Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kylee Perea. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kylee, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Though I’m a lifelong collector of gems and minerals, I really started exploring the spiritual side of crystals in late-2018/early-2019. I didn’t know anyone else who was into crystals, and I was hoping to find community online, but all of the online spaces I came across didn’t resonate with me. If I tried to fit into these spaces, it felt disingenuous and a bit forced. My science background just didn’t quite compute with some of the more “woo-woo” thought leaders, and we didn’t usually have aligned values. In mid-2019, I had the idea of carving out the community that I was searching for, building something that felt natural to me, that would attract like-minded folks (hopefully).

I started The Mineral Maven to create the community that I wish had existed when I first got into the energetic side of crystals: an inclusive community grounded in science, with a focus on empowerment through transparency, knowledge and education. My intention was always to bridge science and spirituality, and to demystify some of the more obscured and problematic aspects of the industry.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’ve been collecting rocks, minerals and fossils ever since I can remember; I grew up rockhounding, metal detecting and gold panning in the Western US. My lifelong admiration of the geology and mineralogy behind these treasures, plus my degree in Anthropology, inspired me to dive deeper into the spiritual side of stones. Humans have used stones as tools, cultural signifiers, adornments and protective talismans for millennia; our energetic relationship to crystals spans time and space.

I started with selling consciously sourced crystal specimens from my trusted suppliers that I’ve built relationships with over the years, but since 2022 I’ve also been creating handmade crystal intention bracelets. One of the easiest and most accessible ways to energetically work with crystals is to wear them; crystal bracelets have become a top seller among my customer base and an entry point for new customers looking to incorporate crystals into their day-to-day lives.

There is a major chasm between the mineralogical/geological side of the mineral industry and the spiritual side. The scientific side is male-dominated and scoffs at the thought that stones can be used as energetic tools, often referring to the spiritual side of the industry as “pseudoscience”. The spiritual side is often more women-led, filled with ancestral and cultural practices, and sometimes has a dangerous disregard for the science side of things (including downright risky rituals in the name of magic).

I’ve always sought to bridge that gap, to combine the best of both worlds, to connect science with spirituality. I’ve built trust with my community through transparency and education-driven empowerment.

My business is also unapologetically values-driven and community-focused. I have been fundraising for mutual aid organizations since my first year in business, and my brand will always proudly take a public stand in favor of humanity and equity. Because of this, ethical sourcing practices and transparency around sourcing is at the forefront of my messaging. In an unregulated industry like the gem and mineral world, I’m proud to practice transparency and encourage others in my field to do their due diligence.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built my audience on social media through consistent posting, sharing valuable content and showing up authentically. The algorithm and the way people use a social media platform is ever-evolving, so my biggest advice is to be willing to pivot, and to be consistent in serving your audience and creating content that speaks to them. There will be times of growth, and times of plateau, and what worked in 2020 strategy-wise doesn’t work anymore. You never know when things will change and affect your reach, so be sure to diversify on multiple social media platforms and direct your community to owned spaces (like your website and an email list) because you don’t ever want to have all of your eggs in one basket!

Regarding authenticity on socials: I think it’s important to understand that you can’t create content for everyone. Your content won’t resonate with every single person, and that’s okay – those aren’t your people. You may get unfollows, or negative comments, but keep creating content that is authentic and real, and your ideal customer and community will find you.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

My business started as a side hustle and hobby, my 5-9 after my 9-5 so-to-speak. I was working a corporate sales job for 50-60 hours a week, and then used my business as a creative outlet and a source of connection with folks who shared my interests.

Though things started off slow, a bit of a trickle in sales for the first 6-9 months, the pandemic lockdown in 2020 is when the business really took off due to weekly Instagram lives. Folks were stuck at home and looking for online connection and community, as well as spiritual tools. This was my first full calendar year in business and sales were skyrocketing. By fall 2020, I made the decision to quit my corporate job because my business was demanding my full attention and balancing both schedules had become untenable for my physical and mental health.

The rate at which the business grew was unexpected and unsustainable, I was even considering hiring help at one point because I almost couldn’t keep up with weekly sales plus fulfilling all the orders by myself. Fortunately the economy and people’s daily lives have changed in the last four years, so sales have plateaued to a much more sustainable volume where I can easily keep up by myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.themineralmaven.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themineralmaven/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themineralmaven
• Other: Threads: https://www.threads.net/@themineralmaven
  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@themineralmaven