From Corporate Career to Vintage Shop Owner
Tricia Orlebeke ‘16
Over the course of a 26-year corporate career at a company that published stationery, calendars and specialty items, Tricia Orlebeke ’16 built deep expertise in distribution management, third-party logistics and order fulfillment. But when the company was bought and sold multiple times – and new leadership required that she hold a college degree to continue in her role – she decided to invest in herself. She turned to WCTC and enrolled in the Business Management program.
“I wanted to take classes that would benefit me, as I knew one day I would own my own business.” she said, noting WCTC’s flexibility and affordability also factored into her decision.
Balancing full-time work with part-time college and raising three children was an exercise in discipline, Orlebeke said, but she had full support from her husband, Jerrad, who owns Pro Auto in Hartford, Wis. She worked during the day, took online and in-person classes at night and arrived home just in time to kiss her daughters goodnight.
Orlebeke graduated in 2016 with the skills she needed for her corporate career – and her next move.
New Life to Pre-Loved Goods
After years of selling antiques at markets and pop-up events, and watching the success of her parents’ shop, Sharron’s Antiques, Orlebeke was inspired and motivated to start a store of her own. In 2020, she opened The She Shed Vintage and More, and five years later, when her corporate employer was sold again, she left to run the shop full time and assist at Pro Auto.
The She Shed Vintage and More, located in Hartford, Wis., is a charming home decor store and multi-vendor marketplace. It features a variety of antiques, vintage goods, snacks and handcrafted items, along with “a little bit of new.” The shop hosts unique events like flea markets and open houses, and it is part of the “Vintage Shop Hop,” a self-guided tour of independent antique shops and vintage markets throughout Wisconsin and Illinois.
Orlebeke’s business has a strong emphasis on sustainability, with the mission of reusing and repurposing old items, preserving usable goods and reducing waste.
“Our goal is to keep as much as we can out of the landfills by giving it a new life,” she said.
Cross-Functional Skills
Originally attending WCTC at her employer’s request, she now applies her skills daily to her and her husband’s small businesses. She credits her speech course with boosting her confidence, Excel and Word with streamlining bookkeeping, and interacting with diverse students for improving communication with customers and vendors.
Running The She Shed has offered Orlebeke many benefits, including the freedom to do what she loves, but also “being able to spend more time with my family, the satisfaction that I did that, and reaching my daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals,” she said. “The greatest reward is – all of it!”