We’re fortunate here at Lewis to have all-stars like Toni to ensure our properties are running smoothly. In addition to her role as the Business Manager at Homecoming Eastvale, Toni has a side gig in handcrafted soap making. Read below to learn more about Toni’s career with Lewis, launching a highly-rated 5-star shop, and similarities between the two.
What do you do at Lewis and what does a typical day look like?
Toni: I am the Business Manager at Homecoming Eastvale and have been in this position at this location for 17 years. I was asked what a typical day looks like, but ever since the Covid Pandemic started, there has not been a typical day. We are constantly adapting to the new bills concerning rents and the shifting Riverside County mandates. I still do the same tasks such as preparing final statements for vacating residents and the disposition of their security deposit and handling rents and notices but how I do some of those tasks has changed.
What drew you to working at Lewis?
Toni: When I first started with Lewis in 1993 it was still Lewis Homes. I was looking for a position with a company that I could make a career out of and not just finding a job. I was afraid of becoming bored or even worse, not liking what I was doing. I started as a leasing consultant at Del Mar and was immediately struck by how much I liked the people that I was working with. Over the years, I have discovered that Lewis hires some awesome people.
Can you tell us a bit about your Etsy shop?
Toni: While working at Lewis, one of our Activity Directors made a sugar scrub as a craft for the residents to make. I thought it was a great idea for gifts at Christmas time and started looking online for recipes to make on my own. I discovered a whole world on YouTube of craft videos including soapmaking, bath bombs and other fun products for the bath and became hooked. I was attracted to the chemistry of soapmaking and the artistic side, while also using wholesome ingredients that create a usable and fun bath product.
Favorite part of making your items?
Toni: I love that I can change the qualities of the soap depending on which oils and butters I use. I planned on starting a little business that I could do when I retired, which is just a few years away. Opening my Etsy shop was a step in that direction. It probably wouldn’t have happened before I actually retired, but my son pushed me a bit and was holding me accountable to my goals.
Similarities between the two different industries?
Toni: The skills that I have learned at Lewis have easily translated into skills that I need for my business, especially when it comes to dealing with customers and creating a product that I can be proud of selling.
Rosie Lewis is the Corporate Marketing Manager at The Lewis Group of Companies. A Claremont native who enjoys hiking, yoga, and developing her green thumb, Rosie also appreciates quality alone time to wrestle with existential questions because someone has to figure out why we’re all here pretending everything’s fine while our houseplants judge our life choices.