Today we’d like to introduce you to Diypse Duman.
Hi Diypse, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
True Ascend is a sister-owned jewelry and accessories brand founded by sisters Diypse Duman and Bilana Uluengin, offering affordable luxury ready-to-wear jewelry alongside its signature Charm Bar, featuring hundreds of charm options for creating personalized pieces.
With an eight-year age gap, the sisters bring different perspectives and experiences to the business. Diypse, 29, spent years working on Wall Street while pursuing jewelry as a passion project for over a decade. Bilana, 22, brings fresh ideas and a shared passion for entrepreneurship. What started as sourcing fun pieces on their travels to Turkey & selling jewelry to their friends, turned into a business that grew faster than they could have expected.
Two years ago, the sisters made the decision to go all in on True Ascend, marking a turning point in the brand’s growth. With just the two of them behind the business, they committed themselves to pop-ups, brand collaborations, and found themselves opening a brick & mortar from the rush of growth. They took every opportunity to introduce their brand to new customers, making in-person selling & word of mouth the pillar of their business.
These events were where they started to implement hospitality as a core foundation in their operations. They allowed the sisters to give customers the top level of service and genuine relationships. This allowed them to better understand their audience, and continuously evolve their brand fast. The exposure also opened doors to collaborations with major companies, including brands under L’Oréal, Ulta Beauty, Affirm and more. What began as setting up tables at local markets eventually led to partnerships with some of the most recognizable names.
One of their most memorable milestones came during the December holiday market at Herald Square in New York City by being featured in The New York Times, anchoring as an established brand in just under 2 years.
True Ascend has also been featured in New York Fashion Week and has continued expanding its presence. Today, the brand operates a storefront in the heart of downtown Ridgewood, New Jersey, with the goal of continuing to serve their customers at the highest level & expand their business into NYC as well as online.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to building True Ascend has been anything but smooth. The last 2 years consisted of 12+ hour days, 7 days a week. We knew that was the commitment required if we wanted to launch this thing off the ground. There were so many challenges within that time, in business & our personal lives. We won’t forget the huge sacrifices we made like when our Grandmother, Grandfather, and our dog Kobe passed all within 6 months time but we were in the middle of the heaviest season of True Ascend. We never missed 1 event that we committed to or a meeting to grow the business because we knew what we were building, even though it was super tough. When it came down to the business itself, huge opportunities were starting to come our way. Huge opportunities = you need a lot of cash & guess what, we didn’t have that. Our business is completely self funded and we did whatever was possible to make those opportunities come to life, such as the Herald Square Christmas market which cost almost 100k to participate in. We kept flipping every batch of inventory into the next opportunity & kept our cost of living as low as we could.
If there’s one thing our journey has taught us, it’s that growth doesn’t necessarily make running a business easier. It introduces new challenges. We’ve learned to embrace challenges, adapt when things don’t go according to plan, pivot, and trust the work being done is going to propel us forward.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We’re best known for our signature Charm Bar, one of the largest in New Jersey, where customers can choose from hundreds of waterproof charms to create their own necklaces, bracelets, and accessories. We’ve expanded into hosting private events at our Ridgewood boutique, including birthdays, networking events, corporate gatherings, and girls’ nights. We also travel to private events with a mobile charm bar setup, adding a personal touch and keepsake to any special day.
Alongside our Charm Bar, we offer a large collection of ready-to-wear jewelry, with pieces designed to be timeless, affordable and durable. We have had customers walk into our shop shocked about our collection of curated jewelry, comparing it to shops in Paris & London.
One of the things we’re most proud of is building a brand that major companies have trusted and wanted to partner with. Within our first year of taking True Ascend seriously, we had the opportunity to work with brands like Youth to the People, Rizos Curls, Ulta, French Connection, Affirm, and Olipop. Having established brands recognize what we’re building has been incredibly rewarding. We’ve also been fortunate enough to be featured in The New York Times and approached by multiple magazines interested in sharing our story. Seeing our brand gain recognition and attract these opportunities organically has been one of the most rewarding parts of what we’ve built.
What’s next?
While we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished in 2 short years, we see this as just the beginning of what we’re building. While our Charm Bar has become an important part of our identity, we want True Ascend to be recognized for our curated selection of ready-to-wear jewelry, our goal is to create a brand that customers turn to for both everyday essentials and personalized experiences. Also as a women owned business, we will also be leaning into hosting events where women can come together and find community to help build them up in whatever aspect of growth they are looking to expand in.
One of the biggest milestones we’re working toward is opening a permanent storefront in New York City. NYC has played such a significant role in our journey, from participating in markets throughout to being featured in The New York Times. Having a permanent presence and establishing our brand alongside the largest in the world. Along with this, we’re currently focused on strengthening our online presence and expanding our e-commerce to reach customers outside of physical sales. Having built so much of our business through in person interactions, we’re excited to bring that same experience to customers across the country, making True Ascend’s jewelry more accessible regardless of where they live.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://trueascend.shop/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueascend/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/true-ascend/home/
