Ethel

When I shared with my parents my dream of opening my own custom purse and screenprinting boutique, it struck a memory in my dad. He recalled a great-aunt who had moved from her hometown of Norman, Oklahoma to San Francisco, California to pursue her dream as a fashion designer.

Her name was Ethel Yohn, a passionate 18 year-old who wasn't afraid to follow her heart. She got a job in the dress department at The Emporium department store, stretching her creative wings in the evenings as she sketched dress designs and painted fabric patterns.

My dad thought those paintings and sketches might still be around. A few phone calls later and he'd tracked them down at his brother's house. They'd been packed away in a trunk for decades. My uncle agreed to send them up to us, and now they adorn the walls of my shop, beautiful ink drawings and watercolor paintings. They inspire me to dream big and not be afraid to risk in order to follow your dreams.

My modern-day Ethel is my friend Kaet who moved from Nebraska out to Los Angeles to pursue a career in modeling. She now travels the world on photoshoots and graces the covers of magazines. You can catch her now on the cover of Houston Magazine and Natural Health Magazine. Congratulations Kaet!