Female Founders: Irina Kharina of Tsarina Gems On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

Build relationships. I did not start my business to just “make a sale”. I genuinely want to work with my clients to solve their problems, make their life easier and add sparkle to their every day. I love creating genuine connection with my clients and learning about their story and what brought them to me. I love checking in with them even in between sales, to catch up on what they have been up to, whether it’s about recent family trips, holidays or exciting news in their businesses.

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Irina Kharina.

Irina Kharina is a GIA certified gemologist and a luxury jewelry concierge who takes pride in working with ethically sourced diamonds and gemstones. As the founder of Tsarina Gems, she is a millennial female entrepreneur who started her business during the pandemic after spending 12 years in the male-dominated gemstone and jewelry industry. Irina now provides 1:1 private consultations on luxury custom jewelry to clients all over the world. Irina has lived in 5 different countries and is currently based in Toronto, Canada.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I’d love to!

I am originally from Russia and I grew up in England, I also spent a lot of time in the Czech Republic and Spain.

My career in the diamond and gemstone industry began by complete chance when I moved to Toronto in 2009. Having just graduated from the University of Birmingham (UK) with a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Hispanic Studies, I didn’t know what career path I wanted to pursue. After a successful interview for an admin position at a Canadian diamond wholesale company, I ended up falling into this fascinating industry.

Working with diamonds everyday, it did not take long for me to realise I wanted to learn more about them. I decided to take the next step and begin my journey of becoming a gemologist (aka a diamond and gemstone expert). Three years later and several trips to the New York and Carlsbad campuses, where I participated in hands on training, I received my Graduate Gemologist diploma from the Gemological Institute of America. The most reputable gemmology school in the world.

I spent the next 6 years working in different areas of the diamond, gemstone and jewelry industry as well as attending trade shows in London, UK and Toronto, Canada.

Over the years, I was also involved in several exciting projects outside of work involving private clients. By summer 2020, I decided I wanted to dedicate my time helping private clients achieve their jewelry dreams. After spending over a decade working in a male-dominated gemstone and jewelry industry, I decided to follow my dreams of starting my own business.

I now provide 1:1 consultations on luxury gemstones and custom jewelry. I source conflict-free diamonds and gemstones, working with CAD designers, jewelers, setters, polishers, gemstone suppliers and fellow gemologists to curate unique, high end pieces of jewelry. As the majority of these talented craftsmen and women do not work directly with the public, I act as the liaison, working with each one individually to curate custom jewelry pieces.

Although I work with many different clients from all walks of life, I especially love working with ambitious, self-sufficient women. Often, they are looking to invest in themselves and celebrate their work or personal wins. Sometimes they simply want to treat themselves to a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry, “just because”.

My clients love being involved in the gemstone selection and jewelry design process as well as knowing that they are not limited to what they see in stores or online.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

Yes, I love hearing these also.

Once, in preparation for a meeting, I had a whole speech planned about a ring that a client was looking to make for his wife. I was going to tell him all about it, explain all the costs and justify the final price. Instead, after I presented the design and price, he just said “Great, let’s go ahead”. I was knocked off guard. It wasn’t the fact that my price wasn’t fair to begin with, it just happened that I had a completely different experience with a previous client. He bombarded me with questions like: Why is a custom piece more expensive than purchasing a ring in a store or online? Why do I need to pay a deposit first? Would the diamond quality be as good as what I saw online? I felt I had to justify my prices to him.

I learned that if a client is right for you, the sales process really can be easy. But if they are not, there is nothing you can tell them to make that particular sale.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I once almost revealed a secret proposal to my customer’s girlfriend. I had both of their phone numbers but instead of calling him to confirm a detail about the secret engagement ring, I called her. Thankfully, she was a friend of mine, so I was able to talk my way out of it.

Quick lesson: make sure to double check who you are calling, especially when the call requires discretion.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My parents are both entrepreneurs and have always encouraged me to strive for more and think outside the box.

