Dare to Dazzle

Lisa Valenzuela, CEO of Truly Blessed Jewels, is sparking a movement in permanent jewelry

By Kaylor Jones / Photo by Claudia Johnstone

As the CEO of Truly Blessed Jewels, Lisa Valenzuela prides herself on pairing high-quality, customizable jewelry with unforgettable customer experiences. The permanent jewelry brand – which has gone viral on social media for its vibrant store atmosphere and dainty, layering-friendly designs – was originally born out of a spirit of resilience.

Valenzuela traces it back to one moment in her former career in the restaurant and event sales industry, which taught her the ins and outs of executing memorable high-level events. “During a board meeting, my director pointed his finger in my face and embarrassed me in front of everyone, saying, ‘Please hold’ as I spoke my truth,” she says. “That experience lit a fire that drove me to build something of my own, and that’s how Truly Blessed Jewels was born – a brand built on empowerment, excellence and showing up with confidence every time.”

A self-taught jewelry designer with almost 20 years of experience, Valenzuela draws inspiration from the Arizona desert and her upbringing in Southern California to create timeless permanent designs that are comfortable enough for 24/7 wear. With locations in Scottsdale and Newport Beach, Valenzuela runs Truly Blessed Jewels (www.trulyblessedjewels.com) by the motto, “Never show up to prom in the same dress.”

“That means we’re not here to look like everyone else, follow the crowd, or play it safe. Our jewelry is about making a statement and celebrating your own personal style,” says Valenzuela, who’s committed to building community through after-hours events and an upcoming podcast, Making Waves in the Desert, that launches this month.

For Valenzuela, seeing customers walk out of the store with an added confidence boost is a constant reminder that this business is so much bigger than jewelry. Each piece embodies the passion and creativity that allowed her to take this leap in the first place, to stop blending in and show people what she’s truly capable of.

If there’s one thing she’d tell her younger self looking back, it’s to stop doubting herself. “Speak up even if you get a finger put in your face. When your voice shakes, speak louder, and don’t let anyone make you feel small,” she says. “Keep going, because one day, you’re going to build something so powerful it changes lives – including your own.”

Bride Tribe Paradise

Haley Brosa is redefining luxury vacation rentals with picture-perfect dwellings

By Kaylor Jones / Photo by Claudia Johnstone

It was always Haley Brosa’s dream to be a stay-at-home mom, but just before giving birth to her second child, she realized there was a puzzle piece missing.

“I started to feel a loss of identity outside of being a mom. I craved a creative outlet and adult interaction, but wanted something that wouldn’t take away from time with my kids,” Brosa says. She and her husband love hosting family and friends and always planned on investing in real estate, so becoming Airbnb hosts proved a perfect fit.

First came Holly House, an upscale bachelorette retreat that combines high-end design with an organic desert living vibe – and a healthy dose of pink. After buying it as a fixer-upper on the day their daughter was born and gutting and rebuilding it alongside a team of contractors and designers, the property became an overnight hit.

“In her first 10 days live on Airbnb she booked out solid for six months, and after a few months she quickly became top 1% in one of the most saturated markets. Soon, our biggest problem was that we had so many guests trying to book with us, but we didn’t have enough available dates.”

That’s where Howdy House comes in. Also located in Old Town, the country-themed home has all the amenities of its sister property – from a glam room to a resort backyard with a pink pool – plus more custom murals, a giant sliding door for indoor-outdoor living and, most spectacularly of all, a speakeasy and karaoke room.

Since launching at the beginning of this year, Howdy House (@stayathowdyhouse) has already been featured in Architectural Digest, a big pinch-me moment for Brosa, especially since Howdy House originally housed Brosa and her family. They moved out to transform it into the Instagramable paradise it is today. And there are plenty more secret projects – and some famous guests – still to come.

At the end of the day, the most rewarding part is doing everything alongside her family.

“The kids love to stop by the karaoke room and bust out a Hakuna Matata duet. My son will bake our guests homemade cookies every week, and my daughter has been my sidekick since the day she was born – she’s already walking around the houses and rearranging like I do!”