How'd She Do That?

Today’s guest is fine jeweler, Monica Rich Kosann. Monica started out as a photographer many years ago capturing her client's stories through film (she was the primary family photographer for multiple celebrities). She then started gifting her clients vintage card cases with their photos as a thank you and from there began designing lockets. This spawned her eponymous jewelry line that has been around for nearly 20 years with the locket as the cornerstone of the brand. Sold in Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and countless fine jewelry boutiques around the country, Monica Rich Kosann is a well-known luxury label that Monica started completely on her own. It's B-Certified (the first in the luxury industry to achieve that status), is run by a team of women and has become an incredibly successful business with collaborations with 18-time Grand Slam Tennis Champion, Chris Evert, on a line of tennis bracelets, Netflix on a partnership around Bridgerton and more. We know listeners will enjoy today’s episode brought to us by shophsdt.com! It’s one you’ll want to share with a friend!

Lila Limon, the visionary behind Squeeze De Citron®, serves as both the founder and creative director of this vibrant line of handcrafted bags and totes, skillfully brought to life by Mexican artisans. Nestled in the picturesque Old Greenwich, CT, she passionately curates all in-house designs, infusing each creation with her unique touch and creative flair. Her journey began in Mexico City where she was born and raised. Lila has always had a vast fascination with the world of color since she was little. As a teen, she had a wide range collection of Care Bears and Lip Smackers. Who would have thought that one day it would translate to Squeeze De Citron®? Following her graduation with a Bachelor of Business in Mexico City, Lila's educational journey took an exciting turn as she pursued further studies at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Lila realized there was a niche in the market for accessories that bring joy and happiness through intense colors, and interesting patterns! Handmade, by Mexican and Guatemalan artisans, much of the Core, the Capsule, and the Lemon Drop Collections are made of 100% recycled plastic. Not only is the company supporting artisan communities, but it is actively supporting the health of our planet too. Squeeze De Citron® bags represent the work of talented Mexican and Guatemalan artisans. It takes full dedication and cultural talent to create these lifestyle bags. Each core bag takes an entire week to create, with an additional 3 days dedicated to creating the handles.

Today’s guest, Nicole Brewer, is the founder of Classic Whimsy! Classic Whimsy (formerly called “smocked auctions”) is a leading D-to-C retailer for infants and kids clothing, specializing in smocked and everyday pieces for celebrating all of life’s special moments. Nicole leveraged a handful of social media followers who were drawn to her smocked clothing pieces into 700k social media followers and an e-commerce site selling both private label and other brands nationwide. We know listeners will love hearing more in today’s episode, brought to us by shophsdt.com!

Today’s guest is Emily Hostetler, Co-Founder of Heaven on Earth festivals. Emily is native of Boulder, Colorado, is a dedicated music and art enthusiast and mom of four. She loves traveling and being outdoors whenever possible. With dual degrees in music and art, she seamlessly intertwines her creative passions while homeschooling her kids and spitting time between Connecticut and Texas. Formerly running Paper Moss, her thriving custom stationery company for over a decade, Emily now channels her entrepreneurial spirit into curating unforgettable retreat experiences as a co-founder of the Heaven on Earth festival! Today’s episode is brought to you by shophsdt.com use code Luke for 10% off your first order!

I am so excited to share that previous guest Nicola Bathie is live on our shop! Listen in as I give you all an update on the podcast, as well as new brands arriving on the shop, my most recent purchase, and opening my DMS for any specific topics that I can cover that would be helpful to you all! As always, thank you for your encouragement and excitement around all things HSDT!

We’re thrilled to share that today’s guest is the founder of Sea Bags, Beth Greenlaw. Sea Bags are born as sails and transformed into nautically inspired totes and accessories that bring their customers great happiness. You see, they believe that sails soak up sun, salt, smiles and adventure. Of course they clean their sails before they make them into bags, their materials retain the essence of what they once were, where they've been and what they've done. It's this previous life that makes each bag unique. Each Sea Bag is meticulously designed, sewn and finished by skilled Maine craftspeople: world-class sewers, artists, graduates of top-notch design schools. The thought, care and skill that goes into each bag is evident. Sea Bags carefully select and cut sails, taking into account unique stitching details, grommet holes and, occasionally, treasures like tell-tales. Each sail panel is completely unique. They hand-splice the rope handles. And skilled stitchers finish the bags with great care. We know listeners will love today’s episode!

Sharing a personal update with you all as well as the inside scoop on recent recordings and all things email marketing for shophsdt.com!

shophsdt.com

When she was four, Soon’s family fled Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War. After a perilous 12 days on a boat and another six months at a refugee camp, the family ultimately settled in Fresno, California, sponsored by an uncle who had fought for the South Vietnamese. Her parents’ determination to create a successful life in America by becoming entrepreneurs inspires and defines Soon to this day. Soon has co-owned several PR/marketing firms including Luxe Communications, which she founded, and Centigrade a marketing, communications and events company with several offices in North America and Europe. Her global brand communications experience includes developing strategy for many of the world’s top brands, including Lamborghini, Ducati Motorcycles, eBay Motors, Black River Caviar, Xellent Vodka and Breitling watches. Since 2016, Soon has overseen Hagerty’s brand strategy in support of the company’s stated purpose to save driving and fuel car culture for future generations. In 2022, she was named one of the U.S.’s “Top Women in Communications” by Ragan Communications for her work in transforming the Hagerty brand. She played a lead role in transforming Hagerty from a local specialty insurance company operating in a basement to a global publicly traded lifestyle brand for car lovers that joined the New York Stock Exchange (HGTY) in 2021 with a value of more than $3 billion. A believer in “doing good by doing well,” Soon is founder and co-owner of The Good Bowl, a mission-based Vietnamese restaurant in Traverse City, Michigan, that donates $1 per bowl to charity. She is also the creator of “Help in Heels,” a women’s volunteer group, and “Running in Heels,” a women’s entrepreneur group. Soon is married to McKeel Hagerty. Together they plan to launch a non-profit to support women entrepreneurs nationally. Of everything she has done in her life, Soon is the most proud of her daughter Ava and her step-daughters, Olivia and Sophia.

Today's guest is Sophie von Oertzen, the founder of Sophie Williamson Design. Throughout her childhood, Sophie witnessed numerous scenes of Gastfreundschaft at joyful dinner parties with her parents’ friends, family holiday gatherings, and society events. And it’s those memories of listening in on the buzz of conversations and raucous laughter shared at parties and over candlelit dinners that she’s on a quest to emulate today. For Sophie, making a house a welcoming home isn’t about following the latest design trends or subscribing to fashion norms. It’s about challenging the status quo and letting your own authentic style shine—an aesthetic that signals to guests that they can do the same. It’s in the warm lighting diffused through a beautiful lampshade or an intricately set table adorned in vibrant colors that welcomes every diner. It’s in the details, the tasteful trim of a pillow or the delicate pattern of a napkin, that shows a guest you care enough about them enough to share your very best. We know listeners will love listening to (and shopping) Sophie’s story!