Daily Inspiration: Meet Nicole Wilbur

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Wilbur. 

Hi Nicole, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My name is Nicole Wilbur. I grew up in a family of 6 children in the small town of Algonac. I was very fortunate throughout my life to grow up in a two-parent household with hard-working parents that made sure my siblings and I always knew we were loved, had everything we needed, and that we knew we were capable of achieving anything we set our minds to and were willing to work for. 

I always knew I wanted to help people. I wasn’t sure right away what that would look like, but was fortunate to have the opportunity to work my way through college at Grand Valley State University where I was introduced to the field of Social Work. It didn’t take long to find that this field I knew such little about at the time, would become my lifelong passion. I went on to earn my Master’s Degree in Social Work with a certification in Schools at Wayne State University. From there, I continued to work in the restaurant industry as a bartender and manager full time, until I was offered my first job as a Social Worker/ Discharge Planner at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital. 

-I worked at Henry Ford Macomb full time for 3 years and continued working on a contingent basis there- I have been there for over 17 years now. 

-I interviewed for a hospice position at Seasons Hospice after being prompted to do so by a former colleague- I worked there full time for 3 years. 

-I was requested to interview for Visiting Nurses Association and worked with them to help develop their palliative care team while working in both Hospice and Home Care arenas. 

-I interviewed with the Children’s Brain injury program after being asked to apply 3 times over the course of a year and a half. Though I loved my position at VNA, my children were younger and my husband’s shifts were not consistent. I took the opportunity to take the position closer to home with more consistent hours and less distance from my family. 

-I only considered leaving my wonderful position at Children’s when I was offered a job with L’Anse Creuse Public Schools. 

It has always been my goal to make the greatest, most positive impact on as many individuals and communities as possible. I enjoyed working with individuals of all ages, their parents/ guardians, and other stakeholders for over 10 years before my sister and I were asked to take over the Self Esteem Shop. 

Self Esteem Shop was started nearly 30 years ago. It began as a shop in Dearborn, primarily for substance abuse, and was sold to Harry and DeeDee Gruenberg. Harry and DeeDee began offering more resources and support, specific to therapists, and started to travel the country bringing the resources to continuing education events for therapists and other helping professions. They also added the website and began shipping products around the world. 

When Self Esteem Shop was purchased on January 1, 2019, by myself, Nicole Wilbur, and my sister, Kathryn Thomas, we moved the store to Casco, Michigan where our nonprofit organization was set up. We added all of the affordable tools and strategies that we had been working hard to get into the hands of those that needed them. It is in our current location that we have our store-front and base for all operations including our web sales. We pack and ship every order ourselves that comes in off the website or via email or phone. Our mission and vision is to support education, wellness, and success within the community by selling books, games, toys, sensory and fidget items in addition to all other resources to support everything from general socio-emotional learning, health, and wellness to very individualized, unique challenges from mental health and substance abuse to grief and loss, inspiration, motivation and more for all ages and stages from infants through professionals. 

Self Esteem Shop was originally established as an LLC, in a 50/50 partnership as sisters/ partners. September 1, 2021, I became the sole owner. We are located at 9568 Marine City Hwy., Building A, Casco, MI 48064 in an industrial building complex, on a very busy road, in an area that is quickly growing and expanding. The store is a quick 2 1/2 miles off of I-94, approximately halfway between Port Huron and Detroit. In just the past several years, multiple businesses have broken ground and opened up including a Jiffy Lube, multiple restaurants, an Urgent Care, and a Beaumont Clinic just to name a few- all within 2 Miles of us. 

Mission statement: Our mission and vision is to support education, wellness, and success within the community 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As a new business, we have already been required to significantly shift and adapt. A few key challenges we have already overcome include: 

-Unexpected, quick shift as a business owner from the beginning. We had one month to make a decision to take over the business- my dream. An opportunity I never expected would present itself so early in my life. 

– Pandemic began 1 year in. Covid shutdowns forced over 70 conferences to cancel and the loss of an estimated minimum of $300,000 in sales last year alone. Where this completely changed our income and ability to pay off the new website that had to be built and all of the inventory we invested in, to prepare for the conferences, failure was not an option. The effects were financially devastating. 

But… We pivoted. We switched to offer zoom meetings for personal and group appointments, increased purchase orders, offered complete grant fulfillments, worked tirelessly to keep the business on track. We applied for multiple grants, PPP x 2, Government Disaster Loan, and increased participation in the Anchor Bay Chamber of Commerce including chairing a networking group. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Why we are different: We offer a trifecta of services to meet the needs of our community- both local and around the world including our brick-and-mortar store, our website, and our mobile store that we travel the country with to get the resources into the hands of those that need them. 

Our mission and vision is to support education, wellness, and success within the community by selling books, games, toys, sensory and fidget items in addition to all other resources to support everything from general socio-emotional learning, health, and wellness to very individualized, unique challenges from mental health and substance abuse to grief and loss, inspiration, motivation and more for all ages and stages from infants through professionals. 

We accept purchase orders, offer complete grant fulfillment, provide customized considerations for unique situations and challenges, and offer education to professionals, community members, and other stakeholders. 

• We are proud to partner with numerous organizations to provide community resources, education, and tools to meet their needs and best address their pain points. 

• Self Esteem Shop offers every community member a free book from our vestibule (one per person, per day- no purchase necessary)

• Self Esteem Shop offers a free lending library upstairs where customers can select a book to informally check out and return whenever they would like. No due date and if they end up loving, they may keep it!

• Self Esteem Shop offers FREE meeting space for small groups including free lunch and learn (they simply pay for their own meal if desired). Self-care and other presentations are available based upon request.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
In the next five to ten years, Self Esteem Shop will increase our reach by an estimated 50%. Our customized consultations with caring team members, ensure we are exemplifying our mission to maximize health, wellness, and balance in every aspect of their lives. Self Esteem Shop is committed to utilize every avenue to grow including considering multiple locations, enhancing our website and virtual connections in addition to our mobile store. From a community perspective, we continue to work hard to share our presence and resources to meet the growing mental health needs that are being more widely recognized in light of the pandemic. Another trend that is anticipated, includes a shift back to the desire for more books in print versus electronic versions, Self Esteem Shop is excited to continue to support professionals, community members, and other stakeholders around the world! 

Contact Info:

• Email: selfesteemshop@gmail.com
• Website: selfesteemshop.com
• Instagram: @selfesteemshop
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/selfesteemshop

Image Credits
Nicole Wilbur
Anchor Bay
Chamber of Commerce