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On the 6th of November, I walked into a Central London hotel lobby searching for Immy Corderoy and Samantha Siu. Walking into these situations is always daunting because I’m the odd one out in a way. Nonetheless, I arrived first and opened my laptop in the lounge to double-check my prep notes. Immy walks in with Samantha a couple of minutes later, and I waved them down.
It’s clear that they’ve been busy with press all day, but that didn’t deter me. I had an angle that I really liked. I can switch to rapid-fire questions to change the tempo and generally carry a good conversation, so I’d be okay. Samantha Siu is the founder of her namesake NY-based jewellery brand with a mission to create adventure and enchantment through fine jewellery while being committed to being socially and ethically responsible.
Samantha Siu is the literal embodiment of the phrase “there is more to her than meets the eye”. Charismatic, funny, intelligent and flexible is how I’d describe her after meeting her. She’s the kind of gal you’d want to be lifelong friends with after meeting. Although Samantha is American, her ties to tradition via her familial roots and her strive for a better life blend well with basic British fundamentals.
I had the opportunity to speak to her on the night Donald Trump was elected president. We had a nice discussion about what this could mean for her business in future. Though that discussion was lively and entertaining at the same time, I wanted to take a different perspective when speaking to her about business. I wanted to understand her leadership style. Extracted from that were notes on how two of her aunts brought her into the jewellery industry, tidbits about life as an Evangelist and tips for keeping jewellery fresh. Thank you, Samantha, for your time!
EARLY CAREER opportunitiesopportunities
Before digging into where Samantha’s brand is now and what she wants to achieve professionally in the future, I thought it nice to set the scene on her past and how she grew up. I knew a little about her before meeting, but I find joy in someone telling me where they’ve come from. Everything seems like nothing matters when a person’s history is written on a page. When an individual has the opportunity to bring their history to life, it’s a sight to behold. The twinkle in their eye and exaggeration in their expressions and vocal tone are signs of a richer story worth exploring.
Not that Samantha showed it in her expression or body language, but it may have been a slight disappointment to tell me her story because she had spent all day doing it before she met me. But trust me, as someone who loves people, I would make her storytelling worthwhile.
SRC: In your own words, can you tell me a little bit about yourself, your background and how you got your start?
SS: Yeah! My two aunts are in the business, and they welcomed me into the jewellery industry because I was the only girl in the family. In my family of all boys, my aunts lugged me around with them to convention shows, and I’d be their sales rep. As young as 15/16 years old. Sometimes, I’d also be the shipping department when I was 13, packing customer orders.
They really helped to shape what it takes to create a successful company and opened the doors for me in the industry.
SRC: Have you ever had a real job?
SS: Yep, but to be fair … My first job was with my family’s business. Working with them after college, I got external experience contracting for my family as a merchandiser. So, basically, my family produced the jewellery; the manufacturer would give them the moulds/designs, and then it would be mass-produced.
I worked for the affiliate as a merchandiser for 3.5 years and then decided it was time to branch out and start my own line. Before I left the family business to get outside experience, they were telling me to go outside to gain experience before I could return and lead the family business.
SRC: And did you ever experience any other career path when you were younger, or did you go straight into the family business because of your aunts?
SS: Yes! I had an amazing childhood. I was the only girl, so I was a little spoilt. I was very happy. Surprisingly, I had no clue about the extent of my family’s business until after I graduated. They kept everything hidden! When it comes to Asian families, they humble you; they’re very focused on keeping you surrounded by age-appropriate things. The first time I became aware of my community is when I went to college!
SRC: What were the telltale signs that made you realise you came from an affluent community?
SS: The moment I went to college, besides getting a scholarship to Fordham University. It was an awakening moment of like, “Oh, so like, people don’t usually go to Asia every summer”, or like “They don’t have their dad pay for their rent”, or whatever the case.
As a kid, I was interested in missionaries, Sunday school and working for my family. I didn’t care about brands then. Other children I went to school with cared for brands, though. When they had laptops, I was bringing my desktop. And that difference showed. Only when I went to college did I really begin to see the extent of the family business because my parents didn’t care to show others what we had at face value. I think my parents wanted to instil a strong work ethic in me and understand that saving money and frugality is more important than showing off your wealth and such.
