Why Kendra Scott Inspires Me

A few years ago, I hosted a shopping event at the Summit in Lexington. Now, if you’ve ever been to the Summit, you know that Draper James, where I was hosting, is only two storefronts away from the Kendra Scott store. That night, it seems, there was a group of executives from Kendra Scott’s corporate headquarters in Kentucky to visit the local stores. A few of those folks discretely stopped by Draper James. We said hello, as I was standing near the door, and vaguely familiar looking woman with lovely style and a shy smile said softly, “Hi, I’m Kendra.” Of course, it was the lady whose hobby of crafting jewelry in her spare bedroom has grown to an eponymous jewelry line. Now, I’d owned a few pieces of her jewelry before that, and I’d even hosted an event or two at Kendra Scott stores, but Kendra was so kind and lovely and down to earth as she said hello, posed for photos, and quietly shopped that evening that she earned a fan for life.

I was so impressed with Ms. Scott’s unassuming manner that I researched the company a little more. I knew that, for those of us who love supporting and attending charity events, Kendra Scott is a great corporate partner. I didn’t realize, however, that the company has donated over $30 million to charitable causes since 2010. I was stopped in my tracks when I read a Forbes interview which featured a simple and compelling quote from Ms. Scott: “For me, our core value of philanthropy started with three simple words: ‘You do good.’ My stepfather spoke those three words to me in the midst of his battle with brain cancer, and I have carried them with me every day since.” As I’ve worked with the Lexington and Louisville Kendra Scott stores, as well as the philanthropic giving manager for my area, I’ve realized that this isn’t a company that does some charitable giving for PR purposes — it’s truly ingrained into the company’s mission. Of course, one of my goals for HerKentucky is to help promote the mission of local charities and hopefully assist in their fundraising activities, which is why you often see me talking about my love for KS jewelry on this site and my social channels!

Top: Draper James | Necklaces: here and here (c/o Kendra Scott)

Ms. Scott is not only an impressive philanthropist; she’s also an inspiring entrepreneur. She started her jewelry line in 2002 with a $500 estimate; by 2016, her company was valued at $1 billion. I’ve always adored that KS jewelry is at a realistic price point for everyday wear — the company itself was apparently driven by Ms. Scott’s inability to find colorful gemstones she could afford for everyday wear. How wonderful that this mission led to such success, and even to the founding of an academic program for female entrepreneurs at Ms. Scott’s alma mater! I love knowing that a company with which I frequently partner was founded by a woman who ranks as one of Forbes’ Self-Made Women in Business.

Thanks so much to Kendra Scott stores for helping me celebrate International Women’s Day with a series of interviews with Kentucky women who inspire me. And thanks so much to Ms. Scott herself for inspiring me with her gracious manners, her commitment to philanthropy, and her incredible story of entrepreneurship.

An Interview with Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers of Pantsuit Politics

Next Monday is International Women’s Day and I’ve teamed up with Kendra Scott for a week of interviews that celebrate the Kentucky women who inspire me. Today’s interview is with my friends Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers, co-hosts of the Pantsuit Politics podcast.

I first met both Beth and Sarah when they were undergraduate students at my alma mater, Transylvania University. I was an alumna advisor for my sorority (Phi Mu), and they were collegiate members; even then, they both stood out as women with incredible poise, strong opinions, and a fantastic drive to succeed. They’ve carved out such an awesome niche as podcasters and speakers, sharing a unique message of extending grace and finding common ground during difficult conversations. Sarah and Beth are both smart, funny, and hardworking ladies whose friendship and input I treasure. Longtime HerKentucky readers may also remember that Sarah was one of the original contributing writers for HerKentucky.

Thanks so much to Kendra Scott for helping bring the Kentucky Women Who Inspire Me series to life — stay tuned to HerKentucky.com and my Instagram this week for previews of the newest Kendra Scott jewelry collection and a fun shopping event!

Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers.

HerKentucky: Can each of you please tell me a little bit about yourselves?

Sarah Stewart Holland: I’m an eighth-generation Kentuckian. After graduation from Transylvania University, I got married (very young!) and moved with my husband first to North Carolina and then Washington, DC, where I got a law degree and worked in politics for several years. In 2009, I convinced my husband to move back to my hometown of Paducah before the birth of our first son. I built a career in social media consulting and started a mommy blog, while having two more boys. Then, in 2015 I dove back into politics by starting Pantsuit Politics with Beth and running for Paducah City Commission, where I served a single term. Now, (thankfully!) Pantsuit Politics is my full time gig - along with raising my three sons with my husband Nicholas.

