Sami Welter has been right in Valparaiso since birth. After graduating from Valparaiso High School (VHS), Welter then went off to Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. The traveling of her life hasn’t been limited to the Region, however.
After graduating from Purdue, Welter moved to Houston, Texas. There she lived for about six years, working full-time. She once attended a Houston Rockets game, where she noticed the team had cheerleaders. This made her think back to her experience being on a team while in college. Then she realized she could do the same, and so she decided to try out for the squad. As good fortune would have it, she ended up making the cut, forming some lifelong friendships throughout her two-year stay.
Welter eventually left the fast-paced life in Houston and moved back to Indiana after a stint of just a few years in the Lone Star State. She then started online ELLA JAYMS, a women’s lifestyle boutique, in 2016, with the mission of giving back to local nonprofits in the surrounding area being the company’s primary priority. A brick-and-mortar location is now standing in downtown Valpo, she and the company are only bound to continue journeying on and up.
Starting her own company is something Welter’s always wanted to do. She grew up surrounded by the right influences and used all the inspiration she got from them to build herself up. Now, she isn’t alone in inspiring others in much the same manner she was, as she works alongside eight young women who are here to impact the community with her.
“I grew up with parents who were very entrepreneurial small-business owners, so I think I have the blood for this business. I started out as a one-woman show and it's been amazing. I've never been one to shy away from hard work or getting the job done. The same goes for all my wonderful co-workers. Together we just celebrated our third anniversary this summer,” she said.
Another one of Welter’s main business desires is to make customers happy. Satisfying those who allow her company to stay afloat is certainly something that takes precedence over other management matters. Yet, when either a regular or a new customer simply strolls through the store she sees someone else’s time is being put into what takes up so much of hers.
“I'm really grateful to be able to have the opportunity to do what I do. When customers walk through our store, I think it's the coolest thing. People are taking time out of their day to come and see us. What we want to be sure of, then, is that they leave happier than when they came in. My team and I want to make sure that customers only hold smiles on their faces,” she said.
Welter is a board member of the Porter County Community Foundation. The position grants her the chance to learn more about the needs of the community around her. Knowing about such information opens up a way for her company to better understand how to support certain campaigns, even organizing ones themselves. One of those is Lightly Loved, an initiative centered on asking customers to donate back purchased articles of clothing hanging without much love in the closet.
“Lightly Loved has been great for getting our customers involved in hands-on activities with the running of the company. All the profits donated go to Dressed for School, which is a local nonprofit in town. That was so successful for us. We received such great feedback from our customers. We all have things in our closets that we can give up, and when we know that they’re going to someone in need, I think that’s a really great thing,” she said.
Life away from work for Welter is peaceful. She and her husband have two dogs they are both obsessed with and together enjoy spending time outside. She accompanies and plays the sport with her husband whenever he is in the mood to shoot 18 on the golf course. Her head’s in a book during the evenings when she’s returned home from a long day at work, and her urge to aid with various philanthropic projects keeps her busy.
Managing a business is no walk-in-the-park. Nevertheless, being located in Valparaiso makes her load a little lighter because of the seemingly endless backing she gets from the community. Without that support, the area as a whole wouldn’t be the special entity it has become to her.
“The community support is astounding. The fact that we have so many amazing independently owned small businesses makes the area feel lively. The number of unique shops and restaurants we have here is impressive. It’s clear that they’re loved, too, and they’re obviously a part of the pull for people to come to Valpo. That's something that’s really cool, seeing how everything’s grown over the years,” she said.