The Illusion of Work-Life Balance: Honest Reflections from a Sustainable Luxury Jewellery Founder

The entrepreneurial journey is often glamourised in glossy magazines and curated social media feeds—especially in the luxury jewellery industry. As the founder of Lark & Berry, the first designer fine jewellery house exclusively using cultured diamonds from inception, I've experienced firsthand how the polished facade of entrepreneurship rarely reflects the messy, boundary-blurring reality behind it.

Today, I'm pulling back the curtain on what building a sustainable luxury brand truly entails, and why the concept of 'work-life balance' might be the most exquisite fantasy of all.

The Midnight Realities of Building a Luxury Brand

It was 3 AM on a Tuesday when my mobile rang with an urgent call from our production team in Hong Kong. A shipment of settings for our Diamond Starburst and Sapphire Long Drop Earrings had arrived with microscopic imperfections—invisible to most, but glaringly obvious to our standards of excellence.

I spent the next two hours on video calls with craftspeople across time zones, examining settings under magnification and making critical decisions that would impact delivery timelines for waiting clients. By sunrise, solutions were in motion, but my day had started before it officially began.

This scenario isn't the exception—it's simply Tuesday.

When 'Off Hours' Become a Luxury Concept

The notion of clearly delineated work hours disintegrates when you're at the helm of a growing business. A particularly vivid memory comes from what was meant to be a restorative family holiday in Spain:

I was standing on a sun-drenched balcony, phone pressed to my ear, discussing the intricacies of setting angles for our Purple Sapphire and Diamond Drop Earrings while my family explored the beach below. The irony wasn't lost on me—creating pieces meant to celebrate life's special moments while missing out on my own.

For entrepreneurs, especially in the luxury sector, there's no clocking out. When clients invest in exceptional pieces, they rightfully expect exceptional service, regardless of time zones or weekend status.

The Entrepreneurial Time Paradox

One of the most persistent myths about entrepreneurship is that being your own boss means controlling your schedule. The reality? The business often becomes the boss, and its demands rarely conform to convenient hours.

• Client emergencies arise on Sunday evenings
• International suppliers need decisions during your sleeping hours
• Marketing opportunities emerge without warning
• Production challenges don't respect holiday schedules
• High-profile custom orders may require immediate attention

During our launch of the Chestnut Diamond Engagement Ring collection, I worked 18-hour days for weeks, coordinating with sustainable diamond cultivators, designers, and marketing teams across three continents. The collection's success was worth every exhausting moment, but the conventional notion of 'balance' was nowhere to be found.

From Balance to Integration: A More Honest Framework

After years of guilt-inducing attempts to achieve the mythical work-life balance, I've embraced a more truthful paradigm: work-life integration. This isn't lowering standards—it's acknowledging reality and creating an approach that honours both my business commitments and personal wellbeing.

Integration means understanding that my work and personal life will inevitably overlap, and designing a life that accommodates this reality rather than fighting against it.

Boundaries That Actually Work in Luxury Business

While perfect balance may be elusive, certain boundaries have proven essential for sustainable entrepreneurship:

1. Sacred Time Blocks: Rather than entire sacred days (often unrealistic), I identify specific hours that remain protected for family, health, or personal needs.
2. Delegating Decision Authority: I've created clear parameters for when team members can make decisions without consultation, reducing constant interruptions.
3. Technology Boundaries: Different notification settings for different contacts ensure I'm available for true emergencies without being pulled into every conversation.
4. Expectation Management: Clients receive clear communication about response times and emergency protocols, setting realistic expectations.
5. Intentional Presence: When I am with family or taking personal time, I practice being fully present rather than physically there but mentally at work.

The Family Dynamic: Hidden Contributors to Brand Success

Building a sustainable luxury brand doesn't happen in isolation. My family has made countless sacrifices and contributions that rarely appear in brand storytelling but are fundamental to Lark & Berry's success.

From missed dinners to relocated holidays, from listening to endless business challenges to providing emotional support during difficult decisions—they are silent partners in this entrepreneurial journey. Their understanding when I need to step away to handle an urgent matter regarding our Sapphire, Diamond and Emerald Long Drop Earrings or other signature pieces has been invaluable.

This is rarely discussed in entrepreneurial circles, but acknowledging it is part of the authentic leadership I believe luxury consumers increasingly value.

Self-Care Reimagined for Founder Reality

Traditional self-care advice often feels laughably disconnected from entrepreneurial reality. Two-hour morning routines and weekly digital detoxes sound wonderful but frequently collapse under business demands.

Instead, I've developed micro-wellness practices that integrate into the entrepreneurial lifestyle:

• Five-minute meditation intervals between meetings
• Walking calls that combine movement with productivity
• Nourishment planning to ensure proper eating despite unpredictable schedules
• Sleep prioritisation even when it means delaying non-urgent responses
• Joy scheduling where brief moments of pleasure are intentionally placed throughout intense work periods

These practices might seem small, but collectively they've proven more sustainable than elaborate wellness routines that inevitably get abandoned during busy periods.

