Mother Daughter Project: Jamie Prince

It must be true, what people say–the apple doesn’t fall fall from the tree. My mom, Bette Prince, and I followed the same path in life. Of course, our lives were different, but we were the same in so many ways. One thing we share in common… When we were challenged by our marriages, both of us pushed forward, immersing ourselves in fashion business, barely missing a beat. My mother’s career began in the ‘70’s. By the time she retired, she had become one of the most successful and respected women in the garment industry. To this day, people still talk about my mother’s generosity and kindness. During the 80’s, she began representing a knitwear company, Nannell Sweaters, that had experienced a setback with a large order of defective yarns. Without the yarn, business ground to a halt, in danger of having to shut down altogether. Bette gave her engagement ring to the owner with the instruction to pawn it for the cash needed to restart production. The rest is history. Nannell became a huge success, over the course of nearly a decade, giving Bette an amazing, lucrative business until she retired at 64 years old. This year I will be turning 64. But no way am I retiring. Even though this can be a very tough business, it keeps me excited and alive and I still love everything about it after 42 years. Thanks Mom for guiding me to join you. I miss you every day.