Meet Kelly Rooney | Owner & CEO
We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelly Rooney and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Kelly, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am truly multi-national. I was born in Mexico City, to a Mexican mom and Irish by nationality, but born and raised in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) dad. I moved to Ecuador at 9 months old, followed by Australia, Paraguay and Bolivia before I ended up in Florida. On my mom’s side, most of my family stayed in Mexico so we visited often, but my dad’s family moved around quite a bit as well, so we traveled a lot to see them and also for my dad’s work. Seeing and experiencing many cultures from a young age made me understand so much more about the hardships of so many people in developing countries and how lucky most of us truly are. It made me passionate about traveling and exploring, and gave me a drive to immerse myself in different environments and cultures. It gave me the love for finding unique pieces while traveling, which, eventually led to the start of Josephine Alexander Collective. My love and passion for finding beautiful pieces of handcrafted treasures and the knowledge of how those small purchases make such a deep impact in those artisan’s lives is a key element of my business. Growing up the way I did has made me appreciate the things I have and understand how fortunate I am to have them. It has instilled in me gratitude as well as generosity. I love that I am able to help others through my business.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Josephine Alexander Collective is a women’s accessories line with heart. I work with artisans I find during my travels, and have them create pieces for me. I start by curating my favorites of their creations and work with them until they are comfortable hand crafting my designs. I love working with them because it directly impacts their lives and communities for the better. We have formed beautiful partnerships. Not only do we look to enrich the lives of people, but we also take care not to use leather or fur as JAC is an animal loving company. We are devoted to keeping Mother Earth healthy, therefore we use all recycled or recyclable materials for our packaging. My vision when creating JAC was to create a line of accessories that bring home that vacation feel. I want everyone to feel like they just found the best new pieces in the corner of a market. Our pieces are meant to send you on #JACation. Especially nowadays!
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I pretty much live and work in paradise! Juno Beach and it’s surrounding areas are my favorite spot. The beach here is so great. I would definitely hit up the Juno Beach Cafe for breakfast, followed by a stop at Loggerhead Marinelife Center to visit their turtle patients and the Juno Beach Pier to say hello to some friendly pelicans. Next grab lunch and a white sangria at Guanabana’s, hit the beach for the day and then end up at 1,000 North for a martini and yummy dinner. Other eateries not to be missed include Avocado Grill for tacos and Frosé, Voodoo Bayou for fried chicken and biscuits, Le Bouchon for some delicious sandwiches on baguette, frites and champagne, Café Solé for a greek salad wrap or some black bean hummus, The thirsty Turtle for the best wings, Sushi Jo for a yummy roll and pot stickers and the Kee Grill for some fresh catch. Papa Kwans and Elements have the best bowls. Send some Florida citrus fun home from Terr Marsch Groves. As far as activities, the Pon Tiki is not to be missed, neither is the Maltz Jupiter Theater or the Jupiter Lighthouse and Dubois park for your chance at spotting a manatee. Of course you would have to come visit JAC headquarters at Juno Ocean Walk!
I pretty much live and work in paradise! Juno Beach and it’s surrounding areas are my favorite spot. The beach here is so great. I would definitely hit up the Juno Beach Cafe for breakfast, followed by a stop at Loggerhead Marinelife Center to visit their turtle patients and the Juno Beach Pier to say hello to some friendly pelicans. Next grab lunch and a white sangria at Guanabana’s, hit the beach for the day and then end up at 1,000 North for a martini and yummy dinner. Other eateries not to be missed include Avocado Grill for tacos and Frosé, Voodoo Bayou for fried chicken and biscuits, Le Bouchon for some delicious sandwiches on baguette, frites and champagne, Café Solé for a greek salad wrap or some black bean hummus, The thirsty Turtle for the best wings, Sushi Jo for a yummy roll and pot stickers and the Kee Grill for some fresh catch. Papa Kwans and Elements have the best bowls. Send some Florida citrus fun home from Terr Marsch Groves. As far as activities, the Pon Tiki is not to be missed, neither is the Maltz Jupiter Theater or the Jupiter Lighthouse and Dubois park for your chance at spotting a manatee. Of course you would have to come visit JAC headquarters at Juno Ocean Walk!
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?
Honestly, as cliché as it sounds, it all comes down to my family and friends.I have an amazing family all around, filled with love and personality. My parents, grandma, husband, children, in-laws, cousins, aunts and uncles are all incredible people who stand behind me, teach me, give me strength and make me laugh. (Most importantly!) I have the most fabulous friends. Diverse and strong. They teach and guide me, also make me laugh and are there for me no matter what. As far as at the office, I have one employee, Ashlyn, and I don’t think I could do this without her!
Website: www.
Instagram: @
Linkedin: Kelly Rooney
Twitter: @josiecollective
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