5 Minutes with....Ivanka Trump

The name Trump has become synonymous with many things, but at the top of that list is American entrepreneurship. While patriarch Donald has been a mainstay in the headlines for more than 30 years—especially in New York—his daughter, Ivanka Trump, has garnered a lot of attention for her own business achievements. In addition to holding the position of executive vice president of real estate acquisitions and development, and appearing on her father’s show, The Apprentice, she started a successful jewelry line—Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry—with a flagship store on Madison Avenue.

Not satisfied to ride her father’s coattails or cash in on the family name, Ivanka recently spoke about why she decided to start her own business. 

Daria Meoli: Why is it important for you to be your own brand? 

Ivanka Trump: My father always taught me that hard work never goes out of style and that you should create a strong and consistent identity. Your name and reputation are your best assets. 

DM: What are the challenges and the benefits of coming from such a high profile entrepreneurial family? 

IT: There is the responsibility to uphold my father’s high standards, and contribute in a very meaningful way to my family’s businesses and endeavors. There will always be people who question my validity and question whether I should have a seat at the table. The fact is, you just can’t allow that to restrain you. If you do, you’ll become paralyzed by it. I’m the first to admit that I capitalize on every asset that’s available to me, but I believe that everyone has unique points and areas of opportunity that they, too, have to identify and capitalize on. 

DM: Why fine jewelry? Why not just stick to real estate? 

IT: I’ve always had a passion for jewelry. I wanted to make women of my generation feel comfortable buying fine jewelry, and I wanted to give them the ultimate shopping experience. My mother’s legacy jewelry collection always inspired me. I realized the luxury fine jewelry market was missing a fresh, young, design approach. 

DM: How has Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry grown since you founded the business? 

IT: I launched my jewelry line in 2007 and could not be more thrilled with the success and growth my collection has experienced over the past four years. We’ve grown from one store on Madison Avenue in 2007 to over 60 worldwide exclusive retail partnerships, including Lane Crawford in Asia and Harvey Nichols in Dubai, in addition to several top partners throughout the Middle East.