No grit, no pearl
Maris Pearl Co. founder Stephanie Maris Hicks on pearls, ocean conservation and entrepreneurism
"Ocean conservation is my passion," Stephanie Maris Hicks explains as she reminisces about the beginning phases of Maris Pearl Co., "but I am not a marine biologist, so my impact isn't going to come out of a lab."
Entrepreneurs are in a unique position to leverage their skills and elevate their passion. For Stephanie, this meant creating a brand that impacts ocean conservation while contributing to her family traditions.
"After working with several international NGOs, I knew that I wanted to dedicate the next chapter of my career to championing ocean conservation initiatives," she said. "Beyond our jewelry, it is a generational tradition for my family to give back to our ancestral island."
Maris Pearl Co. is an ocean-conscious studio that uses the sale of naturally-shaped pearls to raise awareness and funding for ocean conservation initiatives.
In this interview, Stephanie shares how she leveraged her skills to contribute to a mission she's passionate about.
Michelle: What led you to start Maris Pearl Co.?
Stephanie: My dream of creating an ocean-conscious studio began almost ten years ago when I encountered my first baroque pearl on a trip to my family’s natal islands in Greece. It was the first time I had seen a pearl that wasn’t perfectly round, and I was immediately drawn to its natural shape. I bought the pearl, fashioned a simple setting on an elongated gold chain, and — though I didn’t know it then! — changed the course of my life.
My background is in global marketing, and I have always had a passion for ocean conservation. After working with several international NGOs, I knew that I wanted to dedicate the next chapter of my career to championing ocean conservation initiatives. Given my penchant for marketing, I recognized an opportunity to harness the power of a beautiful brand to give back to the sea. Pearls, timeless symbols of beauty and connection to the ocean, were natural champions for this cause.
The opportunity to launch my studio came after a debilitating accident and subsequent surgeries that left me bed-bound for months and unable to return to a traditional 9-5. After years of hesitating to take the leap of faith from a traditional career to the wild west of entrepreneurism, my choice had been made for me. My husband and I sketched out the business plan for Maris Pearl Co. and launched it together from my bedside. I like to think that the injury was life’s way of providing the space I needed to pursue my purpose, and I am so grateful to my husband for his unwavering support during those painful early days!
Michelle: How has your heritage influenced the culture of your company?
Stephanie: ‘Maris’ means ‘of the sea’ in Latin. It is my maiden name, and connects our studio to my family’s seafaring ancestry on the island of Andros, Greece. This saltwater history is why so many of our pieces have ties to Greek mythology and nautical navigation: the Ursa Major, the Sailor, etc.
Pearls have been recognized as prized natural jewels longer than any cut stone. It’s no surprise that they were beloved by the ancient Greeks, who believed them to be tears of joy shed by Aphrodite. In perfect alignment with our naturally shaped pearls, the Greek word for pearl is almost identical to the word ‘unique’, and we love to celebrate that every pearl that we sell is as unique as the woman who wears it.
Beyond our jewelry, it is a generational tradition for my family to give back to our ancestral island: my grandparents founded a school for the island’s children that my relatives still support today. I knew that I wanted to dedicate a chapter of my career to giving back to Andros, and used Maris Pearl Co. as my platform to do so by partnering with the Greek-based NGO, Aegean Rebreath.
Michelle: Why is ocean conservation a pillar in your business?
Stephanie: I’ve recently come across a Japanese concept called ‘Ikigai’ (生き甲斐) that summarizes the idea of purpose really beautifully. Picture a Venn diagram made up of four questions: what are you good at; what do you love to do; what does the world need; and what can you be paid to do. According to the diagram, your Ikigai, which translates literally to ‘reason for being’ lies where these fundamentals overlap. Ocean conservation is not just a pillar in my business, it is a pillar of my life’s purpose: my work through Maris Pearl Co. is my Ikigai.
There are many ways to support a cause, and I think that the most important thing to do is to celebrate your unique talents. Ocean conservation is my passion, but I am not a marine biologist, so my impact isn’t going to come out of a lab. I am a brand specialist, a communications executive and a former journalist — a storyteller in a digital age. What I can do, then, is create a beautiful brand to both raise funds and tell a story that will inspire men and women across the world to lead more ocean-conscious lives.
Michelle: What advice would you give to someone who’s afraid of taking the leap?
Stephanie: Firstly, celebrate! Congratulations on being so passionate about an idea that you’re even considering diving into such unknown waters.
There is so much good advice online for entrepreneurs, such as the importance of being frugal and coming up with a solid business plan, so I’ll leave those to Google. The advice that I would share with you as a friend if we were grabbing a matcha together to discuss your new startup is this:
Identify your Ikigai. Why now, why you? What problem do you want to solve; what good are you trying to accomplish?
Once you’ve identified your why, develop a long-, medium- and short-form summary of your startup idea, and by short, I mean short. If you can summarize it in a sentence, do so! This comes in handy because the second question you’ll receive when people meet you/send you questions will be to ask what you do. Once I had my summary polished, I felt infinitely more confident introducing myself and the idea for my new studio.
Treat yourself like a CEO. Don’t trivialize your idea and don’t be intimidated by your mission. Print those business cards. Sign up for that conference. You’re the boss!
Identify your short-, medium- and long-term goals early, even if you haven’t yet taken the leap. These may change, but it’s helpful and inspiring to have goals to reach for.
Last but not least, find your people. Entrepreneurism can be lonely, so seek out mentors, colleagues and community. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my business coach, and several special mentors and friends. Oak & Pine is a wonderful resource for female founders here in Hawaii.
Michelle: Where do you plan on taking your business in the next 5 years?
Stephanie: Our first five-year goal is a big one: to raise $100,000 for Andros in order to reverse the damage from a defective landfill that collapsed into the sea. The resulting pollution is one of the biggest contributors to the plastic in the Aegean. It’s a big number, but we’re working towards it, pearl by pearl.
Once we’ve realized this goal, I’m hoping to expand our partnerships outwards so that we can work with additional NGOs in cities around the world. Ideally, within five years we will have grown enough to develop a charitable arm to invest in these causes.
Beyond our jewelry, I’m planning to expand our line into more products that support an ocean-conscious lifestyle. I can’t share too much information about this yet, but the first samples have started to arrive, and they are breathtaking!
Please help us spread awareness about the Maris Pearl Co. mission by sharing this interview. Maris donates 5% of all of their sales to Aegean Rebreath, an Athens-based NGO dedicated to conservation initiatives in the Mediterranean Sea.
Use the code OAKPINE at checkout and take 15% off your next Maris Pearl Co. purchase.
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