Inspiring mom: Zoe Chicco

We love our series Inspiring Mothers, and today, on Cakelet, we are profiling an incredibly talented woman. Do you know Zoe Chicco? We love her jewelry collection, and it’s one of the favorites at 100LC. We found out that she is also the new mom of a little boy named Truman. Her story (and his gorgeous nursery) are here. This morning, I’d like to share this story with you.

Before we begin, give a little background about Zoe’s company. It is unique in that her line designs and produces all of its pieces at the Downtown LA showroom and studio. She has personally trained three full-time jewelry makers (she is a trained jeweler herself), and she pours her passion and creativity into the meticulously crafted modern fine jewelry line. This is why we love her so much!

What inspired you to start your own business? In high school, I had my “aha!” moment when a wonderful art teacher taught me the basics of metalsmithing. It was great! I loved working with my hands. My artistic side could be expressed much more effectively in three dimensions than on paper. I knew right from the start that I wanted my line. I studied art in college with a focus on metal-smithing with the goal of starting my own company. After several years of working with established jewelers, in 2000, I started my own business.

What inspires your family or business?

We work on the business together, so we bounce ideas and inspiration off of each other on a regular basis. Truman has inspired me to expand my business. Our popular personalized collection is Because I want to wear pieces that show my love for our little boy and my family. This is what I’m focusing on this fall. As a mother, do you find working for yourself challenging or refreshing? Are there specific places or people you turn to for support in your role as a creative entrepreneur and mom?

Both. Working for myself is both rewarding and refreshing. I can set my schedule, which makes it easier to be a mother. Truman is still so young; I want to be with him as much as possible. My life and my schedule have been set up so that I can do this. I want to be there for these special moments because they only happen once, and everything moves so quickly. It can be hard to put work aside in my mind, but I am fully present when Truman and I are together. For so long, the business was my child. It was a lot of work, and I’m so proud of the company I built.

I began 15 years ago by doing everything myself in my closet in my apartment. (Seriously, my studio was in my closet). As our team grew, I was involved in every step. It was my life. It was difficult for me to let go at first, but I had to do it to expand our family. We hired more people when we learned I was expecting. This allowed our office to run smoothly without me. Now, I do rely on many people. It’s not a joke that “it takes a village.” And we have only one baby. I can’t do this without my team. They are amazing women who work hard and dedicate themselves to their careers. I am grateful for them.

We have a great nanny who comes to us two days a week. This is a real lifesaver. A friend has created a wonderful network of mothers. It is nice to be able to share your stories and ask questions with other women. This support has been invaluable.

How can you balance the time spent with your child and time at work?

I am very lucky that my husband Tim works with me in the business. We are partners in all senses of the word. For the moment, we have a good handle on it. We both take turns with our son and are very hands-on. We have a nanny who helps us with Truman two days a week and takes care of him. The rest of the time, it’s the three of you. Prioritizing our tasks is important. Whoever has the most pressing task that day gets to do it first. Depending on how our day goes, we can work from home or take Tru to the office. We also take time out during his naps and when he is in bed.

It is a stark contrast from what we used to do before he was even born. We worked every day. We need to be able to spend time with Truman, as our family always comes first. We waited for a very long time to be able to have Truman, and I am lucky to have been able to build my company to the point that I could step back and rely more on my team while Truman was still so young. I don’t plan to slow down, but I do want to spend the most time with him in his early years. Luckily, I can design anywhere. We plan to have him spend more time in the office once he’s a little older. In the interim, I make lists and prioritize my tasks to maximize my time at work. Some days are wonderful, while others, I feel like a complete mess. It’s not the perfect world, but then nothing is. Above all, I’m so glad that we took this trip.