off to my house right now. I have
the party tonight and I want to wear it. And
it was crazy. It was crazy, and I used to
literally get on my car and I would go deliver it.
It would give me cash and I would feel like
a million bucks. I would feel like a literal million bucks.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I really do believe this, like the people.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
I don't know, this has been said a lot of
different times, and I'm gonna say it wrong, but like
the amount of your suffering, it like the more pain
and you have experienced, the more like joy you can
experience on the flip side, you know, like the depth
of the pain that you've gone to, it's like on
the other side, there's that much joy, you know, it's
(17:24):
and I so I feel like I do feel like
your passion and then the switch that you had, like
the feeling of wanting knowing there was so much in
you that wanted to come out, but being so paralyzed
and trapped by this thing that we all are, which
is a standard of beauty which is bullshit, but like
we all get sucked up into it, especially when we're young.
(17:46):
But then like you flipping that script and then actually
making the standard.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Of beauty.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Self worth through jewelry and saying, listen, I'm gonna like
express myself. I'm not gonna sit on the sidelines of
life anymore. I'm actually going to step into the center
fold of life and be in the middle of it
all and.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Be proud of myself and shine.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
It's it's it's that's this story is so powerful and
the fact that it's so much more than jewelry, like
it really is. It's not, oh, I want to wear
some jewelry and look good. It's like, no, I want
to express myself and be seen. And I love what
you do because you can like customize it towards your personality.
You know, all of your designs, Like you have some
(18:32):
that are flashyar some that are simpler, you have some
that are dangle ear rings. It's just like whatever you feel,
you can customize it. I really do feel that that
is an expression and how to express yourself.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
I think sometimes even like I look back at like
my wardrobe of like jewelry that I used to wear
in the past, and I'm like, I don't know how
I wore that, you know, but like at the same time,
that's who I was then, and that's what was That's
what was cool then. For sure, that was the fact then,
But that's who I was then. Today I'm different, you know,
Like today I'm on different, I'm in a different chapter
(19:06):
in my life. I express myself differently through my jewelry.
I'm more conservative, reserved, you know, I'm I'm my mom
always telling me like, you can't buy class, you know,
and I say that I'm a class I think I'm whatever.
I think I'm a classy person. And to me, like,
I've never been that type to go around with the blinky,
blinky blinky jewelry like that's and we'll if you look
(19:28):
on my on my page, you won't find that, you know,
because I take it so seriously that everything looks powerful
yet subtle at the same time. Dress it up, dress
it down, you know, because I feel like your mood
changes day to day, and you don't have to always
take off your necklace because you're in a different mood today.
I want you to be able to keep it on
and depending on how you feel you're going to change
(19:51):
because of how that necklace looks on you today, You
know what I mean. And I think that's what really
helped me get to where I am today, because I
realized it's not about having it all. It's about having
those few pieces that you own and making the most
of it. I love it.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
We talked about this a little bit earlier, but I
kind of want to do just like a little breakdown
because you are such a shining example of this.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
How do you go from feeling.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Powerless to powerful, especially in your world, like owning your jewelry,
like stepping into who you know that you are, putting
the standards aside of what we think we're supposed to be,
but actually deciding who you're going to be, deciding you're
going to be powerful.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
How do you make that switch?
Speaker 1 (20:39):
If someone is in high school in the mindset that
you were feeling unworthy, spending so much of their time
consumed with trying to keep up with the standards of
the world and missing out on the beautiful genius inside
of them, how do you switch it like you did,
from saying no more, we're gonna I'm to switch this
(21:00):
from feeling powerless to feeling powerful, Like what are the
you had a moment? Like you said you had a moment,
But then were there steps that you did? And were
there mantras that you live by? Was there practices you
put in place?
Speaker 3 (21:11):
So I think it was two things. First of all,
I believed in a higher power. So I think if
you believe in a higher power, whatever that is, whether
it's God or something else, I think that's extremely important
because I remember saying to God. I'm Jewish, so I'm religious.
I remember saying to God, this has to stop. You've given.
(21:33):
Look at everyone around me. Of course the grass is
green on the other side, but look at everyone around me,
and look at me. I'm the most giving person. I
love everyone. I give with all my heart. I'm selfless.
I do charity, Like when are you gonna make it
up to me? Not that the not I'm like, and
not that the world owes me anything, but I'm going
(21:54):
to go on this journey. Just have my back, That's
what I said. I'm like, I'm not asking you to
to move oceans for me, but just have my back.
And I think when things get tough, when you look
up to that higher power and you say like where
are you? Like are you here? Do you love me?
Do you care for me? You end up saying yourself, Okay,
(22:14):
there's only so much that they can do, like I
also have to contribute, you know, And to me, I
was like, okay, I'm gonna put I'm gonna contribute, but
you have to also contribute and help me. I'm not
going to be this helpless person anymore. I'm no longer
ten years old. I have a mouth, I have a voice.
(22:35):
Help me. And then apart from that, I read a lot.
I educated myself. I wanted to learn you know, what
it's like to go from nothing to something, because at
that moment, I felt literally like nothing. I was like,
I'm either gonna die right now and just kill myself,
or I'm gonna make something out of myself. There's nothing
I don't want any other there's no other option for me.
(22:57):
This is what it is.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Because you knew there's greatness. You knew.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
I knew there was.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Greatness in me. I from when I was ten years old.
I remember I was ten years old sitting in my classroom.
I had heard these girls in my class making fun
of me in the staircase and like you could hear
in the staircase, right, so they were like two floors down,
and I heard them making fun of me, And I
remember going back to the classroom and I said to myself.
(23:23):
I remember looking up to God and I remember saying,
I know I'm better than all these girls. I was
raised better. I'm such a I'm a much better person.
