Great scott!

Kendra Scott steps down as CEO of billion-dollar Austin jewelry company

Kendra Scott is stepping down as CEO.

Photo courtesy of UT College Fine Arts

After nearly 20 years, Kendra Scott is stepping down as CEO of her eponymous company. The Austin-based jewelry designer announced that Tom Nolan, who has served as president of Kendra Scott since 2019, will take over as chief executive.

Nolan first joined Kendra Scott in 2016 as board member before taking over as chief revenue officer in 2016. His cornerstone projects with the company include the Kendra Scott flagship on South Congress Avenue and helping launch the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute, a multi-disciplinary program designed to empower women in business at the University of Texas at Austin.

“Over the last seven years, Tom has been an incredible thought partner to me and a wonderful steward of the brand,” Scott said in a press release. “During this extraordinary time of retail transformation, there has been no better person to partner with me on building the brand and the business. Tom is an experienced executive with a relentless focus on the customer, operational rigor, and strong expertise in digital transformation. With Tom at my side as CEO, I can continue to focus on what I have always seen as the core of the brand — great design, strong philanthropic impact and a continued commitment to our customer.”

Her title might be changing, but Scott will still have a proactive role in her billion-dollar company. According to a February 1 press release, Scott will remain the executive chairwoman, majority owner, and will lead design, customer experience, and philanthropy.

Scott famously began her jewelry line in 2002 with just $500. Today, the Kendra Scott empire includes 110 standalone stores, as well as partnerships with boutiques and major department stores across the country. The billion-dollar brand has also turned Scott into a multimillionaire and one of the richest self-made women in America.

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Brunchy Business

Mimosa Walk returns to Austin's South 1st Street for sips and shopping

Blue Suede/Instagram

Businesses along South 1st Street are welcoming shoppers with mimosas on Saturday, November 16.

Perhaps no other drink has the mimosa's power to draw people out on the weekend, and one Austin neighborhood is harnessing it for a leisurely tour of local businesses. The Austin Mimosa Walk: South 1st Fall Festival is scheduled for November 16, and will stop at local businesses, each with complimentary drinks.

The tour will include some shopping, some casual snack spots, and even some wellness stops. Although not every business mimosa walkers will pass is participating, the tour will pass lots of local eateries, making it easy to tack on a lunch when the Champagne starts making itself known.

The following eight businesses are participating as stops on the self-guided tour:

Austin Salt Room — a spa-like environment for salt therapy, essentially hanging out near tons of salt while breathing in microscopic salt particles, which are said to improve respiratory health
Blue Suede Austin — a cool women's shoe boutique (with a wine bar!) that specializes in semi-casual styles at mid-range prices, featuring brands like Sam Edelman, Jeffrey Campbell, and Cecelia
Devil’s Details Boutique — formerly Bloomers and Frocks, this vintage shop has rebranded and shifted its focus to jewelry, often in bold and unique styles
Glint Dental — a dental office specializing in aesthetic procedures like veneers and whitening, but also offering general and preventative care
Golden Mean — early holiday shoppers should keep friends and family in mind at this gift shop, which carries unique goods ranging from soaps and blankets to kitchen goods and avant-garde decor.
Once Over Coffee— an unassuming-on-the-outside, artsy-on-the-inside coffee shop serving Wild Gift Coffee and less common coffee shop finds like kombucha and Italian soda
Package Austin — a queer menswear store for harnesses, underwear, accessories, toys, and community events
Sugar Mamas Bakeshop — a colorful bakery specializing in fantastically decorated cakes, often with a sarcastic or funny twist

The listing on Eventbrite promises a hydration station by Topo Chico, a collector's glass, and that the event will sell out. It requires that tickets ($32) be purchased in advance online. [Update: An event organizer says the ninth business on the Eventbrite list is still under construction, and will not be participating.]

The walk will take place from noon to 3:30 pm. Guests will receive a "passport" to help navigate between tour stops. A check-in tent will get guests started at 1628 S. 1st St.

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