Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jes Leffler. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jes, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
Fruits of Our Labor curates unique DIY-centric experiences that focus on process not perfection. We saw a need for classes and workshops in the Denver area, that just weren’t being offered. Art classes that are about the process and fun of making not the technical side. Something that made you read the title twice, maybe it makes you laugh, something you couldn’t buy at JoAnn’s. We wanted the option to do more than sit at a bar, which don’t get me wrong, that’s ALL I want sometimes, or the choice to have a bach party that didn’t involve those awkward games and wasteful props. We created the crafty party we wanted to go to.
Jes, 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?
My co-founder, Tara Forman, and I have known each other for 18 years. We always fantasized about opening a business together. 16 years later, it happened! In past lives we were art directors, educators, servers, retail managers, event planners and caretakers. We fused these collective skills together to form Fruits of Our Labor. We curate space for you to be creative, lose yourself in the moment and meet like minded folks. We’ve hosted ‘Black Hole’ themed birthdays at Spectra Art Space, tie dye workshops, upcycling focussed clothing swaps and a blind sculpting and wine tasting event in RiNO.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
We are still very much growing as a business and brand. I think the two best things I did to move us forward was quit my full time job and look for and embrace unique opportunities like an experience accelerator with Centennial or popping up at a maker space in an apartment building. 2022 has been about embracing the unknown and experimenting. It has helped us gain a clear idea of who our audience is and where we fit in best.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
HA! Well, I was 18, a wee lil one in Tampa, FL. It was my freshman year at USF, and I needed a job. My scholarship was not going to cover all the Frappès I was going to consume. My friend Joey and I decided that we would put on our trendiest clothes and promenade through the mall applying for jobs. In 2004, this. meant low rise jeans, a tee and an infinity scarf, even if it was 78 degrees outside. My Toni & Guy haircut looks best with a scarf… I guess. Tara, my co-founder, was the store manager for Victoria’s Secret Beauty. I told Joey to wait outside, this was a coveted job and I didn’t want them to hire him, not me. He reluctantly waited outside the store, testing all the lotions outside and giving himself hand massages. I fix my scarf and my faux mullet, now referred to as a shag. Meanwhile, Tara is behind the front desk, witnessing this entire exchange, awaiting this little scene kid to approach her in the over the top glittered and gilded store. I give her my application, she makes a Wayne’s World reference, I quickly respond, we agree this is one of the best movies of all time, she hires me, I learn how to wear blush properly and we’ve been friends since. The End.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fruitsofourlabor.co
- Instagram: @fruitsofourlabor.co