Why I'm Here..and Why You Might Want to Stick Around

An introduction to scaling luxury brands from the heartland while mothering four kids and figuring it out as I go

Hi. I'm Retta, and six months ago I was having a full-blown identity crisis.

I had just re-launched my interior design practice after a strategic pause, while simultaneously trying to scale my fashion line Retta Jane, all while wondering if I had completely lost my mind. Sound familiar?

Here's the thing nobody tells you about building brands: it's messy as hell. And I'm tired of pretending it's not.

The Real Story

Twenty-three years ago, 9/11 changed everything. I was supposed to chase my fashion dreams in New York City, but life had other plans. So I came home to St. Louis and started building.

A luxury stationery company in my twenties. Marriage, then divorce. An award-winning interior design practice. Starting completely over. A strategic pause to focus on my new family. And now, scaling two luxury brands simultaneously while mothering four kids - two stepchildren (20 and 17) and two little ones (6 and 5).

The path hasn't been linear, but it's been mine.

Now I'm scaling both brands simultaneously from the heartland while everyone tells me luxury brands need to be built on the coasts.

Plot twist: I think they're wrong.

Why This Newsletter Exists

I started "Coming Home to Build" because I was tired of the perfect success stories. You know the ones - where everything falls into place, funding appears magically, and every decision was "obviously" the right one in retrospect.

That's not my story. My story includes:

• A five-figure vendor fraud that nearly broke me

• Crying in my car wondering if I was making terrible decisions

• Building two completely different luxury brands with no roadmap

• Proving that zip code doesn't determine your brand's potential

• Learning that the "right time" is a myth

What You'll Get Here

This is your backstage pass to watch someone figure it out in real time. No glossy Instagram highlights - just the truth about building beautiful things when life keeps happening.

I'll share:

• The weekly reality of scaling two brands

• Vendor disasters and small victories

• What it's really like to build luxury from an "unexpected" place

• The identity crises, strategic pivots, and moments of clarity

• How I'm proving that Midwest entrepreneurs can compete nationally

• And some lighter moments too - favorite finds, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and the little things that inspire the work

Who This Is For

You, if you're:

• Building something yourself and tired of perfect success stories

• Stuck in your own messy middle

• Curious about what it really takes to create something meaningful

• Ready to stop waiting for the "right time"

• Interested in the intersection of fashion, interiors, and entrepreneurship

Let's Build Something Beautiful

I don't have it all figured out, but I have grit for days. Join me as we prove that you don't need perfect timing, unlimited funding, or a coastal zip code to build something extraordinary.

The journey is messy, but it's also beautiful.

Ready to build without a blueprint?

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Welcome to Coming Home to Build. I'm so glad you're here.