The Story of She Beads

She dreams....

It started in 1993, when lifelong artist and designer, Sandy Rueve was working as an x-ray technician for the Chicago Bulls. When Michael Jordan discovered her stringing beads one night in the locker room, he asked her to make a bracelet for him. "I wasn't making my own clay beads at the time," says Sandy, "but I had some clay in my basement, and I used his request as motivation to learn how to hand-roll clay beads. It was, after all, Michael Jordan!" Soon after, she was overwhelmed with requests for her clay beads. Sandy's dream had always been to use her artistic talents and gifts to touch people's lives. She had finally found her creative niche. She Beads® was born.

Hear Sandy talk about it herself:
She Dreams

She creates....

For the first few years She Beads was truly a cottage industry. "My basement became the production studio as I worked to develop my signature She Beads palette and style." In the early days, Sandy sold She Beads anywhere from pancake breakfasts to arts and crafts festivals in and around the Chicago area. From the very beginning, women instantly embraced She Beads uniqueness, quality and style. As She Beads began to grow, so did Sandy's commitment to inspire people through her art. Sandy created the Pink Ribbon Line™ of She Beads at the request of the Pink Ribbon Girls. This effort helped to solidify She Beads philanthropic efforts and became the cornerstone of The Charity Bead Collection™.

She beads...

The demand for Sandy's clay beads has grown considerably since the Chicago Bulls' heyday. Today, with over 30 employees, a 4000 square foot production facility, two retail stores on Chicago's North Shore and over 60 retail partners and Sales Divas, She Beads touches many people's lives daily. "The success of She Beads comes from our personal relationships with our customers. It is our goal to provide products that are as distinctive as the customers who love them. We strive to provide something for everyone" explains Sandy. She is still personally involved in the details of every design and takes pride in the personal service and customer satisfaction that She Beads offers.

Hear more from Sandy:
She Beads