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a luxury lifestyle website that delivers a colorful and passionate telling of neighboring events, fashion, beauty, finance, and the pursuit of leisure.
By Contributor
PRODUCED BY KEMMIE RYAN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP
STYLING BY THERESA DEMARIA
HAIR & MAKEUP BY LEANNA ERNEST AND DORIA DEBARTOLO
WARDROBE PROVIDED BY NEIMAN MARCUS AND SWEET WILLIAM
LAURIE KANE is a Notre Dame mechanical engineering grad with an MBA from DePaul who’s built a career around making things work better. She helped set up Motorola’s early cellular phone manufacturing lines, then started an automation company with her husband, focused on circuit board assembly. Kane later launched Treetime Christmas Creations, running both a Lake Barrington store and online business selling artificial Christmas trees and holiday décor.
What’s a trend you’re embracing—or challenging? While online shopping continues to reshape retail, we embrace both digital convenience and the irreplaceable magic of physical spaces. Our website serves customers nationwide, but our Lake Barrington store offers something no screen can replicate—an immersive, emotional experience that transforms shopping from a transaction into a treasured memory. We’re not just selling decorations; we’re selling joy, nostalgia, and the foundation for traditions that families will cherish for years to come. When customers step into our store, we want them transported from their everyday world into a realm of holiday wonder. Yet we understand our customers lead busy lives, so we focus on showcasing and teaching decorating solutions that are both stunning and achievable transformations that they can recreate in their own homes without stress or overwhelming time commitments.
What conversations are you passionate about bringing to the table? Many people today are interested in becoming entrepreneurs and frequently ask for my advice on how to accomplish this goal. I am passionate about this subject because in my experience, one of the biggest challenges when starting a company is managing the diverse requirements of running a business that extend far beyond your personal expertise. My advice is to pay attention throughout your career to how other departments function around you. Be genuinely curious—volunteer for cross-functional teams, ask colleagues about their processes, and observe how different aspects of the business interconnect. One day, you may find yourself responsible for tasks and decisions you never imagined tackling, and this broader understanding will prove invaluable.
What do you do to recharge? Yoga and fitness are my go-to for recharging. As a certified yoga teacher, I’m passionate about the connection between movement, breath, and mindfulness. There’s something powerful about using the breath to anchor yourself in the present moment—it completely shifts my energy and perspective. Whether it’s flowing through poses or just focusing on deep breathing, it helps me reset and approach everything else with more clarity.
For more information, visit treetime.com. You may also follow her on Instagram @treetimechristmascreations or on Facebook at Treetime Christmas Creations.