I'm not just religious, but like, I'm good to people.
I care about people, I love people with my whole heart.
You know, why don't I have this. I remember saying
I'm like and I said, I said, I'm like, Mark
(23:44):
my words. They're going to remember my name for the
rest of their lives, and not for this. I'm going
to give them a reason to remember my name for
the rest of their lives. And let me tell you
that every single person that ever bullied me has written
me an apology, had found me on Instagram and dmd me,
or has had my number and texted me and said
(24:05):
I'm sorry for what I did.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Yeah, how does that feel? Did it feel like you
hoped it would feel it?
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Did it? Did it? It made me go back and
tell that little girl like we made it, you know,
we did it. And at the same time, we did it,
and I still have my family with me. I haven't
lost anyone along the way that was important to me.
I never stepped on anyone to get to where I am.
I embraced and I loved everyone in my life, and
(24:37):
they all accepted the sacrifices that I took to get
to where I am. I sacrificed my entire teen, teenhood
and young adult life working, but I knew it was
going to be worth it. I knew I was going
to get here. Like in the beginning, I didn't know,
but once things started.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Happening, did you see it?
Speaker 3 (24:54):
I knew it was. Yeah, like I saw it, I
envisioned it. I was like, I know it sounds crazy,
but like s no, I have that feeling in your
heart and you're like, I know that there's still so
much left for me. It's it's not this is just
the it's just the cusp, like we're so we're just
starting to touch like the pinnacle of it, you know.
And it was so crazy because little by little I
(25:19):
started to have this idea in my head. Like I
would I would say to myself, you are better than them,
You're better than this, you could do better. People would
reach out to me, Hey, can you sponsor, you know,
a necklace for a charity event or whatever. I would
say yes every time because I learned in order to get,
you have to give, and like I didn't forget those things,
(25:40):
you know, so also giving back being there for other
people that helps a lot. And I learned when I
started to educate myself that you're not the only one
going through problems. Everyone has problems. That you could see
someone who weighs one hundred and twenty pounds and she's
a size too, and she looks amazing, but she goes
home and no one in her family appreciates her. But
(26:03):
then there was me that was three hundred pounds and
I was going home and I was the funniest person,
and my parents were like, you're so funny. We come
home from a depressing day of work and you light
up our world and whatever.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
You know, they were always loved at home.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
I was. I felt loved. Yeah, Like my parents always
gave me that extra love because they knew I wasn't
getting it in school and knew I wasn't getting it
for my peers. My siblings were going out to parties
and I was never invited or I was invited, but
like I would go and like stand on the side,
you know. So I always felt I always felt that
sense of like I could do whatever I set my
(26:37):
mind to. And I think having, you know, having seen
my parents in the way that they suffered, that definitely
gave me also a passion and a drive because I
remember saying one day, like, I'm not living paycheck to
paycheck my whole life, and I don't want to work
for someone because why should I go and hustle and
make them the money. I knew that I'm a hustler,
I knew that I had it in me, but I said,
(26:57):
why not take the full check to my pocket? Yeah,
I said, well do it your way exactly. And from
there I started to really begin this journey. And it
was a lot of self help. It was a lot
of I went to a therapist and then I did
self help. Then I had a therapist. I got over
my past. That's another thing you have to let go.
(27:18):
The world doesn't owe you anything. You can't say because
I had no friends, or because I went through this,
or because my parents didn't have money that I now
deserve all this. No, you have to go out and
get it. For yourself. And I promise you God that
higher power, whatever you believe in, will give it to you.
The world will collaborate together for you when you go
(27:40):
for it.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
But when you make the shift, when it makes the shift.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
Yes, because because you have to go for it, you
have to protect yourself. I looked at it like it's
self defense. I'm about I'm going to die or I'm
going to defend myself and I'm going to fight till
my death. And that's how I looked at it. I said,
I might as well die trying, and that's what I did.
And before I knew it, Yeah, and before I knew it,
I'm telling you, it was almost like I could see
(28:05):
this literally like shift in my life. And I saw
just how people started to respect me. I saw how
my parents started breathing easier when they looked at me.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
I see you took you were taking power of yourself. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
Yeah. And at one point my parents told me, I
hope your siblings learned from you. I hope they're going
to be like you. And one by one they graduated.
I brought them into the business. I started them at
the bottom. They started packing. They knew there's no just
walk in here and become a manager, and you know,
we built a team together. We Without my family, I
(28:43):
don't know where I'd be. You also have to surround
yourself with people who love you and who are going
to support you and who are going to be there
for you no matter what, unconditionally. But I had to.
I had to do it for myself. I had to
make up for all those lost years.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Yeah really, yeah honestly.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
And I feel like that's why you're such like a
firework explosion, because you're like, we're let's go. Let's go, girls,
Like we're not playing anymore.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
Tell me how your family.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Tell me about your family in a business, and how
your family dynamic has changed now since adena Aiden has
taken off.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
So I mean, it's funny, like we can never have
a conversation where we're not like where the business is
not somewhat mentioned, or like where we're not mentioning like
you know, an upcoming something that we're doing or what
we're thinking of. But my family is happy, you know.
I think after seeing how my parents really sacrificed and
(29:46):
suffered so much throughout the years, I think this was
the validation we all needed. We come from a very
small community, and no one really ever knew like who
we are? Like what's who's adena komkachi? Like what who
are you? You know? Your father's from Syria, your mother's
from Israel, Like who do you think you are? You're
straight off the boat, you know. And this was the
(30:07):
validation that we needed to prove that you could come
from nothing and you could make something of yourself. And
you don't need to have a special last name to
make to make something of yourself. You don't need a
father who's rich to help you in business. We bootstrapped
the entire way. We had no My father couldn't give
(30:27):
me ten dollars if I asked for it, and I
had to make it all on my own. And so
I think now it's like we all breathe easier, you know,
we all live a very different lifestyle where obviously don't
go and throw money and you know whatever, but we live,
we enjoy life, and I think it's something that we
(30:48):
all really needed. And there's no one else I'd rather
share not only my wealth with, but my success with,
because there's nothing like family. You learn along the way.
