Rosena Sammi | A Jewelry Designer On Creating Space For Her Business & Daughters
by Neha Ruch
At this moment in time, when the world needs a bit of goodness and passion, Rosena Sammi gives off a vibe you want to absorb. Rosena, a native of New Zealand and a former lawyer living in New York City, launched her own jewelry company in 2006, designed to bring an edited Indian accessory aesthetic to the States. After becoming a mother, Rosena wanted to create more space in her life for both, entrepreneurship and motherhood. Her elevated boho brand, has earned much attention from celebrity and press for its quality and do good elements. But it is her signature charity collection, inspired by her daughters, that really resonated for me - Who's Sari Now? bangles are hand-stitched from up-cycled Sari fabric, safely employing rescued sex workers and funding the education of their children through the non-profit Apne Aap. Rosena is expanding her charitable efforts globally, including A Common Peace - a collection of scarves hand-knit by Syrian refugees (in case you're looking for ways to touch that part of the world). Rosena shares her learning from raising her two girls on keeping herself whole and how that has evolved over the years.
How did you change after becoming a mother?
I changed dramatically and it wasn’t all by choice! As a lawyer/entrepreneur living in New York City, I was remarkably unprepared for the compromises that lay ahead of me. I also wasn’t used to asking for help and I quickly realized I couldn’t do it all. I had to figure out how to reset my priorities and become an expert juggler. It was a long and hard journey, but absolutely worth it.
What choices did you make to accommodate motherhood? Would you make them again?
Things went right for me, when I realized it wasn’t about accommodating motherhood but embracing it. I adopted a much more flexible schedule and welcomed ways to enjoy being a mom, while still retaining my own identity. There’s no doubt I put myself last for too long, but by my second child I had figured out how not to do that.
Describe yourself as a mother in 3 words. What kind of mother would you like to be?
A role model.
I want to be the type of mother that inspires my daughters to have drive, give back and above all be happy with their choices.
How do you take care of yourself outside of motherhood?
I make sure I do something for myself that has nothing to do with being a mom or my job. For me, that’s learning French. It’s a challenge and it’s fun, and now I always have a good reason to visit Paris.
Every mother needs help to find balance. What does your village look like?
I don’t think you can ever really find balance, every week is different, some better than others. I think of it as an equation I’m constantly working on. My husband has an incredibly demanding career as a trial lawyer and so my village is strong and far-reaching (flying my parents in from NZ is a common occurrence when my husband is at trial!) I also have the best friends, and technology allows me to be near to even those who are far away.
What are you working on improving about yourself as a woman & a mother?
Spreading my energy and efforts wisely between what’s most important and keeping perspective that motherhood and my work/life equation has a long game strategy.
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