ASPIRING TO BE THE BEST — Elise Wright is constantly learning more on how to make her local business successful and involved with the community. Elysian is located at 110 E Center St, Warsaw. Some of Wright’s other hobbies include photography and crafting home decor. (Photo by Elisa Walker)

WARSAW — There are individuals with unstoppable personalities and ambitions who take control of their situations despite whatever risk may occur. For Elise Wright, a 26-year-old Goshen resident and Warsaw business owner, her drive towards her dreams to fulfill her life was something that couldn’t be ignored. The world conspired to give her every possible opportunity to not just help her, but to put her into a position to help others.

With attentive eyes and outgoing personality, Wright took the risk of opening her own business, Elysian, in downtown Warsaw in 2015. The boutique began as a blog that evolved into an online jewelry store with clothing being added shortly after.

“Creating my business was like making a snowball where it just slowly happened,” chuckled Wright. “It evolved into little pop-up shops into downtown Warsaw.”

While Wright did a variety of pop-up shops, she was presented with an opportunity for a two-month pop-up shop, rent-free, acting as a trial run for the business. Afterwards, Wright signed a lease as she glanced back on her adventure.

Coming from a family of 11 siblings, she developed a strong and independent personality where her family supported anything she wanted to do. She attended Grace College for a year as a full-time student and full-time employee to support herself.

“One thing my parents taught us was to be independent and hardworking,” informed Wright. “When I chose to go to Grace, it just wasn’t something my family could really afford. So I said, ‘I’ll go for it. I’ll just figure it out.’”

Wright made the decision to leave college and continue to work full-time at an orthopedic company where she worked her way up to the highest position available to her. While she still plans to finish her business degree in the future, she thanks her sales role for leading her to her husband of three years and for providing enough money to start her business completely debt free.

Elysian strives to work with local designers by selling locally made jewelry, furniture and clothing. Wright has a specially made Home Grown apparel line for those with Indiana pride.

“I think it’s really cool and I’m proud to be an Indiana woman, so I try to design things that are like Indiana pride,” elaborated Wright. “I try to incorporate local artists even though we still have big brands. Most of them are in Warsaw. I try to get most of them [brands] as close to home as I can.”

While Wright is completely involved with her business and meeting new people, she may be working from the back of the store for the next few months as she cares for her beautiful newborn baby, Piper. Though that still may not prevent her from reaching out to people and touching them with her vibrant attitude.

“I just love, with my business, that people come in and you have a tangible way to care for them that isn’t made-up or forced,” explained Wright. “I think in today’s society, we get in a rush and we get busy. We have things we want to get done and we don’t necessarily slow down and take a minute to dive into other people’s worlds. That’s what I love about my business. I think that my duty is to just truly care for people, help them feel beautiful inside and out. They’re strangers when they walk in my door and then they become my friends. I love it.”