Christina Malle was raised on Long Island, New York, and in suburban St. Louis, Missouri.  She has degrees from John Burroughs School, Dartmouth College, New York University School of Law, and the Gemological Institute of America.  Malle learned the classic art of goldsmithing from Donna Distefano, first at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, and then as Distefano’s apprentice.  Malle serves on the board of Ethical Metalsmiths and on the events committee of the NY Metro Chapter of the Women’s Jewelry Association.  Her line is sold in select fine jewelry stores and at christinamalle.com. 

Can you tell our readers about your background?

It is a pretty circuitous path from human rights lawyer to goldsmith!  I worked for several years at a nonprofit that helped asylum-seekers and refugees.  This was very satisfying work, but also quite devastating.  It was excruciating to learn firsthand about the depths of human cruelty.  I started goldsmithing as an antidote, as a way to contribute some beauty to the world.  Now, with Ethical Metalsmiths, and the goal of transparency and traceability in the jewelry supply chain, my human rights background, and jewelry work are coming together.   

What inspired you to start your business?

Looking around, I saw friends and acquaintances who had started their own businesses.  I thought if they could do it, I could do it.  Or, at least, I felt like I could give it a shot!  I also had the good fortune to know the late, great Glenn Markman; Glenn was married to my friend Jan, and Glenn was not only my first client, he also encouraged me to start an actual business.  And I did.  He was that rare person who was both a visionary and someone who could get results; the world would be a better place if there were more people like him in it.   

Where is your business based?

NYC.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

I read as many books as I could, asked questions of others who had started their own businesses and filed as an LLC.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Word of mouth, because it leads to sales.  And joining professional jewelry organizations; the Women’s Jewelry Association and Ethical Metalsmiths have both provided wonderful ways of meeting people in the industry, both in-person (remember that?) and online.  Since jewelry is my second career, I noticed even more keenly that work friends and work acquaintances are really important.  It also makes work more fun to have a broader group of friends and colleagues in my field.  

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

It was not easy for me to believe that my designs merited space in the world; my sister helped me a great deal, by practicing how I would talk about my work.  She would ask me a series of questions, listen carefully to my answers, and give me feedback.  Brooke Rapaport, the Madison Square Park art curator, gave me the best advice, and in the kindest way possible.  She suggested I have my elevator pitch ready; this is something I have polished and honed over the years.   My mission has remained the same, to add some beauty to the world, but my communications have improved. 

How do you stay focused?

Benchwork is easy to stay focused on since working gold into exquisite shapes is pretty addictive.  For the business side, writing down goals is key for me.  And, I have learned to say “no” over the years. 

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

My goal is to add beauty to the world but to do so in a way that is not discordant.  I am working hard to learn where my gold and gemstones are from, how they were mined, and how they arrived in my hands.  This is a challenge, given the opacity in the jewelry supply chain.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Using images, whether they are from art history, or just my hands at work, actually smithing.  Very few designers fabricate their own jewelry, and my goldsmithing sets me apart.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Ask people you admire for advice and join professional organizations. Stick with it, even when everything feels like it is careening downhill.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

Waze, since I am navigationally challenged.  Middlemarch is a wonderful world to explore more than once, and a satisfying escape from the challenges of this one.  It also begins with the sisters admiring their late mothers’ gemstones, It’s hard to think of a more insightful author than George Eliot. 

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

Instagram, because the visuals make me happy and I learn a great deal.

Who is your business role model? Why?

Pippa Small; I admire her designs and the terrific work she has done with Turquoise Mountain.  She makes beautiful jewelry and also seems to genuinely care about helping people and improving the world.  

How do you balance work and life?

Now that my youngest is in college, this has become a lot easier.  No surprise there!  When my three children were young, I just did the best I could and tried to keep my long-term goals in sight. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Reading and taking walks through New York City.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

Ethical Metalsmiths, a nonprofit on whose board I serve, has a wonderful project in the works, which will help advance its mission of inspiring responsible jewelry practices through connection, education, and action.  I am working with my fellow EM board members and advisors to bring this to fruition ---  stay tuned!  I also have some unique mine-to-market pieces in the works; with mine-to-market, I can identify the origin of the stone down to the mine, and in some cases, I can identify the actual miner.  This is exciting!  Especially since these are miners who are actually fairly compensated for their hard work, as it should be.

How can our readers connect with you?

info@christinamalle.com

@christinamallenyc

Thank you very much for posing such thoughtful questions!