Meet Aneth Lusardi | Founder & Jewelry Designer

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

Hi Aneth, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
At the peak of the global pandemic in 2020, a single decision completely shifted the trajectory of my business. Although people might not know this, Grain of Sand started off as a wholesale business. Through the early years, I acquired many loyal clients who would place wholesale orders for their boutiques year-round. Fast forward to 2020, and as businesses around the world began closing at the height of COVID-19, my wholesale orders started getting canceled left and right. As I received yet another cancelation, I found myself at a crossroads. I could either close my business as well and wait until things started picking back up, or find another avenue for my business to continue growing.

I decided to transition my business plan to one of retail and began selling directly to the consumer via Instagram. I started making jewelry pieces that I knew people would still want to wear even during quarantine and called the collection “Essentials”. Unexpectedly, my brand began growing online, and by the end of 2020, I opened my first retail storefront almost 3 times the size of my wholesale showroom.

The decision to expand into the retail space, although daunting, allowed Grain of Sand to grow, reach a diverse audience, and be loved by so many customers, both in Miami and throughout the U.S.

I think when faced with that “fight or flight” scenario, I chose the former. I pressed on, without overthinking, and showed up everyday because I believed in my business and what it could offer. My decision to pivot my business structure ultimately led me to where I am today and took perseverance, faith, and hard work to see it through.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As the jewelry designer of Grain of Sand, creating for me is part of my daily routine. Even if I’m not physically in my office or in front of my workshop, I find myself mentally creating the next design and putting together looks to execute those designs. Designing the jewelry we sell is my favorite thing to do, especially when I design pieces that are versatile and can be worn multiple ways. Because our jewelry is handcrafted, we don’t mass produce anything. All of our pieces are released in limited quantities and once we sell out, we move on to creating the next design. As a result, we are constantly releasing new pieces and evolving in our creativity. I believe this is what sets us apart from others because our jewelry gives customers the opportunity to own pieces that not everyone will have. That sense of individuality empowers our customers to feel unique when wearing our one-of-a-kind jewelry.

I also believe our inclusivity sets us apart from others. There’s always been that perception of quality jewelry being exclusive, expensive and explicitly reserved for special occasions. With Grain of Sand, we’ve really made it a goal to minimize that gap between quality and affordability while getting rid of the idea that buying jewelry is an intimidating process. Making our brand inclusive and accessible to everyone has allowed us to celebrate people’s individuality and personal style through our diverse selection of effortless staples all the way to elegant statement pieces.

I am most proud about the small, close-knit team of women I have by my side. They keep me inspired constantly, and I love that we have cultivated a healthy and encouraging environment where we can come together as a team. We’ve been able to bounce ideas off one another and create some beautiful pieces together as a result. As I had mentioned earlier, it takes a village. Very rarely, if ever, has one accomplished something alone.

Aside from my support system and team of strong women, I believe that my small habits and daily routine are big contributors to where I am today professionally. I wake up early every day before work and dedicate a moment to myself, where I can pray and journal and get in the right mindset for my day. Structure and balance helps me stay organized and avoid burnout and feeling overwhelmed (which is still a daily struggle). Challenges, whether big or small, will always pop up. Although I might not have complete control over the setbacks that I face at times, I do have control over how I can react to them. This shift in perspective has helped me overcome both personal and professional challenges. It’s not always easy, but thinking something is happening “for” me instead of “to” me has helped me handle situations in a much calmer, and healthier way.

Through these challenges, I have learned one big thing: Don’t compare yourself to anyone. The minute you begin to look next to you, you start to lose focus on what’s in front of you. My progress is not their progress, and my pace is not their pace. We all have different races to run. Some might be running a marathon and others might be running a 400 meter dash. If I know one thing, it’s that both races are run at completely different paces. Comparison is the thief of joy and will immediately begin to make you feel like you aren’t doing enough, which is a lie. There is room for everyone in this space, and we all have traits and qualities that make us different, and we must embrace them.

