MAKE BEAUTIFUL THINGS: Jeweler Lindsay Knox on heritage, history, & scaling slowly

Episode notes

In this episode of The Trades Show, host Briana Ottoboni visits the Oakland-based studio of Lindsay Knox, jewelry designer and founder of Ladha, for an intimate conversation on craft, identity, and the realities of building a handmade business.

Together, they explore Lindsay’s journey from corporate retail burnout to creating heirloom-inspired pieces by hand. She shares how motherhood, heritage, and a desire to be surrounded by beauty sparked her path to becoming a full-time jewelry maker. From wax carving and gold polishing to vendor partnerships and trade shows, this episode offers a rich look at what it means to think small while scaling with integrity.

Lindsay reflects on the tactile joy of making, her business phases, and why partnering with the right people has been essential to her sustainable growth. For anyone dreaming of turning a creative spark into a livelihood, this episode is filled with heart, hustle, and hard-earned wisdom.

The Trades Show is a show about modern craftwork — a conversation series with artisans and a return to what makes us human: the ability to create with our hands.