Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniela Mostelac Díaz.
Hi Daniela, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I actually started with jewelry much earlier than people think. During COVID, when I was 15 and 16, I spent a lot of time making handmade pieces with whatever supplies I could get from Michaels. I loved it. I loved how jewelry made me feel, how it made me look, and how it gave me confidence. But once I went back to high school, that little business slowly died out. I didn’t have the time to keep it going, I didn’t have the money to improve it, and deep down I knew the pieces I was making back then were not going to last the way I wanted.
Even before that, jewelry was always something that helped me feel confident. It helped me express myself, especially when I was still figuring out who I was. I honestly cannot leave the house without a necklace or earrings. It has always been my finishing touch. But when I got older and started buying my own jewelry, I kept running into the same problem. Everything that fit my budget would tarnish in a month or two. Even the pieces that promised to be waterproof or non tarnish would end up fading. I loved looking elegant and put together, but my budget wasn’t letting me have pieces that actually lasted.
Eventually, I got tired of choosing between something affordable and something that looked luxurious. That was the moment I decided to create it myself. I wanted jewelry I could wear every day. Something I could wear to work, to dinner, to a date, to an important meeting, or even to a workout class. I wanted jewelry I didn’t have to take off every time I showered, went to the beach, or sweated through a class. So I started designing the pieces that I wished existed.
A big part of my motivation also came from my upbringing. I grew up in a very Hispanic household where femininity was sometimes seen as weakness. There were moments where being girly or soft meant you were taken less seriously. I never accepted that. I always believed that femininity can be powerful. That you can walk into a male dominated space and still be fully yourself. That you do not need to hide the things that make you feel beautiful just to be respected.
That belief shaped everything I wanted LÉNA to stand for. I wanted to create a brand that celebrates women for who they are. A brand that tells women they do not have to choose between being feminine and being strong. A brand that reminds them that softness is not weakness. It is strength too.
LÉNA was born from a mix of passion, frustration, and the belief that women deserve better. And now, I get to create jewelry that helps women feel elegant and confident in every version of themselves. To me, that is more than a business. It is a way of empowering women who were once just like me. Women who want to step into their power while still embracing their femininity.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all. I think one of the biggest struggles for me has honestly been the financial side of starting a business. I had money saved before I even started designing, but I never imagined how expensive everything would actually be. That saying that you need money to make money is something I never wanted to believe, but there is some truth to it. I still work a nine to five, and balancing that job, my school work, and building this brand on the side has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. My nine to five paycheck is what funds most of LÉNA right now because this is still a brand in its early stages. It is exciting, but it is also heavy at times.
Along with that, I had a lot of setbacks in the beginning. I dealt with manufacturers who scammed me. I dealt with manufacturers who promised one thing and delivered something totally different. I had designs that came out wrong even after months of planning. And one of the moments that hit me the hardest was when a manufacturer I trusted completely messed up one of my designs. They changed the entire thing without telling me, and then tried to charge me an extra four hundred dollars to fix their mistake. That broke my confidence for a while. It made me question if I was even capable of doing this.
But every single one of those struggles taught me something. Every setback forced me to grow. Every moment where something went wrong pushed me to become more confident in myself and in the vision I have for this brand. I had to learn how to advocate for myself. I had to learn how to trust my instincts. And most importantly, I had to learn how to keep going even when I felt defeated.
There will always be people who tell you that you can’t do it. There will always be people who say you are not financially ready, not experienced enough, not talented enough. And it is true that only a small percentage of people make it in this industry. But that doesn’t mean you won’t. You never know which percentage you belong to unless you actually try.
One of my favorite quotes has always been that history is not written by cowards. Cowards never end up in history books. And it is true. If you never take the first step, you will never know what could have happened. If you want to build something that lasts, it is not going to happen overnight. The things that come quickly fade twice as fast. The things that are built slowly and with purpose are the ones that stay.
So yes, the road has been far from smooth. It has been frustrating, emotional, and overwhelming at times. But it has also been the most rewarding thing I have ever done. And even through all the struggles, I am genuinely happy that I never gave up.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about LENA?
LÉNA is an accessible luxury jewelry brand that creates elegant, waterproof, non tarnish pieces made with high quality 316L stainless steel and thick PVD 18k gold plating. I built this brand because I wanted women to have jewelry they could truly depend on. Jewelry that looks luxurious, feels beautiful, and lasts through real life without the luxury price tag. What I specialize in is durable everyday elegance. My pieces are made to be worn daily, not saved for special occasions. I want women to be able to wear their jewelry to work, to school, to a date, to a meeting, to the gym, to the beach, and even in the shower without thinking twice about it. Everything I design is created for real routines, real moments, and real women. What truly sets LÉNA apart is the intention behind it. This brand was built from my own journey with confidence and femininity. Growing up, I often saw femininity treated as something less strong or less respected. I always felt the opposite. I believe femininity is power. I believe softness can be strong. And I wanted my brand to reflect that. LÉNA is designed to help women embrace their femininity in a world that sometimes expects them to hide it. Brand wise, what I am most proud of is that everything comes from genuine passion and real experience. I did not start this because it was trending or because everyone was making jewelry businesses. I started it because jewelry shaped my confidence and my identity, and I wanted to share that with others. I am proud that LÉNA is built with intention, with heart, and with a standard for quality that I refuse to compromise on. Every design has a purpose and every collection is created to uplift women, not just accessorize them. What I want readers to know is that LÉNA is built for women who want quality without compromise. Using 316L stainless steel and thick PVD 18k gold plating means your jewelry will stay vibrant, durable, and beautiful for years, not months. You can build your everyday stack knowing it will not tarnish, fade, or lose its shine. These are pieces made to stay with you, not pieces you constantly replace. LÉNA is more than jewelry. It is a reminder that you deserve to feel elegant every single day. It is a reminder that being feminine is not something you should shrink down. It is something you should be proud of. This brand is here to help women feel confident, empowered, and beautiful in their own skin, in their own style, and in their own softness.
Any big plans?
When I think about the future of LÉNA, I do not see it staying small. I love that it began as a small business, but I never intended for it to stay that way. I want this brand to grow into something meaningful and recognizable. I want people to see the logo or see one of the pieces and immediately say, that is LÉNA, I know that brand, and I love that brand. I want a real community behind it. A community of women who feel empowered in their femininity and who see this brand as a safe space to be confident, elegant, and fully themselves.
My goal is to build more than a jewelry company. I want to create a world around the brand. A space where women can feel supported, seen, and connected. I want LÉNA to stand for something bigger than aesthetics. I want it to stand for self worth, empowerment, and confidence.
I also want this brand to grow enough to be able to give back. That is one of my biggest long term dreams. I want to reach a point where LÉNA makes enough that I can contribute to women who may not have the luxury of spending money on jewelry right now. I want to be able to help women in shelters, support survivors of domestic abuse, support children who need resources, and even support animal rescues. If the brand grows in the way I imagine, I want to turn that success into something that genuinely makes the world a little better.
This goal is far down the road, but it is something I think about all the time. I want LÉNA to be a brand that not only empowers the women who wear the pieces but also uplifts women who need support the most. I want to build a community where giving back becomes part of the culture.
For now, I am starting small and focusing on growing the brand in a steady and intentional way. But the long term vision is clear to me. I want LÉNA to become more than jewelry. I want it to become a community, a support system, a source of empowerment, and eventually a brand that can give back in real, meaningful ways.
Pricing:
- Everything is under $40.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lenajewels.co
- Instagram: Lenajewels_co
- Other: Tiktok: Lenajewels_co
Image Credits
Alexa Paulson
Nicole Chavez
