Cancer survivor markets accessories
She wants products to empower women
When facing challenges that seem overwhelming, sometimes having something touchable to hold onto as a reminder of one’s inner strength can help make the situation more bearable.
That was the premise behind the necklace created by Shelly Fisher for her own inspiration that has now blossomed into a booming business and, more importantly to her, a community.
When fighting cancer for the second time in less than 10 years, Fisher said she felt an empowering mantra dominating her thoughts.
“When I got a cancer diagnoses a second time it just knocked me off my game,” said the Havertown native, “and this just went through my head. ‘You’ve done this before, you can do it again. You’re one tough bitch.’”
So she went to a jeweler and had them make her a necklace emblazoned with those three simple words on it, “One Tough Bitch.”
As provocative as the message was, Fisher didn’t flaunt it, but chose what some would call a more endearing way to keep it close to her heart.
She wore the necklace, backwards, so no one could see the message. Only she knew what it said, and every time she felt that the mountain she had to climb was going to be a challenge, she held the necklace and found the strength within her to power through, she recalled.
“The word ‘bitch’ is not one that would normally come out of my mouth and it never really did,” Fisher said, laughing. “The necklace was just worn by me, around my neck. People started to notice it and would ask me how I stayed so strong. So I would show them my secret weapon, which no one else could see.”
The public’s reaction and subsequent demand took her completely by surprise, she said.
“This was totally unexpected. It happened because of health issues. It was something I did for myself that just resonated with other people. It was driven by people wanting me to do this and not something I really planned for.”
Fisher is quick to explain that the ‘b’ word was never meant to be seen as outrageous or offensive.
“When we say one tough bitch we’re not calling anyone a bitch. It’s just about your inner power. Any one of us on any given day has challenges that we go through. It’s like life kicks the stool out from under you and you have to figure out on your own how to stand back up.”
The necklace is now available in sterling silver with diamond accent on 18- inch sterling silver chain and 14 karat gold charm with diamond accent on an 18inch gold chain, sold online and at Renee James Boutique in
Havertown; Lotus Apparel & Home in Doylestown and OMG Hair Salon and Boutique in Gladwyne.
The line has evolved into a variety of products, including a necklace featuring the company’s symbol, a triangle with a circle on top of it.
“A triangle is a structure that holds itself together,
even with pressure on any side, so that symbol is powerful in itself,” Fisher said.
As a seasoned entrepreneur who formerly operated a Main Line fitness center as well as an innovative medical bracelet company, Fisher now runs OTB out of the Tower Bridge offices in Conshohocken with a staff of nearly 20.
“It’s only been a few months but it’s gotten so big so fast that it doesn’t really feel new anymore,” noted Fisher, who is also the author
of “Breaking Sad,” a tribute to a friend’s daughter who died young.
“It’s based on my friend losing her daughter in her late 20s, and she was such an incredible, special young woman I wanted to do something to honor her memory.”
By now, the merchandise is almost secondary to the cause, Fisher allowed.
“We’re really working hard online to build a community,” she said. “We have a private group that
already has 1,000 people in it. It’s about support and the things that inspire you. People are hit with different challenges, and you want to help but you can’t fix it, and you wonder what can you do to support this person? People are giving the bracelets and saying ‘I know you’re going to be ok.’ It’s a very positive and tangible product in that way.”
On Nov. 14 Fisher, who now lives in Villanova with her husband, will partner with Bloomingdale’s
in King of Prussia for a unique promotion that involves well-known designers embellishing OTB jean jackets as symbolic “capes of power.” The jackets will then go on display and ultimately be auctioned off.
“Bloomingdale’s is really excited about being associated with this type of empowering brand,” noted Fisher, who still wears her necklace in a backwards position.
“So many messages are outward facing. This is a very personal brand. I call it more of an internal facing brand. It’s really for you. It’s not like you’re wearing it for someone else,” she said. “We can’t control how the cards are dealt, but we can control how we pick up those cards and play the hand. And that’s what we’re trying to do, help people play the hand better than they would have otherwise.”
For more information, visit onetoughbitch.com.