What a joy to feature Helain Pesis, owner of Continental Diamond, in my “Inspiring Women” column for Minnesota Business magazine. Helain shared her journey from being an elementary school teacher to owning a business, and explained that the secret to her success has been “staying open to life’s opportunities.”
Continental Diamond modestly opened its doors in 1981 with just a few diamonds and herringbone chains in an apartment Helain and Jimmy carpeted and painted. Although Jimmy had owned a business before, he and Helain had no previous retail or jewelry experience; they took a diamond class and the rest is history. They grew the company one customer at a time, focusing on relationships and customer service.