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

Alright, Camila thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

As a spiritual enthusiast/artist, my work is misunderstood and characterized by many people. The belief that rocks and minerals could have healing properties can be seen as a bit silly by people who don’t understand it. The use of herbs in manifestation is usually mischaracterized as something of the occult. There are a plethora of misconceptions regarding spirituality which unfortunately affects my small business.

Leo Aura has had the privilege to attend over 30 different events in the short 2 years we have been in business. Although many events welcome us with open arms, some do not. We have had challenging moments when signing up for vendor events and getting denied because of the nature of our business. We have also had events where we were set up next to religious organizations and were made to feel uncomfortable by the members of these organizations due to the misconceptions around crystals.

Something I have learned from these experiences is that I know what my intentions are when I create, and no one can take that from me. I make every single piece of art with love, happiness, and peaceful energy. This is something that isn’t recognized by those who misunderstand the nature of my business. At the beginning of Leo Aura, I struggled in accepting this as the reality of being in the crystal business. Now that we have been open for almost 2 years, it is something I have learned to respect, as everyone has their own beliefs and opinions.

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?

Hi! My name is Camila Garcia-Medina and I am an artist that specializes in crystals and other spiritual crafts. As a child, I always found a special interest and fascination with rocks and crystals. I would collect so many rocks that my mom would always find rocks in my pockets when she would wash my clothes! I’d take any opportunity to pick up and admire a pretty rock. This lead to having an extensive and impressive rock collection. As an adult, things have not changed in the slightest. I rediscovered my love for rocks and crystals in early 2021 when I stumbled upon some reddit forums where people help each other identify crystals.

As I dove deeper into other reddit forums, I quickly became entangled in a world of information about crystals, herbs, and all things metaphysical. I found myself looking through these forums every day, learning new information and taking mental notes of things that resonated with me. Unsurprisingly, as a rock and crystal lover, I already had some crystals stashed away in a jewelry box. I took those out and made a nice display area for them. It wasn’t much, but it was a humble start!

Shortly after, I decided to create my very first spell jar. These little jars are filled with herbs and oils, sealed with candle wax, and can be used to aid in protection, healing, money attraction, and many other things. My first spell jar was made with the intention to protect me from negative energy. I sent my friends a picture of this adorable jar and I was quickly met with overwhelming support and encouragement, along with some friends asking for me to sell them so they could purchase one. I was so surprised by this, as I was not expecting this sort of response. This is when I decided that I could start making them and selling them on Etsy to other people who are interested.

February 26th, 2021 I made my first Etsy listing. I had so many people reach out to congratulate me. There was an abundance of positive feedback from friends and family. This is the moment that set reality in for me. The realization of “This is something I truly enjoy” set in and I ran with it.

Since then, I incorporated selling crystal jewelry, crystal crafts, crystals, custom jewelry, along with my original spell jars. I have also had the privilege of starting my own website, attending vendor markets in Central Florida, and being interviewed by some awesome online news articles.

Despite the crystal market being quite saturated, I take pride in the things that make me stand out as an artist. I know that my art is made with an abundance of love. Cleansing all of my products routinely is also things that makes me stand out from others. I truly enjoy working with and around crystals all the time. I even have crystals at my work desk at my 9-5 job! Working with crystals isn’t just a hobby of mine, I have incorporated this into my every day lifestyle. I wear all of my own jewelry because I am proud of the art I am able to create with my hands. Being able to wear my jewelry is honestly my biggest achievement. It is a constant reminder that I do what I love and I create beautiful art for others to wear and enjoy.

As a small business, we strive to create a safe environment for people to explore their beliefs of the metaphysical. We encourage every customer to use their intuition when they shop with us, as this is very important when working with crystals. Leo Aura is here to help guide people of all ages through their crystal and spiritual path. We guarantee quality and affordability, and of course you will always get a free gift with your purchase!

Leo Aura has something for everyone; I can’t wait for you to find your special piece of Leo Aura!

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

I am currently working towards my Bachelors of Business Information and Management. This degree and the classes I have taken have significantly helped me understand the logistics of running a business. I have applied most of this knowledge towards my small business. Without this educational background, I would be completely lost in running a business. I definitely recommend that other small business owners take some time to learn about the industry they are in, whether that be through secondary education, YouTube Videos, or books. Understanding Business language and terminology has definitely impacted and influenced my entrepreneurial thinking and has aided me in giving other small business owners that same information.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I feel like our society has very much shifted in the recent years in terms of shopping with small businesses. We have come together and supported small businesses in so many different ways. With the boom of food trucks, to the surge in social media selling. I think it is important to continue on this path of support. Sharing social media posts is a free and easy way to support a small business! Refer your friends to small businesses you like! Any support is recognized and appreciated by small businesses. I hope that communities will continue to support and encourage small businesses to stay open and follow their dreams.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.leoauraa.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leo.auraa/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Leo-Aura-106577114828100
• Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LeoAura