Joanna Lau, JEMMA

Lifestyle

Today's Contessa has a simple philosophy: "Believe in your vision and go." That might explain how she got where she is today, living in New York City as a successful entrepreneur who carved her own niche in the fashion and retail industries—and all before age 27.

After graduating from NYU, Joanna Lau embarked on a promising career as an Emerging Markets Trader on Wall Street. Every day, she set herself apart in a male-dominated industry—no small feat for a recent grad. But for Joanna, the experience of working in finance just wasn't enough. She was ready for her own endeavor.

Getting dressed for work each day, she lamented the lack of creativity in work wear and accessories—and that's exactly where she found the gap she needed to break into entrepreneurship. Cue JEMMA, Joanna's handbag line designed specifically for women interested in making an elegant statement in work and in life.

We've all had that experience: you're on the run with no time to head home between work and evening plans. You need a bag that's tasteful enough for after work drinks with friends (or even a date), but you also need to schlep your papers and laptop with you to that 8AM meeting. Easy, right?

Not so much. There's the laptop bag that's too tasteless and bulky to be seen in daylight, let alone at a dinner party. But then your go-to purse is too small to fit your workday essentials. So suddenly, you're pushing your way onto a crowded subway train, lugging three different bags to accommodate your life.

JEMMA sets out to solve that problem. Each bag is as covetably high-end and carefully designed as any of your favorite brands, but it's also actually suited for whatever activity you have planned, whether that's a board meeting or happy hour with colleagues. It's Joanna's goal to make items that give women a sense of ownership—this is a bag that belongs to you, suits you, fits your daily life. With JEMMA, she's done just that.

Read on to hear how Joanna started her company, the perks of entrepreneurship, and her best advice for women on the go.

Her Starting Point

Tell us about how you grew up. Were you always interested in both fashion and finance?

I grew up in Singapore and came to New York City for college where I majored in Finance & Statistics at NYU Stern School of Business. Like many women, I had an interest in fashion—especially workwear—but I began my career in finance as an Emerging Markets Trader. My career clashed with my love for style when I realized I couldn’t find a chic, high-quality handbag that served the daily needs of modern women like myself. Once I Identified the gap in the marketplace, I knew I wanted to fill it.

After college you went to Wall Street. What did working as a trader teach you about yourself? Did it help you figure out what you ultimately wanted to do?

My career as a trader affirmed my love for taking risks, which of course is an essential part of being an entrepreneur. A knowledge of global markets doesn’t hurt either! But being a trader left a lot to be desired for me creatively and I felt that it was time to have less structure and be more creative—if not now, when?

You studied in a program at NYU that we’ll bet was pretty male-dominated and then headed to Wall Street which is…also male-dominated. What was that like?

The concerns that women have in the workplace are very different from those that men have. As much as I never saw myself any different from my male colleagues, and behaved accordingly, there are conscious fashion and beauty decisions that women must make every day. When we are just "getting ready for work," really we are consciously or subconsciously figuring out the image that we want to project to the world.

One time, I walked into the office with a different handbag from the one I normally carry, and it was a guy (not a lady) who noticed first! Men do notice what women wear and derive judgments, even though they may not explicitly say it. Men deal with [the same experiences] to some extent, but not in the same way. The old adage of "dressing for the job you want instead of the one you have" holds true for women throughout the workforce—and likely will for a very long time. And that’s why I created JEMMA.

Growing up, were there any people who influenced your approach to life and work? What was the best advice you got early in your career?

My father has always been a champion of women leaders (maybe because he has two daughters), and he would frequently point out examples to my sister and me as inspiration. Growing up, I never felt limited about where I could go in life. I was always encouraged to dream big and to never take no for an answer.

Her Big Break

You’re only 27, and yet you’ve already launched JEMMA, a new kind of handbag line specifically targeted at working women. How did you know this was the right project for you, and how did you set about starting your own business?

