In 2004, Candice Nesitat took every dollar to her name and founded Finn Jewelry with a set of 9 sample pieces, 100 luxe business cards, and a URL. She landed a meeting with Barneys New York and the first meeting was a failure. She was told that 9 pieces was not a collection and to come back with a fuller line. 

Disheartened, she looked to her friend for reassurance. This friend had recently been hired as an assistant at Elle Magazine and managed to get a necklace into an editorial spread. Within days, Barneys called asking for another meeting, and within weeks, Finn had a place in the glass cases of the most famous department store in New York City. 

It has been 20 years since those uncertain early years, and Candice, now an award-winning jewelry designer, still loves making jewelry, one small collection at a time.