We were lucky to catch up with Lauren Lovell recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lauren thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Smiling Leaves are small hand held hole punch devices that create joyful little faces on found leaves. The mission is simple – leave something behind to delight others.

As a child, I would pinch little smiling faces into found leaves, and leave them behind in hopes that another person passing by might enjoy them. I’d always wondered if anyone ever found my leaves. As an adult, I learned that a photographer in my neighborhood had been finding and photographing them. It occurred to me that there should be a simple garden tool that would let other people make Smiling Leaves too. I adapted a niche kitchen device to the task, and Smiling Leaves was born!

Sharing smiles – that’s why Smiling Leaves exist. It’s the opposite of a serious business. Smiling Leaves are a simple reminder that we share space with others, and a lighthearted way to share a smile.

Lauren, 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 communications professional by trade, and also the creator of Smiling Leaves Nature Craft Tools, which are pocket-sized leaf-punches that create joyful little faces on found leaves.

I love the communications profession because of the opportunity to share great stories. My client’s do amazing things in their fields, and helping them share their “Oh wow!” moments, be discovered, be seen and celebrated – that feels like time well spent. The same sentiment extends to my small side business Smiling Leaves. I love facilitating “Look at this!” moments of curiosity and discovery – be it around a product, a service, or something as simple as a smiling leaf.

I started Smiling Leaves during the Covid quarantine, when we were all taking lots of walks and had very little interaction with strangers. I’d always (since I was a child) made little smiles on leaves and left them behind for strangers to find, and during quarantine it occurred to me that others might also enjoy the activity. 

Smiling Leaves are now available on Uncommon Goods, across 5 US states, on L’Avant Guardiste in France, and a few shops in Australia including Nutcote, the house museum of legendary author May Gibbs. Seeing my product sitting next to May Gibbs merchandise is unreal. While it might not be the most business-significant accomplishment, it certainly was the biggest on a personal front.

My big dreams for Smiling Leaves are…
-Create a children’s book to accompany the Smiling Leaves activity
-Develop a floral partnership around a signature bouquet with Smiling Leaves greenery designed to be scattered at the end of the bouquet’s life

I love partnerships and know there are fun ones out there that I haven’t thought of yet. I’m open to whatever evolves naturally.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Faire wholesale marketplace has been an incredible growth tool for Smiling Leaves. My initial plan was to sell my product myself through social channels, but the wholesale route has been much more efficient.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

In my work as a PR person servicing clients, I need to stay focused on progress and consistent deliverables. Results need to come at a pretty fast pace. With Smiling Leaves, my creative side endeavor, growth has come in bursts, and the results have been slower to roll in as the right partners discover my product and as I discover new potential partners.

I’ve learned to stop forcing forward motion. My product is a shelf-stable impulse buy and I have time to see what comes next without pushing into sales channels where the audience might not be a great fit. 

It’s important to take your time finding the right space for your message or product, rather than rushing into the wrong space in the name of progress. It’s better to slowly find the right fit- and that’s been a hard thing to learn as someone who enjoys moving fast and moving forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.instagram.com/smiling.leaves/
• Instagram: @Smiling.Leaves
• Other: faire.com/direct/smilingleaves https://www.uncommongoods.com/product/happy-leaves-nature-punch-set https://www.lavantgardiste.com/products/set-de-3-perforateurs-smile

Image Credits
Packaging by Marisa Avelar, official product photography by Krystal De Lisi