SRC: The moment I went to college, besides getting a scholarship to Fordham University. It was an awakening moment of like, “Oh, so like, people don’t usually go to Asia every summer”, or like “They don’t have their dad pay for their rent”, or whatever the case.
As a kid, I was interested in missionaries, Sunday school and working for my family. I didn’t care about brands then. Other children I went to school with cared for brands, though. When they had laptops, I was bringing my desktop. And that difference showed. Only when I went to college did I really begin to see the extent of the family business because my parents didn’t care to show others what we had at face value. I think my parents wanted to instil a strong work ethic in me and understand that saving money and frugality is more important than showing off your wealth and such.
MY ADORING fatherfather
Two words: Ethnic minority. That’s what Samantha and I have in common. I wanted to dig a little deeper into the lessons learned from her family for personal reasons but also out of sheer curiosity. How similar are Black and Asian communities? Can my conversation with Samantha provide me with a fresh perspective?
That is a lot to want from one conversation, but her introduction to her family’s business and differences in society may have impacted her route into business and the decisions she makes today.
SRC: What lessons have you learned from your parents?
SS: My parents are immigrants, and as part of that, they heavily encouraged, some would say forced, to assimilate into the new culture. My father has stellar EQ skills. He’s a Church Deacon with charisma, and watching him bring laughter to everyone and him working the room, I feel I owe much to him to this day. Learning that from him helped me build a foundation on how to be observant.
Secondly, education really helped. Studying psychology at Fordham helped me understand how to talk to people and understand them. I already had observant skills from my father, but how do I utilise them? When I add my missionary trips to that and how self-fulfilling it is, it’s helped me become a much more well-rounded person.
When you just shoot up, everything’s handed to you and you don’t work for it and so you dismiss a lot of details that leads you to success.
I note that at this time, Samantha and I went on a mini-bond tangent about missionaries. I understand missionaries from a Jehovah’s Witness perspective and people who have gone on missionaries. From this, Samantha segued into why she had started her non-profit.
SS: From the time I was around 13 to 18, I thought my calling was to be a psychologist, volunteer in a Chinese school, Evangelise, and go on missionaries. Watching my aunt go to poor places and bring them gifts from our family made me happy. But she then quickly made me question how I would fund running a business, volunteering and missionaries.
I decided that the reason I’m starting my jewellery line is for my non-profit. The jewellery side of my business is eye-catching and glamorous, yes, but the non-profit side is a more cathartic and sweet project that I push through via my jewellery line.
At this time, we then had a mini-bond moment over how sseditorial was not my first business idea. In essence, I wanted a charity to help people, and I quickly realised that it was a bad business plan to give away money I didn’t have, so I quickly went back to the drawing board to figure out how to get money first and then give that money away to communities.
SS: Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I don’t think you have to give up charity completely right now; it might just happen in different ways.
Samantha Siu asas an ENTREPRENEUR
Entrepreneurship is tricky. There are no two ways about that statement. But Samantha Siu has handled it with a steady hand thus far. Especially considering her business was operating throughout the Covid period.
I wanted to know what her first few years were like in business because life hits you quickly once the novelty of passion or “blue sky thinking”, as the academic mundane calls it, wears off. What was life like for Samantha Siu? Is there anything she regretted, would do again or share as advice?
SRC: Talk to me about the first few years of your independent career as an entrepreneur; what was that like?
SS: It’s not regular at all! I fell in love, travelled the world, and left everything behind, which led me to create my own jewellery line. Yeah, I did everything my parents told me not to do. I think travelling is one of the best classroom experiences. I’ve travelled to Israel, Jordan and Palestine. It was the best education.
I already had the design style down because when I was a merchandiser, I was going after my jewellery design degree at the Fashion Institute of Technology (“FIT”). I had a fabulous teacher who took one of my designs and put it on another student, and the whole class had their mouth open and looked at my design like it was a dream. At that moment, I knew I was onto something.
