Jess Gebauer, founder of Krysset in Yardley, joins us for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had about what it really takes to build a business.

From spending decades in the jewelry industry to walking away from it completely, Jess shares how she pivoted into building something bigger than just a store. She breaks down the mindset shift from maker to business builder, and why being the “hype person” for others became her superpower.

We get into the realities of opening a storefront, the misconception that business owners “have it made,” and how small towns don’t grow through competition, but through collaboration. Jess explains her philosophy of giving people just one more reason to come back and how that approach helped shape not just her business, but the entire local community.

And then we go deeper.

Jess opens up about the first two years of Krysset being the hardest season of her life, not because of the business, but because of what was happening at home. It’s a raw look at what it means to keep showing up when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

If you’re building something, thinking about starting, or just trying to keep going, this episode is a reminder that success isn’t about perfection. It’s about grit, community, and putting one foot in front of the other... again and again.