Jill's Journal: These are the stories of ‘us’

Last week I had the opportunity to interview a variety of people about a variety of endeavors. That’s a typical week for me in the weekly news business. It’s also one of the things that I love the most about bearing the title of “editor,” is meeting new people, hearing their stories, then sharing them in words and photographs with our readers.

For the first time, I met Starla Jackson, who with assistance from her husband, Jamie, have opened a new business in Brandon, Laundry Evolved.

In our discussion, I learned that Starla left a lucrative career as a dental hygienist at a practice in Sioux Falls to begin the laundry service. She did it for two very personal reasons: Her children, Olivia and Cam, and the flexibility to be their mom when the need arises.

I listened to the excitement in her voice as she told me her plans for growing the business and decorating the space. It’s the same excitement I experienced nearly nine years ago setting up the Brandon Valley Journal.

I imagine we also experienced some of the same fears and doubts, yet, we pushed them aside and remained determined to do what we set out to do.

That same night, I was welcomed into Nik and Stacie Aamlid’s newly remodeled home on South Parkview Boulevard. What I saw was pure beautiful. 

But it wasn’t over-the-top. You could clearly see that HGTV personalities Chelsea and Cole DeBoer captured the needs of this busy family of seven. The design choices were beautiful, yet simple enough that would allow the Aamlids to live life comfortably. Dings in the new appliances, and all.

I also had the opportunity to meet with Penny Paclik and her daughter, Tiffany Hansen, on the business and franchise they’ve built that is designed solely to bring out the best in their clients, and their franchisees.

I listened to Penny tell me what led to setting up 3 Degrees, an infrared sauna business, and the wholistic benefits that come 40 minutes a time in the warm environment. I listened closely as she talked about her own personal well-being journey, about her weight loss and how this new mindset led her drive to make positive changes in her own life. I also heard her desire to help others do the same. And that message was echoed by Tiffany, who will, without a doubt, pass on this same knowledge to her two daughters.

Although all three stories were different in their own way, they do have commonalities, like perseverance, hard work, determination, the importance of family, and an end goal.

All while all three stories may not be “hard news” stories, they are the stories of “us,” and I’m happy to tell them.