We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Molly Tieng a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Molly , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I often say that sometimes being resilient comes with no choice. Resilience is about how well we’re able to cope, adapt, or ‘bounce back’ when we experience hardship or trauma – to me personally, the term ‘resilience’ can also describe a state of survival mode. I feel like my resilience is embedded in my DNA, passed down from my family generations. My family originated in Cambodia and was sponsored to America during the Cambodian genocide that took place in the early 70s. Resilience is what kept them alive and fighting to escape the death and famine that was right at their fingertips! Families at the time had the choice to stay and endure or to take a risk and leave their homeland to better conditions. I feel so blessed that my family chose to take that risk, otherwise I wouldn’t have existed. The trauma experienced in Cambodia followed by the hardship of transitioning to the unknown land of America took extreme resilience, and that serves as the root of my foundation.
I didn’t know that I would someday have to rely on this generational trait for a major life change I most recently experienced. On June 26, 2019 my life as well as my sons life changed forever when his dad was killed from gun violence. The trauma and many hardships that came from this was one of those situations where it left me with no choice but to be resilient for the sake of my son and my own sanity. I’m sure it’s relatable when I say that people who are close to you become a part of who you are. I felt that way about my sons dad. When he passed, a piece of me went along with him. With a part of me missing, rebirthing my new yet true identity was among one of the hardships I experienced. Maintaining my own mental health while being a rock for our son required the utmost resilience that has just become part of my story.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I became a private jeweler after being basically born into the industry and growing my passion for jewelry. My dad learned jewelry making skills when he was a young boy in Cambodia and opened his own jewelry store with my mom in America. My sister and I would go to the shop with them where we watched how they operated and interacted with their customers. I saw my dad create and make some truly unique jewelry pieces by hand. I fell in love with quality jewelry, what it could symbolize about the person wearing it, and especially loved the fact that it could serve as a family heirloom that could be passed down throughout generations. I decided to become a private jeweler versus opening a traditional jewelry store so I could give my undivided attention into building relationships with my clients one at a time. I work best where an authentic relationship can thrive, so getting to know my client for the person they are, as well as what’s important to them concerning value and style is just as important to me! To those who prefer an elevated personalized jewelry buying experience, they can shop with Molly Tieng Private Jeweler!
Aside from being a private jeweler, I’ve been uncovering a deeper purpose which came from dealing with an unimaginable loss. I have a few things in the works that will help support those dealing with gun violence trauma, among many other things that just want their story to be heard to help others. Stay tuned!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Having a vision and a plan – Its important to be able to actually envision where you want to be, detail for detail. When you can paint the picture crystal clear in your mind then the next thing is deciding on what actionable steps you need to take to get there. Baby steps are encouraged to build momentum and prevent burnout. Know that its a process and that its also building character, so trust the timing. Trust the moments when you don’t have it figured out and know that it’s coming together!
Knowing yourself – Knowing myself was a huge part of my journey. I think a lot of people don’t realize that they don’t know much about their true selves. Knowing myself required me to know my values, what was important to me and what made me valuable. It helped me to decide on my boundaries as well as how I wanted to structure my interactions in both my business and my personal life.
Being personable has paved a way for me throughout my life. One thing about me is I have to be able to be myself at all times… any sign of fakeness or inauthenticity is very uncomfortable for me! Being like this has attracted what is truly for me and what isn’t. The best way to be is…. yourself!
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
I’m currently reading Law of Attraction and it’s already changed my life! I know it’s a book that has been out forever and I’m super late but I can tell it’s a book that I can always circle back too. It explains the power of manifestation and how you can train your mind to set your intentions, ask the source for it, and believe it is yours! It made me realize how powerful words are.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mollytiengprivatejeweler.com
- Instagram: @Luxurydesignsbymolly
- Linkedin: Molly Tieng
- Youtube: @mollytieng
- Other: Subscribe to my newsletter publication titled “Telling it My Way” https://mollys-newsletter-2c1775.beehiiv.com/subscribe
