Kendra Scott

Scott founded Kendra Scott LLC in 2002, designing her first collection with $500 in the spare bedroom of her home just after her oldest son was born.[11] She walked from store to store around Austin, selling to local boutiques, and at the last boutique, she had to sell all of her samples to purchase enough materials to cover the orders she had made that first day.[11]

In 2005, Scott's designs were chosen to accessorize Oscar de la Renta's spring 2006 runway show.[12] Scott's designs also appeared in Randolph Duke's 2007 runway show.[13]

Because of the financial crisis of 2007–2008, she nearly had to close her company,[14] but she received an order from Nordstrom for some of their stores; this gave her exposure and allowed her to expand her business.[15]

Scott's first retail store opened on Austin's South Congress Avenue in 2010.[14] In the same year, she began her e-commerce business and launched the brand's Color Bar experience.[16][17]

In 2011 she opened her second store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, but she had to close it after a while. In 2014 Scott opened stores around the South and Midwest while ignoring the fashion elite in New York and Los Angeles. Later, in 2016, she sold a minority stake in her company to the private equity firm Berkshire Partners at a valuation of $1 billion.[14][18]

Valued at over $1 billion, her brand encompasses fashion jewelry, fine jewelry, home accessories, nail lacquer, and beauty products.[18][19][20][21][22]

At the end of 2019, Scott had 102 retail stores. In addition to an e-commerce business, Scott's merchandise is sold in London's Selfridges,[23] Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus,[18] Von Maur, Bloomingdale's, and over 1,000 specialty boutiques worldwide.[10][24] 95 percent of her more than 2,000 staff are women.[25] In February 2021, Scott stepped down as CEO, retaining the Executive Chairwoman title, and named Tom Nolan as Kendra Scott's CEO.[2]

Scott invests in companies in Austin, Texas, such as Helm Boots, Darbie Angell dinnerware,[14] and Tiff's Treats.[26]

Scott is a philanthropist with a history of supporting women's and children's causes.[27][28] In 2015, Scott launched the Kendra Cares Program,[29][27] which brings the company's customizable Color Bar[16] jewelry experience to pediatric hospitals across the country. In 2017, Scott's company hosted more than 10,000 Kendra Gives Back across her stores. She gave the money to local causes and also donated more than 75,000 pieces of jewelry.[18]

In 2019, Scott donated $1 million to The University of Texas to launch the Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute.[30] Since 2010 her company's program has given away $30 million.[25]