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In 2002, Jan Godbey and Stephany Bina were on opposite paths. After 22 years at insurance giant State Farm, Stephany was leaving to be at home with her then four-year-old daughter. And Jan was resuming her career with the company after taking a few years off to spend more time with her family.
"Jan and I knew each other casually from our years at State Farm, but about three years ago, a mutual friend suggested we touch base with each other," explains Stephany. "She thought Jan could offer me some support and advice as I transitioned from work to home."
So the women started meeting for coffee at 6 a.m. every Saturday—before the rest of their families stirred—to chat about workplace and home issues. Then one Saturday, Stephany noticed the bracelet Jan was wearing.
"I'd always had an interest in making jewelry," says Jan. "At a bead show in Chicago, I found this gemstone globe and immediately thought of John 3:16: 'For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.' At the same show I found a heart and a cross, and when I got home I strung the three together on a simple silver chain. When I wore it that morning, I explained the story behind the bracelet to Stephany, and it completely opened up our dialogue about our faith."
Unbeknownst to each other, Jan and Stephany were both trying to strengthen their spiritual walk. The women spent the next several weeks discussing ways to pursue spiritual growth and fellowship with other Christians at their churches.
"Sometimes we'd sit there for hours, having to drag ourselves away to go back home to our families. We shared lots of tears and joy with each other," says Stephany.
Eventually their conversation returned to the bracelet. "We recognized how the symbolism of John 3:16 on the bracelet had been the catalyst for us to start talking about faith," says Jan. "I thought, What a wonderful tool this could be for other women!"
That desire—to help others start meaningful conversations about faith—led Jan and Stephany to launch Share His Story, Inc. in November 2003. They started with nine bracelet designs based on Scripture dealing with everything from marriage to the fruits of the Spirit to Christmas. "We had a private launch party to which we invited friends and family," remembers Stephany. "A friend of mine and two women from her church sang, and we served hors d'oeuvres. People were able to wander around and look at the different bracelets. It was a beautiful evening."
It was also an affirming one. In the year of preparation for that night, Jan and Stephany made several decisions about how they wanted to develop their product. One was to differentiate their bracelets from others on the market by using high-quality materials. Their designs feature real pearls, semi-precious stones, Austrian crystals, and handmade sterling-silver beads and clasps. As a result, the bracelets retail for between $75 and $92. That night they sold 100.
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