Skip to main content
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Search

Full Article

Visit Apply Give

Jocelyn Robertshaw Tackles New Adventures Back Home in Nebraska

Jocelyn Robertshaw has always tackled new adventures and projects whether she was ready or not. When she decided to move back to Nebraska and start a business, it was no surprise that she named her wedding store just that – Ready or Knot.

 “I always knew I would come back to Nebraska to be closer to friends and family. After traveling for eight years, I was ready to get off the road and after analyzing the market, I knew Omaha had the greatest opportunity for a wedding boutique,” Robertshaw said.

A native of Aurora, Neb., Robertshaw graduated in a class of 105. She wanted to be a business administration major and take classes in a broad range of subjects.

“After growing up in a small town, I was definitely ready for something bigger. I knew other students who were attending UNL and they loved it. I didn’t really make a decision to attend the College of Business Administration, I just knew all along that is where I would go,” she said.

Jocelyn Robertshaw

Jocelyn Robertshaw at Ready or Knot

After graduating from the UNL College of Business Administration in 2003, she moved to Kansas City to work for Cerner in the client representative program. She excelled in the health industry and after 18 months, she was lured away by Starkey Hearing Technologies. There she was a field sales executive for two separate territories, regional sales manager for eight states and corporate account manager for the largest national client.

“I interviewed for my first job on the UNL campus and immediately clicked with my future boss. I had a background in healthcare and the field has a great youthful culture. Kansas City was the perfect place to move after college,” she said.

Robertshaw said she always had “the entrepreneurial bug”. When she was little and other kids were pretending to go to school, she was pretending to run a bank.

“There was a part of every job I had that was entrepreneurial, so I was able to develop my skills and build my confidence,” she said.

Robertshaw opened her store in Rockbrook Village in August 2011. She recently found her Entrepreneurship 428 course textbook when sorting her college items.

“When I was a senior taking that class, I knew that I would use that information later in life. The strong emphasis that CBA placed on the Gallup StrengthsFinder was very instrumental in helping me figure out my own strengths and how to apply them to my career,” she said.

She was told in college that income statements and balance sheets are fine, but the cash flow statement is the key to a healthy business.

“In less than eight months, I am cash flow positive,” she said.

Robertshaw is definitely ready for what the future will bring and looking forward to celebrating her store’s one-year anniversary this August.
Published: May 8, 2012