Jennifer Meyer is the founder and creative director of Jennifer Meyer Jewelry, a fine jewelry brand handmade in Los Angeles. 

Jennifer’s story starts early. At six, she was discovering her love for jewelry while creating pieces with her grandmother. Fast forward: she hustled her way into getting a job at Glamour magazine, then worked in fashion and PR with Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani. In 2005, she finally followed her passion she felt for years and launched her brand at her kitchen table, teaching herself everything from molds to pricing. Her big break came when Jennifer Aniston wore the leaf necklace in The Break-Up, and suddenly her pieces were on the shelves at Barneys and Net-a-Porter. Nearly two decades later, Jennifer Meyer Jewelry has become a Hollywood staple, worn by everyone from Reese Witherspoon and Taylor Swift to Selena Gomez and so many more.

In today’s episode, Jennifer gets real about what it took to build from zero. We talk about how her upbringing & working at a young age shaped her resilience, the scrappy hustle that got her first big break at Glamour, and the leap from side passion to a real business. She shares the chaos of those early orders, the moment Jennifer Aniston put her work on the map, and what it was like to scale while raising her daughter. We dig into money lessons from her dad, why she chose slow and steady growth, and how to bet on yourself when there’s no roadmap. Jennifer also opens up about navigating comparison, leaning into social and how it’s impacted her business, and redefining what success means to her over the years. If you’ve ever felt “not enough,” this conversation will remind you that passion, persistence, and kindness can take you farther than you think.

In this episode, we’ll talk to Jennifer about:

* Why staying focused and trusting your passion has guided her career. [02:46]

* Early work experiences and family influences that shaped her values. [05:26]

* Building work ethic and discipline from a young age. [09:06]

* From Glamour to Ralph Lauren and the lessons she carried forward. [12:05]

* The pivotal decision to pursue jewelry design full-time. [20:04]

* Confronting fear and taking the leap into entrepreneurship. [22:59]

* Scrappy beginnings and the early challenges of launching her brand. [26:40]

* How Jennifer Aniston wearing her jewelry became a breakthrough moment. [29:00]

* Landing Barneys at the same time and learning how to manage momentum. [32:26]

* Balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship from the very start. [39:29]

* Why investing in yourself is always worth it. [45:07]

* The importance of leading with kindness and authenticity. [47:44]

* How her definition of success has evolved over the years. [49:36]

* Navigating emotional challenges and the resilience it takes to keep going. [51:35]

This episode is brought to you by beeya: 

* Learn more about beeya's seed cycling bundle at https://beeyawellness.com/free to find out how to tackle hormonal imbalances. 

* Get $10 off your order by using promo code BEHINDHEREMPIRE10

Follow Yasmin: 

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yasminknouri/

* Stay updated & subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.behindherempire.com/

Follow Jennifer: 

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenmeyerjewelry/

* Website: https://jennifermeyer.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.