Autumn Grossutti has been an entrepreneur all her life; she doesn’t need the certification from her Entrepreneur Program to tell her that.
Earning her certificate was just an essential step on a path that Grossutti has been on ever since she managed to make $175 in one month selling her handmade jewelry when she was 12; a relative fortune for someone that age. Achieving this high watermark of profits came with an epiphany that this was the direction her life should take. She has been running a series of small businesses ever since.
Grossutti’s path was blessed with the birth of her daughter, which created some detours along her journey. Grossutti took on jobs around Nakusp such as server and bartender but she always stayed true to her passion by continuing to be creative. She took opportunities to network with other entrepreneurs that would eventually form the foundation of a retail store venture.
“Its interesting how things walk into your life,” Grossutti muses, describing how the ideal building became available at just the right time to act as the catalyst for a timely change in her life.
All the pieces for a potential business venture were falling into place and Grossutti pursued her vision with fierce determination by tackling a three-year renovation plan and completing the Entrepreneur Program. The certification she earned legitimized her small business applications and with it came an invaluable mentor in Kay Ryan from New Denver.
“Kay helped me with my business plan and is a great mentor,” Grossutti acknowledges. “She was a contact, someone I could talk to and she knew all the ins and outs of starting a small business.”
Grossutti also received amazing support from the ladies at Work B.C..
On June 30 Grossutti reached the logical milestone for any entrepreneur and celebrated the grand opening of her own store, Betty’z Edje.
Artistic in nature and full of surprises, Betty’z Edje fills a unique niche in Nakusp by the sale and promotion of an inventory that is composed of 85 per cent Kootenay and 15 per cent regional B.C sources.
“We have such beautiful products being made by people right here,” Grossutti emphasizes. “We need to support each other and keep the money close to home.”
On display at Betty’z Edje (to name a few items) are soaps, pottery, recycled art and funky clothing including selections of Grossutti’s own upcycling line.
“I like to take something that’s old, that no one necessarily wants, and make it into something desirable,” Grossutti explains.
While the store is an important achievement for Grossutti, it does not signify the end of her journey. A self-proclaimed life-long learner, Grossutti is constantly searching for new skills to master and new products to create.
“There is no way this is the end,” Grossutti assures, “but I do wonder where this is going to take me now.”