Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brenda Cohen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Brenda thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?
Early in my career, I was working full-time as a wax modeler for a jewelry casting & manufacturing company. It was before CAD (computer-aided design) programs and 3D printers were being so commonly used, like they are today. Back then, a lot of custom pieces were carved in wax by hand, into the form of rings, pendants, earrings, and other assorted items. The wax was used to cast those forms into metal, which was finished into fine jewelry pieces. I wanted to make more money, so I asked my (then) boss for a raise. I was abruptly denied, but my boss told me that I should get freelance work from other people if I wanted to make more money, and do it outside of regular work hours.
I worked in an area famously known as “Jewelers’ Row” (and still do). It’s a 2-block area with many jewelry stores and various manufacturing companies. At my job back then, I was often asked to run errands, so I was familiar with many of the other businesses on the block. I was determined to get jobs and increase my financial situation. On my lunch breaks, I’d go to the business owners I knew who didn’t have an “in-house” wax modeler, and ask them for work. To my surprise, they utilized my services, never asked me if I had insurance or anything (which I most certainly didn’t at the time). Matching wedding bands were popular then, so they gave me many expensive engagement rings and diamonds to take home and work on.
When I would bring them back the finished work, some of them argued that I should charge less, and I often caved because, honestly, I was naive, scared to stand up for myself, and was just grateful for the work. I was in my mid-twenties at the time, and I figured to keep them happy, I’d just let them pay what they wanted. I didn’t look at the fact that they never complained about the quality of my work, or that they kept giving me more and more. Every time I went to deliver a job, I had that sinking feeling in my gut that, “oh no, here we go, they’re going to try beating me down on price.” I knew what I was charging them was more than fair, but lacked the business prowess and confidence to stand by my worth.
One day on my lunch break (which were turning out to be more work breaks than lunch), I delivered a complicated pendant to one of my freelance customers. It was a 3D sculpture of the image on a Sicilian flag. I knew how I priced it would not garner any complaints, though this customer never even gave me any trouble. I think I priced it lower because I was grateful he was so nice all the time. When I showed it to him, he was overjoyed at how great it looked, and told me so. When he asked how much he owed me, I told him. He just looked at me a certain way, and I was afraid he was going to ask me to lower the price. I was ready to tell him I could make it a little less, but it turned out quite the opposite! He said, “Bren, I can’t pay you that for this pendant, I wouldn’t feel right. You deserve a lot more! I need to pay you more for this,” and he paid me $50 more than I asked, which back then was a whole lot!
This man changed the whole trajectory of my life. He said he knew who my other customers were and how they cut down my prices, but that I was exceptional at what I did, that I should stand by my work and not let them do that. He suggested I go out on my own, and work for myself full-time, and that he’d give me all his work. I looked at him blankly, and nervously asked, “where would I work out of?” He quickly pointed and said, “I have this storage room here, you could clean it out and use that!” He said he’d only charge me a little bit as I started out, and that we could see how it would go from there. I was speechless. Even though I was working what equated to 2 full-time jobs, my regular one and my freelance work one that I did after work, I never really put it together that I could actually go out on my own. This guy saw something in me that I didn’t see for myself. I didn’t have much parental support or guidance and he filled in as a mentor for me in all aspects of business and life. He saw how hard I was willing to work and always freely shared what he knew as he only wanted me to succeed. He gave me keys to his shop when I turned that little storage room into my first jewelry studio. He taught me so much. I get a lump in my throat whenever I look back at that time. He gave me so much advice, encouragement and support at a time when I was so clueless and vulnerable, that no one ever had before. He had confidence in me before I had any in myself. I would definitely say that was the kindest thing anyone ever did for me. We’re still friendly to this day and I will always be grateful for him, and pay it forward whenever I can.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I went to art school with an interest and intention to be a sculptor. After the first year, jewelry seemed like a more practical/accessible way to be able to support myself, while also creating unique small-scale sculptural pieces. Art school only taught me a cursory level of skills, so after that, I found a job in which I apprenticed under a master European jeweler. For several years there, I honed my craft as a wax model modeler and bench jeweler. My love of custom design, coupled with the need for more financial stability and growth, led me to go out on my own and establish my studio in 1997.
After several years of doing mostly wholesale, piece-based design and jewelry work for the trade, which comprised of mostly engagement rings and wedding bands for stores around the Philadelphia tri-state area, I was contacted by a local bishop who commissioned me to make a “Bishop Ring”. I had never heard of a Bishop Ring, and didn’t really know its significance, but I just treated it as any other custom job. I learned later that this is a very special ceremonial ring a person receives when they are elevated to this auspicious title and office. I was invited to this person’s special ceremony and met other Bishops there, which opened up this whole other world for me as far as jewelry creation.
After putting a photo of that first Bishop’s ring on my website, another bishop reached out to ask for a ring, and then another. After the third bishop contacted me, I looked around at what was out there for these purposes, and I only saw clunky rings with a cross slapped on the sides! I felt like the available options in the marketplace didn’t do justice to what these people spent their life doing! I wanted to make a more sophisticated ring, a conversation piece, that visually honored their journey and all the sacrifices they gave, how they’ve helped their communities, and their life’s work.
It seemed like I had stumbled on a gap in the jewelry market, which also allowed me to create more sculptural pieces. I was inspired and researched images related to the bishopric and other clerical offices to come up with my own take on religious jewelry. After creating some pieces that I thought would appeal to a wide variety of denominations, I launched BishopRings.com and, largely through word-of-mouth referrals, began building this niche business. I would ask my Bishop clients questions about their work, and their thoughts on what would be appropriate images on the rings. From that, I could develop new “wearable sculptures” that represented their lifelong calling. Raising the aesthetic value of these rings and crosses, to show the significance of what all these men and women did, was of utmost importance, along with creating the pieces within a workable price point.
