Featured Interview: Wendy Bird, Gifts That Lift

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The following interview was written by Jessica Cryer, Startup Princess writer:

Christmas is less than two weeks away and the pressure is on to find that perfect, meaningful gift. Wish Granted. This post provides information on how to get the most beautiful pearl jewelry at amazing prices. And what’s better than beautiful hand made jewelry? How about knowing each purchase you make helps fund a non-profit organization empowering disadvantaged Filipino mothers.

Today we’re featuring Startup Princess Wendy Bird and her company, Gifts That Lift. It began in 2002 when this mother of 5 decided to start a home-based business selling pearl jewelry. The original name of the company was My Princess Pearls and allowed her to sell at home parties and local events. She found a dependable source in the Philippines named Amara Flordeliza to supply the pearl jewelry. Within weeks of starting the business Amara informed Wendy of the horrible living conditions and dire circumstances of the women making the jewelry. Wendy realized the opportunity to help these women and wasted no time starting her non-profit organization Pearls With A Purpose.

Pearls with Purpose provides clothing, food, and educational supplies to 29 villages in the Philippines helping thousands. This mission is clear; to provide immediate relief, long term educational assistance and to teach these mothers skills to positively change their lives forever.

In 2006 Gifts That Lift became the parent company for My Princess Pearls and includes many other products. Gifts That Lift offers shoes, shirts, quilts and other products, but pearls still remain their best-seller. By keeping the cost of their product “fair and honest” they are able to move more product and in turn help more Filipino families. Each time you make a purchase you are helping these mothers, so go ahead and splurge!

Enjoy meeting Startup Princess Wendy Bird!

Hometown: California

Current Residence (City, State): Lehi, Utah

Education: 2 yr BYU, 1 yr- UofU

Professional Background (brief, please): 5 years running a 501c3 non-profit, Pearls with a Purpose Foundation, and two for-profit entities, My Princess Pearls and Gifts That Lift.

What you wanted to be when you grew up: a teacher or a truck driver, I liked to drive and travel, and I love children

What you are: a multi-tasking, brain-racking, running-on-empty, completely-hysterical 40-year old with a passion and a cause

Brief Summary of your Start Up: Began as a direct selling opportunity that turned humanitarian when living conditions were discovered in the area where the pearls were sourced. Non-profit began with the intent to help build and create self reliance through education, donations and training.

Company Website? www.myprincesspearls.com, www.giftsthatlift.net (movie) and www.pearlswithapurpose.org (foundation)

What inspired you? Humanitarian opportunity (the need) and God, and all those voices in my head…they wouldn’t shut up!! JK!!

How long have you been in business? 5 years, 7 weeks, 5 days and 14 hours

How did you fund it? BOOTSTRAPPING BABY! Plus we have worked with investors, SBA, credit cards and even tax returns!

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? Thousands, I am blessed with many in my corner.

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? Hundreds, Corporate Alliance, Salt Lake Chamber, NAWBO, UWABC, Lehi and American Fork Chamber, Lehi Rotary Club, Exchange Club and various other groups.

Current Business Challenge? Systems, reliable/trustworthy employees, time management, and cloning.

What are you doing about it? Burning the midnight oil, wearing 37 hats, running 90 mph, praying for a miracle and implementing lots of strategies. Plus I talk to lots of people to keep the brain waves flowing. I believe in the principle of having hundreds of people giving me ten percent of their time/efforts vs. one person giving me 100% of their time/efforts.

Favorite motivational quote: “Just Do It”

Family? One amazing husband, 3 fantastic boys (17, 14, 10) and 2 splendid daughters (16, and a male and female AKC Fawn Pugs named Jocko and Jacie.

If so, how do you balance family and business? I put my family first, regardless. The rest just falls into place.

Favorite book? Any current business book that offers solutions to current problems I am experiencing. I have read hundreds and each one I have coursed through has offered me my ‘ah-ha’ for how to solve a dilemna. Then I tell everyone about it in case they are looking for the same solution…I am a great promoter! I also glean a lot of remarkable information from random magazine articles in Connect, Utah Business Magazine, and then of course googling on the web.

What do you do to relax? Ironically, I feel most relaxed when things are ‘checked-off’ the to do list, so to relax, I get busy. When I find myself getting the most stressed, (usually in California traffic) I turn on a great song from a MOC CD and I become the best air drummer on the steering wheel this side of the Mississippi. Now that’s relaxing.

What do you want to change most about your world? My personal world? I would change my rarely existing self-care program. My business world? I would change how others perceive things in unknown situations and the World world? I would pursue education, service and self reliance in disadvantaged countries.

What are you most proud of? The unconditional love, patience, and acceptance of my family to allow me to pursue this path, in spite of it’s rockiness.

What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses? You never know what you think you know and when you find out what you didn’t know it turns out that you needed to know it sooner, so talk less, listen more, and implement quickly.

Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? Any new electronic gadgetry that speeds up communication effectiveness and processing. (Skype, blackberry, blogging, and so on. ) On a human level, it is anyone that allows me to turn to them in a crisis and they actually magically make a needed miracle happen. Many times this is my husband!

If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? Giant 24mm pearls in Tahitian, Pink, White and Golden South Salt seas.

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