I don't care your friend is your friend for ten
years or a hundred years or your family, friends, or
you just met. There is nothing in the world like family.
There's nothing like a mother, like a sister, like a brother,
(31:11):
No one can ever replace them. And ten out of ten,
if I'm feeling down, the first person I'm calling is
my mother, my brother. I'm a sister, like straight up,
you know, before I call any friend. And so it's
really it matters a lot who you surround yourself with
and how you look at life and how you change
that perspective. Because I always felt like the world owed
(31:32):
me something, and that's how I looked at life. I
looked at life like, you know, God's going to do
it for me because I deserve it. But it's not
how it works. He'll do it for you when you try,
when you go for it, you know, and when you
do things honestly, you have to be very damn honest.
I met many cheaters, many lawyers who tried to screw
me over because I was eighteen. I was nineteen. They thought, oh,
(31:53):
she's a girl, she's a ditch. She doesn't know Today
they beg to work with me, and I told them, said,
I'm going to be a really big company one day,
and you're gonna you're gonna regret that you screwed me
over and one by one they texted me, they messaged
me on WhatsApp, Hey can we do business together again?
Because they're international, and it's just it's not like a satisfaction,
(32:15):
but it's like, you.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Know, like you knew you're worth the whole time.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
I think worth the whole time.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
Yeah, they didn't see it, but you knew it.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
And you're like, it's not that you needed to show them,
but I mean, because you're doing it for you. But
also it has to feel good to be able to
have that.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
Like absolutely that moment where you're like, see, it's a
very very rewarding feeling, and not with malice. It's just
a rewarding feeling. Like I believed in myself that I
would get here, and there were many people who doubted me,
you know, and I don't have to show them. I
don't have to call them up and tell them. They
see it for themselves. And that's the beautiful part. And
(32:52):
that's what I say, when you have to be elegant
and classy about it, because when you do things right,
you do not have to tell people. They will tell you.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
That is so true. It speaks for itself.
Speaker 3 (33:05):
Yeah, talk to me about your.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Relationship with Cardi B.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
I love this, Like how did y'all meet and how
have y'all what is y'all's relationship been.
Speaker 3 (33:13):
So we first met at a Laqwan Smith show. So
Laqwan was also first starting out, like I'm not kidding you,
like six years ago, five six years ago, first starting out.
He was doing a show. He's like, can I you know, like,
hey guys, like, could we use some of your jewelry
for our show? Said? For sure, I said, And like
(33:35):
I was like not scared of anything. I'm like, the
only thing is I have to be there. Like I
was like I have to be there to you know,
like I want an invitation. He's like, of course, we'll
send you four or five. We'll give you four or
five tickets. Absolutely, So my brother and I went and
we did something the night before. Who told him can
we prepare like swag bags? Like and at the time,
like no one was really giving anything for free, like
it was still very new the influencer marketing thing. We
(33:58):
went there, we made the night before boxes and bags
for everyone with jewelry and like, and again we were
small companies so like you're investment, you're getting on lot.
You're speaking from your your your your your stock, you know.
And we went there. First of all, it was my
first ever and fashion week. I was like blown away,
(34:19):
like this was it was crazy, like my first time
I got glammed and I was like wow, like this
is crazy, Like this is like the life I could
be living, and you know, showed up. Lakwan was so nice.
He was like, whatever you guys need, anyone that you
see that you want me to introduce you to, I will.
And like that's another thing. People who also are on
(34:41):
the same boat as you and who help you and
are not like bad people or who aren't jealous. That
also is that's a very big thing too, because there
are some people who are not going to help you.
And Cardi B walked in and like I didn't know
who she. I knew who she was, but I didn't
know who she was, you know. She it was also
just starting out almost she saw us and she's so funny.
(35:04):
She was like she's like, oh, you guys got jewelry,
Like let me see what you got. We're showing you that.
She's like, put it on me, put it on me.
She's like picking her hair and like she's wearing this
like open like by like I'm not getting you. Her
boobs were basically out, like just her nipples recovered and
I'm not used to that. And I'm like, oh my god.
We like I'm so confused. I put the jewelry on
for her. She's like, I'm not gonna forget you guys,
(35:25):
and I'm like, okay, whatever.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
She leaves there.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
The following year, Lakwan text us again. He's like, guys,
you want to be in there. We're like, yes, Cardib
sees us. She's like, I know you you the jewelry
girl straight up like that and like me and my
brother and like we're shaking. We're shaking. We gave her jewelry,
she put it on. She's like, I'm gonna tag you
guys everything like and she did and she never lot
like she like so many people tell you, I'll tag you,
(35:51):
I'll tag you, I'll tag you, and you never hear
from them again. She tagged us, and then I think
maybe two years ago, you get a text. We got
a DM from her agent or her manager or someone
or stylist saying like hey, please see screenshots from Cardi
herself asking for these items. I said, absolutely, no problem,
(36:12):
send it over to her. It was all real jeweler,
like who's diamonds. We sent it over. She did two
stories on Instagram. We gained like twenty thousand followers in
a night. It was crazy. Wow, Yeah, it was crazy.
And she I mean, I mean like if I see
her on the street today and I tell her why am,
She'll remember me, like she's She's an amazing, amazing person.
