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A passion for entrepreneurship is the driving force behind Susan Hanover Designs. Growing up in South Africa, Susan was mesmerized by the dedication her father, an entrepreneur who built a successful business that provided for his family, consistently demonstrated. Even though he worked incredibly hard, often sacrificing family vacations, his joy at taking ownership of his life and his path forward was always evident. As the eldest of three daughters, Susan was always close with her dad, sharing a love of European history, family trees and old Jewish recipes, and his spirit of entrepreneurship specifically was an influence on her life when life became challenging.
Originally deciding to choose a “safe” path in life, Susan studied law, later establishing a law practice in Israel. While she didn’t love the work, she appreciated the steady paychecks it brought! When she met her husband and the two decided to move to the states, Susan found herself feeling unanchored. Unable to practice law without embarking on an expensive degree program, Susan ended up taking on paralegal work in order to contribute to the family expenses. With an infant at home, her salary ended up covering little more than childcare, and Susan began to dream of ways she could follow in her father’s footsteps and forge her own path.
While in the process of brainstorming business ideas, Susan ran into a friend who complimented her necklace. When Susan confessed that she’d made the necklace herself, the friend asked if she could commission a piece. Now with two kids at home and another on the way, Susan realized that a long-term hobby that had always given her joy could become a viable business entity. Over time, Susan expanded her reach beyond making pieces for friends and family and started selling her collection in local stores, eventually opening accounts across the country, being called out in Oprah’s famous “favorite things,” and opening her own storefront. With everyday luxuries featuring colorful gemstones, cubic zirconia and gold vermeil, her pieces are easy to wear, accessible and appeal to a wide range of style sensibilities.
