Keep your head down and your chin up.

A manifesto with Kerin Rose Gold.

I had the chance to catch up with my dear friend Kerin Rose Gold recently. Kerin is the founder and creative director of A-Morir Studio, a luxury eyewear and accessory line. She pioneered the trend of embellished eyewear by combining bespoke production and premium materials with aesthetic maturity and sophisticated design. What began as custom work with Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga in 2008 has evolved into a true luxury brand.

We talked a lot about her success, but also lessons learned through challenging situations. We came to somewhat of a manifesto together that I want to share:

SR: What’s the best piece of business advice that you might have given yourself as a 22 year old?

KRG: The best advice that I got at a time when I really needed it was keep your head down and do the work, because no one is going to be able to do what you do. And if you’re out worrying about what other people are doing, you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing. You’re not going to make a new thing that’s going to move your creative vision forward. And that was incredibly helpful. That’s a piece of advice that I still go back to.

SR: I want to add something to it—keep your head down and your chin up. Because it’s so easy to just live inside the underdog feeling, the problem, the hurt. But if you can orient at the same time into positivity and just get it done, without being crushed by the weight of it all, it will carry you through the most challenging situations.

I’ll be sharing some other really meaningful insights from Kerin, but for now—keep your head down and your chin up!