Article in Eagle Newspaper March 2011
Dolores Forsythe, 64 owner of d Forsythe, Unique jewelry from around the world, opened her boutique in the Winchester building above Village Pizzeria five years ago. She said owning a jewelry store was never her ambition as she earlier advanced the corporate ladder in the cosmetic world and later spent her career years traveling for her own executive coaching business but, as always in hindsight it all fit together.
"I never regret the early years I spend teaching elementary school in a small rural town in Texas. I just knew I wanted more, more excitement, more money, more challenges. So I went back to school for a masters degree and relaunched myself in the corporate world. She continued, "divorced and without children, as a single woman I knew it was now or never. I could go anywhere, I could do anything. Or so I thought." She laughs.
"I conducted a national job search and landed a job in Stanford, Connecticut as the Director of Training for Walden Book Stores. This was a huge leap for me. But from then on I knew how to play the corporate game," she smiled. "From there I was hired as an executive by Germaine Montiel cosmetics in New York. I thought this had to be the most glamorous, exciting job of my life. I couldn't believe it. Spending my work days teaching women how to apply makeup instead of kids how to tie their shoes."
After meeting Allan, her husband of 23 years, she moved to San Diego and set up a consulting/executive coaching business. Applying the lessons she'd learned in the corporate world Dolores ran her successful business, Alternative Solution. And finally after 10 years was burnt out.
"While traveling in Southeast Asia on holiday with Allan, Dolores was drawn to the plight of the women in Vietnam. "They were the hardest working women I'd ever seen and though they didn't make but $40 per month they were happy. My heart went out to them. I wanted to help them improve their business practices," she shared. "But, all they wanted was to do business in America."
Dolores continues, "I bought 14 strands of pink pearls from a lovely Vietnamese woman, Huong and came home to figure out how to sell them. I closed my consulting business and concentrated on marketing pearls. I started a small business out of my home selling pearls. And I vowed to always contribute a portion of my profits back to the women in third world countries. I had no idea what I was doing. Thank goodness the pearls were so beautiful they sold themselves." That was 11 years ago.
From the looks of your store you sell much more than pearls. What happened? We asked. "Five years ago I attended the International Jewelry Show in Bangkok, Thailand and felt I had found Nirvana. I bought the most amazing gemstone jewelry designs I'd ever seen. I had no idea how I was going to sell it all but I knew I'd have to move out of my home office if I was going to sell more than pearls."
How did you ever expect customers to find you upstairs, above Village Pizzeria? We asked Dolores. "At first I really didn't know but, I'd been teaching executives how to run successful businesses for years. So I thought if I could teach it, I could do it. And it seems I was right." she said.
Tell us about your favorite pieces in the shop, we asked. "Well, since then we've traveled to many other countries, Turkey, Nepal, Laos, Bali and Cambodia and bought amazing jewelry every where it's hard to chose. I guess my current favorites are the rough cut rubies and emeralds set in silver and gold-plating from India. They are gorgeous and affordable. And of course I'm still in love with pearls but now I like the unusual large pearls in all colors. And next month we go back to Turkey for more,” Dolores said.
