November 18, 2019

Meet Marrin Costello CEO of Marrin Costello INC

Q: What inspired you to pick up your first bead kit?

I didn't choose jewelry, jewelry chose me. The first bead kit I ever chose was actually given to me as a gift by my great aunt. Little did I know it would change the course of my story thus far, and my career.

Q: What is your favorite piece of jewelry and what does it mean to you?

I have several. One very special piece is Cleopatra's collar that i recreated in the 2nd grade for a history show-and-tell project. It wasn't until after I graduated from UCLA with a degree in Egyptology that I rediscovered this piece in my parent's home, and realized it had all come full circle. I have always felt so closely connected to the Ancient Egyptian world and their superior level of craftsmanship.

My other favorite pieces are family heirlooms, of which I wear at least two every day (one from my mom's side and one from my dad's), so that I have a piece of each side of my family with me at all times. That is one fascinating thing about jewelry -- it carries meaning, memory, significance, and history.

Q: When you started MC and worked full-time in event management what was the one thing you did to stay sane?

To be honest, at that time in my life, I wasn't sane. I was completely overextended and eventually reached burnout. Since then, I have learned the power of self-care, what I need to stay sane, and learned that hard way that I can only deliver my best if I take care of myself first. It's a catch 22 that most all entrepreneurs go through, as often times it's easy to 'let yourself go' at the expense of the business... but the business will suffer if you aren't cared for. And just the same, the business will thrive if your personal cup is full and overflowing.

Q: Can you share a time you failed and what you learned from it?

I fail ALL the time. It's the brutal truth about running a business. Troubleshooting is an inevitable aspect of the job description! But I actually refer to these moments as lessons, rather than failures. For me, it helps make the process fun, and inevitably leads me to the next opportunity (i.e. win, failure, lesson, etc) faster.

Q: Can you share your proudest moment to-date?

My proudest moment was getting into both a wholesale showroom and proper MC Headquarters office space in downtown LA within months of each other. Both of these opportunities happened not too long after I committed to making the brand a proper company, and truly solidified both that I was (am) on the right path, and the power in decision making.

Q: What's your typical Sunday like?

I love the weekends -- specifically because I feel I can catch up on work (and emails) while the rest of the world is out of office. I fondly call them "WORK-ends". When I am in LA and not traveling, every day starts with my morning routine followed by a workout -- either Barre Belle or Cycle House. After that, I pack in meetings, catching up with friends, work meetings, and do the usual adulting. The end of the day is finished with prepping for the week, reviewing marketing content, finalizing to-do lists, looking over the next day's itinerary, and finally completing my evening routine.

Q: What's your go to way to unwind and relax?

As I mentioned earlier, I have built self care into my daily, weekly, monthly routines to keep sane and make sure I am scheduling time for myself. Otherwise, I would be working all of the time -- simply because I love what I do! Some of my favorite moments of self-care include -- the nail salon, hair salon, massages, reflexology appointments, and paying a visit to the esthetician. My workout studios are also filled (and run) by people that have become dear friends (whom I see on a daily basis) -- and my work life has been curated with people that I thoroughly enjoy working with. I only work with people that I would be friends with outside of work. That is my non-negotiable.

Flash Round Answers:

Current book you're reading: Relentless by Tim S. Grover
Favorite Time saving App: WeekCal
1 thing you need when travelling: Hand Sanitizing Wipes + Hand Sanitizer by EO Essential Oils
Song you're listening to on repeat: "Juicy" and "Tempo" by Lizzo, as well as anything by Billie Eilish
Favorite Vacation Destination: Maui or Paris -- depending on the mood

Be sure to checkout www.marrincostello.com and follow @marrincostello to shop her luxurious jewelry collection. A perfect pairing with More Sunday Silk Sets.

You can shop Marrin's More Sunday look by clicking here.

Photography by @greysontarantino

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