Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Ledebuhr.
Hi Anna, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Entrepreneurship is not a career path I would have necessarily chosen for myself as a young person.
I vividly remember filling out a survey at the beginning of the school year in my 7th grade English class. Next to “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I confidently and proudly wrote: teacher. Another question, “What is your favorite subject?” The answer was easy: math.
Fast forward 10 years and I was graduating college with a degree in education with a focus in middle school mathematics along with a coaching minor. I went on to teach 8th grade math for the next 12 years and loved so much of that time. I grew connections that would one day serve me when I left the classroom to start a second career.
Why did I leave the classroom? I can’t exactly pinpoint one thing. By 2018, I had three small kids (ages 9, 5, and 3). Life at home was getting busier and I wasn’t excited to go to work each day. I knew that my students and co-workers deserved more and I deserved to find a job that didn’t have me feeling anxious each Sunday night before a new work week arrived.
Over the next 8 years I slowly built a business that worked for me and my family. It started out of my basement with me running to pop-ups during the first summer and on weekends to a brick + mortar in the same town I was still teaching in. After one year in business I had a decision to make — go all-in on my business and quit teaching or try to continue running them in tandem. I knew the second option would run me into the ground and, after having a leave of absence request denied, I decided to take a chance on myself and leave my position in education.
That was in 2019. I would have never predicted I’d have to survive a pandemic, homeschool my kids, and still continue pouring into my business and community that first year. It tested everything in me but, at the end of the day, forced me to dig into my business in a more serious manner that was necessary for the future growth that was to come. Looking back now, that first year out of education was a major blessing in disguise. I don’t think my business would be where it is without the challenges my family + team overcame then.
I’m just now realizing I haven’t even shared what my business is and who I serve. Coulee Boutique is a women’s clothing, apparel, accessories, and gift store located in the cutest, quaint town in Wisconsin called Galesville. We’re one woman-owned business among many in a town that supports small, appreciates quality, and lifts each other up. Our audience has grown thanks to online shopping and we have shipped orders to nearly every state! I opened a second location in my hometown an hour north during the summer of 2025 and the juggling act there is one that is refined daily.
Who’s to say what the future holds? There are so many aspects of being a small business owner that I could have never predicted (a free trip to Hawaii last September — what?!?!) and I most certainly don’t take any of it for granted.
We’ve been impressed with Coulee Boutique, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Coulee Boutique is rooted in a set of core values that we aim to live by as a team. In list form they are: inclusivity, community-focused, genuine experiences, consciously curated, Coulee confident, and beyond the boutique.
The items you’ll find within the walls or on our website or app don’t get there by accident. I pride myself in carrying many items made by local makers in and around our local community, or from brands that I’ve nurtured strong relational partnerships with. I am proud to know the story of so many of the brands we carry and know that the “why” they have aligns with my values as well.
At Coulee Boutique we are known or our inclusive styles. It’s no easy feat sourcing items in full size runs but that is the kind of challenge I enjoy — going to market and finding new brands that feature items in more than just small through large that are also SO cute!
Beyond the boutique, you’ll find myself and members of my team out in the community. Whether its volunteering at the concession stand booth for little league, participating in local pageants, or sitting on committees that benefit the local area, being involved members of our communities is an important part of being a part of the CB team.
My proudest accomplishment as a brand? I think that has to be the many times and ways we’ve been able to partner with other area people + organizations to benefit those in need. We’ve donated thousands of community-raised dollars to women in need of basic necessities, hosted food pantry drives, and raised money to put together over 100 “blessing boxes” to go to our local Head Start students right before the holiday break. Most recently we co-hosted our second annual charity fashion show that raised over $6,000 that was then dispersed to area organizations in need. The love, care + compassion I have for our community is a driving factor in many of the financial decisions I make. I do not take this role lightly and feel so honored to be able to do it.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
On my entrepreneurial journey, there are many people who deserve to be recognized:
*My husband for doing anything and everything needed to allow me to continue on. Whether it’s chauffeuring the kids to all their practices and activities, hauling cardboard home from the store, or offering an ear to listen when I don’t have anywhere else to turn. He shoulders a heavy burden.
*My parents — especially since opening the second store. It’s almost weekly that they are helping me transfer new products from our Galesville location to Altoona. My mom has even filled in for her first shift!
*My in-laws. They owned and operated their own successful small business for over 40 years and have been a great source of advice and information. On top of that, they provided the initial investment that was the whole reason I was able to start my business in the first place!
*The many amazing women I’ve had the pleasure to employ over the last 8 years. Our team continues to ebb and flow as life changes for each individual, but I know that each woman I’ve employed has been a blessing to our store and community and I hope to be a blessing in their life in some way, shape, or form as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.couleeboutique.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/couleeboutique
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/couleeboutique/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/couleeboutique
