Julie Schlosser is a former Fortune Magazine writer who now has found her true calling at Altruette. Schlosser and her partner, Lee Clifford, offer charm necklaces that display a symbol, each representing a different charity or cause. These charms aren’t just beautiful, each time you buy a charm the charity or non-profit receives a portion of the profits. Schlosser shared how she started Altruette and reveals finding your dream job isn’t impossible with the right people helping you along the way.
Her Campus American University: Can you tell me about your company Altruette and how it got started?
Julie Schlosser: “I had worked as a journalist at Fortune Magazine and had wanted to do something to give back to the community but that is also beautiful physically. I wanted to teach people about organizations that work to help people so I took the risk and quit with another colleague, Lee Clifford. Lee called me one day from [New York City] and said, ‘Let’s go do something together.’ We both had a few different ideas that we’d shared over the years. We ended up coming back to the idea of matching classic charms with our favorite charities.”
HCAU: Where did you get the idea for Altruette?
Julie Schlosser: “My mom had a charm bracelet when I was a kid that she’d always wear for special occasions. She’d received it as a sweet 16 gift. .… Each of the charms signified something in her life. We named our classic bracelet—Ellie—after her. There was a ballerina (she danced when she was young), a little calendar with her birthday marked off and a four-leaf clover from an Irish friend. They each had a special meaning. And a cousin of mine had come purchased charms in Europe that represented endangered species but weren’t charitable but it got us thinking. So the Altruette mission is to create charms that tell two stories. They tell the story of the woman wearing them but also the story of the charity they represent. So for example, you might love tennis and buy the little gold racquet and then you can learn about the charity A’s & Aces that it helps. … They provide academic assistance, life skills and tennis to New Orleans Public School kids.
HCAU: How did you make the transition from writing for a magazine to Altruette?
Julie Schlosser: “The transition was really easy. I was ready to do something different and I had an incredible business partner. I was so impressed by her work as a journalist. She’s a perfectionist but always makes everything look so easy. She is truly an inspiration. Over the years, I’d tried to get friends to team up and do one of these ideas with me but everyone was always so busy with their own work/lives, which I totally understood. But when Lee reached out that day, I knew my career path was about to change. A big part of the smooth transition was having a partner like Lee. Having a partner during the highs and lows of starting a business make the journey so much better.
HCAU: What were some of your favorite memories from Fortune?
Julie Schlosser: “As a junior reporter I trained under a senior editor/reporter who had been at Fortune for decades. She expected a lot from us and there was an understanding that you could not let her down. Those were some of the most stressful assignments but you always came away having learned so much about finance and reporting. Another experience I loved was working on an annual list called ‘Cool Companies.’ I got to go out to Silicon Valley frequently and search for young but promising tech companies. I met so many talented entrepreneurs, which helped inspire us to take the leap and launch our own company.”
HCAU: Do you have any other Career Advice for our readers?
Julie Schlosser: “Having experience at a big company with a real boss and a large team is very important. It’s such a good foundation before setting of to build your own company later in life. My Fortune colleagues were and still are an important part of my life. I’m in touch with them on a regular basis and often turn to them for advice.
Your college major doesn’t guarantee you’ll love a career even in that field. My advice would be to follow your heart and find a few mentors early on who you respect. It could be anyone who crosses your path. Develop that relationship and it will be so helpful in the coming years. And be sure to pay it forward by mentoring people who are younger than you.”
Julie has such an inspiring story. By being open to new things she found a career that she loved and now one that she loves even more. She found her job at Fortune because of a unique raincoat she wore to a party! Opportunities are everywhere, be sure to pay attention when they present themselves.
Altruette is looking for motivated students to become campus ambassadors for their amazing company. Please contact Julie Schlosser at Julie@altruette.com if you are interested.
Photo Credit 2- Edward Menashy