Kendra Scott

Executive Chairwoman, Designer and Founder of Kendra Scott

Designer, founder, and philanthropist Kendra Scott started her company in 2002, just three months after her first son was born, with only $500. Going door-to-door to Austin boutiques armed only with a tea box full of her jewelry, Kendra captivated businesses and customers with her vibrant personality and unique eye for design.

Known for her dynamic use of color and genuine materials, Kendra’s commitment to innovation, quality and detail has brought her from a small startup to a billion-dollar business and has won over loyal fans, media and celebrities alike. With more than 2,000 employees, Kendra Scott boasts a thriving web business and more than 120 stand-alone stores and has expanded beyond fashion jewelry into the categories of fine jewelry, home dÃ©cor and beauty. Today, her company continues to operate out of Austin, Texas, with its state-of-the-art corporate office complete with design lab and an industry-leading distribution center both catering to her employees’ career goals and family-life balance.

With “family” and “fashion” as two core pillars of her business, Kendra maintains a focus on her other core pillar of philanthropy in all she does. Since 2010, the company has given back more than $40 million to local, national and international causes. In 2018 alone, the company gave more than $5 million in monetary donations, almost $10 million in in-kind donations and more than 2,000 volunteer hours to philanthropic organizations, and partnered with more than 8,000 philanthropic organizations nationwide.

Kendra has been awarded with the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 National Award; the Breakthrough Award from the Accessories Council Excellence Awards; named Outstanding Mother of the Year by the Mother’s Day Council; awarded Texas Businesswoman of the Year by the Women’s Chamber of Commerce; listed by Forbes as one of America's Richest Self-Made Women; listed among the Top 100 Entrepreneurs of the Year by Upstart Business Journal; and named Best CEO by Austin Business Journal. In October 2019, Kendra was inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame. In 2020, Kendra Scott appeared as the only female guest Shark on Season 12 of ABC’s Shark Tank. In 2021, she was named the Honorary Celebrity Chair for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas. Kendra is a member of the board of directors for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. She is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and she maintains her position as Executive Chairwoman of Kendra Scott, LLC.

Why We Chose Her:

Kendra Scott is all about empowerment. It’s been part of her business practices and goals since she started her Kendra Scott line of jewelry.

“When I was young, I loved the movie ‘9 to 5,’ where Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin take over their office and change it from a place where women are kept down into a utopia for working women. I remember thinking I needed to start my own company where everyone has a chance.â€¯So,â€¯I created my own ‘9 to 5’ paradise for working women at Kendra Scott,” Kendra shares.

The founder and executive chairwoman of the Kendra Scott jewelry company credits her mother for providing the example that sparked her entrepreneurial spirit. And it was another woman, unnamed, who stepped in to take over her line of credit when her bank was ready to pull it. It’s an experience she continues to pay forward. "What I'm seeing more than ever today is women helping other women and how much stronger we are when we joined forces and hold hands," Kendra says. For her drive and purpose to empower others, we are honoring Kendra this month as a Social Capital CEO.

“I am proud to uphold a culture that supports a healthy work-life balance for the women--and the men--in our office,” says Kendra, citing a robust benefits package--from 100% paid parental leave and matched 401K to unique perks such as an in-house nail bar, fitness center and smoothie bar to paid philanthropy days--designed to cultivate a friendly and inspiring work atmosphere. “Down to the design of our office spaces, I want to make sure we are constantly fostering a culture that promotes transparency, collaboration and workplace pride.”

Noting that, nationwide, men still hold the top leadership positions in 95% of organizations, Kendra believes there are a few things business leaders can do to keep the momentum going. “For example, businesses need to recognize that it all starts with your culture. Some organizations don’t recognize the pricelessness of a good, positive culture and it costs them--in turn-over, in losing out on talent and in great leadership.”

In staffing her company, Kendra says someone who shares the company values is more important in a new team member than a gold-plated resume. “We operate with kindness and we treat each other like family. And I believe that culture has helped make us the billion-dollar company we are today.”

Kendra also founded the Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute at the University of Texas at Austin in response to a hunger she’d seen at the collegiate level for programming and classes that lift and support aspiring female entrepreneurs. “I believe it’s so important to empower women to advocate for themselves and find the white space to make their impact.” Her stated goal is for this program to spark a conversation around what the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs will look like. “With our work at the Institute, whether it’s through a speaker series, leadership workshop or simply a networking opportunity, we hope to encourage the world to follow our mission of empowering female leaders.”

And recently, her company began further broadening its reach, testing the waters with a direct-sell program. Reminiscent of Tupperware’s party program, it will not only help increase awareness of the Kendra Scott brand in markets without a strong retail presence but, significantly, offers tools for individuals to build business with in-person as well as online relationships--thus empowering local entrepreneurs.