(36:33):
And she really did. She also didn't forget where she
came from, and she supported us like you have no
idea how much it helped us at the time, and
just just too for the placement it looked. It was amazing,
you know, because it gave us a legitimacy that we needed,
yes at such a like early stage of our business.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
And then you had like Kylie Jenner and you have
Hayley Bieber And is it just like word of mouth?
How did all these celebrities?
Speaker 2 (36:58):
How did it happen?
Speaker 3 (37:00):
I think a lot of it definitely is word of mouth,
But also the stylists are usually the same, So the
stylists communicate with each other and they're like, oh, check
out this brand, you know, they're very they'll give you
whatever you need. They're very easy. You don't have to
send it back right away or if they want, I'll
tell you to keep it. Like one day I was
I remember I was in Miami. It was a Saturday night.
We don't use our phone on the sabbath, So Saturday
(37:22):
night I open up my phone and I see an
email from Adidas, Like what is this like? Adidas with
ex Kylie Jenner campaign. Hi Dina, and again this is
all coming to my personal email. I have no assistant,
I have nothing, nothing. It's all me. I don't even
know how they got my email. Hi Dina. We would
like to pick some jewelry for this campaign that we
(37:44):
have with with with Kendall Jenner. It's gonna be very exclusive,
so you won't be able to We'll share the images
with you after, but we request that you don't, you know,
post anything until we have the like until we do.
The first post said no problem. They sent me eighty
items eighty eight zero. I was like, all right, I'm
going to send them everything. I'm like, I can't take
(38:06):
a chance, right, send it to them. End up using
one item one one item out of the eighty and
I told him, if Kendall wants to keep anything, let
her keep it. Don't worry about it.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
Kendall posted a picture that same day that they had
that she had the campaign. Her hair was like tied
up in like a towel, like she just got out
of the shower, and she was wearing our herringbone choker.
I was like, could we post it? Could we not?
Like Adida still didn't release the campaign, but like Kendall
posted this picture. I email the girl. She's like, absolutely,
(38:45):
if Kendall posted that picture, you could take the credit.
No problem. We repost it. You say, this is our necklace.
And the girl answered us back literally in an.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Hour, So we tag you guys kind of tag I wish.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
I wish. I don't even think she knew it was
from us, Like she she wore it out of the campaign.
We put it on our Instagram, sold out overnight, gone, gone.
We restocked it, I think four times, and we sold
out four times, like overnight. Wow.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
The power of influence. It's crazy, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
Yeah? Yeah, what I loved was that one. It was
an affordable choker. I think it was at the time.
I mean, now the silver went up, but I think
at the time was fifty eight to sixty dollars and
we had twenty thirty percent off on our website for welcome.
People gravitated towards it. It was a basic chain. You
can't go wrong with a basic change. And Kendall is
like the epitome of like minimalist, basic girl but like
(39:45):
it girl, you know. And people went crazy for it.
And I think that's when the whole fad of like minimalists,
less is more started happening. And she kind of like
broke broke the ice for us, and it was crazy.
It was absolutely crazy. So you know, it's all about
the relationships you built. Adidas reached out to us one
(40:07):
hundred times after we gave them whatever they wanted. We
built a relationship, you know, And and that's how it
works in this business. You know, the minute you say no,
they're onto the next. There's a million other people they
can ask. It's just who's going to give it to
them first, Who's going to be the most reliable, the
most compassionate, who's gonna you know, who's not going to
cheat them and go and post the picture before them
and undermine them. I learned that, you know, you can't
(40:30):
you know you know how many times celebrities come pull
up to our store. The girls calling from the store, Hey,
the celebrities in the store, you know, someone massive, like
a list. Can we lock the door that they're they're
here with their security. Can they lock the door? I
said yes. They're like, there's a couple of customers and start.
I said, let the customers in on their store, finish
and then you know, and then once you let them out,
(40:51):
lock the door. They're like, should we call paparazzi, And like, no,
we don't do things like that. We don't call paparazzi.
Like everyone's like, oh my god, should we call paparazzi? Like,
you know, like this is like Millie Bobby Brown is
literally in our store. She's getting her ears pierced. I'm like, no,
the girl's face timing. Millie knows me. I have a
personal relationship with Millie. Millie face we FaceTime. Millie's like,
(41:13):
thank you for not calling paparazzi because the door is locked.
There's no one outside on the street looking in here.
I'm with my sister taking my time doing piercings. I
go to her, Millie, the store is yours, whatever you want.
Tell the girls, don't worry about it. You get pierced.
She's like, my boyfriend wants to get to Pierce. I'm like,
you could also let your security guards get Pierce. I'm like,
(41:34):
the time of your life. Don't worry about it. My
girls are there to help you. Oh for an hour,
I'm not kidding you. She was there for a full hour.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
So you have a piercing on site too. Yeah, Oh
that's so cool.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
Yeah, yeah, it was crazy. She just walked in. She
didn't even DM me and like we were on DMZG.
She didn't even DM me. She just popped in and
like it was crazy. It's crazy, you know. So like
things just happened sometimes and it's all about how you
take it.
Speaker 1 (42:01):
And they're not taking the low hanging fruit, like you
see the bigger picture instead of saying, oh, we could
get a quick shot and get our name on that,
you know, maybe get some sort of hit on a
magazine or you know, trending article. But then you've lost
the respect of that person, that celebrity. All right, So
(42:23):
you're in for the long run, you're in for the relationships,
you're in for being actually the good person.
Speaker 2 (42:29):
That you said.
Speaker 3 (42:30):
And that's why a lot of these you know, influencers,
bloggers and celebrities, that's why they keep coming back because
first of all, when they meet me, they're like, oh,
like you wouldn't hurt a fly, Like they don't feel
intimidated by me, which is the biggest thing, because a
lot of these girls will feel intimidated by other you know,
by people who are around them. And and like I say, like,
(42:51):
because I say, like, thank god, I'm not a size too,
because I don't intimidate them. It's a lot of size too.
