Glencoe resident Amy Troob is a nurse who has worked at two large local hospitals, and along her brother has launched Caribbean Natural, an e-commerce business that sells eco-friendly towels and lounge chair covers. Currently, they sell merchandise direct to consumers, and she hopes the business will soon evolve to wholesale opportunities.
She and her husband, Adam, are raising three children.
Q: Why did you decide to do this?
A: There are very limited products out there like this, so we are making this eco-friendly affordable product available.
Q: Is it difficult being in business with your brother?
A: I like it better because there are no games. We are direct and to the point. We don’t argue. If we have a disagreement, it is quick.
Q: Do you miss nursing at all, and why?
A: Yes, I love helping people, so I still do it here and there.
Q: What is the hardest part of getting a start-up business going?
A: Being all the people, the HR person, the IT person, the accountant and the attorney, and having so many different roles. Then channeling your energy to find the right focus.
Q: What do you enjoy about it?
A: I enjoy the challenge; I am learning so much. By doing a lot on Amazon and my website, I am learning a lot about computers and how powerful they are as far as how much they know about people and how much they can do.
Q: Have you ever said to yourself, what have I done?
A: There have been moments where I said, I had no idea how much went into a business.
Q: Where do you hope to see the business in five years?
A: I hope to be in a lot of retail stores and have a big online presence. I want to be in more homes.
Shout Out is a weekly feature in which we get to know and introduce our readers to their fellow community members and local visitors throughout suburban Chicago.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelancer at Pioneer Press.
