How did you get started in the jewelry industry?

I grew up looking for diamond melee in the carpet of my father’s workshop.It’s in my blood as it was in my father’s and grandfathers before me. Funnily enough, I was discouraged from pursuing jewelry as a child because my immigrant parents wanted a “better” future for me–so they gave me the choice of banker, lawyer, or doctor. I was a corporate lawyer first and an angel investor second. In 2009, I was working for a US law firm in Shanghai and got laid off due to the recession and that’s when I started designing jewelry. I had my own bespoke jewelry company for a few years and the more I was learning about the jewelry industry the more inefficiencies I saw. That’s what led me to start my first startup.

You had a start-up before this? Can you tell us about that?

Swoonery was a response to the inefficiencies of the jewelry industry. At the time, jewelry was only sold in stores, there were only a few well-known brands and the rest were rather generic. It was notoriously difficult for designers to make a name for themselves and even more difficult for consumers to discover truly unique, impeccably-crafted jewelry. So I built Swoonery to address all that. I felt the future was bright for talented designers but they needed online exposure. We ended up building a platform and inviting the most talented designers to showcase their jewels on the platform. We were a bit too early for the times but I’m very proud to say that most of the top independent designer brands have been on Swoonery at one point or another.

How did that experience prepare you to take on your current role?

I worked with so many different brands as a result of that experience that I know what the pain points are and where the opportunities lie. In a way, I had a hand in creating the current landscape so it’s really interesting to now maneuver in it from the brand’s perspective (rather than as a retailer)--I think it’s made me much more comfortable with pushing boundaries and playing by our own rules.

What have you learned since stepping into this new role that you think others might benefit from also hearing about?

The role of a CEO differs from the role of a founder or owner. When a company has a founder they are the DNA of the brand, it’s their story, and they're in the spotlight. As the CEO, I’ve come to realize that it’s my job to be of service to the company, the Founder, and my team. If I do my job well, I will have created a structure that communicates the founder’s vision effectively and profitably to consumers, we’ve brought beauty and joy to the lives of our customers, and my team is fulfilling their potential.

What cool new jewelry trends should we be paying attention to?

Broadly speaking I see more and more women dare to buy themselves real jewelry–real as in gold, diamonds, and gemstones. Jewelry has always been something given to us by our fathers, then our husbands, and then passed to our sons–it was rooted in possession and ownership. I think it says a lot about how far we’ve come that women are buying themselves fine jewelry to celebrate themselves and their achievements.

More specifically, the CADAR ear is becoming the coveted look for women-in-the-know. Everyone has multiple piercings in their ears these days and many in my circle are getting more piercings so they can wear the CADAR ear. I won't try to explain it in words; you’ll see what I mean on cadar.com.

Who are the women you admire?

As far as historical figures are concerned, I’m obsessed with Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth I. I’m fascinated by how both of them managed to enroll the world in the legitimacy of their leadership and be formidable statesmen at a time when the role of women was to bear children and keep the home.

More personally, I admire my maternal grandmother. She was and is fearless and full of life. She was a doctor and would zip around Shanghai dressed in her couture cheongsam (traditional Chinese dress) on her motorcycle. During the Cultural Revolution, she tested strains of tuberculosis on herself to find a strain that would test positive during the medical screening and injected my mom and aunt with it so that they didn’t get sent to the labor camps. She’s 93 and we easily polish off a couple of bottles of champagne together; she loves chatting with me about art and men.

What’s one thing you cannot live without?

I cherish deep friendships–the ones that feel like freedom–the ones where we can be your fullest expression of ourselves and feel mutual appreciation, admiration, and love. Also, hugs. I need a good snuggle.

What’s one trend you think everyone should be paying attention to?

I think more people are realizing that art and the act of creating are essential to one’s well-being. I listened to a podcast the other day that said the practice of art (singing, dancing, writing, drawing, ceramics–any form of self-expression) is just as important for our mental well-being and longevity as exercise, sleep, or meditation.