Beth Silvers: I also went to Transylvania with Sarah (and met Heather through Phi Mu!). After I graduated, I went to law school at UK. I moved to northern Kentucky to work for a Cincinnati law firm after graduation. I spent 11 years there -- six practicing law and five leading human resources for the firm. After Pantsuit Politics outgrew being a hobby, I left my full-time job to podcast, write, and speak. It’s been such a gift to be able to do work that I love and have lots of freedom to share life with my husband, Chad, and my daughters, Jane and Ellen.

HK: How did Pantsuit Politics get started? How has the show evolved over the years that you’ve been podcasting? It’s so amazing to see the way your community of listeners and supporters has grown! (As a longtime PP follower, I was so touched to see the outpouring of care when Beth’s parents were experiencing COVID complications!)


Sarah and Beth: We reconnected via Facebook years after college. At the time, Sarah had a blog for which she asked Beth to write a guest post. That post, about the need for more nuance in political and civil conversations, was well received. At the time, Sarah’s husband, Nicholas, had been encouraging (harassing?) her to start a podcast so she asked Beth if she’d be interested to which Beth responded, “What’s a podcast?” We did a test call and realized we had an interesting dynamic, complementary personalities and perspectives, and that we didn’t always agree but shared many common values. The idea behind the show was to create what we wanted to consume but couldn’t find - political conversation that works hard to avoid hyperbole, that makes room for different perspectives, that acknowledges what is hard or unknown or unknowable, and that recognizes that politics is one form of life but not its totality.

The show has evolved since we started it in 2015, as has much of the political landscape. The years of regular, intentional discourse have shaped us personally and politically and drawn in an ever-growing community of passionate listeners committed to practicing grace-filled political conversations in their own lives.

HK: Something I love about the message of your show is that we can find middle ground and keep the lines of communication open, not only in political discourse but also in everyday conversation. I’ll hear myself say something more diplomatically than I otherwise would have and I’ll think “well, that’s Beth and Sarah's influence!” Do you see the work you do on Pantsuit Politics playing out in your parenting styles, your marriages, and other relationships?

Sarah and Beth: 
It would be nearly impossible to spend so much time practicing this kind of conversation about politics without it spilling over into other aspects of your life. We’ve both improved our ability to listen and ask better questions. Those skills definitely translate outside of politics. We’ve also talked a lot on the show about how politics doesn’t live in its own box separate from the rest of our lives. Our political opinions are shaped by what’s happening in our daily lives and our daily lives are shaped by the decisions made by those in our political systems. When we look at our lives holistically, it’s easy to see the interconnected web bringing us all together both as individuals and broader communities.

HK: It feels like your show came along at the absolute perfect moment. You’ve grown your message of nuance and open lines of communication as the country has experienced some divisive moments. Tell me about the way the show has adapted to the climate around us.


Sarah and Beth: When we started in 2015, we certainly could not have imagined what lay ahead. At the time, we came from different sides of the political aisle - Sarah was a Democrat and Beth was a Republican. In 2019, Beth changed her registration because of what she sees as the Republican Party’s embrace of Trumpism and abandonment of the reasons she was a Republican to begin with. We maintain some philosophical differences about the role of government and our styles and personalities are still very different. But, we’ve really had to talk about more fundamental issues over the past few years and, on those core values, we’re aligned.

Our longtime listeners have been with us as we processed some of the biggest, most shocking events of the last few years in real time. In many ways, the chaotic and divisive nature of politics have made it easier for us to clarify our values. Because we don’t always agree on the policy pathway to an outcome, people sometimes come to us expecting something like they see in other spaces - two people who can’t and won’t agree on anything. Our conversations sound different to listeners because we’re usually starting from a place of shared values or a shared desired outcomes. The hotter the discourse gets in the public arena, the more we find a need for space like ours where we take a step back and assess what we’re arguing about in the first place and where there may be more common ground than expected. We try to demonstrate that on the show, particularly when it comes to shared core values.

HK: In addition to podcasting, y’all are authors as well! Tell me about your first book, and what you can about the one you are currently writing.


