Meet Katherine Schlattman | Business Owner and Jewelry Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katherine Schlattman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katherine, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
The past couple years have been years of growth in so many ways. As a new parent of twin girls and an entrepreneur running my own jewelry business, work-life balance has evolved significantly over time. Balancing the demands of caring for two babies while managing the intricacies of a growing business was undoubtedly challenging.

You’re constantly needing to adapt quickly to the unpredictable nature of parenthood, while ensuring Foe & Dear continues to thrive. This often meant working during naps, virtual calls with clients and the team while you’re wearing one of the babies in the carrier, working late nights on client work/how to grow the business, or stealing any moments amidst the chaos of twin parenthood.

As an entrepreneur, you aren’t given the luxuries of a real maternity leave, and you can’t leave work at work. But at the same time, you do find yourself craving the madness that goes along with owning your own business because it is a huge piece of who you are. I came back to work full-time roughly 6 months after the girls were born, and as stressful as it was, it gave me a bit of my pre-babies self back. I’m always needing to find new ways to find balance. Prioritizing time with the babies while also nurturing the creative and strategic aspects of my business. I’ve come to appreciate the importance of self-care and personal fulfillment, whether it’s a quick solo walk with my dog to the beach, getting my nails done at lunch while I’m at the studio or learning sign language from an app on my phone when your brain is completely exhausted from the day.

The girls turn two in September, and there isn’t a secret sauce for finding the right work-life balance. A huge life lesson that being a twin parent teaches you, is to be gentle with yourself. Find the balance that works for you. Going from 0 to 100 can get overwhelming very quickly, so take tiny steps, set achievable goals, and you’ll get there. I’ve got an amazing team and a dream family behind me, and a positive attitude that goes through the roof – I feel empowered to navigate this journey (and I hope whoever is reading this is feeling the same way too).

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Foe & Dear first began in 2009, during a summer abroad in Brooklyn, New York. Building a business from scratch was not easy, especially to someone who has more of a design-oriented brain. You’re just constantly learning about yourself, your brand and how you want to evolve. From the very beginning, I had always dreamed that I’d be creating beautiful masterpieces for wonderful people. Today, we are here! We pride ourselves on working with the most sustainable suppliers in the industry, to create beautiful bespoke engagement and wedding and custom jewelry for your special day.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One of my best friends from design school is actually visiting next month, and we are going for a weekend away to the tiny but beautiful Bowen Island. We are staying at a cozy bnb near the water. We’re going to hopefully see swans at the beach near the ferry, have good brunches at Artisan Square and Snug Cafe, calm walks on the beach near The Cape, tasty dinners in Snug Cove and ice cream on the pier.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shouting out my incredible life partner in crime, and all of the amazing team members at Foe & Dear. All playing a significant role in who I am today, who the brand is today, and where we will all go.

Website: foeanddear.com

Instagram: instagram.com/foeanddear and instagram.com/katherineschlatts