I’m often asked what my favorite genre is, and while I like classics, memoirs are hard to beat for me. I love to get an intimate and insightful look into the lives of others, and I find the essence of what makes us humans fascinating to read about them.
Unlike most people who live in Bondi, I hadn’t heard from Samantha Wills before reading Of Gold and Dust, which meant I had almost no idea what was going to develop in her memoir. A story that begins with Samantha’s upbringing in the small coastal town of Port Macquarie and follows when she moves to Bondi with a friend to pursue her dream of becoming a jewelry designer. I loved it, through the long days, late nights, and the steps Samantha took to navigate the uncharted waters of a career for herself that had previously seemed like a pipe dream.
And while the business element of the book was both fascinating and inspiring, what I found most interesting were the personal anecdotes woven into the story. The breakups and the friends and best friends who were instrumental in their success; the debts and bad business decisions; Psychic reading and finding your feet while navigating make New York her new home.
I was fortunate to interview Samantha recently for a Bondi Literary Salon, and she spoke openly about the importance of providing the background to the highlight roles we’re all so used to being played on social media. Because while Of Gold and Dust is primarily a story of Samantha’s journey to fame and success, it reminds us that our beings are made up of ups and downs, as well as tragedies and triumphs, all of which merge together to create something that lives are full of love, loss and ultimately full of adventure.
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further reading
I loved this article on why Samantha Wills has no regrets leaving her $ 10 million jewelry business.
Abstract of gold and dust
I’ve tried so hard to find a balance between my creative career and my personal life, but the more I tried to separate them, the more I lost my balance. It wasn’t until I started to merge the two that I realized that there is no creative career and no personal life – there is only one creative life. This knowledge and the freedom it gave me remain one of the most important of my life.
Samantha Wills started her self-titled jewelry company on the kitchen table of her apartment building in the eastern suburbs of Sydney when she was only 21 years old. While her rise to the global stage looked meteoric to many, Samantha said, “It took me twelve years to become an overnight success.”
After Samantha’s journey of being named a breakout star by the New York Times and barely breathing on the floor of a hotel room, Of Gold and Dust is so much more than a business memento. In her unique, denominational tone, Samantha tells the intimate details of her life and business, sharing her truths with a rare rawness and vulnerability.
Funny, down to earth, insightful and from the heart, Of Gold and Dust is a must have for anyone with the desire to start their own business or the passion to lead a creative life and follow their dreams. Your story is an inspirational blueprint to get out of there and find the magic that awaits you.
Samantha Wills Author Bio
Samantha Wills has been in the spotlight as one of Australia’s most dynamic speakers and creative personalities since launching her self-titled jewelry brand at Australian Fashion Week in 2004 at the age of just 21. Samantha has lived in New York City for the past decade. Having just returned to Australia, she now resides in NSW as the creative director and keynote speaker.
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