Creating Something Together Yvette Valentine and Yvonne Neary on Creativity, Connection, and Board & Brush Sylvania

Sometimes the right opportunity arrives at exactly the right stage of life. For twin sisters Yvette Valentine and Yvonne Neary, that opportunity meant stepping outside careers built around science and healthcare and discovering what could happen when they gave themselves permission to explore their creative sides.

In this episode of Women in the Driver Seat, Mary Helen Darah visits Board & Brush Creative Studio in Sylvania to talk with Yvette and Yvonne, both registered nurses and now co owners of the studio. The sisters share how they took a chance on something completely different and how the lessons they learned caring for patients continue to shape the experience they create for every person who walks through their doors.

Knowing When the Time Is Right

For Yvette and Yvonne, becoming business owners was not something they had been planning their entire lives.

As their children grew older and the demands of family life began to change, the sisters found themselves with an opportunity to ask a new question: What do we want to do next?

Creativity increasingly became part of that answer.

Yvette had begun exploring mosaics and ceramic resin pouring and was looking for studio space where she could continue developing that interest. The sisters had even taught a couple of classes together and discovered how much they enjoyed the experience.

Then Board & Brush became available.

The sisters were already familiar with the studio after attending a class there a few years earlier. They remembered leaving that experience believing there was potential to make it warmer, more welcoming, and more focused on the people coming through the doors.

Yvette saw the opportunity immediately. Yvonne needed a little more convincing.

Eventually, they took the leap together.

Bringing a Nurse's Heart Into a Creative Studio

On the surface, nursing and running a creative studio may seem like completely different careers. For Yvette and Yvonne, there is an important connection between them: caring for people.

Their years in nursing taught them how to work with different personalities, stay calm when situations become stressful, and understand that the way someone feels can be just as memorable as what you actually do for them.

They have carried that philosophy directly into Board & Brush.

When someone visits the studio, the sisters do not want the experience to be only about whether the finished project looks good. They want to learn names, have conversations, share laughs, and make people feel genuinely welcome.

As they explain during the interview, they want guests to leave knowing, "They really cared about me." 

It is a different kind of care than nursing, but the heart behind it is remarkably similar.

Turning Customers Into VIPs

That commitment can be seen in some of the smallest details around the studio.

After owning Board & Brush for about a year and a half, Yvette and Yvonne have developed a group of regular guests who return again and again. To recognize them, the sisters created a VIP wall with personalized aprons for frequent visitors.

When those guests return, their apron is waiting for them.

It is a simple gesture, but it represents exactly what the sisters want Board & Brush to become. They want people to know they are remembered and appreciated.

That personal touch extends to workshops as well. At least one of the sisters is present for every workshop, and often they are there together, making sure guests receive the experience they envisioned when they took over the studio.

Learning to Be Business Partners and Sisters

Being twins gives Yvette and Yvonne an unusual advantage as business partners.

When they work together, they often do not need to tell each other what comes next. They simply move in sync, recognize what needs to be done, and get to work.

Sometimes, they joke, it feels like they can read each other's minds.

But owning a business together has also challenged their relationship in new ways.

The sisters openly acknowledge that they have had to learn how to give each other more grace, recognize when they need a break, and determine which responsibilities best fit each person's strengths. Those roles have continued evolving as they have learned the business.

What they originally expected each sister to handle is not necessarily how things turned out. Instead, responsibilities developed naturally, with each twin taking ownership of different parts of the operation.

And despite the challenges, both agree that they love working together.

More Than Making a Project

Board & Brush may be built around creativity, but Yvette and Yvonne want the experience to extend well beyond the project someone takes home.

It can be an evening with friends, a chance to try something new, a place to laugh over a glass of wine, or simply an opportunity to step away from everyday responsibilities for a while.

The studio also offers private events and can accommodate celebrations ranging from baby showers to bachelorette parties and other gatherings. The sisters say they are willing to work with customers to create the experience they are looking for.

They are also working to become increasingly involved in the Sylvania community through fundraisers, donations, collaborations, and local events.

Their goal is for Board & Brush to become a name people immediately think of when they are looking for somewhere to gather, celebrate, and create.

Taking a Chance on What's Next

Yvette and Yvonne's story is a reminder that there is no single point in life when someone has to stop exploring something new.

After years of caring for others through nursing and raising their families, the sisters found themselves at a stage where taking a chance felt possible. They discovered a creative interest, recognized an opportunity, and decided to build something together.

Now, they are bringing the same sense of service and compassion that shaped their nursing careers into an entirely different environment.

At Board & Brush Sylvania, the finished project is only one piece of the experience.

For Yvette and Yvonne, success means creating a place where people feel comfortable enough to try something new, connected enough to return, and cared for enough to remember how they felt long after they leave.

👉 Watch now to meet Yvette Valentine and Yvonne Neary and hear how these twin sisters went from registered nurses to business partners while creating a welcoming space for creativity, connection, and plenty of laughter at Board & Brush Sylvania.