Life and Work with Ashleigh Bergman

After settling down back in my native city, Los Angeles, I decided to ignite my passion for educating and servicing individual clients with their jewelry dreams along with utilizing my longstanding relationships with the finest designers and manufacturers, and created Milestones by Ashleigh Bergman. Milestones consist of a select collection of fine, designer, bridal and fashion jewelry that can be shopped online or in person via private consultation and personal shopping. Tapping into my creative spirit and love for finding new and unique talent, I can memorialize all of life’s milestones with the perfect piece of jewelry. From engagements and anniversaries to the birth of a baby, there is a gem that celebrates everything.

Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t know if the road has been particularly bumpy, but the road has been long. I really have done everything in my business; from taking out the trash and windexing glass in a retail setting to spearheading a buying team that ran a $50 million, multi-store jewelry business, and everything in between. I have to say each facet brought a new level of education and frankly the grit I needed to persevere in this fickle industry. My advice for other women would be, don’t expect it to happen overnight. Whatever it is that you want to do, it isn’t going to fall in your lap, and it isn’t going to always be an easy speedy ride. Do it all so that you can be confident that you have the expertise in all areas of your field, not just ones that seem momentarily relevant.  Even the jobs or tasks that seem mundane or beneath you, are preparing you to ascend, and giving you the knowledge and wherewithal to run that business or start one of your own!  Don’t take any of it for granted, because looking back you will see it was all a part of the story.

Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Early in my career, I was a Buyer for Fred Segal and Anthropologie, I was known for discovering and fostering new talent. Milestones is a collection of many of those designers that I still work with who are now very well known and established, as well as jewelry from emerging designers. People come to me for my style, taste, my eye for creating a look, and my complete obsession with all things sparkly!

In addition to editing a selection of fine jewelry, I work closely with clients to create a custom engagement and bridal jewelry. When you work with me to create a custom engagement ring, you will have the confidence you are working with an esteemed professional, who serves as your advocate from start to finish. During the initial consultation, we will discuss preliminary design ideas, the 4 C’s as they pertain to your desires and budget, logistics and timing.

After the initial consultation, I will utilize my network of trusted diamond and stone dealers to curate a selection of stones meeting your desires within your budget. On your behalf, I thoroughly study each stone, ensuring you are getting the most beautiful stone at the best price and will narrow it down to a handful of the best selections the market has to offer. Either in person or via Skype, I will navigate the final stone selection process.

Once you have chosen “the one,” I enlist my team of skilled and talented artisans to create your custom mounting. Upon completion of the ring, I inspect every detail to guarantee it has been crafted with the utmost quality and precision, so when it arrives to you, you get exactly the ring you dreamt about.

At times, it is difficult (with the infiltration of social media) not to compare myself to others who have similar business models. But I really try to “stay in my lane” and keep my energy on my own business and the clients I am so grateful to have. I am really proud to be making people smile every day. We are surrounded by such bad news, and I consciously work endlessly until my client’s expectations are surpassed and they are abundantly happy with every piece they receive from me.

As a company I am also so proud that I have cultivated incredible relationships in my industry, spanning twenty plus years, which afford my clients access to the best jewelry designers, manufacturers, diamond dealers and craftspeople in the industry.

Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?