Candice Cherry shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Candice, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Would YOU hire you? Why or why not?
Yes! I would hire myself. I bring dedication, creativity, and a strong work ethic to everything I do. I care deeply about the quality of my work and take ownership of my results. I am driven by a deep passion for excellence which shows in how I approach projects, create new product launches, solve problems and inspire those around me. I thrive in fast-paced environments. Challanges don’t discourage me, they make me work even harder. I am a team player who believes in lifting each other up and learning from those around me. I am a good listener, leader, and communicate clearly.
I would absolutely hire me. Not because I’m perfect, but because I bring hustle, heart and a relentless drive to make my products and my team better every day.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Candice and I am the creative force and visionary behind The Queens’ Jewels, a beloved brand know for it’s exquisite, hand-crafted jeweled glassware. What started at my kitchen table, has grown into a sparkling empire of glassware that people across the world collect, gift and toast with. Drawing inspiration from those around me, holidays, beach days, hobbies, and birthdays, I design each piece with attention to detail, whimsy and a whole lot of sparkle! My motto? Life is too short to drink from an ordinary glass.
My journey has been built on dreams, hard work, creativity and the belief that beauty should be in everyday life. I believe in creating joy and happiness through glassware, giving people a reason to celebrate. Each glass tells a story- the customer’s story.
When I am not in the office or traveling to trade shows, I am enjoying life in St. Louis, Missouri with my family, always dreaming up new ways to make the world a little more fabulous- one jeweled glass at a time.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I’ll never forget the first time I walked into a gift show in Dallas and then Atlanta with a table full of my jeweled wine glasses.
I packed every piece by hand, carefully wrapped in tissue and hope. My heart was pounding louder than my heels on that showroom floor. Around me, there were polished brands with glossy signs and seasoned sellers with decades of experience. And then there was me, just a stay at home mom with a dream, a table, and some wine glasses that sparkled like they had something to prove.
I remember setting up, feeling completely out of place, yet I knew this is exactly where I belonged. I aligned every glass just right, and whispered to myself, “They sparkle for a reason. Let them shine.”
And then… it happened.
Buyers started stopping. Not just glancing, stopping. Their eyes lit up. They held the glasses up to the light. They smiled. More than a few said, “I’ve never seen anything like this.
Orders started coming in. Not massive ones, but enough to feel real. Enough to know I wasn’t crazy for believing in this dream. Enough to feel that rush, the kind that says: this isn’t just unique… it’s working.
Somewhere between the first compliment and the end of the trade show, it hit me like a wave:
This is going to be big.
This is going to be something.
This is going to work.
That was the moment. Not when I sold the most. Not when I hit a number.
But when I realized I had created something that connected, something that made people light up.
That first gift show wasn’t just a turning point for my business—it was a turning point for me.
Because in that moment, standing in a sea of brands and buyers, I realized I wasn’t just hoping anymore, I was claiming. I wasn’t waiting for someone to validate my dream: I was living it. I was taking up space with something I created from my heart and hands, and people were seeing it. More than that, they were celebrating it and wanted to be part of it.
That’s when I first felt powerful.
That’s the kind of power that changes you.
Every jeweled glass since that day is a reflection of that moment when a dream turned into a brand, and a woman with a sparkle in her soul realized she was just getting started.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self that everything works out and everything happens for a reason. That she doesn’t need perfect grades to be successful. She doesn’t need a roadmap. What she does need, which she already has, is heart, creativity, charm, and a wild, wonderful way of seeing the world that others don’t. And one day, she’s going to pour all of that into something extraordinary. So, don’t worry so much about figuring it all out right now. Keep showing up. Keep being you. All of it, the detours, the ups and downs, they’ll all be part of her story. She won’t take a traditional path. She’ll carve her own.
She’ll make something with her hands that makes people smile. She’ll build a business from pure passion and personality.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely, I do feel the public version of me is real because it’s rooted in who I truly am.
I’ve built my brand, The Queens’ Jewels, around celebration, elegance, and joy—qualities that genuinely reflect how I see the world and how I want others to feel. The sparkle, the glamour, the sense of fun? That’s all me.
The version of me that you see, sharing beautiful jeweled glasses, writing heartfelt notes, engaging with customers in a joyful, sometimes glamorous way, that’s an honest expression of my spirit. I love people. I truly believe a wine glass can carry more than a drink, it can hold a memory, a toast, a moment of celebration.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
In a world full of ordinary, Candice dared to create extraordinary. She didn’t just start a business, she started a movement. One that sparkled with intention, connection, and joy.
Candice was more than a founder. She was a visionary with a twinkle in her eye and a glass full of dreams. Every jeweled wine glass she brought to life wasn’t just a product ,it was a story, a memory, a moment captured in time. From birthdays to beach days, heartfelt cheers to healing tears, Candice’s creations held space for celebration, love, and sisterhood.
She built The Queens’ Jewels not just as a brand but as a community. People didn’t just buy a glass, they felt seen, celebrated, and sparkled. Her belief was clear: every woman deserves to feel like royalty. And she made sure they did, one rhinestone at a time.
Behind the glitz was grit. She was the woman on the ground at pop-ups, hugging longtime customers, remembering their stories, and sharing her own. She inspired women in business, moms with big dreams, and friends looking to gift something meaningful. Her sparkle wasn’t just in the glass ,it was in her spirit.
She stayed true to what mattered: authenticity, quality, and a heartfelt mission. The media took notice. The nation did too. But even when she was featured on Good Morning America, The View and QVC, she remained Candice — kind, creative, generous, and grounded.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thequeensjewels.net
- Instagram: The_Queens_Jewels
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicecherry
- Facebook: The Queens Jewels
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