We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jill Hilbrenner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jill, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
Opening Witch Hazel represented a giant pivot for me. I had worked in media and writing jobs for more than a decade, until getting laid off in early 2022. (The same week as my birthday…that was a weird birthday!)
I had really been wanting a change, and in a way, I’m glad I was given the push to do so. I don’t know when I would have felt brave enough to pivot on my own.
At the time, I was tired. I’d managed a large team during the pandemic, which definitely took a toll on my mental health trying to keep things together. And I’d gone through (successful) treatment for early-stage breast cancer in 2019. Tired!
I wanted to be as far away from the media world as possible (no offense to media!) because I’ve seen what it’s like in an industry when people are constantly in fear of being in that next round of layoffs. That changes people, and how people interact. The “life’s too short” cancer moment had me ready to do something calming where I could rebuild, recharge, and regain some sense of control…whatever that means in small business land.
But here we are, almost 2 years later, and the shop is going strong. I feel reinvigorated, even on the toughest days, and feel proud of what I’ve built: a store that brings people joy, has a calm and kind environment, and offers creative outlets at every turn.
Jill, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a Midwesterner now living in upstate New York with my husband and two pups. I have a writing/creative background, having found myself at companies like Chanel, the Guardian, and New York Magazine.
In 2022, I totally changed gears and opened Witch Hazel, a cruelty-free, clean beauty and floral store in Beacon, NY. Having learned about makeup, skincare, and fragrance at Chanel, I got a crash course in ingredients and formulations. I like to think I have a decent sense for finding products that can help people and bring them joy…at whatever price point.
The shop also has a strong focus on sustainability: We don’t want to give into fast beauty or sell a million things to encourage overconsumption. We offer in-store product recycling, focus on eco-friendlier packaging, and provide refills wherever possible.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Being a nice human being. Sometimes jerks get ahead, and that’s life, but I would rather grow my business by making human connections and creating a warm, welcoming space for people to treat themselves, talk about their day, show off their dogs, you name it.
The feedback that makes me proudest is when people say they feel kindness in our shop. Beauty can be intimidating, and I want to make sure people feel respected and cared for, whether or not they wish to purchase something that day. Just be real and be nice!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
That money is scary. I grew up in a household where funds were pretty tight, and I remember the feeling of standing at the checkout and a card not going through.
There’s so much emotion and shame around money, but you have to face it every day in business. You have to make big expenditures sometimes, and seeing the numbers in your bank app change can make you feel sick. You have to decide whether this inventory or that is worth it. Whether you can afford a certain upgrade or if it should wait. There’s also no way to predict how much you’ll bring in, unlike at a salaried job.
A friend told me “your numbers are your numbers, and the story around them doesn’t matter.” Meaning cut the emotions and look at the black-and-white. If you know your balance sheet, you know where sales are trending…that should dictate your decisions, not fear or guilt or comparison or whatever. Of course you might still have money baggage, but that is the ultimate reality check.
Contact Info:
- Website: witchhazelny.com
- Instagram: @witchhazelny