For this unique Meet a Mom, we spoke to 2 moms and their 3 daughters! Ella, Adrianna and Gia are the 10 year old entrepreneurs behind the new jewelry company Jewels 4 Hope, and Brianna Johnson and Amy Bower are their moms who are helping make it all possible!
We spoke to this group of amazing girls and women about a wide range of topics from family and life in the Rivertowns, to how they launched a new business during the pandemic. Not only are they incredibly talented, charitable and community oriented – they are also so kind! They brought beautiful custom bracelets in the colors of the Rivertowns Moms logo!
How many kids do you have and what are their ages?
Amy: I have two boys, ages 11 and 5, and Gia and Adrianna are 10 year old twins.
Brianna: Ella is 10, and I have an 8 year old daughter and a 6 year old son.
What do you love about living in the Rivertowns?
Amy: I love the sense of community and small town feeling of the Rivertowns. I also love how many great restaurants there are!
Brianna: I agree with Amy! I also love how the Rivertowns feel like small towns but also appeal to people who appreciate urban experiences. My family hosts and entertains a lot (unfortunately not during COVID) and I really enjoy showing people around our great community!
What is your favorite thing to do/place to shop and dine in the Rivertowns?
Amy: We are a very sports oriented family, so we spend a lot of our time going to gymnastics meets and baseball games. Some of our favorite restaurants are Ardsley Cucina, The Shop and L’inizio in Ardsley.
Brianna: I really like By the Way Bakery in Hastings-on-Hudson and DeCicco and Sons in Ardsley – not only is it a great supermarket, but I really appreciate how much they give back to the community.
Ella, Adrianna & Gia: We like Sushi Mike’s and Tomatillo in Dobbs Ferry!
Tell us about your career(s) and background(s), how did it bring you to Jewels 4 Hope?
Amy: I have a background as a retail buyer for a large company. I left the corporate world when we started our family, and then we moved to Japan for three years for my husband’s job. I have always loved crafts and had an Etsy store for a time where I sold baby headbands.
Brianna: My background was originally in corporate cosmetics, which I left just before we started our family. From there I went on to work in the non-profit world. The evolution of Jewels 4 Hope really came from the special bond Amy and I share, and the friendship our daughters have. We are very much aligned in our interest in charity and giving back. Our families spend so much time together and are so supportive of each other that the business idea really grew out of that.
Tell us more about Jewels 4 Hope
During COVID the girls spent a lot of time beading for fun, and they got very good at it! In December, there was a fire in an apartment building in Ardsley, and multiple families were displaced. The community rallied to help those affected, and we decided to sell bracelets to raise money to donate to the victims. The response was so great that we decided to keep it going and help other people!
Now Jewels 4 Hope has evolved into a complete business with the girls making custom, handmade beaded jewelry with a purpose. All of our beads and materials are sourced from ethical places, and 30% of the profits are donated to charity. All orders are customizable, and we offer delivery for local orders!
You are donating your proceeds to Embers International. Why did you choose this organization?
Ella, Adrianna & Gia: We like that the money goes to support girls’ education in India. Also, Ella has been there and met some of the kids.
You launched this business during COVID, what do you hope will change as we begin to move beyond the pandemic?
We are hopeful that when people are out and about wearing our bracelets more people will see them and the word will continue to spread. We are looking forward to being able to do pop-up sales and parties too! Another thing we are excited to get back to is volunteering – giving back to the community really fulfills the “hope” part of Jewels 4 Hope.
How do you balance your career and family life? Any favorite tips you’ve received from a mentor or fellow mom?
We are figuring it out day to day! We talk to each other all the time and help each other stay in check – both as moms, and with the business and managing what we and the girls can handle. We both feel it is important to leave a little bit of margin in life so we have the capacity to take on unforeseen issues.
What are you looking forward to when we move past COVID?
Ella, Adrianna & Gia: Seeing our friends, getting out the house, more gymnastics meets and no more masks!
Where can we get more information about your jewelry?
You can follow us on Instagram at @thejewels4hope on Facebook at Jewels4Hope, or at our Etsy store