Sarah and Beth: Our first book, I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening), establishes some basic rules of engagement for political discourse. We hear from so many listeners who are struggling in their conversations with the people they love most who also disagree with them vehemently when it comes to politics. We wanted to offer a framework to help kickstart better conversations. We’re currently working on our second book, which will center around different types of relationships and how we create community in big and small ways.

HK: You’ve had so many cool experiences as you’ve traveled to primaries, party conventions and your own speaking tour. What would each of you say is the best moment of your Pantsuit Politics career to date, or can you pick just one?

Sarah: We were able to travel to the 2016 Democratic National Convention and were there to see Hillary Clinton become the first woman to accept a major party’s nomination. It just also happened to be my birthday. As a former Hillary staffer and someone who has been passionate about the role of women in politics, it was completely surreal to be there in that moment and one of the best days of my life.

Beth: Traveling to the Iowa Caucus and the New Hampshire primary in 2020 was an incredible experience. Because it was just the two of us often connecting with listeners in those areas, we were able to get a really intimate perspective on how the campaigns look and feel at that stage in the primary process. Particularly in Iowa, getting to see our democracy play itself out in such tangible, intimate, neighborly ways was very special.

HK: How has the past year changed the way the two of you do your jobs? We’ve all had to adapt to “these unprecedented times” in so many ways. I know you had to cancel a speaking tour, which had to be disappointing.

Sarah and Beth: It was definitely disappointing to cancel so much of what we had planned, particularly because one of the real joys of our work is getting to meet and interact with listeners. We’re incredibly fortunate that our work allows us so much flexibility and freedom to be at home. Juggling digital learning for our kids, the increased anxiety everyone has felt at times throughout this pandemic, and the increased workload as we covered the election and its consequences was definitely a lot to handle at times. 

Our community has been so incredible through all of this. In some ways, the increased isolation for many people has made the core of our listening community even stronger as people are looking for connection in less traditional spaces. We’re excited to think about what comes next - how we can continue to create space for people to engage thoughtfully with politics and each other in a post-pandemic world. We know the hunger for that type of political engagement is only growing. We’ll also be thrilled when we can get back on the road for live shows and other opportunities for in-person engagement with our listeners.

HK: What’s the best piece of advice you have for others?


Sarah: No matter what area of life we’re talking about - love, parenting, leadership, politics - it is better if you can respond instead of reacting. If you can claim even a millisecond of time to see what’s happening and think about how you want to handle it, your life will improve. I believe that. Meditation and mindfulness are how I’ve been able to claim even that tiny slice of time (or sometimes just observe how I wasn’t able to claim any time!) and I think it is so helpful.

Beth: The best piece of advice I’ve ever received came from a former colleague, Maria, who said we have to get more comfortable with change. She would say, “you do what works for you until it doesn’t work anymore, then you try something new.” I’ve found this to be freeing and so valuable, especially during the pandemic and in navigating politically tumultuous times.

An Interview with Sarah Weedman of Class and Contrast

Next Monday is International Women’s Day and I’ve teamed up with Kendra Scott for a week of interviews with Kentucky women who inspire me. Today’s interview is with my friend Sarah Weedman, a third grade teacher in the Jefferson County School System and a blogger at Class and Contrast.

Sarah is such a delightful person, and she loves teaching so much. I’m always inspired by her creative classroom decor and her commitment to making every student’s life better. As a friend, she’s funny and supportive, and so, so positive — an absolute delight to know!

Thanks so much to Kendra Scott for helping bring the Kentucky Women Who Inspire Me series to life — stay tuned to HerKentucky.com and my Instagram this week for previews of the newest Kendra Scott jewelry collection and a fun shopping event!

HerKentucky: Please tell me a little about yourself and about your work as a teacher.

Sarah Weedman: I am a 2nd grade teacher at Atkinson Academy in the Portland neighbor of Louisville. I work at a Title One school which means that my school receives additional funding in order to help prevent students from falling behind and help bridge the gap between low-income students and other students. I work with at risk learners and spend everyday trying to help them develop skills that will help them be successful in the classroom and also in life.

HK: I know that, like me, you grew up with parents who worked in the school system. Did you always want to be an elementary school teacher?

SW: I grew up in a family of teachers and most of our family friends were people from the school system. When I was younger I didn’t want to be a teacher because that just seemed like what everybody did and I wanted to be different. However, as I got older, I realized that I really felt drawn to being an educator and that even though it’s a very hard and misunderstood career, it’s very rewarding.

