We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Monica Lara and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Monica, how do you think about risk?
I am always evaluating the Risk/Reward balance in the decisions I make. Sometimes it may look like I am a wild risk-taker from the outside and I can see how people may question the decisions I have made. I opened a shop during Covid, I bought an “antique building” two years after opening my original shop. What they don’t know is all the scenarios I have already run in my head. My gut seems to take a big role in it but what seems like a gut feeling is based on an understanding of trends, a look around my world, my town and picking up on the changes happening. So those risks are taken after a lot of research, observation and thinking! Of course you can’t be timid and play it safe, there’s no big reward in that, only tiny ones. Again the reward is often proportional to the risk taken. Of course there is a chance you may make a big mistake but the back research and working out scenarios reduces the chances of outright failure.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I trained as a Marine Biologist specializing in Fish Early Life History. After working for decades getting many grants for my work and publishing in Journals I became a Full-Time professor. I was the first in my family to earn a Ph.D. My husband was also a Marine Biologist. After losing him and then when teaching changed forever during Covid I decided to take my hobby business as my second full career. It has been so challenging and beautiful I feel like i got lucky to have a full second professional life! I want the world to know it is never too late to follow your dreams and never too late to do a 180! As a child I wanted to be an astronaut and when I started college I wanted to be a fashion designer. In my career I’ve been an Aquanaut and a Jewelry designer. Close! And I got to do BOTH!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d take them to one of our beautiful wineries and to the hiking trails if it were Spring or Summer, sledding if Winter. Then we’d go to our beautiful, historic downtown Fond Du Lac to get dinner and drinks. We’d end up in my shop on Main St. where my friend could buy her fill of my beautiful, sustainable luxury items like perfume, soaps, candles, handmade fine jewelry and forever clothes! At the friend discount of course!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My jewelry mentors Chuck, Maureen, Jim, John, Harold. For always asking more of me because they knew I could do it. Clint for seeing possibility where I couldn’t and having my back when I took risks, Jeni for telling me I was ready to quit my job and open my store and her advice on how to do it.

Website: www.phbeadsjewelry.com

Instagram: ArgentumEtAurum

Facebook: Argentumetaurum and Phbeads

Yelp: Argentum Et Aurum

Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/phbeads

Image Credits
First pic is Governor and Deputy Governor of WI at my original shop. Me and my business were mentioned in his State of the State address this year as an example of a business that was helped to open on a Main St with a state grant meant to encourage the revitalizations of downtowns in WI small towns.

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