Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Weisbrod.
Hi Amy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In college, I would visit this amazing little town outside of Dayton called Yellow Springs. Aside from the great food and loving atmosphere, there was a wonderful sterling silver shop I would frequent and then spend hours in admiring all the gemstones, learning more about them and of course purchasing sets for myself and for loved ones. That little silver shop stuck with me.
I moved to my hometown after having my first child many moons ago and could not find that type of jewelry store I once adored. I’m not a “diamond girl”. I LOVE jewelry, but don’t like spending exorbitant amounts of money on it. We have the high-end, precious gemstone shops, of course, and the low-end, plated jewelry stores, but nothing in between. Challenge accepted!
A few years ago, I decided to bring my community (and the world) curated natural, semi-precious gemstone and sterling jewelry from amazing silversmiths locally and across the globe. Our promise: Never plated. Always natural and real gems and always sterling.
I have traveled far, collecting from the best artisans in the hopes of opening a boutique shop, but COVID hit and thus our online presence was born. To this day, I aim to bring our collections to people and utilize local markets in the summer months while setting up a private showroom in the off months. The jewelry poses well in photos, but viewing in person and trying on is another experience.
I also created this boutique to show my children that they can do anything if they put their minds to it. They help when they can and I hope they remember that hard work pays off!
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?
COVID! As I stated before, the dream was a sterling silver and higher-end clothing store, but the world had other plans. With the online shop, I decided to stay with just jewelry which never goes out of style! My challenges are more in the matter of time. I have a full-time job and volunteer on the side in addition to running Toulou. If I only had more hours in my day, I could make the boutique larger.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
My professional world has been dedicated to helping others in the nonprofit world. I have worked as a tutor, a case manager, a residential counselor to now serving once again as an Executive Director of a local nonprofit providing a basic need, healthcare.
Toulou is not my first for-profit business, but it is definitely more work than my other property business.
Aside from those positions, I formed a nonprofit myself and still after 16 years, am proud to say it remains a unique line of support for our community and families in need.
A mother of two, busy teenagers, one furry guy, too! My children come first, but again, I want to show them what it takes to build something from scratch and that if you have a vision, a dream and the community has a gap, the dream will become reality with hard, diligent work. Aside from all that, I teach an exercise class and still stay firm in that life is too short to eat or drink cheap standards. I have quite the passion for my own health and practice what I preach.
What’s next?
I just started a new, full-time “gig” with a child health clinic, so I am concentrating on learning that business and how to continue to grow it and remain an anchor in our community for affordable healthcare for children. I love that no matter where life takes me next, (hopefully waterside on a beach) I can take Toulou with me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shoptoulou.com
- Instagram: @shoptoulou
- Facebook: @shoptoulou
Image Credits
Amy Weisbrod