HK: Class and Contrast is such a cool blog and social media platform. What inspires you to share your amazing ideas online?

SW: I started my social media accounts because people (who weren’t me) were posting pictures of my classroom and it was getting attention! It honestly kind of upset me because I had spent so much time and effort on it and then other people were sharing it like it was theirs! So I decided to create my own account and share my classroom, which lead to also sharing some of my teacher outfits and then teaching strategies! The account has really evolved and I feel like I can do so many different things and share about almost any area of my life. I love being able to connect with thousands of teachers in an instant. I can ask a question and have 100 DMs with suggestions, videos and ideas within an hour! The same goes the other way, I will share something I’ve been using in my classroom and people will be so excited and start using it in theirs! I love when I am able to share a successful teaching strategy that helps other teachers because the positive impact stretches far and wide.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sarah (@classandcontrast)

HK: I can’t talk about your social media feeds without mentioning your over-the-top ideas — the flamingos, the doors (the Drake door was insane!), and so much more! How do you think of all this? Do the kids absolutely love it?

SW: I have always been creative, even as a kid. Growing up I was particular about how my room was decorated, I was always wanting to change up my color schemes and thankfully my parents let me do that (more often than most parents would have) and they suffered through me wanting to repaint my room every couple of years. I am a very visual person and how a space looks is important to me. I want my classroom to always feel fun, safe and welcoming. I love working with a theme and building from there. I picked flamingos for my classroom because I really instill in the children being a part of the flock. They really do love it and rally behind the idea. As far as my classroom doors, I just try to find something trendy/pop culture that the kids would know and create something that would all recognize and that is school appropriate (Ha!). My head is constantly spinning with new ideas and dreams and I wish I had more time and energy to make all my visions come to life!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sarah (@classandcontrast)

HK: How has teaching — and blogging about teaching — changed in the past year? I know that “these unprecedented times” have been so hard for all the teachers and kids in my family!!

SW: In the last year, I’ve had to continually push and stretch myself to keep the kids engaged and participating online. I’ve had to learn new skills and spend way way way more time on the computer than I ever expected! Since I am on the computer more this year, my desire to be in social media has decreased because usually at the end of the day I am beat and don’t want to continue to look at a screen. It was hard at first teaching so many new things to 7 year olds- like presenting their screen, opening a new tab, clicking the link in the chat... but now they are reallly good with technology and sometimes they will teach me things!

HK: Tell me all about Gwen the puppy! I am obsessed with her!!

SW: Gwen is a Boxador (Boxer/Labrador) from a shelter in Cincinnati. I got her when she was 8 weeks old and she has already brought so much joy into my life. Since I have been working from home for a year I have been insanely lonely with minimal (in person) human interaction. I’ve also experienced several of my best friends moving this year and I am happy/excited for them but it’s been hard to meet new people during the pandemic. I decided to get a puppy so that I wasn’t constantly alone, had something else other than work to focus on and would have someone to go on walks with. Gwen and I have been going to puppy socialization classes, working with a trainer and going on short walks. In the 3 weeks I’ve had her- I have met more people than in the past year! Everyone wants to stop and meet the puppy! And she has had several play dates and the whole neighborhood loves her. She has been wonderful for me.

HK: What’s the best piece of advice you have for others?

SW: The best piece of advice I have is:

You’re always going to disappoint people, don’t let it be your people.

There are words I live by and will share with anyone and everyone who will listen. Overworking is glorified in all careers, especially teaching. My first 2 years I prioritized my job over everyone. Instead of going out to dinner on a Friday night, I sat at home and got lessons together. Instead of visiting family on Sundays, I wrote hours of lessons. In the end, I left a lot of people disappointed and felt burnt out. Now I will happily wait till Monday to respond to an email. I will spend my weekends resting or having fun. I am a much better person for it.

This is irrelevant to teaching but this is my best advice for young girls my age who are dating: What you catch them with, is what you keep them with.

If you catch a guy with your body/good looks, that’s what you’ll always have to work on to keep them. If you catch them with your heart/compassion, that is how you’ll keep them. Be the girl who catches a guy with her heart, personality and passions.

Thanks again to Sarah Weedman for the interview, and to Kendra Scott for working with me to bring this series to life! You can find Sarah on Instagram, Facebook, and her blog.