But like then I asked them and they're like, no,
it's you know, like you're there's something about you. You
just like give off this vibe of a good person.
And I don't feel threatened, you know, being next to
you and sharing my like so many you don't how
many of them share their life with me. And I'm like, whoa,
I never even knew that. Like I could call TMC tomorrow,
(43:14):
you know, why would I do that? Like, it's more
about building the relationship, establishing something, having something there.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
You know.
Speaker 3 (43:22):
I always say, I don't know where my business is
gonna end up, and tomorrow I could be the next
Cardia of Jewelry and if I need, if I need
Millie Bobby Brown one day to you know, model my jewelry.
I know that she'll do it for me, even if
be like even if she can or she's summer, she'll
she'll make it happen that she'll show up, you know
what I mean. Like so many times they're in contract
(43:44):
with other jewelry brands and they're like so many people
are like, I'm in contract with other jewelry brands. I
can't post, but I'm gonna send you a picture when
I get it. And they literally like they're in their
pajamas and like this is like I can't even tell
you what big celebrities they are, Like you don't even
think these you will wear pajamas, you know, And they're
in their house and like they're they're taking a picture
opening the box, and I'm like, oh my god, Like
(44:06):
it's so crazy, you know, to think that I went
from being this girl that no one even looked at,
like I was invisible, and then to being like Kylie
has like she has a box with my name in
her house, you know, like it's a Dina Eden, it's
my name, it's me it's not just a random jewelry
company that you don't even know who the face of
the brand is.
Speaker 2 (44:25):
Like, it's that makes me Terry Adina crazy.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
It's so crazy to think of it sometimes like that,
that little girl in me is like so proud. You
have no idea, You.
Speaker 2 (44:37):
And God and cry you.
Speaker 1 (44:41):
You went back for your little girl though, you know,
because you said you had that moment. You had that
moment where you said, it's either I'm gonna call it.
It's gonna be I'm gonna it's gonna be over, or
we're gonna go. I'm gonna we're gonna do this, and
you did. You said, Okay, here we go. I'm not
leaving you behind. I know, I know what we're capable of.
I know what you're worth. And look at what you've done.
(45:01):
How's that feel to have your wildest dreams come true?
Speaker 2 (45:05):
Because I know you're a visionary.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Even you saw you posted something where it's like you
manifested Was it like Beverly Hills.
Speaker 2 (45:12):
Or some big street that you have a storefront on now?
Speaker 1 (45:16):
And you said manifested Beverly Hills And then you have
like a Rodeo drive or something, and you have like
a shop on it.
Speaker 2 (45:23):
Now, it's like, what.
Speaker 1 (45:24):
Does that feel like to actually have your wildest dreams
come true? Because it's like you are someone who's wildest
dreams are coming true. And also now you're married, you're
traveling the world with your husband, You're going to like Italy,
like you're like living your wildest dreams.
Speaker 3 (45:43):
It's, uh, there's you know, I can't describe a feeling.
Speaker 2 (45:47):
There's as good as you thought it would be, or bet.
Speaker 3 (45:49):
As good as I thought it would be. I I
you know what it is. It's of course life. There's
always going to be reality checks and moments where you
say to yourself, like I could lose this the minute,
or I'm afraid like that the stakes are higher now
I have more responsibility, but I learned to just go
with the flow and just be in the moment. Like
(46:12):
you can't you know. I remember when I was in
therapy and my therapist told me, like, we're here to
work on letting go of your past, but then you
also can't dwell too much on the future, and let's
figure out how to focus on the present, how to
enjoy the moments now, be in the moment, enjoy the moments.
You know, because tomorrow all the stuff for the pictures.
(46:33):
If you don't enjoy it today, you know. And I
learned it the hard way because there were so many
times where I was like, this is a blur, I
don't remember this or whatever, and I learned to just
really soak everything in. I don't as much as I
post about my life. There's so much I don't post,
and there's I'm barely on my phone and I live
(46:53):
every moment.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
You know, if you're not obsessed with your phone, it's
not glued to your hand. Do you have is your
relationship with your phone? What's your what's your valaries?
Speaker 3 (47:03):
So I really only the own some home on Instagram
usually is at night. Just when I scroll through Instagram
or I go through I want to see what other
fashion houses are doing, get some insco you know, look
unto let's say, if I'm if I'm going to be traveling, look,
you know, shop online. But during the day, I'm like work, work, work, work,
very busy. I have where we have, you know, over
(47:26):
five dozen employees, So it's about managing all of them. Who, yeah,
phone calls, text messages, a dina, I have a question here,
the stores calling me up there's a question, there's a customer.
Speaker 2 (47:37):
How many stores do you have?
Speaker 3 (47:39):
We have two stores right now, we're hopefully hopefully opening
a third store. We've done a ton of pop ups though,
we've tested out so many different locations.
Speaker 2 (47:47):
Where are your best locations? Where are your stores?
Speaker 3 (47:50):
So I have so right now, we we had a
we had a pop up in the one that you
saw in La But we do have now a set
store in Dumbo and in Soho, and we'll see where
we'll open up.
Speaker 2 (48:04):
We're very New York.
Speaker 3 (48:05):
We're very very New York. So we want to kind
of like get that down pat first and then you know,
expand and move more, you know, nationally within the country.
Speaker 1 (48:16):
Man Adina, So doing this though, it's like a dance. Though,
like starting a business is like a dance because you
don't have a rule book, there's no instructions.
Speaker 2 (48:23):
You kind of just have to feel your way through it.
