Salty Cali is a story of love, friendship, and the simple things in life that bring you happiness.
The company started in 2014 when friends Miriam and Leslie headed to the gem fair with $50 and some spare time. When Leslie brought their first creations to the surf shop she worked at the next day, they all sold out within days. "I think we're up to something" she told Miri over the phone that weekend.
CREATING MAGIC
Our First love
The Shiva Shell was our first Salty Shell Necklace, made by hand with shells Miriam purchased in Portugal over the summer.
To this day, the Eye of Shiva is one of our best sellers!
Our collections have grown and changed over the years, but our love for simple beauty stays the same!
co-founder
You’d never know our bleach blonde, embodiment of a California girl, was born and raised In Norwalk, Connecticut. Leslie found her way to where It felt like home for her soul. Venturing across the country to San Diego with a car full of belongings and a heart full of aspirations to “make It” on the west coast. Little did she know the dream life and family she’d end up building for herself.
Leslie Is the perfect combination of calm, creative, and joy In a human being, she Is the sunshine at SaltyCali. Bringing warmth with her everywhere she goes, you can’t help but feel like everything will work out when she Is Involved... even though most times we actually have no Idea what we’re doing.
Simultaneously building a family and business while balancing the whirlwinds of it all is part of what makes Leslie and Miri’s bond so strong. Spending every day In humble gratitude Is what carries her through life as a business mama.
Motherhood comes naturally as she applies the same relentless, hard working mentality to her kids as she does her work. The ability to believe and see the bright side, while making others feel the same way Is her specialty and It is always served with heart warming presence.
Co-Founder
Born In Santa Cruz, California and raised In Spain, Miri brings uniquely contagious energy to the brand every day. She is our main character, bringing humor in new ways you never see coming. Starting each sentence with a “Hi, Love” and ending with laughter or a hug is her guarantee. Family and her two boys always come first, with friends In a close second. She Is there for those she loves without a doubt. If I get arrested, I am using Miri as my one phone call. Don’t let her adorable size fool you, her personality Is larger than all ours combined.
SaltyCali Is her other child, her and Leslie built the brand from the ground up all on their own. Two best friends making jewelry In Miri’s garage while her youngest son crawled around getting his little hands on any shells and beads that were tasty enough to try. She Is still designing pieces alongside her sons to this day.
Her love for life, family, friends, and new experiences overflows into SaltyCali. Even though Miri Is always light hearted, behind the scenes her passion for success goes beyond words. She has endless drive to create, sell, and find new ways to Improve. One day all the visions she dreams for SaltyCali will come to life. Constantly Inspiring those around her and doesn’t even know It.
Our Italian Stallion ~ Everyone’s ride or die. The one and only... Virginia. The third brain behind this beautiful brand. Even though she takes a backseat to claiming any credit In SaltyCali, Virginia Is the reason this whole operation runs the way It does (I can already hear her denying this).
All the way from Italy to San Diego, learning English from The Red Hot Chili Peppers album In high school, she lived 9 whole lives before finding her home and best friends In our little office.
Aside from her one of a kind Italian zest of a spirit that makes her so special, she Is the one everyone (including family in Italy) goes to for anything from technical help to needing a motherly hug. With a hatred for being bad at anything, this makes her the best at just about... well anything! “No” Is never the answer, even if that means she will say everything In Italian first, then in English just to let you know what to do.
All this selflessness pours Into her two daughters first and foremost, then runneth over to her best friends. She Is the trifecta; fierce, empathetic, and Intelligent. Her daughters have the greatest mom to guide them. The world Is lucky to have her and we feel like we hit the lottery.
Vero. Veronica. Our Savior. The reason this company stays running the way It does. The most reliable human on the planet. Probably uncomfortable about these compliments already. The Queen of the Castle. Meet Veronica.
To put It Into science terms, she Is the powerhouse of the cell (the cell being Salty Cali). This is me not being dramatic - there Is no Salty Cali without Veronica. It’s actually difficult to put Into words how Important of a person she Is to us and how deep our appreciation runs. You could ask any person In this office about Vero and they would tell you a version of:
“I couldn’t live without her” or “I don’t know how she does it all”.
Her patience Is that of the Buddha himself, her demeanor as sweet as Mother Teresa, her work ethic unyielding, and above all, she is the most humble soul you’ll ever meet. There Is not one thing Veronica wouldn’t do for someone she loves and that quality shines through In everything she does.
Showing up for her family at home and her family at work every day Is nothing short of admirable. I don’t know where we would be without her and I don’t care to, because I can speak on behalf of everyone when I say: we would do anything for her. If you’ve ever gotten a piece of our jewelry, you can thank Veronica for that.
Pam may be the newest member of our family, but In our hearts It feels like she has been here all along. I speak for everyone when I say this, how we managed before this heaven-sent woman came to us Is one of life’s greatest mysteries. Owning any room she enters and doing so with the brightest smile, Pam Is our warrior. Teaching her daughters and our office alike that women rule the world! Period!
Spending 18 years In Thailand before finding love and coming back to southern California where she was born, eventually crossing paths with the girls of SaltyCali was meant to be. We could not be more grateful to find the missing puzzle piece we needed and a good friend wrapped up In one. You would never know from the tone of her emails that this boisterous mama was on the other end of the screen, a prime example of business In the front and party In the back.
Being utterly relatable, no matter what you are going through Is something Pam does effortlessly. Always there to hear you out and even more Importantly, make you feel heard right back. Being a mother both In and out of the office.
I am excited to see what we build with Pam by our side.