After teacher burnout, she stitched together a new career as a fabric store owner

Teaching kindergarten with limited resources and no aide was already a challenge for Madee Weisner of Minneapolis, Minnesota. But when the pandemic came along, Weisner reached her breaking point.

“I was just like, ‘OK, I just don't think I can handle this emotionally anymore,’” Weisner said. “And so I quit teaching.”

Weisner said she left her career with no plan for what might come next, but some fashion classes at a technical college led to an idea: launching Open Studio Sewing, a fabric store and community space.

“I had never even worked in a store and I don't have any business background or education or anything,” Weisner said. “Sometimes I feel like I have no clue what I'm doing.”

Listen above to hear her story.