1: What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage it?
My greatest fear is my children not living up to their highest potential out of fear or self-doubt. That’s also one of the driving factors that keeps me pushing through the challenges in my business. I want to show my kids that when you really love something, when you really want something, and you stay persistent, you can make it happen.
I want to show my kids that when you really love something, when you really want something, and you stay persistent, you can make it happen.
I manage this fear by encouraging their passions, especially while they’re young, and teaching them to cultivate an optimistic outlook. I believe that commitment to hard work and believing in yourself will allow you to push through most, if not all, of life’s challenges. This belief was instilled in me by my mother and my grandparents – they taught me that if you can dream it, you can do it – which sounds cliché, but for me is just a simple truth. The key is you gotta back it up with action.
2: How do you define success?
My definition of success has evolved over the years – I think it changes with life's seasons, as you grow and learn. I’m a very ambitious and creative person, and in the past I’ve gotten caught up in the comparison game of what other people are doing and what “looks” successful on the outside. But as I’ve continued on this entrepreneurial path and navigated the realities of running a creative business, success has become what feels truly fulfilling to me. Defining my own success has really been a journey of trial and error. I’ll think success is one thing, and then I’ll get a glimpse of what that feels like and realize I didn’t actually find it fulfilling.
I’ll think success is one thing, and then I’ll get a glimpse of what that feels like and realize I didn’t actually find it fulfilling.
Particularly with the push-pull between work and family. I really want to be present for my children, and time is fleeting, so every moment matters. Today, I’m focused on what feels creatively fulfilling and also gives me the opportunity to spend time with my family, which has definitely required me to let go of certain things and be more selective with my time.
3: Who are your real-life heroes?
My mother and my grandmother are my real life superheroes, and it's a big part of why the inspiration behind my brand will always be strong women. As women, we are so multi-faceted, and we do so much. I’m always striving to design jewelry that gives women a moment of joy; something they love, and that makes them feel like they’re expressing some of their inner magic when they wear it.
I was raised by a single mom, and we struggled quite a bit, but she was always so unwaveringly supportive of my dreams. When I was growing up I was definitely an odd bird – I was bullied a lot. I didn't dress the way people expected me to dress, I didn't talk the way people expected me to talk, and I wasn't interested in things that people were expecting me to be interested in. I was a black girl in the 90’s, living in North Carolina, who was into heavy metal, obsessed with fashion and drawing constantly. But my mom recognized the creativity in me and worked really hard for us.
I was a black girl in the 90’s, living in North Carolina, who was into heavy metal, obsessed with fashion and drawing constantly. But my mom recognized the creativity in me and worked really hard for us.
We made a deal: If I stayed focused, worked really hard, got good grades, and always did my very best that she would help get me to Parsons - the school of my dreams. And she did.
And my grandmother, she was a trailblazer. She was the first African-American nurse to fly on a medevac helicopter with a critical patient, she led the nursing department at Duke University, and switched to real estate after retirement. She was a dynamic woman, working outside the home from the 1950s through the 90s, full of strength, grace, style, intelligence, and charm. These women shaped my vision of who I could be.
4: What is the best gift you've given yourself?
The best gift I've given myself is permission to rest. The permission to take a break from working, to put this laundry down, to ignore this email right now, and to instead watch ‘Elf’ with my kid (or just take a nap!) What this gift really translated to was the permission to take care of myself and to reflect.
It’s important to take moments to stop, slow down, and appreciate how far you've come.
It’s important to take moments to stop, slow down, and appreciate how far you've come. This gift came courtesy of my therapist, whom I started seeing a couple years ago for stress management. I’ve come to realize that these moments of rest are where I excavate a lot of my key learnings in life, and where I’m able to acknowledge the value in my experiences. These moments have made me a better mom, partner and business owner.
5: What was the last win you celebrated?
The last win that I celebrated was actually for a recent show I did in New York. I launched a lot of new pieces, designed a custom set of gorgeous new displays, and presented myself and my collection in a way that I hadn't done in many years. The combination of COVID and getting caught up in the complexities of running a business led me to become somewhat of a hermit for a while, so this event was a welcome opportunity to step back into the jewelry community. I was surrounded by so many fellow creative entrepreneurs, whose work I really respected. And my collection was so beautifully received - it was a wonderful experience.
I also brought my family along with me, and my kids got to see mom in action, doing what she loves. Afterwards we explored the city together seeing family and old friends, visiting MoMA and The Met, and just being students of creativity. Taking that extra time after the show to relax, be inspired and experience those moments with them was the best of both worlds for me.
About White/Space
With an overarching theme of clean lines and simplicity, White/Space jewelry, crafted outside of Los Angeles, embraces the power of subtlety through modern and minimalist designs that gracefully marry the delicate and the strong. Designer and founder Khadijah Fulton brings her background in the fashion industry and her passion for minimalist art and modernist architecture to create pieces that bring peace and calm but also interest.
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