We recently connected with Baiyinah Brookins and have shared our conversation below.

Baiyinah, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Mystics and Sages began with a gift—a small half-moon necklace encircled with tiny black onyx beads, given to me by my father upon his return from a trip to West Africa. This gift initially sparked my interest not only in Tuareg jewelry but also in the tribe itself. Tuareg jewelry designs have been featured in museums around the world due to their rich history, culture, and unique aesthetics. After receiving that necklace, I wore it constantly, completely enthralled, and began incorporating Tuareg pieces into my everyday jewelry collection.

Mystics and Sages partners with a collective of Tuareg jewelry artisans to showcase these unique and beautiful designs on our website. Following my initial discovery of Tuareg jewelry, I researched the tribe and learned that their jewelry is not merely for adornment; each piece is imbued with rich folklore, geometric patterns, and archaic symbolism that represent spirituality, the environment, and cosmology. My natural Piscean nature was also drawn to the mythology surrounding the Tuareg tribe, who have faced challenges from colonial powers, outsiders, drought, famine, and modern governments. The Tuareg have maintained their resilience and independence, contributing to their almost mythic quality.

After some time, I decided to start this brand to share the intricate and beautiful jewelry with the world. While many offer Tuareg jewelry, none possess the unique vision that I bring. My goal is to incorporate some of the rich history related to the tribe and its traditions. Ultimately, I envision others exploring this fascinating history and discovering all the insights that I have unearthed.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and I was born into a family of Type A personalities and entrepreneurs. For as far back as I can remember, I’ve always had some sort of business, craft, or hustle. When I was younger, my brothers, sisters, and I would knock on neighbors’ doors in the winter, asking to shovel their walkways as a way to earn extra money. Eventually, I started a henna business, applying henna stains to others in our small community. Entrepreneurship and creativity have always been a part of my journey. Later, I graduated from Chatham University with a bachelor’s degree in business management, but ultimately, most of what I’ve learned has come from the practical application of business ideas and systems.

Mystics and Sages offers a collection of unique jewelry and adornments handmade by Tuareg artisans. We provide fair trade pricing to the artisans we work with, which is one of the major components that sets Mystics and Sages apart from others. Ultimately, our goal is to donate a portion of our sales to various nonprofit organizations. Just as I fell in love with Tuareg jewelry, I want our customers to understand the tribe’s history and culture so they, too, can fall in love with the jewelry.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

“The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael E. Gerber has significantly impacted not only how I view business but also how I plan to shape my current brand. Gerber dispels myths surrounding entrepreneurship, especially the notion that it will free up your time without creating proper systems and strategies to manage the business. While Mystics and Sages still has a lot of growing to do, I feel that I am finally at a place where I can integrate the lessons I’ve learned from the past.

The main premise of the book is that each entrepreneur needs to create systems that allow the founder to remain independent. In an age where social media glorifies entrepreneurship without properly understanding what it takes to start a business, Gerber provides practical advice for anyone at any stage in their entrepreneurial journey. His insights help you learn how to free up your time so you can work on your business rather than in it.

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

At some point, I faced numerous challenges in my entrepreneurial journey, and I wasn’t sure how to navigate them effectively. I hoped that someone would come along to help me with the problems I was experiencing, but they never did. It was always me; I was the knight in shining armor coming to my own rescue. This experience has also given me greater grit, determination, and resilience. Perhaps I picked up this false notion from the media—the idea that someone will eventually help you bring your vision to life. While there have certainly been people who assisted me on my journey, ultimately, the responsibility for conceptualizing my vision has always been mine.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mysticsandsages.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysticsandsages/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557191363578
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baiyinahbrookins/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mysticsandsages

Image Credits

Location: Longwood Gardens

Photographer: Ryan Powell

Model: Rieko Safiyya