Interview by Kelly Postiglione. Photos provided by Rowan.
Let’s start with you! Where are you originally from and where do you live now? How many kids do you have, and what are their ages?
I grew up in North Carolina! Now, I live in Westchester with my husband and three children – two sons aged 15 and 14 and a daughter who turns 11 this month.
Before Rowan, what kind of work were you doing?
I grew up in North Carolina dreaming of being an entrepreneur in a family full of medical professionals. I went to Dartmouth, then kicked off my career on Wall Street with roles at Morgan Stanley and J.P. Morgan. Eventually, I decided to pursue my interest in entrepreneurship more seriously and headed to Columbia Business School, where I joined the Greenhouse Program – a track focused on helping students launch their own ventures. After graduating, I returned to Morgan Stanley while I explored ideas and figured out what kind of business I wanted to build.
We love that Rowan was inspired by your own daughter’s ear piercing. Can you share that story and how it led you to start the business?
As I was considering taking my daughter to get her ears pierced, I dug into researching every option on the market, but I didn’t feel comfortable with a single one of them. None of the piercing parlors felt safe enough, but the pediatrician’s office didn’t feel “celebratory” enough. I created Rowan because I wanted a piercing experience that was as safe as it was celebratory.
I’m proud that Rowan is able to offer that experience to all with ear piercings by licensed nurses only with hypoallergenic earrings always.
Rowan has really changed the way people think about ear piercing, making it both safe and special. Why was it so important to you to have nurses do the piercings, and can you explain the Rowan Clinical Piercing Standard in simple terms for families?
Put simply, the Rowan Clinical Piercing Standard™ means all ear piercings are done by licensed nurses, using hypoallergenic earrings, with expert aftercare built into the experience. The process of training our nurses to pierce and the protocol that our nurses use to pierce has been vetted and approved by the Rowan Medical Board, which includes Dr. Charles Thorne who is the leading otoplasty surgeon (ears!) in the world and the Chairman of Plastic Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
Ear piercing necessitates expertise, skill, and a keen understanding of hygiene to prevent adverse outcomes like infection and tissue damage – that’s why it is important that you choose to get pierced by a medical professional. Nurses understand bedside manner and can manage anxiety and all of the big and little fears. Coupled with stringent guidelines and training of the Rowan Clinical Piercing Standard™, Rowan nurses ensure (consistently) that ear piercing is safe, hygienic, and worry-free. Plus, our colorful, modern studios are joyful and vibrant, so every piercing is sure to be celebrated!
Beyond piercings, Rowan is such a fun place to shop. What kinds of earrings and jewelry are most popular with kids, teens, and moms?
Our novelty styles are always a hit with younger customers! They’re especially obsessed with our enamel sets. In fact, two Halloween-inspired enamel sets from our Pretty Scary collection sold out online within 24 hours of launching! We also recently dropped our All Star Sets, and they’ve been flying off the shelves with our younger audience.
When it comes to individual pieces, teens and young adults tend to gravitate toward hoops – our Large Flex Hoops and CZ Hoops (in every size!) are clear favorites.
On the flip side, our mom customers often look for a balance of comfort and style. They love our 24/7 Flat Backs and Endless Hoops – both offer all-day wearability without compromising on personality. With plenty of styles in each, there’s something for every mom to make it her own.
The best thing about our earrings is that each and every one is hypoallergenic, so you never have to sacrifice safety for style.
What has been one of your favorite moments since starting Rowan?
I recently took my daughter to get her second piercings, and it was such a full-circle moment. As you know, she inspired me to start Rowan, and she had her first piercing done at our Williamsburg location back in 2022. I still remember how nervous she was. Nurse Sam who is on our Nurse Leadership Team was incredible – as she always is – and made her feel completely at ease during the process. She got device piercings that time, and it felt like such a big milestone. Fast forward to this year, and she’s been begging for her second holes. This time, she chose needle piercings in our Larchmont studio and was so excited – so much so that she convinced her friend to come along and get pierced too. It was wild seeing how much she’s grown, both in confidence and independence. Watching her go through the experience again, but with so much excitement and self-assurance, was really special.
Do you have any exciting plans or dreams for Rowan that you can share with us?
We’re on track to have 100 studios open by the end of this year (opening #100 on my birthday!)- a huge milestone for us! I couldn’t be more excited. Every time we open a new studio, it’s truly inspiring to see how the community rallies behind us. There’s such a genuine belief in our mission, and that support means everything.
Amazing, congratulations! We love to highlight local favorites here on the Sound Shore! What are your go-to spots for family fun, eating out, or even a little self-care?
I always find time to prioritize yoga, it’s my self-care ritual. My favorite places to practice yoga are Yoga Spark and Kaia Yoga both in Mamaroneck. For family fun and family dinners, I love Lusardi’s and Encore restaurants in Larchmont. They’re my go-tos!
We’re incredibly grateful for our amazing community and the wonderful people and places that make it so special. Explore our Blog page for features that spotlight local businesses and more. Looking for something to do in Westchester? Check out our Local Guides and Calendar pages to discover what’s happening locally and follow along on Instagram for more!