Let’s start from the beginning! Tell us a little about the journey that led you to where you are now.

It didn’t start with the intention of building a company, but rather trying to replace something my family lost.

After my parents’ home was robbed, I went looking to remake a few of the pieces that had been taken. What I realized quickly was that the value of those pieces had very little to do with what they cost, and everything to do with what they carried. They were markers of time, of moments, of people. As an immigrant family, it felt like a part of our history had been taken with them. And once something like that is gone, it’s not something you can simply replace.

At the same time, the experience of shopping for jewelry felt surprisingly disconnected from that reality. It was hard to understand, often intimidating, and built around a system that didn’t feel transparent to someone coming in as a customer. I didn’t have a traditional background in jewelry—I came from a different kind of business environment—so I wasn’t tied to how things had always been done. If anything, that gave me distance to question it.

What started as making a few pieces for friends and family turned into something larger as more people asked for help, not just with buying jewelry, but understanding it. That shift—from making to explaining—was when I realized there was an opportunity to build something different.

The throughline for me has always been the same: jewelry isn’t just something you acquire. It’s something you live with, and over time, it becomes part of your story. That’s what led me here.

How has your background or family history influenced your perspective on heirlooms and storytelling through jewelry?

My perspective on heirlooms didn’t come from tradition. Growing up in an immigrant family, what we had weren’t formal heirlooms, but a few pieces that carried meaning, tied to moments and people. When those pieces were taken from us, it reframed everything. I started to see that heirlooms aren’t defined by age or rarity, but by what they hold over time.

Building Kinn added another layer to that. For a long time, I didn’t feel fully connected to my own background. It wasn’t something I led with. But after having my daughter, I designed a piece with her Korean name—what became the Dear Kaia necklace—and it shifted something for me.

Wearing it made me more open about where I come from, and in turn, it created connection. With customers, with our team, with people who saw themselves in that story.

That experience reinforced what I believe now—heirlooms aren’t just about the past. They’re a way of claiming your story in the present, and choosing what you carry forward.

What makes a piece of jewelry truly timeless — and how does that philosophy guide Kinn’s designs?

Timelessness is about whether something can stay with you as your life shifts.

A piece becomes timeless when it doesn’t feel tied to a specific moment or version of you. It’s something you can wear through different phases—everyday, milestones, even the in-between—and it still feels relevant. Over time, it starts to carry your experiences with it.

That’s how we think about design at Kinn. We’re not creating pieces for a single occasion or trend cycle. We think about how something sits on the body, how often you’ll reach for it, and whether it has the kind of quiet presence that allows it to be worn again and again without feeling dated.

Kinn uses recycled 14k gold and ethically sourced gemstones, and the KinnCycle program gives new life to old jewelry — can you elaborate on the brand’s commitment to sustainability?

I don’t approach sustainability as something we can solve as a brand. It’s a much bigger system than that. What I do believe is that when you have the ability to choose—and that in itself is a privilege—why not choose more intentionally.

For us, that shows up in a few ways. We work with recycled 14k gold and ethically sourced stones, but more importantly, we think about longevity. The most sustainable piece is the one you keep, wear, and don’t replace.

KinnCycle came from that idea. A lot of people have jewelry sitting in drawers that no longer reflects who they are, but still holds value in its material. Through the program, we take those pieces, melt them down, and turn them into something new—something that can be worn again and lived in.
It’s less about starting over, and more about continuing the story in a different form.

We’re honored and excited to carry The Estate Collection — a fine jewelry collaboration from Kinn Studio and Shoppe Amber Interiors. What makes this collection, and each piece within it, so special?

Amber and I see objects in the same way, even though we work in different mediums. She builds spaces you live in—rooms that are collected over time and shaped by the people in them. I think about jewelry the same way. Pieces aren’t meant to be saved or styled for a moment, but worn daily, carried through different phases, and slowly take on meaning.

That shared perspective became the foundation of the collection. We weren’t trying to create something new for the sake of it, but something that could naturally exist in your life. Over time, it becomes less about what it was when you bought it, and more about what it comes to hold.

Tell us what a typical day-in-the-life looks like for you.

I’m a morning person, so my day usually starts around 5:30. That’s when I feel the most clear and productive, so I try to protect that time for thinking. My husband and I have our own quiet routine, which helps ease into the day before everything picks up.

As the day goes on, it shifts more into the business. A lot of context switching—moving between teams, reviewing performance, working through decisions—but I try to stay anchored in what actually moves the brand forward.

I also make a point to step away in the late afternoon. I leave at 4:00 to pick up my daughter and start the evening with my family. That separation is important to me. It creates a reset, and if I need to come back to work later, I can do it with more intention.

It’s not a perfectly balanced day, but it’s a rhythm that works. It allows me to stay focused on the bigger picture while still being present in the parts of life that matter just as much.

How do you seek to incorporate balance in your life?

For me, it’s something you create through structure. I’m very intentional about how I separate my time. Mornings are focused and protected, and in the evenings, I step fully into my role at home. I leave around 4:00 to pick up my daughter and start that part of my day, and I try to be present in it.

That reset is important.

There are still times when work comes back in later, but it’s a choice rather than a constant overlap. That shift has made a big difference.

Balance, for me, isn’t about doing everything at once. It’s about knowing where you are, and being there fully.

What does leadership mean to you, and what advice would you offer other women entrepreneurs carving their own path?

Leadership to me, is knowing where you’re going, even when the path isn’t fully defined, and being able to communicate that in a way that brings people with you. It’s also about pushing the standard—what we build and what we choose not to compromise on.

At the same time, leadership requires a level of self awareness. You’re constantly learning where you need to grow, when to step in, and when to get out of the way. It’s never static.

Biggest shift for me was trusting your perspective earlier (and I’m still reminded to listen to my gut). You don’t need to wait until you feel fully validated to make decisions or take up space. Some of the strongest positions I’ve taken came from seeing things differently.

Building something of your own will always come with doubt, but over time, you realize that your point of view is the asset. Trust it.

Looking ahead, what’s next for you and your brand? What impact are you most proud of, and where do you hope to grow?

Looking ahead, I want to continue building something that lasts.

We’re focused on growing in a way that feels aligned with how people want to experience jewelry. That means expanding retail thoughtfully and deepening our presence in places where we can connect more personally.

What I’m most proud of is the shift we’ve been able to create in how people think about jewelry. We’ve moved away from it being something reserved for occasions or defined by price, and more into something you live in—something that carries your story over time.

Where I want to grow is in continuing to build that depth. The goal isn’t scale for the sake of it—it’s building something that holds meaning, at a larger and longer lasting level.

Your coffee or tea order?

Oat Cappuccino. Trying to go half-caf.

Natural or lab grown diamonds?

Both.

One product that’s always in your bag?

Rhode peptide lip treatment, hydration mist & a pen.

Any daily rituals that help you wind down?

Reading a book to my younger daughter!