DCF: So… Who Are You?
Catherine Cason, Founder/Creator of Gem Hunt and Gem Breakfast. Also a diamond addict!

DCF: Why do you love what you do? What makes you funemployment?
CC: I basically created my job out of nothing. (DCF: My favorite kind of job!). I started fine jewelry blog called Gem Hunt as a passion project about 18 months ago and since then so many doors have opened up to me it’s incredible.  I absolutely, love diamonds and jewelry. I can’t get enough of looking at them, and the topic is so rich and interesting I am always learning something new all time – it makes everyday fun and exciting. I’m also very lucky to have found what I call my diamond tribe aka a great group of people online who tirelessly support me, laugh with me, and make everyday fun! (DCF: Finding your people is so important!)

DCF: Who was your first mentor and how did you find them?
CC: My husband – hands down. He has supported all my ideas, I have had several blogs, a clothing line, and tried to sell candles. It took a few frogs before I found my entrepreneurial prince AKA selling fine jewelry. But husband always supported all these ideas and never told me I was crazy. (DCF: The people that stand behind our various adventures are the real MVPS!)  If hadn’t been through the process of all those other ideas, I never would have made Gem Hunt. So I am very lucky to have had those experiences.

DCF: What’s your happy place?
CC: Playing with diamonds! Designing jewelry, thinking of new marketing diamonds. My goal is to make fine jewelry fun and playful, not tired, boring and scary like the norm in this industry. (DCF: Find your niche and thrive!! There are people that will love your new direction and that’s what’s important.) 

DCF: Where do you get your energy?
CC: It might sound silly but people’s comments and feedback online fuel me for sure! Knowing that there is this whole social media world out that actually listens and cares what I do – is just so magical.

DCF: What does balance mean to you and how do find it?
CC: I think as a self-employed person this is always a hard question. But I do always make it a priority to workout everyday – no matter what. (DCF: Any balance is a start and working out is a GREAT balancer).  But I am honestly struggling with taking a break from work like people with normal 9 to 5’s.

DCF: What sacrifices did you have to make to get here?
CC: I don’t know if I really feel like I have made any sacrifices in my Gem Hunt journey – it’s been extremely tough, I have worked my butt off, but at the same time, it’s sort like it all clicked into place.

DCF: What struggles have you faced as a women in your industry?
CC:  The fine jewelry world is very insular and not open to new people. So just networking to begin with can be tough. On top of that most of it is run by men, with a narrow minded point of view the world. Believe it or not, my blog has definitely kicked up dust in the fine jewelry world and that has been hard to face some days. But I started what I call the Diamond Tribe as a way to be grateful for all the open-minded people who have supported me.

DCF: What is the early advice you didn’t listen to that you wish you had?
I’m not very good at listening to what other people think so that is not so much an issue for me. But I have to say if I had known what I know now about the fine jewelry world.

DCF: What was your greatest failure and what did you learn from it?
CC: As an entrepreneur you have failures every day, the lesson is just not letting them get you down and stop you from accomplishing your goal.

DCF: What was your proudest moment to date?
CC: Every time someone buys a diamond ring from my shop gembreakfast I am genuinely shocked! (DCF: I still got shocked when people say they’ve read the blog lol, and then have to think duh that’s kind of the point).

DCF: What are you Currently Conquering?
CC: Growing my business! Empowering women to purchase their own jewelry and making gorgeous diamond rings!

DCF: Let’s get Social (Media)!!
CC: My fine jewelry blog is gemhunt.co and @gem_hunt instagram. My fine jewelry story is gembreakfast.com and @gembreakfast on instagram. You can find me personally everywhere @catcason!