The Mover and Shaker: Kendra Bridel Weinman – President Of Lusciouss

After years of working for others in the diamond and jewelry business, Kendra Bridel Weinman recently took the decision to launch her own jewelry design company, Lusciouss, and she hasn’t looked back. In between nurturing her new company, the seemingly unstoppable Bridel Weinman serves as international president of the Women’s Jewelry Association and is passionate about helping other women achieve their career goals.

How and why did you get into the jewelry business?

I got into the jewelry industry because of family. My father was an executive of different chain stores. Before I graduated, he told me to meet with a several leaders in the industry both in Los Angeles and New York. I contacted several different people, one of whom was Laurie Hudson, who was then still with the Platinum Guild. I met with her in Orange County and basically spent a day in the life of the Platinum Guild. She told me I had to attend the Women’s Jewelry Association holiday party that night in LA. I told her I had a class, but she said no, you need to go to this party. So I didn’t go to my last class before my finals, but I did meet my first big employer in the jewelry industry.

Kendra Bridel Weinman

What was the progress to your current position?

I started working at a small company called Grando Gioielleria doing sales all across the United States. I was there a couple of years until I got an opportunity at Robert Lee Morris. I started there as West Coast regional sales manager. When I met my husband, I moved to New York and Robert Lee Morris moved me to their home office in New York, where I became their national sales manager, covering the entire United States. The travel became a little intense for a newlywed, so I took a job offer at Montblanc and I was their East Coast regional sales manager for three years. My father in law and my husband kept asking me to come to Taché where I went as VP of sales. Then I led their luxury division, which included Caressa and Nikos Jewels, before leaving to start my own jewelry business, Lusciouss, which I am very passionate about. I loved what I did at Taché but I wanted to do it on my own. 

Do you think the diamond world still deserves its reputation as being a man’s world?

Absolutely! One hundred percent. I think the diamond world and the jewelry industry is such a family business  and I think that typically, the father starts the business and then the sons take over. Maybe it’s because women haven’t been as interested in it. I don’t exactly know why, but I do know that more women are getting involved in the business side of things. Look at the management of Sterling where Tryna Kochanek is vice president of store operations. Look at Varda Shine; it’s changing.

Do you think women still face obstacles in the industry?

While I think women hold themselves back, I also think that there are challenges that women have to cope with that men do not, such as the pressure of working, being a corporate person and trying to be a mom. Men are trained that they know that even if they have kids, they are still going to go to the office every day. Women still have it in the back of their minds that they have to do both. So, on the one hand, women are simply amazing. They can multitask and handle it all, but if they have a really high-pressured job, maybe that means that they can only have one child or no children. There are still those types of pressures that women still have to deal with that I am positive affect their career choices.

Where would you like to see more women participate in the industry?

Women tend to be – and this is a generalization – more creative and tend to be more evenly right and left brained, so I would love to see more women utilize these skills in management roles. I would like to see them taking on these roles in every area of our business.

Which woman do you most admire in the industry?
I seriously love Anna Martin of Standard Chartered Bank. There are a few of us in WJA that she met and hand-selected as her mentees. I was one of them. From the day I became the vice president of chapter affairs, she became my mentor. I have to say that I have learned more about management style and politics from that woman than anyone in my career. She is amazing. She loves to mentor women. I know there are so many people out there who say she is their mentor, so I am not alone.    

Is there anything you would like to add?

WJA is a volunteer organization and it takes a lot of time out of your schedule and life to participate in it, especially in a leadership role. But, if you are involved in it, especially in a leadership role, it provides you with so much training and resources for your business and gives you the confidence you need in order to excel at everything you do

I have to say I probably wouldn’t have had the confidence to start my own business, or even have had the resources if I hadn’t been involved in the WJA in such vital roles for so long. I have so many close relationships with people throughout the industry that if I am having a problem, or I don’t know how to do something, or I want to get in touch with somebody, I can literally pick up the phone and within a couple of hours have a solution. So these are the things you can’t pay for. Actually, you can; with a whole lot of money!