The Mission-Driven Energy Source

What truly sustains me through long hours isn't perfect balance—it's purpose. Building Lark & Berry as a pioneer in sustainable luxury jewellery provides a wellspring of motivation that conventional work often lacks.

When reviewing designs for pieces like our Aspen Diamond Engagement Ring, knowing we're creating heirloom-quality pieces without the environmental and ethical concerns of mined diamonds infuses even the most challenging days with meaning.

This mission-connected energy is something I encourage all entrepreneurs to identify within their own ventures. It doesn't eliminate exhaustion, but it transforms it from draining to purposeful.

How Founder Dedication Translates to Product Excellence

The intense dedication required to build a sustainable luxury brand ultimately manifests in the exceptional quality of our products. When I'm reviewing each cultured diamond under magnification at midnight, or debating setting techniques with artisans across time zones, these moments of founder obsession become embedded in every piece.

Our clients don't see the 3 AM quality control sessions or the production challenge troubleshooting that happened during a family dinner. What they experience is jewellery with an extraordinary level of attention to detail and commitment to excellence.

This is the beautiful alchemy of entrepreneurship—personal sacrifice transforms into product perfection.

Team Culture: Reflecting Values While Maintaining Sustainability

As Lark & Berry has grown, I've become increasingly mindful of not replicating unhealthy work patterns across our organisation. While I may respond to emails at all hours, I've established clear expectations that team members aren't required to do the same.

We've developed systems that allow for founder involvement in critical decisions while creating sustainable workflows for our growing team. This includes:

• Clearly defined emergency protocols
• Transparent decision-making frameworks
• Documented quality standards
• Values-aligned hiring practices
• Flexible working arrangements that accommodate various life circumstances

The goal isn't to demand the same boundary-blurring commitment from everyone, but to channel the founder's passion into systems that maintain our exacting standards while supporting team wellbeing.

The Real Measure of Success: Beyond Balance

Perhaps the most liberating realisation in my entrepreneurial journey has been redefining success beyond the limiting concept of 'balance.' Success isn't having equal parts work and leisure—it's creating a life that honours your priorities, even when they don't fit conventional patterns.

For me, success includes:

• Building a brand that pioneers sustainable luxury in the jewellery industry
• Creating exceptional pieces that become part of clients' most meaningful moments
• Developing a business that reflects my values of sustainability and ethics
• Being present for the most important family events (even if not every one)
• Maintaining physical and mental wellbeing sufficient to sustain long-term passion

This definition isn't perfectly balanced by traditional standards, but it's authentically aligned with my priorities and values.

FAQs About Entrepreneurial Work-Life Integration

How do you handle the pressure of being available to clients at all hours?

I've established clear tiers of urgency with corresponding response times. True emergencies receive immediate attention, while standard inquiries are addressed during defined working periods. Setting these expectations upfront with clients has been key to managing the pressure while still providing exceptional service.

What's the biggest misconception about running a luxury jewellery business?

Many assume it's all glamorous events and creative design sessions. The reality includes meticulous quality control, complex supply chain management, and the immense responsibility of handling precious materials and clients' significant investments. The behind-the-scenes work is far more technical and detail-oriented than most realise.

How do you prevent burnout while running a demanding business?

Rather than trying to avoid all stress (impossible in entrepreneurship), I focus on recovery practices. This includes micro-breaks throughout intense work periods, connecting regularly with our mission, celebrating small wins, and scheduling mandatory downtime after particularly demanding phases. The key is resilience rather than avoidance.

What advice would you give to women entering the luxury business sector?

Abandon the guilt around perfect balance early. Instead, define your non-negotiables clearly, build strong support systems, and connect deeply with why your work matters. Also, find mentors who can provide industry-specific guidance on navigating the unique challenges of luxury entrepreneurship as a woman.

How has being a female founder in the jewellery industry shaped your approach to work-life integration?

The jewellery industry has traditionally combined family businesses with demanding work ethics. As a female founder, I've worked to honour this tradition of dedication while modernising expectations around constant availability and perfection. I believe in bringing authentic feminine leadership to an industry that benefits tremendously from women's perspectives.

Finding Your Own Integration

While I've shared my journey of abandoning the myth of perfect balance in favour of meaningful integration, every entrepreneur must discover their own sustainable approach. The key isn't following someone else's formula but honestly assessing your priorities, business demands, and personal needs.

For those building businesses in the luxury sector, the intensity may be unavoidable, but the suffering that comes from chasing impossible balance is optional. By embracing integration and establishing boundaries that reflect reality rather than ideals, you can build something extraordinary without completely sacrificing yourself in the process.

The journey of creating Lark & Berry has been demanding, all-consuming, and occasionally overwhelming—but it has also been profoundly fulfilling in ways that perfectly balanced work never could be. Perhaps that's the ultimate truth about entrepreneurship: it's not about balance, but about building something that makes the imbalance worthwhile.