I had a job that I was working at around that time, but I wasn’t happy. So I went to see a mentor of mine who worked at La Mer, and she asked me, “What do you want to do?”. I said I wanted to create my own line. I had manufacturing experience from my family business and merchandising experience pricing, selecting, producing, and viewing jewellery, too. She told me “to just start”. Take some brand management classes and begin from there. I listened and got the certificate from FIT, and I learned how to formulate a plan and brand from concept to actuality.
I left my role as a merchandiser and began travelling the world. I thought I should create something out of it. Hence, the “Love Affiar” came about, which is a homage to each destination I travel to.
I went on sourcing trips while travelling to Dubai, Italy and Thailand. Everyone was saying no because my designs were too intricate, but I kept speaking to people until I got a yes. I required wax carving, which most people don’t practice anymore. Slowly but surely, we created the first sample and did a pre-launch to see everyone’s reaction. I launched in 2019, and Covid hit.
My friends in China were already experiencing Covid, and everything was digital. At that moment, I knew I needed to get online. They were already telling me that everything is mobile. So I knew before a lot of people that I needed to get on the bandwagon and, like, you know, increase my digital footprint. That really helped me because Black PR found me in 2020, I believe. They’re a huge component of my success today.
Magazines asked me to do some marketing, but it was really Black PR that was like, “I want to represent you.”
SAMANTHA'S LEADERSHIP stylestyle
This is the meaty bit of the conversation with Samantha. It’s my blockbuster headline show that justified my interview with Samantha Siu.
As a woman, some may say it’s not natural to lead. The some that I talk about are often other men. Some men. Not all. Sometimes, women, too. But I wanted to know what kind of leader she was because working with others is a skill. Managing different working styles and personalities in a professional manner takes years to master, and as a business owner, you often don’t have the luxury of time. You need to be “on” all the time and ready to solve problems. The topic of leadership also interested me because of the recent presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. While Americans rejected the leadership of a woman and bulldozed the minority of the States to ensure Trump’s victory–well, you can see why taking an interest in women’s leadership style was an intriguing one.
SRC: How would you describe the “Samantha Siu” style of leadership?
SS: When I said that my father and brother were a huge influence on how charismatic I would be, I think that at this point in my life, I also see that my education has really strengthened me and made me a very different type of leader. Right now, I’m actually studying to get my master’s in Industrial Organisational (“IO”) psychology.
SRC: Why?
SS: Because I want to learn what makes an effective and high-functioning team, and I want to know how I can build my team in a way where they are socially compatible and work compatible. I want to be able to learn about what intrinsically motivates them.
I like to use a 360-degree feedback approach or a similar approach as big companies have.
SRC: How do you choose who to work with?
SS: When I was just starting, my friend asked me to be a guest speaker for a lecture at FIT. From that lecture, many people in the classroom asked to be my intern, including this 17-year-old. She was like one of the ones that actually followed up, and so at that time, I was just starting and I was like, sure, yes. And she has been with me ever since. She’s 21 now, but we do it a little differently.
Since studying IO psychology, I try to be more objective. I use a 360 feedback mechanism that big companies have. It involves job descriptions, an analysis, compatibility elements, surveys and typical interviews. My office is more of a flat hierarchy where everybody has their own self-managing positions.
Hungry to work, hungry for experience. – Samantha on new potential team members.
SRC: How much creative control do you have in your business?
SS: Because I am expanding my design team now, it’s starting to be less about me and more about who I’m working with. Because that flat hierarchy has to go through everyone that I work with.
BONDING OVER olivesolives
We bonded again over the fact that we had ordered a bread basket between talking, and it hadn’t arrived yet. Samantha was determined to get me my bread basket. She offered me olives in the meantime, and instead of skipping leaving this fun conversation out, here’s how it went:
SS: But the olives are good. Try it. They’re good.
SRC: I actually can’t stand olives. Like, for real, for real.
SS: Really?!–They’re really good. Yeah, they’re really good.
SRC: I just don’t understand the purpose of them…
SS: *chuckles in cynicism* They make olive oil.
SRC: Ah! *hints of sarcasm in tone*
SS: And they’re really good with martinis, I hear.
SRC: Bazinga.
