Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Karen Israel. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Karen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

So, it was approximately one month into lockdown in April 2020 and I was conducting a video session with a couple. At this point, I had been working as a psychotherapist for nearly 21 years. As I was listening to my clients, I caught a glimpse of my expression in the tiny window where my face was displayed and I noticed a furrowed brow and, to be honest, what looked like pain. I knew that I was using my facial expressions to communicate my concern, my solidarity in listening to their pain. I also knew, but only in that moment, that I had been making that face for over two decades… and I was done! Yes, just like that, done. I conducted the meaningful and necessary termination sessions and made referrals to other therapists.  I wanted to make sure my clients were going to be OK but I also knew, absolutely, that I would no longer be OK if I remained in that field. This pandemic, with the intense amounts of anxiety that I experienced along with attempting to quell and weather the anxieties of my patients, forced me to see that it was time for a change.

I made a return to my roots.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Before the name Diadem was born, there was my father and mother, a jeweler’s workbench in the apartment living room, and so many late nights setting stones. My father brought his trade all the way from Israel to Dallas, Texas. And with my mom’s fervent encouragement, setting stones turned into an attempt to sell a diamond! That plan worked, and my parents’ business became a most respected and successful Dallas-based diamond brokerage for over 36 years. Growing up in that business was truly exciting. A love for the brilliant and extremely valuable came quickly. I adored receiving rings and earrings and pendants and necklaces for birthdays and Hanukkah and sometimes just because. My parents gave my sister and I everything we wanted and we lived a very blessed life. Becoming a legacy in this business was always a thought, but heads butted more often than helpful, so I went in a different direction. I graduated with my bachelors degree in psychology and went onto a masters degree in counseling. Fast forward 21 years later to my aforementioned breaking point, and it was finally time for me to realize a lifelong dream. A one-sentence-answer to the initial question here would be “Diadem is a concierge Diamond brokerage with decades of expertise, professionalism, and integrity. We seek to bring you joy, both materially and spiritually, through the beauty of the natural diamond.“

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My reputation was set for me long before I reopened this business. My reputation was set for me by my parents, Joseph and Viviane Israel. It’s far more than a reputation; it’s an honor to fill their shoes in this industry and in this community. Reconnecting with old colleagues, ones who have known me since I was a child, has been exciting and humbling. I am always connected to the person and business woman I want to be in representing this legacy.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

This is an interesting question, even a little bit confusing. I suppose to speak of the lessons I have already learned in this new business, I could comment on the lessons I had to unlearn. I’ve had to learn confidence, which means unlearning insecurity. I’ve had to learn to sell myself which means unlearning waiting to be chosen. But probably the greatest lesson I have learned was that I was allowed to change my mind, which meant unlearning that I was a prisoner to my old choices. And that’s how this business was reborn.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Www.instagram.com/diadem_diamond
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Diadem-102505621699842/