An Inspired Chat with Asha Patel of Marietta

Asha Patel shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Asha, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Dancing and crafting make me lose track of time—they take me right back to my core, to the part of me that feels most alive and free. When I’m dancing, I’m not thinking about anything else; I’m just in my body, moving with the rhythm, letting joy take over. It’s a release, a reminder that presence can feel light and effortless.
When I’m creating—working with my hands, playing with materials, letting an idea unfold—I get lost in the flow of it. Hours can pass without me noticing, and I come out of it feeling both grounded and energized. That creative space feels like home to me.
Whether I’m moving or making, it’s all a form of connection—to myself, to something bigger, to that spark that reminds me who I really am underneath all the noise.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Asha, the designer and creator behind Asha Patel Designs.
I began designing jewelry as a personal ritual—a way to reconnect with my roots, my intuition, and the quiet power of adornment. What started as handcrafted pieces I made for close friends slowly evolved into a soulful offering for women everywhere who seek meaning in what they wear.
Inspired by ancient Eastern philosophies and the energetic wisdom of natural gemstones, each design I create is infused with intention. Every piece is designed to hold energy—and reflect your own.
My aesthetic is both clean and spiritual. Minimalist, yet full of depth. Modern, but touched by something ancient. Each necklace, ring, and bracelet is a small-batch expression of balance, beauty, and inner knowing.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
My parents taught me the true meaning of work ethic. When we immigrated to the U.S. in the early 1980s, they ran a small mom-and-pop motel in rural Alabama. It was humble, hardworking, and all hands on deck—we were the housekeepers, the maintenance crew, and the front desk staff rolled into one.
Those years shaped me in ways I’m still discovering. I learned that no job is too small, that integrity matters even when no one is watching, and that showing up—day after day—builds more than a business; it builds character. There was beauty in the simplicity of that life, in watching my parents pour care into every detail, and in the quiet pride that came from doing something well simply because it mattered.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me what success never could. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, everything I thought I knew about strength, control, and even time shifted. The life I’d built paused in an instant, and I was asked to meet myself in a new way—raw, stripped down, uncertain, but still present.
Cancer taught me how to surrender—to let go of the need to hold everything together and instead trust that I was being held. It showed me that vulnerability isn’t weakness; it’s where the deepest kind of courage lives. I learned to receive help, to rest without guilt, and to find grace in simply existing.
What success had given me in validation, cancer gave me in truth. It reminded me that resilience isn’t about powering through—it’s about softening into what is, and still choosing hope. Suffering carved out space in me for empathy, tenderness, and gratitude I didn’t know I was missing.
It taught me that life’s real beauty isn’t in what we achieve, but in how we show up—with love, humility, and presence—even when everything else falls away.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
At the heart of everything I do is connection. I think people would say that relationships matter deeply to me—the relationship we have with ourselves, with others, and with the world around us. It’s truly all we have.
I believe the way we show up for one another, the moments we choose to listen, the quiet ways we give and receive care—these are the threads that hold life together. Connection isn’t just about shared experiences; it’s about presence, empathy, and recognizing ourselves in someone else’s story.
Even in solitude, I find that connection continues inward—an ongoing conversation with the self. Learning to listen to intuition, to nurture what feels true, to meet ourselves with kindness. That inner relationship sets the tone for everything else.
In the end, it all comes back to love and awareness—how we move through the world, how we touch others’ lives, and how open we are to being changed by connection itself.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel the most at peace in the quiet moments at home with my family. There’s something so grounding about those simple times—when we’re cooking together, sharing a meal, or just sitting in the same room with easy conversation and laughter. It’s the kind of peace that comes from being surrounded by love and knowing you can just be yourself.
Lately, I’ve also found that same sense of calm when I’m in nature. Whether it’s walking under open skies, listening to birds in the morning, or watching the light change across the water, being outdoors reminds me to slow down and breathe. It helps me feel connected—to the earth, to something bigger than myself, and to a quieter part of who I am.
Those moments—at home and in nature—are when everything feels most real and right. No noise, no striving, just a deep sense of presence and gratitude.

Image Credits
Thu Tran
Jordan Zobrist