Meet Lauren Richardson | Jewelry Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Richardson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, what role has risk played in your life or career?
It’s a risk to start your own business, but what about the risk of not pursuing your dreams of not finding happiness?

A year and a half into what I thought was my dream job, I realized the 9-to-5 world wasn’t for me. The entire office seemed to live for the weekend, myself included. Sunday nights and Monday mornings filled me with dread. I lacked motivation. So, I asked myself: Why? Why do our lives revolve around waiting for 5 pm on Friday, only to unwind for two days and do it all again?

Each role I held after graduating was the same: the initial enthusiasm would gradually give way to a soul-eating routine of trying to squeeze my unconventional self into a conventional box. The passionate, rebellious creative inside me fought each step of the way, however hard I tried to stifle her.

The risk of staying where I was became greater than the risk of going out on my own. Starting my business was a desperate act of self-love.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
You don’t want to walk into your BFF’s birthday bash and see the same earrings you’re wearing dangling from her ears. I started Radiance & Romance for people looking for something so delightfully unexpected, all their friends will be asking where they got it.

To me, jewelry was always a way I could make a statement. It was a way for me to stand out. When I was younger, I was very shy but wearing a special piece of jewelry gave me that little extra confidence to be myself.

I design jewelry so you can exude personality, your personality, not anyone else’s. That’s why each timeless silhouette is uniquely hand-painted using a magical technique of manipulating light to form colors so you can be the trendsetter, the head-turner, the one who earns compliments from strangers with one-of-a-kind finds you can be guaranteed no one else has.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My grandmother, she was born the oldest daughter of eleven children to Yugoslavian immigrants, served as a nurse in World War II, and was a passionate advocate for social justice. Unafraid to speak her truth, she taught me what it means to be a compassionate warrior and fight for what I believe in. She made me feel like I never had to be anyone but me. While she passed away when I was young, I carry her strength and lessons with me always. She inspires me to follow my own path no matter what. I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without her. ⁠

Website: https://radianceandromance.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radianceandromance/