Speaker 1 (48:25):
How do you know when the right move is, when
to pull back, like when you're when to hire more people?
Speaker 2 (48:31):
When to you know?
Speaker 1 (48:32):
Like, how how do you navigate this? Because it's all instinct.
Speaker 3 (48:37):
I'm sure, yes, So a lot of times you don't
a lot of times it's a risk, truthfully, but it's
about to see. I can't I can't really speak for
other companies, but one of the things that I would
say from what I've seen of the mistakes of other people,
of other business owners, is that they've had a lot
of funds and they were it was their money to lose.
(48:57):
One thing that sets us apart is we made that money,
and if we lost it, it's our money. And so
we learned to be very very smart in our decisions
and to really feel things first before we just go
and you know, say Okay, let's go throw one hundred
thousand dollars into this event. You know, we don't do that.
(49:19):
We have budgets, we have plans, we have open to buys.
We take everything really into consideration. But sometimes it pisses
me off. Sometimes I call my brother because he's a CEO,
and I'm like more of the emotional person, like I
don't know numbers. I call him up. I'm like, Mark,
I want to go buy something. Could I buy it?
He's like no, I'm like why. He's like, I'm like
it's a ride off. He's like, it's not a right,
(49:40):
just go buy this, you know. And so it's like
sometimes it's annoying, you know, but it builds character and
it makes you. It makes you stronger, it makes you
realize what's really important in life. Don't get me wrong,
I'm the first person to walk into Sheannel and buy
a bag. But it's it teaches you, you know, timing
(50:01):
and importance of things and how to you know, really
plan and just be smart about things. And again, it's
because it's our money on the line. We didn't take
money from anyone else. It's our money. So I can't
just like I said, I can't go call my dad
and say, hey, Dad, can you give me a million
dollars because I made a mistake.
Speaker 2 (50:19):
You know.
Speaker 3 (50:20):
So you're gonna make mistakes no matter what. It's just
how big those mistakes are gonna be. It's how you
take those mistakes and end up turning it for the better.
And it's about making short you know. You have to
know you're never gonna make everyone happy. You can't make
everyone happy. And there was a time where I used
to get depressed about it when I would see a
bad review and I'm like, oh my god, I'm gonna
(50:40):
call this person personally and apologize, you know. And sometimes
I used to used to be like, I'm so sorry,
like what can I do? You know? But then you
learn you can't please.
Speaker 2 (50:49):
Everyone, and that's a hard lesson to learn.
Speaker 3 (50:52):
It's a very hard lesson to learn. Until this day.
It really does hurt me sometimes that there will be
people who will who will, you know, talk shit about
my brain or say that they weren't.
Speaker 1 (51:01):
Police sucks because you poured your whole heart into it
and you're like no, but how do you let that?
Speaker 2 (51:06):
You just have to let it go, just.
Speaker 3 (51:08):
Like, yeah, to let it go, and you have to
think about the people that you did make happy because
out of it it's so good.
Speaker 2 (51:14):
Though. If they're talking shit, then that means like people
are talking yeah.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
I always say, and I always say like like like,
you know, if someone is pissed off at what you're doing,
it means you're doing something right. Because the whole industry
at one point, I felt like the whole industry was
against me and it took a very long time to
prove my name and like people didn't have respect for me,
And I.
Speaker 2 (51:37):
Was like, why do you feel like they were against you?
Speaker 3 (51:39):
I think one I was very young too, I was
starting this niche that people were not prepared for affordable jewelry.
There was no affordable jewelry. That's why I started this,
because it was either go to Claire's.
Speaker 2 (51:50):
Doesn't say Claire's, go to Players and Yeah.
Speaker 3 (51:53):
Gets away for ten bucks and it's gonna last you
a minute, or go to like a Tiffany and Co
go to a Cardier. Like there was no I couldn't
find anyone that had like a real niche yeah, that
had affordable jewelry that's gonna last, that I can wear
for a few months and it's not going to turn
my neck blue, and that it's also not going to
cost me so much money. Like how much money is
(52:15):
a seventeen year old have in her pocket?
Speaker 1 (52:17):
You know?
Speaker 3 (52:18):
Or if I ask my parents to buy something, I'm
not gonna tell my parents, hey, go buy me the
necklace for five thousand dollars or for two thousand dollars.
I can tell them, hey buy me this necklace for
one hundred seventy eight, you know what I mean. And
that's kind of what I wanted to do also, because
you know what, I was like kind of like a
Middle America my whole life, and I was like you
always get you always get like it's like being the
middle child. There's nothing worse. It's like you're either the
(52:41):
eldest or the youngest.
Speaker 1 (52:41):
Being the middles, so you're in the middle right now,
I'm the eldest, Oh you are okay, yes.
Speaker 3 (52:46):
But being the middle, like you just always everyone over,
always overlooks you, and I just felt like it's it
kind of it was hard at times. It was like
I don't have like my parents have enough to put
food on the table, but they don't have enough for
us to go on VIC while the whole school is
is off for vacation and everyone's coming back with a
ten and I'm like pale as a ghost, you know,
like things like that. And as a kid, I know
(53:08):
it sounds dumb saying it now, but as a kid,
it's like your whole life, you know. So I think
I just kind of learned.
Speaker 1 (53:16):
You wanted everyone to have the opportunity to have nice things,
but have them be really good quality.
Speaker 3 (53:21):
Yeah, And I kind of like I learned like it's
important to to really like to take to take importance
of the quality of what you're selling and make sure
people are happy with that. And if someone if when
when a little girl tells me that she Like a
lot of times they was singing this sort of like
I'm saying, I saved up this money to buy this
necklace from you. I'm happy that they were even able
(53:43):
to save up the money, because like, go save up
money for something that's like a thousand dollars. It's gonna
take you forever or it's gonna feel like forever, you
know as a kid. But like it makes me so happy,
you know. And then I always end up giving them
something for free and they get so happy and and
like and like it. It's amazing. It's very crazy to
see like people do the same thing like I did.
