Inside Tucson Business: This is one New Yorker who has contributed much to Tucson

This is one New Yorker who has contributed much to Tucson

By Gary Hirsch, Inside Tucson Business
Published on Monday, January 12, 2009

Laurie and Lisa Designs is a jewelry design company owned by Laurie Wetterschneider and her sister Lisa Peterson. Despite having spent most of her life in Tucson, Wetterschneider considers herself a ‘born and raised New Yorker.’ And who could blame her? The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art were her neighbors.

“My parents made sure I was exposed to art and culture,” she says. It also didn’t hurt that she “went to school with Leonard Bernstein’s children. They lived a block away and we stood around the piano while he played.”

Wetterschneider came to Tucson in May 1973. Following a heartthrob who was eight years older, she “came for summer session and stayed.”

She enrolled in the University of Arizona and graduated 2½ years later with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. Wetterschneider didn’t attend the graduation ceremonies.

“I was always looking forward,” she said. “I wanted to get out in the world — to work and participate.”

With her parents’ blessing Wetterschneider stayed in Tucson. She was hired by a TV station that rescinded the offer before she started, because it didn’t want to take a risk on a newcomer.

“It was a hard place. I knew I had to find a job so my parents would let me stay in Tucson,” she said.

Wanting to work, Wetterschneider landed a job selling radio commercials for the old KHYT, a pop music station on the AM dial.

“I knew nothing about that aspect of radio,” she said. “We went off the air at sunset and had the lowest ratings of any Tucson station.”

On straight commission she earned $8,000 in her first year. She had never before sold anything and knew nothing about radio sales but succeeded

“I really love people and I’ve never had ‘no’ in my vocabulary,” she said. “If you know how to approach people and present better and better ideas eventually they’ll buy.”

In 1981, a year after winning government approval to expand the station’s operations to broadcast both night and day, the station’s owner Bob Scholz died suddenly.

With help from her father and some investors who matched her sweat equity with cash Wetterschneider bought the station.

“At 24, I was the first female general manager of a radio station,” she said. “I was blessed with mentors like Jim Slone and Frank Lazarus (owners of other Tucson stations).”

The station grew and in 1987, the group purchased an FM station. Three years later she married Larry Wetterschneider, sold the stations, and refocused her life.

Laurie Wetterschneider accepted a part-time development position at Jewish Family and Children’s Services. She remembers, “I had volunteered with many organizations but working with the qualified counselors at JFCS was a real privilege.”

After seven years at JFCS, Wetterschneider had an epiphany. She began choking during a family dinner in a Wyoming diner. Two Heimlichs later she was fine — but changed.

“We talked about the importance of moving forward each moment in life,” she said. Wetterschneider loved JFCS but “knew” that she had done what she could and that it was time to move on. “It was like someone had their hand on my shoulder telling me what to do.”

The timing allowed her to enjoy her final year as general chair of Angel Charity for Children, one of her most treasured volunteer experiences.

In 2002, Wetterschneider, her mother and sister took a beading class.

”I don’t normally take time for frivolous activities and this seemed frivolous,” she said.

Wetterschneider and Peterson were hooked.

“We made pieces until our husbands told us to start selling the jewelry or start reusing the supplies,” she said. “It had gone way beyond a hobby.”

Laurie and Lisa Designs launched in early 2003. Karol Gugino, owner of Elements Home Accessories and Gifts, gave them their first break, followed by the Showcase Boutique at Canyon Ranch.

“They gave us an opportunity to sell there and we became a brand. They really launched our business,” Wetterschneider said.

But Wetterschneider also knew she didn’t want to build a large company.

“I’d managed people in radio. When you run a large company most of your time goes to managing people,” she said. “I want to spend time with my husband and family, to enjoy making jewelry and to be profitable. It’s working. Our designs are in Denver and Pebble Beach and we’re considering other markets.”

Wetterschneider adds fondly, “The most important thing that came out of Laurie and Lisa Designs is my connection with my sister. She was 11 when I left home now we have something we are doing together.”

Wetterschneider embraces detail. “I plan. I make lists and notice details.”

She also embraces best practices of companies like American Express.

“I want to be small and to be the best — even if it’s the best two-person business there is,” she said.

For anyone thinking of starting a business, Wetterschneider says “Listen and really hear what people want. Customers will tell you how to sell to them. Ask yourself whether owning a business fits into your life; it takes time and tremendous commitment.”

For people moving up the corporate ladder, she says, “investigate thoroughly. Conduct due diligence as if you were buying the business. It’s easy to get fooled and it can be difficult to get out gracefully.”

Laurie and Lisa Designs thrives on creativity.

“If we don’t have it we’ll design it,” she says. “It’s not unusual for us to create a design for an outfit a customer brings us. I do it because it’s my quiet time and because I can make a difference with proceeds from the business.”

This year Laurie and Lisa Designs has donated almost $100,000 of product to charities in Tucson, New York and California.

Laurie and Lisa Designs

www.laurieandlisadesigns.com/

(520) 429-0449

Tucson area retailers:

• Creative Arrangements by Sylvia in the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa, 3800 E. Sunrise Drive. www.creativearrangements.com (520) 615-8332

• Elements Home Accessories and Gifts, 6380 E. Grant Road. (520) 733-3399

• Museum Store in the Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave. (520) 624-2333 ext. 130

• Pour Moi, 1865 E. River Road in Joesler Village. www.pourmoi.net (520) 577-6351

• Showcase Boutique at Canyon Ranch, 8600 E. Rockcliff Road. (520) 749-7750

Got a suggestion for a future CEO Innerview? Contact Gary Hirsch at gary.hirsch@vistage.com or (520) 225-0373 to suggest a CEO or business owner for a future “Inner-view.” Hirsch is a group chair and executive coach with Vistage International - www.vistage.com - and leads a group of CEOs, company presidents and business owners who meet monthly. CEO Inner-view is a regular recurring feature in Inside Tucson Business.