SS: Bazinga. *winks to validate the time we spent pursuing youthful teasing games was worth it and that I should still try one*
[Action]: I then try one of the pale green olives.
SS: Wha’dyu think? You don’t like it?
SRC: Maybe these were better than the ones that I had in Greece.
SS: Did you have the black ones?
SRC: Yeah.
IC: The green one’s better. Pale. Pale green like that I quite like.
SRC: Yeah.
I am proud to say I’m no longer an olive hater. I have been converted, thanks to Samantha and Immy.
We then segue back into the resolution of the interview via Samantha complimenting me on my interview style.
The future ofof SAMANTHA'S SIU
Taking everything we have already discussed and chewed on thus far, where does she want to take the Samantha Siu brand? Does the future scare her at all?
SRC: Do you find it scary that the future isn’t clear-cut for you?
SS: I do have milestones that if I don’t complete, then I have to reevaluate. I always said the fifth year because five years for a business is usually like, you know, if it’s going to be hit or break.
I haven’t let go because every year, we’ve gotten more press, better press, more stores and more sales. Every year, we’ve been better than the last. It’s hard to let go. So now I’m at the point where I’m open to and looking for investments.
You need to have blinders on. You can’t care. Just focus on your own stuff; on your own lane, because people will always make noise and it will amount to nothing, and it will only slow you down.
This was the last question I asked Samantha because I wanted to switch up the tempo and ask her rapid-fire questions. It also helps to keep things flexible, fun and insightful. I also note that what I initially planned to be a 10-minute (20 max) conversation turned into over an hour. We didn’t need the energy, but it’s nice to occasionally allow someone to answer fragile questions, especially if it’s the path of least mental resistance.
We ended everything by bonding over how like-minded we are yet still distinct. Samantha Siu pursues psychology and uses her academic experiences to guide her in business. I pursue sociology and use my academic experience to guide me in business.
Here is how we ended the interview.
OUR LASTING impressionsimpressions
At this point, we are well over two hours into our interview, which is funny because I certainly didn’t conduct it as one. We were all giving each other social cues that we would end the discussion soon, and as we were on our “last leg”, Samantha Siu and I bonded again over our connection to social science.
SRC: I like to understand humans because I’d simply like to understand humans.
SS: You would do so well in psychology.
SRC: You think? I feel like I’m more of a sociology babe.
SS: Really?
SRC: Yeah, because I did sociology at school.
SS: Sociology is much more like, obviously, what your role is in society. But with psychology, it’s more like one on one. And you do a lot of one on one.
SRC: Well, I love people, but I don’t like people.
SS: I’ve heard that before, too. Like you’re like, “I’m good at it, but I don’t, I love it.” You know, that kind of thing. I mean, that’s just being true to yourself too. You know, that’s just being true to your natural inclination.
SRC: Yeah. I just think about the period that I’m in now. I just really want to be around love, and I think I am around love, and it’s just really open.
SS: Like a dynamic relationship where it’s kind of. It flows, you know?
SRC: Everyone deserves that, though. The type of praise that goes beyond an Instagram-like.
SS: A chance is what it really is, right? A chance to be figured out, a chance to be heard and see whether or not it’s authentic. From there, start with the next move.
SRC: And then just throw yourself into love. Because most of the time, what I found is with anyone in general, you will always get more love than you hate. But I think people take love for granted.
SS: That’s also very optimistic. Because I tend to see it as there’s a lot more negativity than positivity.
SRC: What!
SS: Yeah.
SRC: Nah. I don’t know about that.
SS: That’s beautiful to think though.
We then agree that it’s late and that we need to head [off], so Samantha ends the interview by saying:
SS: “Literally.”
I love how that ended. So stereotypically American. *Chuckles and smiles in endearment to self*. And with that, Immy hugged us and shot off to catch the train. Samantha handed me some Cactus Candy sweets, and I gave Samantha a hug and a promise to stay in touch.
Many thanks to Samantha Siu, who spent a few intense but cathartic hours with me. I think it was worth it in the end, and hopefully, it allows others to see a different side to you than they perhaps already have. Lastly, thank you to Black PR for helping me organise such a wonderful evening, with a special shoutout to Immy Corderoy!
