On IC Insights every week we will be featuring an exceptional and inspiring person and asking them what made them choose to do what they do now as well as their views on success and fulfillment.
As our first guest, we are delighted that Gabrielle Yetter, creator of the Brightside Group and the Screaming Pillow, graciously accepted to be featured. Her story is inspiring and we’d like to share it with you...
Gabrielle Yetter and her Screaming Pillows
IC: Gabrielle, we’d love to know what you’re doing right now – can you describe your work a little?
Gabrielle: I recently
launched a new company, The Brightside Group, and created a product called the
Screaming Pillow. It is designed so that you can scream into it when you need
to vent your feelings (and we all need to scream sometimes, don’t we?)
Place face here and scream...
IC:
It sounds unique – and something we can all use! So, is this something that you
love to do and want to continue doing?
Gabrielle:
Definitely! Having worked for many years in the corporate world, I find this
business so much more rewarding since it is based on a personal story. I feel
that my success is based on telling Katy’s story and, in return, have heard
some wonderful stories from customers and why they bought the pillow.
IC: Gabrielle, can you tell us the story behind the Screaming Pillow? What made you choose to do what you do now?
Gabrielle: I believe
this was chosen for me instead of the other way around. It came about after my
sister and her baby were killed in a car crash in South Africa and my mother
was counseled by a therapist to scream into a pillow to vent her emotions. I
decided to turn a tragic situation into something positive and named my company
after Katy, who was born in Brighton, England, and whose maiden name was Said
(pronounced ‘Side’). I wanted to inspire people to look on the bright side of
dark situations. But when I started to create the Screaming Pillow many years
ago, it got put to one side. When I started it up again last year I discovered
all my old hand-written notes and prototypes I had carried around the world
with me. Something was telling me not to toss them out.
I have always followed a path of looking at the glass half full, or completely full. This business satisfies my craving to spread joy and positive messages as well as my creative urge to leave behind something which has meaning.
IC: What is the one thing you would tell anyone who is looking for a way to start doing what he/she loves?
Gabrielle: I would say, don’t try too hard to find the ‘perfect’ direction. For many years, I struggled as I felt that I had to find ‘passion’ and felt dissatisfied with myself that I couldn’t find it. When this business popped into my head, quite out of the blue after I had been laid off, I realized that this fulfilled the ‘personal passion’ I had been trying so hard to find all along. If you know what you love and what you would like to do, I would suggest plunging ahead and doing it. If you can’t afford to quit your job, do it on the side or as a hobby until you can. And if you don’t know what lights your fire, don’t despair. Keep doing what feels right for you.
IC: Gabrielle, that is pure wisdom – passion can come at anytime and in any form! Finally, can you tell us how you view social networking tools and which ones you use?
Gabrielle: I have used
social networking tools extensively for my business...starting to spread the
“buzz” before I launched and then continuing to distribute messages regularly.
IC: Gabrielle, we're so glad you took the time out to answer our questions. I wish you much continued success with your company - thank you for being our first guest on Insights!
If you would like to find out more about Gabrielle’s company The Brightside Group and her wonderful Screaming Pillow, which retails at $19.99 (plus shipping & handling), then please visit her at www.screamingpillows.com
