We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Asacia Tran a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Asacia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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.

Since I was a child, I wanted to live in the world of whimsy. In 2020, after spending four or so years as a Preschool teacher and Special Education Paraeducator for Baltimore County Public Schools, I decided to finally follow my dreams of opening a business about something I was passionate about. I decided to open a home and garden -meets cannabis accessory direct to consumer business that I eventually plan to expand into a storefront (because who doesn’t love a whimsical hang out?!). After getting sick with COVID-19, my mental health took a steep decline and it was only through continuing education (restarting my college career with a focus in entrepreneurship and small business and cannabis education) that I realized how I could help others as well to soothe the woes of everyday life with the love and care of whimsy, plants and cannabis education that can help rid our communities of the stigma that follows medicinal cannabis. I felt as though we could all use a little magic in our lives and I will do whatever it takes to give that to others.

Asacia , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

We are LGBTQ+, black woman led by myyself, Asacia Tran. As a brand, we aim to bring a sense of community to lovers of cottagecore, goblincore, fantasy or those simply drawn to nature. The idea for Faerie began in 2020 when the world seemed to fall around us all and I felt the effects the year had taken on mental health and took to adopting WAY too many plants and healing through medicinal cannabis. I noticed that too often we feel that we have noone. Here at Faerie, you will always have a companion and a community here among the unseelie through communication via discord, Facebook or Instagram! (No “thank you’s” necessary!)

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

What’s interesting enough is that I have had to learn through creating a business (though my business is only two years old) it is truly a lonely place to be when you’re paving the way for yourself. It sucks to be in the rat race of working and feeling unfulfilled, truly. that’s why I came up with this business and decided to chase the happiness and spreading that happiness and meeting others whom my business can make happy. We are all collection of our silly little interests and that’s OK!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Faerie truly is a one of one store. What’s really helped me to build my reputation in my market is being the only full one-stop-shop For whimsical merchandise, clothing, decorations, and even lotion and cosmetics. Also, I truly do love our lotions, cosmetics, resin crafts and jewelry. Everything that we make handmade is made with love and with 1 million tries until it’s perfect! Often time we sell in person at conventions and pop-ups, and it gives us an opportunity to really meet the people who like what we have to sell and make friends of everyone. That’s the true goal, really, to foster a connection!

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.shopfaerie.com
• Instagram: Www.instagram.com/justsomefae
• Facebook: Www.facebook.com/shopfaerie