Mina Ro Mina: a brand with the soul of Larimar City

We're launching our new section "Dominican Brands with a Larimar Soul" with a firm that perfectly embodies what we want to tell: Mina Ro Mina. At the helm, two extraordinary women — Wendy Salcedo, Dominican, and Erika Ponce, Mexican — who have brought together cultures, dreams, and resilience to turn jewelry into a universal language.

The strength of Mina Ro Mina lies in the alchemy between Erika's creative energy and Wendy's Caribbean sensibility: a perfect balance that has taken the brand far beyond its borders.

Their destiny was sealed in Jerusalem

Where a pair of earrings linked their paths forever. It wasn't a coincidence — it was the beginning of a creative and spiritual partnership that, over time, would become Mina Ro Mina.

Erika Ponce, creative director and founder, creates pieces inspired by nature from the most intimate place in her soul. In 2020, the brand landed in Santo Domingo through Wendy Salcedo, with a wonderful presentation before Dominican high society. Since then, Mina Ro Mina doesn't just shine in the Caribbean — it's sold in the United States and has also reached the Middle East. We're talking about jewelry with international reach.

The road wasn't easy. Opening their first physical store in Mexico City and facing closure months later due to a global pandemic was a hard blow. But they knew how to adapt, make the leap to the online channel, and discover that each channel has a unique value when combined with strategy and focus.

Erika Ponce and Wendy Salcedo

Like so many women, they have faced enormous challenges: opening a global business, becoming mothers in the process, and reinventing themselves amid uncertainty. At every step they transformed difficulties into resilience and purpose. They counted on the support of their partners, who reminded them of what's essential: "Remember that Mina Ro Mina has to make you happy and excited. Have fun and enjoy the journey."

That vision led them to ask their clients directly what they felt when wearing a Mina Ro Mina piece. They all answered the same way: "We recognize our own light, our essence, our unique beauty." That confirmation showed them their jewelry was fulfilling its mission.

Every piece is handcrafted by artisans

Skilled Mexican artisans work with silver and gold, inspired by life moments that make us resilient. Like the orchid: delicate and strong at the same time, capable of being reborn from its roots alone. This flower — present since the firm's first workshop, Casa Mina — symbolizes that constant rebirth, like a phoenix that both founders carry within.

Wendy Salcedo's story is also a testimony to transformation: after a brilliant career as a stockbroker in New York, and being the first female trader at one of the most important brokerage firms in the country, she decided to leave behind more than 20 years of financial experience to dedicate herself to what she always loved: jewelry. Erika Ponce, for her part, found in Wendy the brave partner to make her dream a reality: Mina Ro Mina.

Photos of Mina Ro Mina

Throughout the entire interview there was something constant: joy, smile, strength, energy, and respect. That is part of their essence. Although their jewelry is a true gem for women, they themselves are pure inspiration: two passionate women fulfilling their dreams. There's nothing more powerful than seeing someone live what they love.

Mina Ro Mina doesn't just create jewelry — it creates stories of transformation, resilience, and inner beauty. That's why at Larimar City we celebrate having them as allies and friends. This story is just beginning, and we know it will continue to shine with the same light it was born with: that of women who live what they love.

By Macarena Perona

Deputy Director

Larimar City & Resort