I love getting dressed up, but while I was working in finance I was pretty limited by how creative I could be with my clothing. My accessories were an opportunity to be creative within the parameters of functionality. But the bags in the market never seemed to have quite the right color, quality, or look of professionalism I was striving for. I found myself having to constantly accommodate my life to the constraints of my handbag, instead of the other way around. My girlfriends and colleagues were having similar experiences, so I knew there was a void in the market that needed to be filled.

From there, launching the business meant planning. I forecasted how much I would need to get the business up and running, set aside the amount from my savings, and just went for it. I think it’s important to believe in yourself. There’s never a right time, and you’ll never know you're ready. Believe in your vision and go.

We know no day’s typical, but give our readers an idea of what it looks like to run your own brand. How do you start your day, what does the work day look like, and what do you do after hours?

6:30AM: When I used to be a trader, I would be up by 5.30AM, in the office by 6AM. Now I’m up around 6:30AM (sleeping in!). The first thing I do is to check my phone for emails. I like to be on top of things every waking moment of the day.

7:15AM: I hit the gym for half an hour, and I still listen to Bloomberg TV while working out to stay up to date with the markets.

7:45AM: I like to select my outfits the night before and place everything I need for the next day strategically in my JEMMA work bag. This way I’m never scrambling to find things in the morning and only occasionally switch items in and out of my bag depending on what else I may need.

8:15AM: By now, I’m walking to the office and grabbing breakfast en-route.

8:30AM: I settle into the office and start responding to all urgent emails, from customer service to web development to marketing and supply chain logistics.

Afternoon: I tend to do meetings and conference calls in the afternoon when I can. Recently I’ve been speaking at various colleges across the country with Women in Business students, which is fun and rewarding and keeps me in touch with my target customers’ needs even though I’m an e-commerce only company. I’m always thinking about new designs, brand strategies and overall growth tactics for JEMMA.

7PM: If I'm I’m lucky enough to be done with work by now, I like to eat dinner. It’s hard to know when you’re done with work as an entrepreneur. I love going out to New York’s amazing restaurants but also love cooking and entertaining at home. I always make sure to have one or two nights a week with friends, where I’ll get dressed up for dinner/drinks and be social. It’s important to stay inspired and happiness really comes from surrounding yourself with the right energy. Thankfully, I have family and friends who lift me up and help push me forward.

By 11PM (hopefully!): Bed. I have to sleep at least seven to eight hours to be fully awake for the next day. The good thing is I can fall asleep anywhere fast, at home or on a flight.

Let's talk mistakes. We all make them. Did you have any mishaps while launching your business? Anything you would never do again?

Running a business is an emotional rollercoaster, from successful leaps forward to minor missteps. A lot of times, my mistakes happened simply because I’m new at this and forging my own way. I don’t see my mistakes as setbacks though, I learned something new each time and am able to make JEMMA better because of them.

How do you see JEMMA evolving over time? What’s the next thing you’d like to accomplish with the brand?

I see JEMMA evolving into a go-to brand for modern working women because they trust us and have a sense of ownership—like our bags are made just for them, and they’re excited to see what we’re going to churn out next. We're working on a few exciting things now, in fact.

Her Perspective

How do you measure your personal success? What about the success of JEMMA?

I measure my personal success through the satisfaction of my work and that comes from doing something I love. I see JEMMA’s success through other women—when they share my vision and get excited about how my handbags will improve their work, life, and the intersection thereof.

Do you ever get a day off? If so, what do you do with it?

There's not a lot of downtime when running your own business. Balance is always something to strive for, but it’s hard as an entrepreneur—especially in the early phases like I am now. Occasionally I do get a day off, and I like to unwind by playing golf. Golf has been a part of my life since I was 10, and it makes me feel grounded and relaxed.

Given that you studied finance and now run your own business, what’s the single best financial tip you’d give to a woman starting out?

Always try to save a little money from each paycheck to ensure you have your own financial stability down the road.

And finally, what do you wake up looking forward to? What's next for your career?

I look forward to improving the lives of more working women one handbag at a time and seeing JEMMA evolve into the go-to brand that every working woman trusts. What’s next? Lot’s of things, so stay tuned because there is much more to come for JEMMA!