Lastly, I want people to know that “Grain of Sand” was named after the process of making a pearl, which is my favorite gem! In this process, a grain of sand will make its way inside an oyster’s shell and, in turn, causes the oyster to react by secreting a substance called nacre. The nacre then wraps itself continuously around the grain of sand, eventually forming a pearl. Because of this extremely unique and highly detailed process, no two pearls will ever be exactly the same. Just as no two pearls are the same, no two people are the same. We have all been uniquely made, down to the last detail!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve been living in Miami for quite a while now. I moved to Miami Beach back in the mid 1980s when I was 15. I used to ride my bike down to the beach every day and it’s one of my favorite memories as a teenager.

If I was hosting a friend for an entire week in Miami, the first place I’d take them is straight to my house! My mother in law is Italian and makes the most delicious and authentic Italian food I have ever had. I would definitely have them over for a lovely, homemade 3 course dinner (lots of pasta definitely included) and good wine while we catch up!

For a few days out of the week, I’d take her to the beach and spend the day by the ocean. The ocean is one of my favorite places to be. I feel so at peace just listening to the waves and being under the sun, and its one of the biggest perks of living in Miami. After being by the ocean, I’d take her to a beachside bar for a mojito and some fresh appetizers! Mojitos are one of my favorite cocktails when by the beach. I feel like they go hand in hand with the ocean.

I am very certain we’d spend the entire week eating a lot of delicious food! I do think that visiting Miami comes with its tourist must-see spots! An afternoon walking along Miami’s Design District would pair well with some street tacos from Coyo Taco in Wynwood, or a boujee cup of coffee from the Fendi Cafe.

After exploring Wynwood, we would head over to Brickell and do some shopping in Brickell City Center. Afterwards, I’d hop around some more delicious restaurants. One of my favorite foods is sushi, so we’d most likely stop at Paperfish Sushi for a girls’ night! Another one of my favorite spots is Cantina la Veinte, especially when the weather is nice and brisk outdoors.

Living in Miami also means you get to indulge in the world of sports and music! Going to a Miami Heat basketball game or to your favorite artist’s concert is a big must when you’re in Miami. Traveling to Miami during events like Miami Swim Week or Art Basel are also great opportunities to maximize your visit and get the most out of your Miami experience, especially if its your first time in the city. During these dates, local restaurants and venues tend to host their own themed events, which makes it very easy to walk around and go to multiple places.

At the end of the day, I love how Miami is filled with so much culture and art. No matter where you go or when you visit, there is always something to see, somewhere new to eat, and new venues to check out. And the ocean will always be waiting for you!

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?
I definitely agree on this! No one gets to where they are on their own. It truly takes a village. A book that really shifted my mindset and became a constant encouragement for me in the past year is “Crazy Faith” by Michael Todd. In this book, I learned that above all, we have to allow ourselves to dream our dreams. We must write our dreams down on paper, visualize our dreams and draw them out. The first step into making our dreams a reality is faith. Sometimes our dreams appear so grand and too good to be true, that we rule them out before taking a chance on them. That’s where “crazy faith” comes in. Our dreams and ideas may sound crazy to others, or even to us, but nothing is too big for God.

In this book, Michael Todd talks about how the person that had a vision of the first phone in history probably sounded crazy when he shared that vision with others. Crazy because it didn’t really make sense at the time. It had never been done before. Fast forward to this day and age, where it seems like smartphones are almost essential for survival. If we could go back in time and tell that same person that in 2022 we’d have sleek phones with a glass touch screen and facial recognition, we would probably sound crazy too.

When we have those ideas, dreams and visions of things we want to accomplish, we need to write them down and make them plain, and as Michael said, “We need to see it before we actually see it.” It’s so easy to knock a dream down out of fear, specifically fear of failure, fear of looking silly and fear of rejection. As women, I feel like we tend to put extra pressure on ourselves to succeed and to make sure we don’t fail.

Additionally, the support of other women in my life has contributed greatly to where I am now. As women, it is our role to be a constant encouragement to each other, to lift each other up and give one another that extra boost of confidence when we need it most. Your innermost circle has the power to build you up or tear you down. Make sure you surround yourself with individuals who are in your corner and believe in your dreams too.

Website: www.grainofsandbyaneth.com

Instagram: @grainofsandbyaneth

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grainofsandbyaneth

Other: TikTok: @grainofsandbyaneth

Image Credits
Rene Hernandez, Gaby Quintero, Angelina Miklos, Izabella Vilarchao