They had the courage to move overseas several times including to the Czech Republic, Vietnam and Canada. Thanks to my parents, I realised that starting from the bottom and spending a lifetime working your way up, climbing the corporate ladder was not the only way to become successful. At a time when some thought it was a crazy idea to leave a steady job in the midst of a pandemic, my family and my boyfriend supported my decision to start my own business, and for that I am truly grateful.

This year, I had the pleasure of connecting with two incredible women, Rebecca Cafiero (a PR strategist for female entrepreneurs) and Hannah Nieves (a business consultant and a PR agency owner). Thanks to them, I am now learning how to grow my business and promote myself as an expert.

As entrepreneurs we really can’t do it all by ourselves and it is ok to ask for help from those who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?

That’s a great question.

I agree that although women in business have come a long way, there is still a lot of work to be done.

I think what currently is holding many women back from founding companies is imposter syndrome (doubting your own achievements and generally feeling like a fraud). Earlier this year I started working with a business mentor and joined a wonderful group of female entrepreneurs from various industries. The most common challenge that I noticed we all shared was accepting our own accomplishments and doubting whether we were “qualified for the job”.

Many women feel that before starting a business, they should take just one more course or complete just one more certification to be taken seriously as an expert in their field. But the truth is, you will never be fully ready. So if you are thinking of becoming an entrepreneur and have something valuable to share with the world, my advice is, just start!

In my case, even with a Certified Gemologist diploma and over a decade of diamond and gemstone experience, I still had my doubts when starting my company. I felt like I didn’t have as much experience as others in my industry or others who were older than me. The first obstacle I had to overcome in order to start my own business was fear that I created in my own head. I had to have the courage to quit my job and take that risk. A year later, I could not be happier with the decision I made.

Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?

We can begin by talking about female entrepreneurs in our schools and at home. Starting from an early age, young girls should be growing up believing that they can do whatever they put their minds to and not be limited to professions that are seen as female-oriented.

Furthermore, we can set an example by celebrating the women in our lives who are female entrepreneurs. Whether that be our mothers, family friends or local female-run businesses we see in our neighbourhoods will encourage young women to dream bigger.

By featuring women founders in articles such as these at Authority Magazine, you are spreading our message and encouraging more and more women to follow their passion and start their own businesses. Thank you!

This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?

As women, we sometimes feel like we shouldn’t be bragging about ourselves or our achievements and we do not want to come across as salesy. But the truth is, if a woman feels like her expertise or her product can help someone, she should absolutely share that with the world. Especially if the service or product is designed for other women.

I always found it fascinating that the diamond and jewelry industries are male-dominated, although the jewelry itself is primarily created for women. There are many talented jewelers and sales associates out there who are men. But when it comes to a 1:1 service that, for example, I provide, women often feel more comfortable seeking advice from other women. We feel like we can connect and understand each other’s problem on another level.

By starting a business, that female founder is creating a solution to another woman’s problem. I think that’s worth starting a company for.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?

Myth: As a founder, you are running the show. Yes, you get to choose what services you provide, however, as a founder, you have to remember that it is not about you, it is about your client. Although you get to decide how you do it, you are after all, providing a solution to their problems.

Myth: You need a lot of money and space to start. Depending on the product and services you provide, you will be spending some money when starting out. If you are quitting your full time job to become an entrepreneur, it is a good idea to have some savings that can help you begin. But you don’t necessarily need a fancy new office and equipment to begin with. I curate jewelry pieces worth thousands of dollars literally from my dining room table, it is also my Zoom meeting area as well as my photo studio. I often meet my clients in the comfort of my living room.

Is everyone cut out to be a founder? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful founder and what type of person should perhaps seek a “regular job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?

This is such an interesting question.

I think it really depends on the person and whether they found that something they are truly passionate about.

