In this special live-recorded episode of FoundHER, we sit down with Connie Nam, the visionary behind global jewellery brand Astrid & Miyu, for an intimate fireside chat hosted at the London School of Economics. What began as a single idea during her time at London Business School has now grown into a community-driven brand with 32 stores across the UK, Europe, and the US, and a cult following that continues to redefine the modern jewellery experience.

She shares how “unscalable” early actions (like hand-delivering orders and inviting customers to her flat) shaped the brand’s warm, personal culture, and how that now lives on through experiential retail: ear stacks, piercings, welded bracelets and more. We also explore her bold pivot from investment banking into entrepreneurship, the moment she knew the “safe path” wasn’t for her, and what it really takes to make that leap.

Chapters:

• 0:00 Introduction to the Fireside Chat
• 03:10 Connie's Journey to Entrepreneurship
• 06:07 Building a Community Around the Brand
• 08:59 Creative a Positive Working Culture
• 11:51 Marketing as an Experiential Journey
• 14:59 Transitioning from Banking to Entrepreneurship
• 18:07 Insight from her own podcast 'UNBOXED'
• 21:10 Challenges Faced as a Female Founder
• 26:48 Overall Setback and Building Resilience