It was the reality of limitations that taught Donna Letier the possibility of abundance. When her daughter Jillian was born with special needs and physical disabilities, she wasn’t expected to live long. Now 19, Jillian has a fighting spirit and an indomitable will. “She chooses to be happy every day,” says her mom. Jillian’s inspiration has guided Donna, 53, through a career in design, retail, and direct sales and has recently sown the seeds for Gardenuity, her latest venture.
Launched March 1, Gardenuity is attracting intergenerational sellers, couples in retirement who want to try something new, as well as younger sellers who want to choose how much time they spend gardening. That’s OK with Letier, who knows that life happens in seasons. “There were times when Jillian was younger that she’d be in the hospital for weeks at a time. It was hard to do conference calls and work from a hospital room,” she says.
Gardenuity is all about “creating your own garden of abundance,” Letier says. She’d like to bring back the ideas of harvesting to modern life. In addition to Jillian, Letier’s home team includes husband Scott Letier and daughter Madison. At the Uptown office accented in the company’s signature orange, Donna and her leadership team— Julie Eggers, Hudson Weschel, and Diane Laner—redefine the home gardening experience—with mascot Jillian cheering them on.