Mexican jewelry designer Erika Ponce creates sculptural, intricate pieces that reflect her heritage, yet look completely modern. After finishing apprenticeships in Italy and New York, she opened her studio in Guanajuato in 2010 and started her own company Mina Ro Mina—“Mina” being the Spanish word for “mine”, the source of her precious metals and jewelry. It’s fitting that her line excavates its high quality sterling silver right by her Guanajuato locale while also taking advantage of the traditional and excellent workmanship of Mexico by enlisting the hand of local craftsmen. Her decision to start her company out of her home state in Mexico represents her desire to gain recognition as a Mexican brand while also contributing to her home country. Inspired always by natural forms, Erika’s jewelry mixes textures and shapes like reptilian scales and floral layers without ever being too literal, making it an irresistible magnet for press; and her designs have oft been featured in the pages of Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vogue Mexico.

Being born to two entrepreneurs, Erika founded her company from a desire to forge something on her own (which lends double meaning to the word “mine” in Mina Ro Mina). And though growing a company is anything but easy, she had her business-owning parents to guide her or, more importantly, give her the confidence to guide herself. “My parents gave me the best advice ever: Stop stressing about the things that might come, stress about them in the moment if you have to… My parents told me not to worry, things will come along. You just have to get to work everyday. It will come.” This tireless attitude has allowed her to overcome the struggles of being a female business owner in a culture that still often expects women to do little outside of her traditional role in the home. Erika’s company shares its success by being a member of the International Trade Center “Women and Trade” initiative which supports women’s business enterprises and sustainable practices in jewelry design.