Meet Madelyn Santoro

We recently connected with Madelyn Santoro and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Madelyn, 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?

Growing up, my family went through a lot of tough times. My dad was a Ranger in the military during 9/11 and was deployed several times. And while this is a really sensitive topic, my mom also has struggled with a lifetime of depression. I’ll never know what my dad saw or experienced when he was gone, but deployments changed my dad. Looking back now as an adult, it’s extremely clear to me that he was struggling with PTSD. Eventually, my parents divorced and this made my mom’s depression worse. I watched my mom cry over barely making it by financially and barely being able to tend to basic things, like cooking dinners. My dad moved to another state and wasn’t present anymore. I was around 12 or 13 years old then. This is the time my work ethic developed, because I knew my family needed me. I would regularly ride my bike to the grocery store to buy groceries for myself, my mom, and my brother. I would do laundry and clean the house. By the age of 14, I applied for a work permit and started my first job. I told myself then that I would do whatever it took to be successful in life, even if it meant working extremely hard. A couple decades later and my own little family continues to be my driving force. I want to give my kids a better life than I experienced and know that requires working hard and persevering through hard things.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m Madelyn, the owner and founder of Aesthetically Me, a small jewelry and piercing studio where I specialize in ear piercings, permanent jewelry, and handmade rings and accessories. My brand was born from a love for meaningful connections, both between people and through jewelry that lasts.

What excites me most about my work is the personal nature of it. Every ear I pierce, every bracelet I weld, every ring I shape by hand — it’s all part of someone’s story. I get to be part of birthdays, best friend dates, mother-daughter moments, and milestones, and that’s something I’ll never take for granted. The permanence of a welded bracelet or the confidence someone feels after a new piercing, that’s the magic I get to create every day. And that thought still hits me hard from time-to-time. Talk about a “pinch me” moment!

At Aesthetically Me, I focus on timeless, dainty designs made from tarnish-resistant materials like gold-filled, sterling silver, and stainless steel. The goal is to offer jewelry that’s not only beautiful, but durable enough for everyday wear, pieces that become part of your life, not something you take off at the end of the day.

Aesthetically Me is also coming up on another milestone — 3 years in business! It’s hard to believe.

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?

Looking back, three qualities that have made the biggest impact on my journey are resourcefulness, connection building, and resilience.

When you run a small business, you wear a lot of hats. From figuring out how to design your website, to customer service, to finding the right jewelry suppliers, there’s so much you have to teach yourself on the fly. I’ve learned that you don’t need to know everything up front you just need to be willing to dig in, and figure it out using the resources you have available to you. Luckily, we live in the era of the internet where so much knowledge is at your fingertips! My advice, use every challenge as a learning opportunity.

Connection building is one quality I didn’t immediately think would also be one of the most important. My business has grown primarily through word-of-mouth and local relationships. The connections I’ve made with my customers (many of whom have become regulars or even friends) have been the most meaningful and powerful part of this journey. For anyone just starting out, talk to people. Show up authentically. Offer value without expecting anything in return. Building genuine community around your work is one of the best investments you can make.

Lastly, resilience is one I’m still working hard on. There are going to be slow seasons, mistakes, self-doubt, and unexpected turns. Self-doubt creeps in on me regularly and maybe imposter syndrome plays into this a bit too, but it’s also easy to feel overwhelmed when you’re building something from scratch. What’s helped me most is coming back to why I started and to never lose sight of that. My advice is to hold onto your “why,” and know that every hard day is part of the story, not the end of it.

How would you describe your ideal client?

My ideal client is someone who’s looking for more than just jewelry; they’re coming in to mark a moment or create a memory. Whether it’s a first piercing, a matching bracelet with a best friend, or a treat-yourself piece, they value quality, connection, and a personal experience. I always feel so incredibly honored to be a part of others’ special moments.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aestheticallyme.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aestheticallymestudio