Design Thinking: At Present

Image courtesy of At Present.

In Graduate School, professors loved to discuss "Design Thinking." Design Thinking is an iterative process in which we seek to understand the user, challenge assumptions, and redefine problems to identify alternative strategies and solutions that might not be instantly apparent with our initial level of understanding (Dam and Siang). Design Thinking enables companies to understand consumer needs.

Image courtesy of At Present.

In this article series, I contacted different companies to learn how organizations apply Design Thinking. I spoke with At Present Founder + CEO Marc Bridge to learn more about the company.

Image courtesy of At Present.

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1. What makes At Present different from other jewelry companies?

At Present is not a retailer -- we are an editor and curator. Most jewelry companies are either brands selling their own products, marketplaces optimizing for conversion, or retailers focused on driving volume. At Present is committed to growing awareness and desirability of unique jewelry. We're telling the stories about why objects matter in the way they are created and the vital role they play in the lives of the people who wear them. We're not in the jewelry business -- we're in the meaning and joy business.

Image courtesy of At Present.

We work with independent designers who have strong points of view, and we protect that individuality rather than flattening it. In a luxury landscape increasingly dominated by conglomerates and scale, we’ve built something deliberately personal. We see ourselves as matchmakers — connecting extraordinary designers with clients who care deeply about what they bring into their lives. It’s commerce, yes, but it’s also conversation.

Image courtesy of At Present.

2. How has At Present evolved since its founding?

When we launched, At Present was primarily a curated e-commerce marketplace. The goal was straightforward: give independent fine jewelry designers a beautifully built digital home and introduce them to a wider audience. But as the company matured, we realized that what we were really building wasn’t just infrastructure — it was perspective.

Image courtesy of At Present.

Over time, we sharpened our voice. We defined what we stood for. We leaned into storytelling and community. The launch of The Materialist podcast was a natural extension of that evolution; it allowed us to explore why objects matter and to spotlight the designers and thinkers shaping material culture. Events, collaborations, and editorial projects followed. Today, At Present feels less like a store and more like a cultural platform that happens to sell jewelry. The commerce supports the ideas, and the ideas deepen the commerce.

Image courtesy of At Present.

3. How does At Present incorporate its mission and vision into its product offerings?

Our mission is rooted in celebrating artistry and encouraging thoughtful acquisition. That sounds abstract, but it shows up in very practical ways. We’re selective about the designers we partner with, not because we’re trying to be exclusive for its own sake, but because we believe discernment is a service. Every piece on our site passes through an editorial filter: Is this distinctive? Does the designer have a clear voice? Is there integrity behind the object?

Image courtesy of At Present.

We also build long-term relationships with the designers we work with. We’re not interested in transactional onboarding. We want alignment — creatively and economically. That means transparent partnerships, thoughtful launches, and mutual growth over time. Our vision isn’t to flood the market; it’s to help clients discover pieces they’ll treasure for decades. In that sense, our product offering is a direct reflection of our philosophy: fewer, better, more meaningful things.

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4. What advice would you give to students and young professionals who want to start their own company?

I haven't done anything more fun or satisfying than starting a company. I also haven't done anything as challenging, fraught, or frustrating. 

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First, I would suggest that finding a problem or category you're willing to live with and obsess over for a decade or more is crucial. I am impressed and bewildered by mercenaries who can be handed a random cause and commit themselves fully to it.

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For me, entrepreneurship requires a level of sustained attention that only genuine interest can support.- Marc Bridge

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If I didn't love the work and care enormously about the results, weathering the volatility that inevitably comes with building something from scratch would be very difficult. 

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Building a business has given me a new appreciation for Sisyphus. Every morning you get up and must muster the strength to roll the boulder up the hill, reasonably confident it will likely roll right back down as it has every day before. If you are lucky, you get to do that every single day for years. There is enormous satisfaction when something works, but I have come to realize that even more profound meaning is found in the journey itself. I feel deeply fortunate to choose how I spend my days, what I get to build, and who I get to build it with. I sincerely hope it will be a success, but I can only control the journey I am on and how I choose to experience it. The outcome will be whatever it will be.

At its philosophical core, that is what At Present is about. Its about exalting in the here and now, not waiting for the impossibly perfect moment, and finding joy in the journey. 

Media courtesy of Wix.

5. What is the future of the company?

Our ambition is to become the definitive platform for independent fine jewelry — not the biggest, but the most trusted and the most thoughtfully curated. We want At Present to be synonymous with discernment in this category. That means deepening our relationships with designers, expanding our editorial voice, and continuing to create experiences that bring our community together.

Image courtesy of At Present.

Long term, I think of At Present less as a startup and more as a platform we hope will exist for decades. Luxury is built slowly. It requires consistency of taste and clarity of purpose over time. If we do this well, the future of the company won’t just be about scale; it will be about cultural relevance and endurance. We’re building something we want to see in the world 30 years from now — a place where beautiful objects are treated with the seriousness and joy they deserve.

Image courtesy of At Present.