This book details the life-journey of Stella Baum Braunstein, an entrepreneur during a period when that term seldom referred to a woman. It begins with her early years as the child of Eastern European immigrants in the low-income section of Philadelphia, and a teacher who characterizes her as having leadership qualities recognized by others even when she herself did not see them. While still a teenager, Stella worked for a jeweler. Her sales ability so impressed him that he sent this 18-year-old on a buying trip to New York City, authorized to order up to $10,000 worth of Trifari jewelry. This led to custom-designing jewelry, then to persuading the owner of a dress salon to grant her a space for a jewelry concession in his store. Eventually she had her own dress salon stocked with top of the line fashions from NYC and West Coast designers. Stella's other businesses included "Décor by Stella" (decorating homes). She had three convenience stores for a period of sixteen years, during which she won national recognition for innovative practices. In real estate she was a "Million Dollar" realtor, and in her "spare hours" she added working at a farm market. This book fulfills Stella's twenty-year dream of sharing her business methods and experiences as well as showing others how they can succeed. Her motto has always been: "If they can do it, you can do it - better!" Look for chapter 12. This great Self Help chapter zeroes in on Stella's method for recognizing and following your dreams, and the steps you can take for your personal success.
About the Author: Stella Baum, child of Eastern European immigrants, was born in the low-income section of Philadelphia as the country was pulling out of the Depression years. Her teacher was instrumental in convincing her that she was leadership quality. The young Stella began practicing self-talk principles which she continued in the years that she moved from one business to the next. She was only 18 when the owner of the jewelry store recognized her salesmanship, and gave her an extraordinary opportunity to order (and sell) up to $10,000 worth of jewelry for his store. She developed her gifts of jewelry design into a business, persuading the owner of a local dress salon to let her have a concession in his store. From this beginning she went on eventually to having her own dress salon which provided top quality clothes for many of Philadelphia's wealthy women. Later, in addition to Home Decorating, she with her son owned three convenience stores for 16 years. Then she branched out into real estate, becoming a Million Dollar Realtor. All was not success and joy--along the way she also had her share of unsuccessful ventures. But that did not stop her from flinging herself wholeheartedly into new things, such as working at a farm market to fill in some empty hours between other jobs. She began that venture at age 70. Stella finally retired at age 80, and now lives with her daughter. She is still enthusiastic about helping others find their God-given gifts and use them to create a useful and joyful life.