January 8: Rachel Schwemmer, stella & dot

Rachel Schwemmer

When you first meet Rachel Schwemmer, you'd better be ready to shop. No, she's not at all pushy or even slightly aggressive in her sales pitch. Just one look at her chic style will make you reach for your wallet and say "here, just tell me what you are wearing and I'll buy it". I first met Rachel at an event for Pittsburgh Fashion week during the spring of 2011. As I walked around to each of the vendor tables at the event, I was immediately drawn to Rachel's Stella& Dot table. She was there with a friend (whom I believe was another consultant) and they were both friendly and outgoing. I actually had to tear myself away from the conversation to return to my own booth, which had been forgotten as soon as I stepped up to Rachel's table. Rachel later made her way over to me and we had the chance to talk some more, and we left that day as friends. Since then Rachel and I have kept in contact and she has given me several valuable business opportunities that I hope to be able to return in kind someday.

Rachel Schwemmer (left) with a friend at a Stella & Dot event

Rachel started with Stella & Dot in July 2009 on a whim. Someone had sent her a link to their website and she instantly fell in love; in fact, she signed up the next day. Rachel had no idea what she was doing. She thought she'd make a little money and earn some cute jewelry, maybe hold a trunk show or two and quit...but she was so wrong. To start, she thought that the company was amazing. Rachel was so impressed with the high quality product, the packaging, the customer service..they were blowing her mind. And after a trunk show or two, Rachel realized how much she LOVED getting out, socializing and styling women. Rachel had been a fashion merchandising major in college and she worked for Kaufmann's Department Store for years before she decided to leave work to start a family. Rachel had taken 8 years off and had NO idea how much she missed working. Long story short, her hobby job has turned into a full fledged career. Rachel makes her own hours working around her family's busy schedule. She holds trunk shows all over the greater Pittsburgh area and beyond, personally style friends and clients and help women all over the country start their own Stella & Dot business. Rachel likes to say she am in the "Happiness" business. The best part of her job? All the amazing, bold women she has met along the way. Oh, and Rachel's personal jewelry collection is pretty nice too!

 

Stella & Dot Pegasus Necklace, $198

 

Stella & Dot is a San Francisco based social selling company that creates flexible entrepreneurial opportunities for women. Their boutique-style vintage inspired jewelry and accessories line is available exclusively through in-home Trunk Shows by Independent Stylists and online. Their one of a kind collections are designed by celebrated New York designers and featured in all the top fashion magazines and is worn on the wrists and necklines of today's hottest celebrities. Their innovative social shopping concept brings together the best of ecommerce, social media, personal service and passionate earning to create the ultimate home based business for today's modern woman.

Stella & Dot Starfish Brooch, $44

Visit Rachel's website, "like" her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter to keep up with what's new with Rachel and Stella and Dot.