My experience in the fashion industry began over 25 years ago when I was approached by a fashion producer and asked if I would be interested in modeling in an upcoming runway show. I accepted and was immediately bitten by the fashion industry bug. My passion for fashion has allowed me to travel extensively, even internationally. From fashion runway shows to print and other advertising mediums, I am truly grateful to have been able to meet and to learn from so many remarkable people along the way. It’s been a privilege to model in luxurious women’s wear for notable labels such as Ralph Lauren, Oscar De La Renta, Carolina Herrera, Vera Wang, Julian Gold, Neiman Marcus and more.

Life led my family to the Dallas-Fort Worth area where I was able to continue to pursue my craft working for Brad Hughes and Associates as a model for buyers all over the country that regularly travel to Market year-round to see new fashions for their store(s). This also allowed me to gain a better understanding of the business side of the fashion industry as both a buyer and as a store owner. With a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment, I paused to focus on being a fulltime mother to (4) wonderful children.

It wasn’t long before I began dreaming and planning of the day I would be able to return to doing what I love and that has been such an integral and purposeful part of my life. Sometimes it’s just one thing that happens in our daily life that sets us on our path or leads us in a new direction. As I sat next to my friend watching our daughters swim together for several years, we learned a lot about each other’s life and work experiences. Our interests aligned and inspired us both to create that - Just One Thing - moment for all women.

As a single woman in my 20’s working my way up to a buyer for Zales Jewelry Stores (Buyer for the Canadian Brand Peoples and Mappins) was my dream job. Who wouldn’t love to look at diamond and gemstone jewelry all day? As a buyer I traveled all over Canada and the US to see stores and how trends varied from city to city. My roles were varied from pricing inventory to designing with manufactures to product display and marketing. But the most important part were the numbers! Where were our sales coming from? What were people buying or not buying? This is where I thrived! It was so fascinating to go into work each day to see how items were selling from day to day and where they weren’t.

I loved seeing how certain styles could be changed a little but gave the piece a whole new life. I see fashion much the same. While I worked as a buyer for more than a decade, I always kept up with the fashion industry both in jewelry and apparel. As life continued and I entered motherhood I had the privilege of staying home to raise my family.

Stephanie and I met and became good friends while watching our daughters swim in the same club. Fast forward 9 years we are still celebrating our friendship while watching our daughters swim at the collegiate level. Like most women, Stephanie and I wondered what was next for us in our lives. With her background in fashion and mine in retail we made the perfect match to start JOT-Just One Thing.