Community is at the center of what we do, and connecting with the women who inspire us is the heart of it. So, we’re thrilled to spotlight one of our favorite FRĒDA women, designer and founder, Hart Hagerty.

Hart’s a like-minded founder, who’s built her eponymous store and collection of jewelry while uplifting the women around her—she’s also our co-host for the second iteration of our “On the Road” trunkshow, happening May 15 & 16 in Charleston!

Here, she gets candid about manifestation, style, and starting a business.

Take us back to the beginning of HART—what was it like to start your own thing and what made you take the leap to do it?

My desire to start the brand was independence and creative curiosity. I am still driven by the challenge of delivering the soul, storytelling, and service of a fine jewelry brand—but at a more accessible tier. 

Much of your collection and brand ethos is rooted in mood-boosting energy, manifestation, and empowering symbols and charms. Talk to us about where that comes from and how it shows up in your own life.

I credit my mom a lot for my interest in spirituality and manifestation. She would ask us to read passages from ancient metaphysical poets like Rumi at our family dinner table. She taught me the power of gratitude, and that a positive mindset is essential to get through life. 

I find the energetic, spiritual blueprint of the universe to be absolutely magical, fascinating, and 100 percent reliable. I love designing charms that help others and myself tap into its superpowers—a reminder to let go (let go charm), to slow down (the snail), to choose love over fear (love fear coin), to remember that life isn’t a dress rehearsal (memento mori coin). 

As a busy working mom, I’ll admit that sometimes I let my anxiety override my nervous system. I get so overwhelmed with the day-to-day demands on my time and energy, that it’s easy for me to forget to stop, slow down, and dedicate some time to my soul work. I know this sounds cheesy, but I like to take my soul on “soul dates,” a trick I learned from The Artist’s Way. A walk on the beach, journaling at a coffee shop, a meditative walk with my dogs—and without my phone. Ideally, it’s an afternoon of solo reflective time, where I literally talk to my soul, listen, and give her pep talks. Whether it’s a quick walk or a whole day, it’s amazing what journaling, painting, or honestly, even just being horizontal, staring at the ceiling and breathing will do! 

What’s your mantra?

I call on different mantras to get me through the peaks and valleys of life as an entrepreneurial mom. Right now it’s “amor fati”, the Stoic mantra translated as “love your fate.” (It’s also a charm). Mel Robbins popularized it as the “let them” theory—not to force someone or something to fit into a mold, and instead accept situations and people as they are. 

What does a typical day look like for you right now? 

Each day is different, which is what I love! It starts with helping my girls get off to school, followed by a quick workout at home—I typically squeeze in 20-30 minutes of Melissa Wood Health on my porch. Then, an hour or two of deep focus work in the solitude of my home office—design, writing, strategy. I make my standard smoothie (with beans in it!) that fuels my day, and I head to the office around 10am for an avalanche of meetings with my teams—marketing, design, brand, and our core leadership team. Back home for a family dog walk in the neighborhood, a little gardening, and a simple dinner with my girls. Lately we’ve been eating in the garden, with the perfume of jasmine wafting over the brick walls. It’s heaven. If I don’t have a work event, I’ve embraced being a homebody! I’m typically tucked into my bed by 8:30pm…I adore reading. My favorite genre is the survival memoir, from Endurance, Miracle in the Andes, Jungle, to Adrift. 

What’s the best part about building your own brand/company? And, what’s been the biggest challenge? 

There are so many good parts. Hard to choose. I adore the travel. From Morocco to India to Hong Kong to Thailand for design, I feel so lucky to see the world. Domestically, I’m going to Nashville, Connecticut, Dallas and NYC in the span of six weeks. I love meeting new people and our community across the country. 

One challenge is building a team. Because we’re still small,  it’s crucial that a person is a near-perfect fit. My company follows the EOS Model. We have strict Accountability Charts with “the right person in the right seat.”  We are slow to hire and take a lot of time to find superstars to join our team. It’s not easy and takes a lot of mental and emotional bandwidth. We’re not willing to outsource to a recruitment agency quite yet, but so far it has paid dividends. I am very proud of our team. 

We’re all about building community and love how HART has fostered its own sense of community. How have you thought about that and continued to build your brand with community at the forefront? 

Jewelry is an emotional, personal purchase. It’s not like selling a performance legging. It’s all about people, their stories, and their dreams. And, while our website is strong, our stores are where deep connections happen. From day one, we’ve designed our stores to be sanctuaries, happy places, and community hubs where friends can gather and build a meaningful piece of jewelry together. Our store associates are “people persons”—they genuinely enjoy connecting with our customers on emotional, and even spiritual levels. 

We believe a good outfit makes you feel good—how do you think about getting dressed/your style philosophy, and what pieces in your own wardrobe make you feel good? 

Quiet luxury and minimalism are a bummer to me. I know I share this ethos with [FRĒDA] co-founder Megan. To me, a “good outfit” is what makes me feel good on an authentic, soul level. Therefore, it can change based on my mood.

Sometimes, I’m more of a surf tomboy, others I’m more feminine. But the rule that never changes is this: the outfit must have contrasting elements.

For example, I love a swishy, paisley Etro blouse in chiffon silk, counterbalanced by rough and tumble vintage Levi’s. Or an ankle-length long, rainbowl silk skirt, juxtaposed by a simple, monochrome baby tee. I especially love employing shoes to give contrast. FRĒDA’s fisherman sandals are my go-to “anchors”. Their heft and coverage give visual weight to leg-baring denim cut-offs and minidresses. 

RAPID FIRE: 

Coffee order? Drip with heavy cream. Key word: heavy. You’ll never go back to half and half again. Trust me. 

Movie? Best in Show. I am a huge dog lover. I plan to dress up as a dog show handler for Halloween—bring on the unflattering skirt suit!

Book? Miracle in the Andes. Anytime I’m physically uncomfortable, I think about this epic survival tale and stop complaining. 

App? Spotify. I always have music on. 

Podcast? “Switched on Pop”. Two nerdy musicologists discuss music theory and song writing. Fascinating.

Restaurant? Anywhere unpretentious I can get a good IPA beer and a burger. In Charleston I like The Tattooed Moose and Edmunds Oast. 

Desert island beauty product? Self-tanner in the form of classic Saint Tropez. 

Favorite charm? Lately, it is our large matchstick. The latin phrase for “stay in your magic” is engraved on it—a reminder that your inner spark will never dull, no matter what. A symbol of resilience. I designed it after I emerged from the fog of postpartum depression.

Jeans? The creamy white Levi’s 501 90s are perfect. I also have about a dozen custom-tailored vintage 501s and 507s in my closet. It’s an addiction.