Buffalo Grove business caters to people who have lost their pet

Q: Describe your business. What do you do?

A: RestInGlass.com is an Internet business that sells custom pendants for pet owners who recently lost their pet. These memorial pendants are created from multiple layers of dichroic glass that have been fused together in a kiln. The ashes of the pet’s remains are placed in the center of the pendant. Dichroic glass is a special type of glass that reflects multiple colors, depending on the angle at which is viewed. The end result is a highly luminescent pendant with an unusual amount of brilliance and shine. The website offers a variety of pendant styles, ranging in price from $50 to $65.

Q: What made you start your business?

A: I’ve been selling dichroic glass pendants on the Internet for the past 6 years on my website, LetItBeGlass.com. About 2 years ago, someone approached me, asking if I could create a dichroic glass pendant with ashes for their recently departed dog. I experimented with the process and found a technique that produces a nice pendant, with the ashes still visible. From this experience, I ended up creating a new website that specializes in dichroic memorial pet pendants.

Q: What has been the most difficult obstacle in running or starting a small business? A: Creating the pendants is the easy part. I’ve found that there’s quite a bit of work involved in the creation and maintenance of websites. Another challenge I face is in photographing the pendants to produce the best effect. Since dichroic glass reflects light and emits multiple colors, it takes some work to get just the right light to capture the beauty of the glass.

Q: What do you enjoy most about operating your business?

A: It’s nice to know that I provide some small amount of comfort for those who have lost their pets. As a pet owner myself, I know what it’s like when that happens.

Q: Is this what you pictured yourself doing when you were young? When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A: I was interested in photography when I was young. I had my own darkroom and enjoyed the creativity of developing photos. Over the years, my creative interests turned to glass. I worked with stained glass for many years, then turned to kiln fused glass.

Q: What keeps you up at night?

A: Nothing. When I’m facing any type of problem, I usually find that a good night’s sleep magically provides the answer I was searching for.

Q: If you could give one tip to a rookie business owner, what would it be?

A: You should pursue your own interests, whatever they may be. The trick is to channel that interest into something useful that other people may want to acquire.

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