Our Story
A little about us
Our Story.
Hi, Tribe! I'm Jen.
Founder and principal of Berit Brooks. But before I'm a business owner, designer, creator, or entrepreneur, I'm a wife, a mom, and someone who believes the most meaningful things in life are built with love, grit, and a whole lot of heart.
One family story.
And Berit Brooks? Well, this one is especially close to my heart. The name comes from our two greatest creations: our kids, Berit and Brooks.
Now, if you had told me years ago that I'd spend more than a decade building a business around leather, I probably would have laughed. Because, truth be told, this was never the plan.
I thought I wanted to be a doctor. Then there was real estate. Somewhere along the way, I became fascinated with glass art. And, of course, there was my past life in the emergency department. Leather? Not exactly on my original list.
The unexpected path
Sometimes God has a plan that looks absolutely nothing like the one you've made for yourself.
So how did I end up here?
Through a series of unexpected turns, opportunities, leaps of faith, and moments when I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, I found myself working with leather.
More than a decade later, here I am. Still creating. Still learning. Still building. And, if I'm being completely transparent, still not entirely sure how or why this became my path.
But I do believe there's a reason.
Built alongside family.
When I started this journey, my husband, Mark, was quietly behind the scenes, supporting me, encouraging me, and cheering me on. He's been there through the big ideas, the questionable ones, the late nights, the celebrations, and the moments when I've wondered what on earth I got myself into.
All while we were raising two kids and navigating the beautiful chaos of family life. Building a business while raising a family is not for the faint of heart. It's messy. It's exhausting. It's rewarding. It's frustrating. Some days you feel like you can conquer the world. Other days, you're just trying to make it to bedtime.
But somewhere in all of that chaos, something pretty incredible happened. This little idea became a business. That business became a brand. And that brand became something that carries our children's names and a piece of our family's story.
Colorado roots. A lot of grit.
Growing up in Colorado's Vail Valley taught me the value of hard work, determination, and figuring things out as you go. I wasn't raised to believe that things would simply be handed to me. If you wanted something, you worked for it. And if something didn't work, you found another way.
That mentality has served me well, because this journey has been anything but a straight line. There have been incredible opportunities, amazing people, doors that opened when I least expected them to, and plenty that slammed shut. There have been successes I'm incredibly proud of and failures that taught me more than any success ever could.
Faith through all of it.
Through it all, my faith has remained my compass.
I've learned that sometimes you have to let go of what you thought your life was supposed to look like and trust that God is leading you somewhere you need to be. Even when the destination makes absolutely no sense.
Where we are today
Still growing. Still making.
Today, Berit Brooks continues to grow and evolve. What began with leather goods has expanded into personalized gifts, creative experiences, and a studio in Denver where we get to welcome people into our world and share a little of what we love.
And while I'm incredibly proud of what we've built, the products have never been the whole story. It's the people we've met. The relationships we've built. The opportunities we've been given. The lessons we've learned. And the fact that this crazy, unexpected journey has become something our family gets to call its own.
I still don't know exactly where this road is going to lead. And maybe that's part of the beauty of it.
From our family to yours
We're so glad you're here.
What I do know is that I'm grateful. Grateful for my husband, our kids, our team, the people who have believed in us, and every single person who has supported Berit Brooks along the way.
Whether you've been with us from the beginning or you're just finding us, thank you for being part of our story. It's been more than a decade in the making, and something tells me we're just getting started.
Cheers!
Jen
Founder & Principal, Berit Brooks
Grit. Hustle. Grace.