(54:04):
They're saving up, they're buying something that they want, and
like then shame on me if that necklace breaks the
minute they walk out of the store, you know what
I mean?
Speaker 2 (54:12):
Right, yes, yes, as for them, you know, somebody is
spinning their hard earned money.
Speaker 1 (54:19):
Money you want on your end, your heart wants them
to be so proud of that piece and to have
it and to feel so good when they put it on.
Speaker 2 (54:29):
Yeah, like what if they put on their neck turns
blue or for breaks right away and it's like they say.
Speaker 3 (54:35):
I'd be devastated, you know, So that to me also
is like I always think of that when i'm you know,
like fighting on a price and they're like, well the
quality will be well, won't be as good, And I'm like, okay,
I'll pay the extra money. Then it's fine. You know,
like let the cost of the good be a little
higher because I want to make sure that this is
going to be good quality, you know.
Speaker 1 (54:54):
Genuinely want to make people happy and feel proud.
Speaker 3 (54:57):
Yeah, when I go into the door and I like,
people's just how their whole mood changes when they make
a purchase and they're not breaking their bank. You have
no idea. It's a very rewarding feeling. I feel every time.
It's like a new feeling every single time. It doesn't
get old. It does not get old.
Speaker 2 (55:19):
What does it make you feel?
Speaker 3 (55:20):
It makes me feel I'm there for people in a
way that I never had anyone there for me. And
I always said when I was a kid my parents
it was hard for my parents to understand what I
was going through. They were immigrants. It was very hard
for them, and I felt very alone. And I said,
I'm going to make sure that one day I'm going
to have so much power that I won't let anyone
else feel this, or if they're feeling this, I'm going
(55:42):
to let them know they're not alone. And I think
I obviously can't do that for the whole world, but
the few lives that I can touch, to me, it's
to me, it's more rewarding than anything else. When I
see someone else happy, it makes me happier than me
actually being happy for myself. That's really what makes me
happy is giving and seeing how how it affects people
(56:05):
and how it changes them and how it makes them
feel worthy and important.
Speaker 1 (56:09):
Hmm.
Speaker 3 (56:10):
That's something that I could give to other people. I
do it every single day.
Speaker 1 (56:15):
So that's really what your brand is about. It started
for you, yes, for you to feel worthy, for you
to feel important, for you to feel your power, for
you to feel like you belonged, and now you've just
transferred that to you made it. It's grown and now
it's for everyone. So when people put on your jewelry
Adena Eden, they are worthy, they have power, they belong
(56:39):
they deserve to shine like they worked hard for this,
and it's such a your hearts and it just as
much as theirs. You're not just trying to take their
money and make a business and like, yes, obviously you
want to make money and grow your business, but you
it's not about taking someone's money.
Speaker 2 (56:54):
It's about giving them this feeling that jewelry gave you.
Speaker 1 (56:59):
Man, that's an that's I mean, that's the heart of
probably not I mean, obviously it's beautiful, incredible jewelry and
the price point and everything in the quality, but like
the heart of your intention is so powerful.
Speaker 3 (57:12):
And I think that's why I became successful because I
do too. When you do things out of the goodness
of your heart, it just people feel it, people see it.
It works, you know, Like, and that's why I always said,
I I'm a businesswoman, not listen, not I could sell anything,
like you don't know me in business mode. But that's
why I never wanted to be the CEO of the company,
(57:33):
because I didn't want to be driven by the money.
I wanted to be driven by the impact. And that's
what sets me apart so much for my brother, Like
I'm the emotional side of everything and he's like the
number and like the brain side of everything. And that's
why we get along perfectly because he's like, you know,
if you were in charge, the whole world's going to
take advantage of you and you're gonna end up, you know,
(57:54):
on the street. But you have me to tell you, like, yes,
you could give this, you could do this, but like
don't give a million dollars to charity right now, because
like you got to hold off. You know what I mean.
You are a great partnership to great partnership and that's
why it flows and it works. And like some things,
he'll tell me like, you know, why are we doing this?
And I'll tell him like, this is why we're doing this,
(58:14):
you know, and I'll like give him like this like
strong powerful thing.
Speaker 1 (58:18):
You have heart behind it when you know why you're
doing it, you know why.
Speaker 3 (58:21):
And he's like he's like and you know what, And
don't think that he had it any different, Like he
was also son of immigrants. He lived in a world
where all of his friends had, you know, their father's money,
and he didn't. And he he also had different experiences
and he couldn't go on every vacation with his friends
and travel like them. And he said, we're going to
be soldiers until we can really have the life that
(58:44):
we want. Like we did it together. We said, like
we have to change, we have to change the fate
of the Concachi family. We have to make something out
of ourselves, and that's.
Speaker 1 (58:53):
What we did. How incredible your parents taking the huge
move to come over here as immigrants and then as
their children to see for them to like have instilled
that passion and that drive and that like risk taking,
you know, to be able to make such a big move.
I mean, that's a huge deal. And then for you
guys to take their sacrifice and their hard work and
(59:15):
their dream and their vision and to grow it. I mean,
how proud must your whole family be?
Speaker 3 (59:23):
And like, put aside college education what I learned from
professors and mentors and role models. Without my parents I
would be I would not be half the person I
am today. Like my parents are not just the first,
our first supporters and our biggest fans, but they raised
(59:43):
us so well that I can see the true difference.
I really can. I can see such a big difference
in myself and in how I was raised, how I think,
how I work, how I live, and how my peers do.
