We recently connected with Emily Willet and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Emily, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I get my work ethic from my mom – she’s truly one of the strongest, hardest-working people I know. Growing up, I watched her juggle everything with so much grace and grit, and it gave me the foundation to always strive for my fullest potential. Her resilience, I think, comes from my grandmother, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at 35 and lived paralyzed for the rest of her life.
Despite her physical challenges, she was endlessly sharp, witty, and full of life, the most impactful presence to be around. She’s actually the inspiration behind my brand, HEIRÉE. She had the strongest nails I’d ever seen, simply from rubbing a bit of oil into them every night. Both she and my mom are the heart of the business. The strength, care, and work ethic they’ve passed down are the reason I’m able to do what I love today.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Looking back, I think I’ve spent my entire life searching for the thing that truly lit me up. I’ve been fortunate to build a career across entertainment, sports, and with some of the world’s leading technology companies – each experience taught me something invaluable. But there was always a small voice reminding me that something was missing, and I knew I wouldn’t feel fulfilled until I found what that was.
When the idea for a luxury hand care line came to me, it felt like everything finally clicked. I knew I had found what I was meant to do. I launched HEIRÉE in August, and since then, I’ve been challenged in ways I never imagined – suddenly becoming an accountant, a designer, customer support, shipping coordinator, and supply chain negotiator all at once.
But even through the chaos, I’ve somehow never felt afraid. There’s something incredibly energizing about being fully in alignment with your purpose. Building HEIRÉE has been the most rewarding chapter yet – it’s equal parts art, grit, and heart, and I wake up every day grateful to be creating something that feels so personal and true.
Our hero product, The Cuticle Pen, is an organic serum treatment handmade by me, designed to strengthen brittle nails and deeply hydrate cuticles without the greasy residue of traditional oils.
My dream is to grow HEIRÉE into a full hand care collection – a brand that celebrates the beauty and capability of our hands, and redefines what it means to care for them with the same intention we give to skincare.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Confidence, loyalty and a little bit of delusion.
The best piece of advice my mom ever gave me was, “If it has to be someone, why shouldn’t it be you?” I think about that quote almost every day because it’s so grounding. In a world where we’re constantly exposed to everyone else’s highlight reel, it’s easy to feel inadequate or question your path. But I’ve learned that those moments of doubt are often signposts – they point you toward something worth pursuing. My advice would be to go after the things that make you a little nervous. The best opportunities in life usually live just beyond your comfort zone.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
One of the most impactful books I read during post-grad was The Defining Decade by Meg Jay. I came across it during a time when I felt completely lost after college, unsure of what direction to take and no idea where to even begin. There’s a line that really resonated with me back then: “I feel like I’m in the middle of the ocean. Like I could swim in any direction but I can’t see land on any side, so I don’t know which way to go.”
That visual perfectly captured how I felt at the time – and the answer, as I’ve learned, is simple: just start swimming. You may not know exactly where you’re headed, but movement creates clarity. Each small step builds momentum, and before you know it, you’re exactly where you were meant to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://HEIREE.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heireeofficial/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilywillett/
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heireeofficial?lang=en
Image Credits
Courtesy of HEIRÉE
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
