When Amy Peterson first conceived the idea for her retail jewelry stores, the focus wasn’t on selling jewelry. Instead, it was about creating opportunities to empower and employ women—especially those living in shelters and facing barriers to traditional employment. Jewelry became the tool to achieve this mission.
“It’s really the opposite of how most businesses work,” says Peterson, co-founder and CEO of Rebel Nell, a social enterprise dedicated to making a difference.
The inspiration for combining jewelry with empowerment came when Peterson, during a walk in Detroit, noticed pieces of graffiti had fallen off a wall. She imagined turning these graffiti fragments into jewelry that could both celebrate the city of Detroit and provide jobs for women. “On the side of the graffiti, you could see all these layers, and I thought, ‘Wow, there’s a story to tell in those layers,’” Peterson recalls. “I love all the layers that make up the city.” At the time, Detroit was going through a difficult period, with bankruptcy and negative headlines, and Peterson wanted to create something that celebrated the city’s resilience.
Peterson, who had previously worked as an attorney for the Detroit Tigers, founded Rebel Nell in 2014. The company’s mission was to create unique jewelry and accessories from repurposed materials, giving women transitioning out of shelters the opportunity to earn a living. Today, Rebel Nell operates three locations in the Detroit area.
The company’s name, Rebel Nell, is inspired by former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who was known as “Little Nell” in her youth. Peterson put her own “badass spin” on the nickname, representing the women who are rebelling against the challenges society has placed before them and forging a new path.
Over the past decade, Rebel Nell has employed 45 women. Some have moved on to traditional jobs, while others have been promoted to production management roles or started their own businesses. In addition to job training, Rebel Nell offers resources such as financial literacy, housing support, legal aid, and business education to help women build sustainable futures.
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