Today we’d like to introduce you to Irina Reeves
Hi Irina, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Growing up in Russia, I was raised in a culture that encouraged more traditional family values: men went to work and women became mothers. But as a teenager in Moscow, I quickly recognized that my ambitions and interests often differed from those around me. I felt called to explore the world. To travel. To go to school, get a degree and have a career of my own.
But, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to be a mom. In fact, motherhood was always part of the dream. Even still, I felt certain that prioritizing my own goals and individuality was an essential part of my story.
So I did just that. I first went to university in Moscow, spending hours driving in traffic as I went from class to a part-time job and then back to class again. After graduation, I spent time fueling my passion for travel and exploration. Eventually, my travels brought me to London where I received a second Master’s Degree and began work at an exciting full-time job. My life was on track.
So…what was next? Though I had lived in Russia and now Europe, I was curious about what a life in the U.S. would be like. Which, of course, led me to pursue a third Master’s Degree in New York. It was here that my life’s direction started to shift.
Whlie in my final years of school, I met the wonderful man who is now my husband. Life was beautiful and everything was aligning perfectly. I was cultivating a career, I was in a loving relationship and I was successfully living a life created on my own terms. I felt accomplished. The timing for starting a family felt perfect.
But life is unpredictable, and often tragedy comes when you least expect it.
Three years ago, during this first pregnancy, I suffered the heartache of miscarriage. The grief felt insurmountable. For so much of my youth, becoming a mom was not a suggestion but an expectation. There was never any question: getting pregnant was supposed to be simple, intuitive and altogether human. I never considered that my journey to parenthood would be anything other than straightforward.
An overwhelming sense of loneliness followed the news of my miscarriage. It was hard to articulate to others the grief and heartbreak I was struggling with. I assumed that experiencing miscarriage was rare, a notion that made me feel isolated from the people in my life that had become parents so easily.
As I processed the loss of my pregnancy, I began to realize how much being a mom really meant to me. I wanted to have a career, but I also wanted to have a child. I was frustrated with myself. Did I wait too long? Was I wrong to prioritize myself? Did I make the wrong choice?
Through all of these questions, my family and community gave me the support I needed to grapple with my loneliness. Through sharing my experience and talking about my sadness with others, I started hearing countless stories that mirrored my own. The more I talked to parents about their journey to parenthood, the more clearly I began to see the seemingly endless list of challenges people faced along the way. I was learning that there was no perfect path, no wrong or right way. My husband and I decided we wanted to try again.
But I was still in emotional pain. I felt restless. As I continued to grieve, my husband encouraged me to find a way to channel this energy into something.
I didn’t exactly know where to start. I kept thinking about how grateful I was for my loved ones during this painful time. I thought about all the stories I had heard about the ups and downs of creating a family. Even though it wasn’t unfolding in the way I had envisioned, I still felt called to motherhood. I was regaining my sense of determination and once again forging my own path.
I remembered once when I watched as my sister moved her family—her husband and two daughters—to a brand new city far from family and friends. It was a difficult transition, but one that was necessary for the family. During this time, I remember her telling me that thinking about her love for her children was powerful enough to help motivate her through this adjustment period.
I was so moved by her love and the depth of her bond with her children. I wanted to find a way to give her a daily reminder of that love, while also celebrating how hard she was working to be a good mom.
I decided to design a custom diamond and gold bracelet with two charms representing her two daughters. I loved the idea of something tangible and beautiful that would help her feel more connected to them. My sister loved the bracelet and still wears it to this day.
I noticed myself thinking about that bracelet more and more. I thought about the other women whose stories I had learned, how their journeys deserved to be celebrated in a similar way. I thought about how excited I would be to wear a similar bracelet to celebrate my journey.
This was the beginning of my jewelry brand, OliviaR.
With a background in business, starting a brand was another path I had always been curious about. I was not, however, interested in creating a business just for the sake of doing so. I wanted to wait for an idea that was authentically me and made me genuinely excited.
And suddenly, I had the idea for a line of fine diamond jewelry that celebrated parenthood and deep family ties.
The thought of this project excited me greatly. I was slowly getting myself back on track. My heart was healing and I was finding new ways to move forward. My husband and I were making a plan for the next pregnancy—everything from discussing IVF treatments to countless doctor’s appointments. Though I was determined, it was still difficult to shake the anxiety that followed as we tried with no success.
I invested more time and energy into developing OliviaR in an effort to move through these emotions. Although I have always love fashion and jewelry, I did not know the first thing about starting a jewelry brand from the ground up.
I started doing my research and started working on designs for the jewelry. I learned about jewelry manufacturing and found a company who could bring my ideas to life. I worked on every facet of the brand from design to mission statement to diamond connoisseur and beyond.
The more I developed this passion project, I started to feel more like myself again. I was finding my new path forward.
And just like that, I found out I was pregnant for a second time.
After a surprisingly smooth pregnancy, I gave birth to my daughter Olivia in May of 2023. As I eagerly awaited her arrival, my passion project was slowly blossoming into a business. I suppose I always knew that being both a mom and an entrepreneur were somewhat inevitable for me, however, I never would have guessed that the two would be so inextricably connected.
The birth of my daughter and the birth of my brand happening concurrently has served as a powerful reminder that my identity contains multitudes: I am a mother and I am a business owner. I want my daughter to grow up having a mom who encourages her to chase whatever dream she wants. I want to set a good example for her and I want her to see that she can have both the family and the career.
This is why OliviaR is more than just a brand. OliviaR jewelry celebrates the courage it takes to navigate the inevitable challenges of being a parent. We strive to honor the foundation of pure love families are built upon—even in times of doubt. At OliviaR, we understand that everyone’s journey to parenthood is unique. Whether you are celebrating the excitment of a long-awaited pregnancy, remembering a loved one who may be far away or simply cherishing the miracle of family, our jewelry serves a tangible reminder of the love and hope that endure through it all.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It took me almost a year to perfect signature designs of OliviaR pieces but I never wanted to launch until I was 100% satisfied. For the same reason kids and a more masculine collection are still in developing stages
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about OliviaR?
OLIVIAR was founded as a tribute to the wonderful, chaotic and beautiful journey to parenthood. Our brand celebrates the courage and strength it takes to navigate the inevitable challenges of being a parent, all while honoring the foundation of love families are built upon. At OLIVIAR, we understand that everyone’s journey to parenthood is unique. Whether you are celebrating the joy of a long-awaited pregnancy, remembering a loved one who may be far away or simply cherishing the miracle of family, our jewelry serves a tangible reminder of the love and hope that endure through it all.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
There have been so many lessons so far that it’s terribly hard to pick just one as I feel like they all are essential steps in OliviaR’s growth 🙂 Every day is full of surprises and given the fact that my background is in finance starting my own brand sometimes feels like walking in the dark. That is why I think keep on working, keep on pushing through is so crucial in this journey. It is not the sexiest lesson and I am sure there are so many people (myself included) who would like to learn the secret to success – one step to make, one thing to do and voila “SUCCESS” – but the more I work on my brand the more I realize that hard work, full dedication and unbreakable faith in what you do are at the core of your future success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://oliviar.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviarbyirina/
