Sharing Love and Light through Freshwater Pearls

Hi, I’m Brian Schultz, founder and CEO of The Freshwater Pearl Company. The Freshwater Pearl Company was created as a symbol of love. A way of honoring the people I hold dear by sharing their joy and generosity with the world through our freshwater pearl jewelry.

Our story starts with my mom, Laurene (Coppola) Schultz. She lived her life as a radiant force of nature for 72 love-filled years (her birthday is February 7th), lighting up every room she entered with a rare combination of laughter and fierce determination for the cause of the day—even when that cause was as simple as enjoying the company of her beloved friends and family.

A journey of hope.

In 2001, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, marking the first wave of a valiant battle she fought with grace and grit. In 2016, the cancer returned, ultimately spreading to her lymph system, her bones and finally her brain, ending her life journey on February 10, 2020. For every day my mom lived with this disease, she carried her love and determination—not only for herself and her family, but also for everyone living with, and loving someone with, breast cancer.

As a caring ally of the breast cancer community, my mom volunteered with Reach to Recovery, was a proud member of Circle of Friends at her local hospital and was actively involved with the American Cancer Society. Every year, she took part in the American Cancer Society’s Annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, achieving "Pacesetter" status and surpassing her raise goal in the race for a cure.