Today we’d like to introduce you to Colette Butler.
Hi Colette, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I used to cry because the clothes I had to wear never fit me. I was a size zero, and all my clothes were either hand-me-downs or purchased in the children’s section. Imagine being in high school, and all the children looked fashionable fly. When I turned 16 years old, I asked my mom for a sewing machine for Christmas. My Auntie Lucille gave it to me on Christmas day, and my world changed. I taught myself how to sew, and I would walk to the fabric store. After I had my 3 girls, I would dress them alike. My family was dressing way before it became popular. Then later, I started sewing for other people but had to stop because people weren’t compensating me for my time, fabric, design, or accessories. Then as time evolved and I was married, and my girls no longer wanted to dress alike, I began sewing for myself again. I learned how to cover my shoes to match my outfit back and make hats and handbags in the 90s. My sewing is the avenue that gave me the spirit, excitement, the creativity to see my world differently than others. I knew I was home and could create.
To backtrack, I was put out of the house at 16 when I got pregnant and had to leave home, and my uncle took me in. This experience gave me this amazing zeal to help others. I didn’t want anyone to feel like I had felt (homeless & pregnant). That was when I decided I needed to help others somehow. Then, later I was drugged and ganged raped. Lastly, an ex-boyfriend asked me to marry him, and I said no, and without knowing it was him, he kidnapped me, beat me so badly that I couldn’t walk, and raped me. These experiences never made me cold, but there was a great yearning to help people. I opened a recovery center for addicts; I helped multitudes of families, and I even had 13 children (3 were mine) that I helped raise and support.
My life was full of happy moments when I was helping others. There is happiness that flows from my heart and travels throughout my body, creating a joy unspeakable, but it is full of honor. Then after my husband passed, I decided to move back to Jacksonville, FL. I have been on a fantastic journey since moving back home. I began listening to people talk about relationships and how they didn’t work. Then covid hit, and people started passing. My heart began to feel society’s grief, and I was pulled to do something. I started Invecom. There is no business like it anywhere. I began writing down all my ideas on how to help others, but I had to do it strategically. I patented our Comfy Bear and started working on that. Then all my other creative inventions fit perfectly into the company. We are the first company that has inventions to help others. Our first one is Pillow Taught, our relationship pillow filled with games and suggestions for couples. Our Comfy Bear helps those grieving the loss of a loved one—our new design ties in to help veterans and seniors and other inventions. We have formed a team of individuals that believe in the vision and have been blessed to move forward. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. You must be able to endure and be patient while working with speed.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth, the only thing smooth about this road is our products.
We have had set back:
- We have paid for stuff we didn’t need to.
- We have scheduled a meeting and couldn’t contact the people.
- We have purchased so many items for our inventions.
- We have spent hundreds of hours creating patterns to create them again.
- We made purchases and realized that we should have purchased something else.
- We had to have fabric and products sent to us from China, which caused timeline changes.
- We had to seek multiple people to edit our writing because people didn’t have time.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am most known for being a preacher and an award-winning public speaker. I have spoken at churches, jails, conventions, small events, competitions, etc. As a member of Toastmasters, I could speak at various locations and compete in contests, and I loved every minute of it. I love hearing people give me a Wow or Awe when I say something they’ve never heard before. I was meant to help others through my public speaking. I loved it. I have been a secretary for as long as I can remember. I even went to secretarial school and knew shorthand. I loved being a medical secretary more than a VP secretary (well, admin). Being a medical secretary allowed me to help many people, and those 8 years were so rewarding.
What makes you happy?
Laughter is the key that unlocks sad hearts. Helping others and making people laugh is me. Many people have asked me if I know how funny I am. I found laughter amid many sorrows, and I want to share what GOD has placed in me with the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: invecomllc.com
- Instagram: @colette.inventor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/invecomllc/
- Youtube: @invecom4943
