1. Can you briefly introduce yourself?  

I'm Ronja, 32 years old, and after ten years in Amsterdam, I've been living with my boyfriend for the past two years in a quiet neighborhood near the beach. Wonderful!

Growing up, I loved being creative or hanging upside down on the horizontal bar. Around age eight, I fell in love with figure skating, and after high school, I was able to fulfill my biggest dream: skating a Holiday on Ice-style show. And in Mexico, of all places. All in all, an unforgettable experience and a big check on my bucket list.

The combination of sports and creativity is still there. I absolutely love movement, adventure, and action, and I also love creating things. After graduating from the Sports Academy in Amsterdam (ALO), I taught sports for a while. However, I felt it wasn't for me and decided to go to Bali for a few weeks to reflect on what I wanted to do with my life and unwind.

2. How did Riverstones come about?

I was born with an entrepreneurial passion, as my parents own their own businesses. I saw with my parents that running a business can be both enjoyable and stressful, so I never imagined I'd start one myself. Yet, things turned out differently.

When I relaxed in Bali, I started sketching jewelry, and the idea for Riverstones was born. I had a silversmith make some samples from those sketches. A year later, I returned and went home with a complete collection in my suitcase! I still work with the same people today. We've developed a very strong bond, and two years ago, through a successful crowdfunding campaign, we were able to establish our own workshop in Bali.

3. Do you design the jewelry yourself and what inspires you?

I do indeed design everything myself. I haven't had any formal training. I look around to see what I like and what the trends are. Based on that, I create sketches. In consultation with production, we ultimately create a sample, which we refine until it perfectly matches the idea I have in mind.

I'm inspired by everything that has to do with silence. It might be that something suddenly strikes me in a yoga class or during a walk in nature. These moments get my energy flowing, and I then use that energy to design. 

Aware Ring Gold & Mountain Ring Gold

4. What is it like to be a girl boss and what are your plans for the future?

Being my own boss, being able to manage my own time, express my ideas, and make a living from it is something I'm incredibly grateful for. I'm really enjoying it right now.

There were also times, especially in the beginning, when I always pushed myself too hard and worked too hard. Freedom, it turned out, was my greatest enemy. My ambitions were limitless, and as a starting entrepreneur, you naturally want to prove yourself.

When I realized how overwhelming this pressure to perform is these days, I felt the need to start a countermovement. Riverstones aims to motivate women to sometimes take a step back and be happy in the moment, even without everything being perfect. That's why our jewelry is designed to inspire you to find more quiet moments in life. I don't think anyone finds happiness in just performing and rushing.

The future... Two beautiful jewelry collections are coming out in September, and I'm very excited about them. We also want to establish Riverstones as a lifestyle brand in the coming years, so we'll be adding more lines. It's very exciting, but I can't say too much about them yet. Enlightened Earrings 18krt gold

5. How do you see combining your work with being a mother in the future?

Becoming a mother is a huge dream for me, and it's coming true in September. I've already adjusted my work schedule to what it will be like with a little one. I'm working fewer days and planning things more efficiently now than before. Being pregnant also means I have to learn to let go of certain things and outsource them. That's actually a very good thing for growing our business. I can't do everything myself, and outsourcing is precisely what allows us to further promote the Riverstones brand and our message!

Literally and figuratively!