And I really and I always say I my parents
most of the credit, because it was it was because
(01:00:03):
of them. Like they they always reminded us of what
they did for us. And yeah, at times it was annoying,
you know, Like you see those memes where it says,
like my father told me he had to climb mountains
to go to school when he was a kid. Like
my father tells us that till this day. But like
and like, and I'm sure some of it is true,
but and like he's all us, like, you guys are
going to school, You're being driven to school, Like you
(01:00:24):
have no idea how lucky you are, you know today
you know, thinking about that, He's right, like we had
it much easier than them, even though we didn't have
it as easy, but that set us apart. And then
having them to push us and instill the confidence in us.
My mom always told me you can be whoever you want,
whatever you want to do, you can be. It doesn't
(01:00:45):
matter what society says. You have to be. Be whoever
you want. Like I tell my mom, no one works.
You're the only woman in this community that works. That
we have a dual income. And she's like, Adina, I
do what I have to do for this family to
pay for the right because we went to private school,
we went to Yeshiba to pay for the right education
for you guys, to give you whatever I can, to
(01:01:07):
never have to tell you now that she said, as
a woman, I push you to do the same, to
never have to rely on the man's money, and to
always be your own boss, sign your own check. And
I was like, you're right, that's what I want. Wow. Yeah,
And that's why we got to where we are today
because I'm not just doing this because the paycheck is nice.
(01:01:30):
I'm doing this because, you know, I have a whole
lifetime of these things in my head of like I
have to do it, and it's just and it ended
up working out for the best because I love what
I do. But I didn't love what I do, it'd
be a different story. But I love what I do,
so it's like it's the best of both worlds.
Speaker 2 (01:01:48):
Really, man, your parents must be so proud.
Speaker 1 (01:01:51):
Though, to see their daughter and their children flourishing like this.
I mean, I can't even imagine as a parent how
much more proud you could be just to see your
kids really, really like becoming who they were meant to be.
That's so, that's that's just amazing. Adena Your story is amazing.
Your heart's amazing, your drive, your passion, your reason for
(01:02:16):
doing any of this is incredible and I just love that,
like you are instilling confidence in people and worse in
people by letting.
Speaker 2 (01:02:26):
And I love the inclusivity of jewelry. I love that.
Speaker 1 (01:02:28):
I love that clothes you know it is it's like
not it's with jewelry. Everyone can wear the jewelry. Everyone
can express themselves to jewelry.
Speaker 2 (01:02:38):
That's just so powerful. It's awesome. It's amazing.
Speaker 3 (01:02:42):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:02:43):
And you got married on top of all this, so
it's like everything started snowblalling and then you fell in
love and got married, and I know you're.
Speaker 2 (01:02:49):
Just like so happily in love.
Speaker 1 (01:02:51):
That's that happened in the middle of all this too, right, yes.
Speaker 3 (01:02:55):
And is your husband and jewelry Now he's not. He's
in real estate. But it's good because we both live
separate lives and work and then we come home and
it's like it really the rest of the world is
like it's just us, you know what I mean, which
is the nicest thing. And I was always afraid that
like I'm not going to like whoever I marry is
(01:03:17):
not like I'm not going to marry for love. I'm
just gonna marry for convenience. But Isaac is my best
friend in the whole world, and like he's very, very lucky.
Like I really love him so much and he loves me.
And that helps a lot too, because when you're happy
in your personal life, it's very it's much easier to
be happy in your business life too, and it just
(01:03:38):
like all coincides and just works hand in hand, so
like you can't have one with that other.
Speaker 2 (01:03:44):
So you're so happy.
Speaker 3 (01:03:46):
I am happy, very happy. Don't get me wrong. There's
days when I wake up and I'm just like, oh,
I don't want to get out of bed, you know,
And that's normal, that's yeah, everyone, for everyone. I'd be
lying if I tell you I'm happy all the time.
But majority I'm very happy.
Speaker 1 (01:04:02):
And I love your life. You love the life out
of your own, yes, man, Adina, you are so inspiring
like this, your whole story has just absolutely filled my
heart and inspired me so much. Thank you so much
for coming on here and sharing. I literally, I just
it's it's so cool to see how someone can shift
(01:04:26):
their whole life and like ut it like someone can
literally be how it can be so bad, it can
feel so isolating and so dark, and then you literally
made the decision and took the steps and created this
life that you love, and this life that's just like
on fire and the best way it's it's You are
(01:04:48):
so inspiring, especially for young women to hear this story,
and thank you for sharing your message. So honestly, thank you.
I always wrap up with leave your light, which is
what do you want people to know?
Speaker 2 (01:05:02):
It's just open ended.
Speaker 3 (01:05:05):
What do I want people to know? Does it matter
where you come from? It only matters where you go.
Speaker 1 (01:05:14):
I love it so true and you are so the
post your child to show that truth. Adina, thank you
so much for today. Seriously, your joy is amazing. You're incredible.
This is such a great conversation, and let everyone know
where we can follow you and find you and anything
else that information that needs to be.
Speaker 3 (01:05:33):
Shared, so you can file. You can find us in
Sauhouse sixty eight Prince Street or in Dumbo fifty five
Water Street if you're if you live in New York
or if you're like visiting here, and you can find
us on a Dina Eden dot com. Our instagram is
a Dina Underscore Eden and my personal instagram is it's
a Dina Eden. Thank you for having me, and thank
(01:05:56):
you for listening to my story. I love this opportunity amazing.
Speaker 1 (01:06:00):
Thank you so much, Adina, and just continue to have
the most blessed life. I hope I see you out
there someday.
Speaker 3 (01:06:06):
Absolutely, we'll do okay.
Speaker 1 (01:06:08):
Bye bye
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