Carin Riekes Parcel
Carin Riekes Parcel
Carin Susann Designs
Fine Jewelry Designer
Social Media Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carinsusanndesigns/
Website: Carin Susann Designs
Who is Carin Riekes Parcel?
Carin Riekes Parcel is a former intellectual property attorney who transformed her career into a creative endeavor as a fine jewelry designer. In 2021, she founded Carin Susann Designs, a fine jewelry retail and design business based in the Seattle area. Carin specializes in crafting pieces from fine gemstones and precious metals, focusing on designs that are both approachable and wearable. Her creations elevate everyday looks and seamlessly transition into styles perfect for special occasions.
Beyond her work, Carin is a proud mother of three children, aged 17, 15, and 12, balancing her role as a mother with her passion for design and entrepreneurship. Through her journey, she embodies the essence of pursuing one's passions while redefining her next chapter.
Please briefly summarize your life's journey, highlighting the significant chapters and pivotal moments.
After graduating from law school, I practiced law in Chicago for a few years. While practicing, I studied with the Gemological Institute of America learning about gemstones for fun. We then left Chicago and started a family which I focused on for many years. I realized I missed having something for myself and so considered going back to law briefly, but then decided to tap into the part of me that was yearning to create, so I went back to the "hobby" of gemstones and realized I could tap into both sides of my brain by starting my own jewelry line and launched during the pandemic.
How many children do you have, and what are their ages?
3 Children (17, 15, 12)
What were some of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?
I had no experience or personal/family connections to the jewelry industry - I was starting from scratch with just ideas of what I wanted to create. My first move was to join a women's jewelry professional association; from there, I met people who were willing to support me and help bring my business to life.
What lessons did you learn about yourself throughout your journey?
I can handle mistakes/errors and not get derailed by them. I've learned that I am pulled in many directions and wear many hats, but that I don't need to be perfect at any of those things and just need to be good enough - so I've learned that it's okay to just be good enough. I've also learned (or at least still learning) how to be selective with my time and energy and who deserves access to it.
How have you been able to prioritize your passion, purpose, and well-being alongside motherhood?
I delegate. I give up control over things that others are capable of doing, and I say no more often. It sounds so obvious, but it's not. I have to consciously and explicitly tell other people to do things, and I'm getting good at it. I've also learned that it's ok for something not to be done to my standards for it to be still done effectively (hard for us Type A people!). This has freed up not only time for me to exercise and work but it's freed up mental space as well.
How do you define self-care and what does it look like for you?
Self-care is anything I'm choosing to do for me on my terms. It may involve other people, but it's filling my bucket. It can be anything from blocking out an hour to just deal with email, it can be purging a closet, or it can be a spa treatment. I enmesh self-care throughout my day by making choices that serve my own purposes.
Share a moment of MOM GUILT, and what you do to manage it? (If applicable)
My mom guilt often comes from me not giving my kids an experience that others around them are having because I feel too overwhelmed to do/plan/engage in it. I feel bad when my temperament affects the experiences they do or do not have. I manage it with therapy. Talking it out and hearing my reasons for doing/not doing something gives me a chance to give these moments oxygen and to acknowledge them explicitly. Just that step goes a long way in relieving the pressure I put on myself. I don't always need to feel better or justified or right, I just need to ackowledge, accept and then move on to the next moment.
What's your greatest Mom Hack that you have learned thus far in your motherhood journey?
Chores. But really...chores. Everyone falls off the chores wagon. You've got to hold on for dear life. Certain things have become second nature for my kids; they don't see it as an onus, and it's a huge love language for me. They automatically clear their place settings (and also at other people's houses, which makes them look like total angels!) and put away their own dishes. This morning I took the trash out of the bin and placed it in front of the dishwasher and my son just walked by, grabbed it and took it to the outside bins. To be clear, it took me telling them over and over, but I never relented and now I don't have to tell them. It was well worth the persistence.
Why do you think it's important for women to share their journeys and inspire other women?
I think no matter how often we get the lip service of "you're not alone" or "let's support each other," it's just that: lip service. I often feel like I don't have a village, that when it comes down to it, women don't necessarily support each other. But I do think that's also because we don't have the bandwith sometimes, we are so overloaded that we end up treading water and we look back and say, well if I hadn't been out of breath I wouldn't helped but what good am I if I'm drowning. When we share honestly, we are giving others permission to say, I'm drowning, I need help. For some reason, our generation still thinks we are supposed to do it all alone. I'm not sure why, but I really want that to change.
What is one lesson or piece of advice you would like the community to learn from you?
I always shoot my shot. I will never be the person who didn't try just to see if it could work. My favorite quote is "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." I am truly trying to live that way every day - and my shot for the day may be consciously deciding not to take the shot! As long as it's a decision I make without regret, I'm bought in.
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