If you are planning to work directly with your clients, it helps if you enjoy meeting new people. In this case, being outgoing is perhaps a trait that can be beneficial to becoming a successful founder. On the other hand an introvert who speaks passionately about their services or product can also be extremely successful.

At the end of the day, I think it really depends on whether you can make the process about the customer, not about yourself. If you are willing to step out of your comfort zone to deliver your product or service for the sake of your client, you can do extremely well, regardless of your personality or specific traits that you possess.

Over my career, I worked for several companies and I learned a lot from each one. But one of the main things I learned was, although some people are comfortable with working in the same position for the same company for many years, I was not one of those people.

If you feel a calling or that you are stuck at your current job, you should definitely consider other options, like becoming an entrepreneur. However if you are comfortable with feeling comfortable and love your job then there is nothing wrong with having a “regular job”, whatever that might be.

It’s that famous question we often hear at interviews: Where do you see yourself in 5–10 years? Although I often rehearsed an answer to this question, deep down I never believed myself when my answer was: working for you.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, What are the “Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder?” (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. Build relationships. I did not start my business to just “make a sale”. I genuinely want to work with my clients to solve their problems, make their life easier and add sparkle to their every day. I love creating genuine connection with my clients and learning about their story and what brought them to me. I love checking in with them even in between sales, to catch up on what they have been up to, whether it’s about recent family trips, holidays or exciting news in their businesses.
2. Don’t compare yourself to others. It is ok to see what others in your field are doing for reference or inspirational purposes, however they should not become the main influence behind what you are doing in your business. In my case, it is easy to assume that engagement rings and bridal jewelry should be my main focus. However, although engagements and anniversaries are incredible milestones and should be celebrated, I believe that women should not have to wait for jewelry to be gifted to them, I encourage women to buy jewelry to celebrate their own personal or work achievements or “just because” and that’s what makes me stand out.
3. Know you strengths and weaknesses. I know I am not a “techy” person. The very thought of updating my website is so daunting to me I will put it off for as long as I can. A big shoutout to my boyfriend here for helping me with the big task of launching a website. If you are not able to outsource a task, don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends or family who may be able to help.
4. Create value for you customers and solve their problems. Creating content is my strength, I love sharing my gemstone and jewelry knowledge on my blog and Instagram pages even before you become a client. I also interview other female entrepreneurs in different fields, including coaching, personal stylists and photographers. After all, there is more to me and my business than jewelry and I think my followers relate to that. I highly recommend sharing valuable information so that people see you as an expert and authority figure in your field.
5. I always (try to) focus my Why. Whether it’s “working from home on my own terms” or “helping clients create that unique cocktail ring they will be proud to wear” I try to ask myself why am I doing this. I find this helps especially when doing those tedious task I don’t want to do. For example “why do I need to update my website?” … the answer is to create a better experience for my clients. Now I have the motivation to do it.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

I am using my success from my previous positions to help clients avoid making costly mistakes when it comes to jewelry. Instead of making a large investment in an online piece they have never seen in person before, my clients are able to purchase something that they truly love and feel safe and comfortable with spending their hard-earned money on.

It may not seem like a lot, but I am making their world a better place.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

Thank you. My movement would be to end female rivalry in both business and personal settings. As women, we sometimes see other women as competition. It is time to end that.

I have met some incredible mentors and coaches this year. Each one offers a unique experience including programs on mindset, health, fitness, style advice, public relations and finances. Supporting other female entrepreneurs can cause and amazing chain reaction and you never know what friendships or collaborations can be found around the corner.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

I would absolutely love to meet Stellene Volandes, an internationally renowned jewelry expert and Editor-in-Chief of Town & Country.

I am a huge fan of her book, “Jewels that made History”, which I received for Christmas. It is such an incredible collection of myths and legends that I literally could not put down and even after reading the whole thing, I flip through it regularly.

I am sure she has incredible stories to tell!

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Thank you for having me! It has been such a pleasure.