Today, I am a leading manufacturer and creator of bishop rings and related jewelry (also known as “jewelry appointments”). I work with hundreds of clergy members a year, attuned to the protocol pertinent to each office. I can create any piece imaginable and I collaborate with my customers, to bring their vision to life. I take great care to uphold the highest level of craftsmanship. I work with stone vendors from all around the globe, only using the finest materials to make these meticulously-crafted, high-end, heirloom-quality jewelry pieces. My portfolio reflects my ability to incorporate my clients’ heraldry, and other personal images, religious and secular, into unique and beautiful pieces.
Though most of my work comes from a small niche specialty, my work is not at all limited to that. I also create one-of-a-kind engagement rings and wedding bands, as well as other special-occasion and everyday jewelry. Sometimes my Bishop Ring customers come back to me for their secular jewelry needs. Returning customers are always treated like family, and I believe my easy-going, down-to-earth demeanor makes me easy to talk to regarding all aspects of any prospective piece.
The most fulfilling aspect of my business is connecting with people, and having the honor and opportunity to create something for them that tells the story of a special and distinctive point in their life. It’s a lucky position I’m in to create jewelry that will remind people of some of their happiest times, as well as in sad times, creating things like memorial pieces that are very dear to each person. I also love the collaboration together with the customer, so that each person has a hand in designing their piece, which gives them a real connection with it.
It is paramount to me to build a relationship with each person that comes to me for jewelry. Relationships first, customer second. If they happen to buy a piece of jewelry, great! If not, it’s just a new friend who I got the pleasure to meet and talk to. I’m a naturally curious person. I love to ask questions about what people do, and what they’re interested in, and what motivates them. I love when I can understand where that person is coming from, what their values are, and how we can relate to each other, whether it be music, art or family. I am quite different in many ways from my customers, but when someone takes the time to understand what someone’s goals, wants, and joys are in the world, it’s not hard to find an overlap.
When I’m not working in the shop, I enjoy writing music, cooking, making art, and taking care of my most precious gems, my children.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Looking back, there are many points that I look back to wondering “Wow! How did I make it through those times?!” There were many hard things I’ve had to deal with since being in business for myself. From having kids (all the while maintaining my business), from having cancer at 41 with young children, and working during and all through treatment. What I learned is, being resilient isn’t getting it perfect, right, or “nailing it” every day. Resilience is patience and persistence. It’s not being courageous, it’s doing the next thing despite being scared, keeping going even though you’re tired, getting bored and figuring out how to make it fun, and finding inspiration when you are absolutely uninspired. Being resilient is waking up each day willing to try again. And again, and again. And if you decide not to continue, it’s ok! It takes resilience to know when to quit, to know when you need to shift gears. Feeling these things is human, but not letting these things stop you is key.
One story of resilience that stands out is from a time when I had become newly single after 16 years. As anyone who’s been through a divorce or breakup knows, it’s a very rough time, to say the least. It was truly one of the toughest periods in my life. It was a couple years post-cancer, and my two kids were very young then, and are always my main motivators in life and work. I was determined to support myself and them as best as I could.
My expenses had quadrupled when my partner and I split, but I had just gotten a very big order that consisted of 35 gold rings with big center stones and diamonds in each. This order was going to help pay for all the expenses in front of me, like a new place for me and my children to live, a lawyer, and my own health insurance. I was doing all the jewelry work myself like cleaning/polishing and setting the stones, as I didn’t have anyone working for me then. Setting stones and polishing is very physically demanding work, especially with the type of settings that these were.
Over a weekend, I decided to take my youngest ice skating, and I ended up falling and breaking my elbow. Brilliant! Doctors called it my left elbow, but I called it my “tool-holding hand.”
I wasn’t going to let a broken elbow get in the way of the opportunity that I had with the big job, which was also on a tight deadline. There were 35 rings that I needed to clean, polish and set, with as many stones in each one. It required a lot of physical strength, which was quite challenging with a broken elbow. I affixed an ice pack with a velcro strap to my injured arm and worked through it. I couldn’t afford to sub out the work, so I just dug in and did it. I was able to fulfill the order and make the money that I needed to take care of my responsibilities. No matter what’s going on in life, stuff is going to happen which can easily derail you. I had good friends who offered support and cheered me on. Find people like that when there’s challenges, it fuels you.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
During my early days working in the jewelry world, I thought that a boss had to be harsh, abrupt, and demanding to have power in this industry and over employees, as that was how I was treated. My bosses didn’t ask me to do things, they barked at me to do things. As a woman in a male-saturated field, I thought that when I was a boss, I had to command respect by being gruff and hard.
One day, a friend told me that she didn’t like calling me at work because I always seemed angry when I was at work. Then an employee wanted to quit because he was sick of having orders barked at him. It was a real wakeup call to unlearn the lessons of those early bosses I had. I then had to learn to ask my employees kindly to do things. I had to make amends and develop a better, more respectful and thus, more effective, system of providing feedback and leading a team. I learned you can garner respect and mutual appreciation through patience and kindness.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bishoprings.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bishoprings
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bishoprings
Image Credits
Sean Bakst Photography (for Personal photo and working photos)
Brenda Cohen (for portfolio photos)
Kayli Bologna (for promotional image)