Hey there, what's up? Thank you so much for tuning in. My name is Chris Gellabo. You are listening to Side Usal School.

I want to welcome you as well to our Thursday segment. We call it Throwback Thursday. We didn't actually invent Throwback Thursday, but we borrowed that term.

We also call it Where Are They Now? Where we take an in-depth look at someone who's story has evolved since we first featured them.

I have been making this podcast for 1,629 days. Shout out to everybody who's been listening from the beginning or at least a good ways in.

If you just discovered the show this week, that's okay too, because everybody's welcome.

Together we are on this journey of creating personal freedom through the form of a money-making side project.

That's what it's all about. How can you do this in your own way without quitting your job?

Of course, also in a way that uses the skill you already have and develops your creativity.

It's just a good thing all around, all kinds of benefits. In this segment, as I said, a little bit of a throwback.

Last week we heard from a tea brand owner who climbed a steep path through COVID challenges.

Before that, we had premium cocktail pins, handbags for active women, and designer dog clothing, or designer clothing for dogs, as you prefer.

Today in our latest feature, we'll hear from a maker in Chicago who sells faith-based jewelry, in particular rosary beads.

This is a first-tatter on the show a couple of years ago. She has really expanded since.

She's selling on lots of different platforms and even in some stores with lots of new adventures, and of course a few challenges.

Her name is Maria, and let's hear directly from Maria about those things. I'll come back at the end to wrap us up.

Hi, my name is Maria Lauren. I'm from West Chicago, Illinois. The name of my business is Willow and Bee, and my side hustle episode was 807.

I make faith-based jewelry with my main focus being first communion pieces.

I got started selling jewelry when I was, my kids were going to school at St. Mike's, and it was a religious school, and I was creating rosaries and bracelets.

So after a while, I was being asked and approached by parents if I could provide some pieces for them or make something for them.

At that point, I decided maybe I should go ahead and create a store, so I opened up an Etsy shop, and after years of doing that, through some encouragement from my mom, she suggested, you know, why don't you go and ask if you could sell these at a retail store.

So I wasn't sure how you did that, but I went ahead and just sent out an e-mails, got in touch with a buyer, and my pieces are being sold also now at Von Mar.

So I saw, you know, that started the whole ball of wax going from selling at a retail store to boutiques, and, you know, I still sell on Etsy and Amazon Handmade.

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