We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sam Tully a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sam, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?
Little Shop of Magick started out as nothing but a day dream to distract me from a job I loathed in 2020. An escape into a witchy world where I could leave my uncomfortable business pants and painful heels behind and slip into a bewitching dress with my bare feet in the grass. I read a lot of fantasy novels and subscribed to a ton of witch content including crystal meditation which I really enjoyed. This led me to pursue a crystal practitioner certification, and tarot reading. I practiced aura reading, chakra cleansing, tarot readings, and identifying any and every crystal with friends and family. I then moved to gardening and astrology to connect with nature and tap into the green witch I always knew I was. I used all the herbs I grew at my disposal for medicinal purposes, such as tea blends and tinctures, and even scattering at my doorstep for good fortune. All while charging my crystals under each full moon and following her cycles closely, journaling each week about what I might experience emotionally based on planet alignment and moon phases. Once I felt connected with my truest self, I started to have endless ideas pour in about starting a small business. As time went on, the idea to create a space for other witchy individuals like me to come together as their most authentic selves started to call to me more. I brainstormed in most of my free time about how I could feed this side of myself and share it with others too.
In 2021, I started making tea blends from my garden, and a few other very small trinkets and created an Etsy and a business Instagram even though I had no idea what I was doing. I decided, hey why not see if this connects with my witchy people out there?! It was very slow at first, but I started mostly as a hobby to keep me grounded in the things I really enjoyed-creating things with my hands and having Mother Nature to assist!
Fast forward to 2022 and I completely threw myself off the deep end into Little Shop of Magick. So many products, so many markets, so many events, so many awkward photoshoots, so many failures, and so many lessons unearthed. That was the year I learned to ride a broom.
Soaring into 2023 with both feet off the ground, I became really involved with making ecofriendly & vegan candles, deodorant, body butters, essential oil rollers, lip balms, sunscreen and so much more all with a witchy herbal twist! I found my niche and really dialed into products that absolutely made my business take flight. I created my own website, had a branding photoshoot, sold out of launches, and did over 35 events while still maintaining a full time job. Last year came with so many moments of pure happiness I never could have dreamed of.
And as I ease into 2024 after a very busy year, I feel abundance surrounding me with a business that is feeling steady after a lot of hard work. I just reached 10k followers on Instagram and it was so exciting! Seeing the community I’ve built online and in person has made me feel not only accepted but fully free to be myself as the face behind Little Shop of Magick.
Sam, 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?
I am a very passionate person and have always needed to feel grounded to my surroundings. The outlet to create and feel connected to nature has been an invaluable part of my life that has kept me humble and grateful. The ability to develop all the ideas that swarm in my head has been something that has helped me so much when I needed to step away from daily stressors. The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve come into the witchy woman I am today. I spent endless time gardening, working with herbs and crystals, and making items that made me feel like I was in touch with my inner witch! I became a certified crystal healer in 2021, and deepened my practice with nature, meditation, and crystal use. As a result, it created so much authentic inspiration that I wanted to share it with a community of people who desired more ways to express their identity through uniquely designed items and witchcraft. With that, I created Little Shop of Magick!
I am a small business that is very active in the maker’s community in the Raleigh Durham area, participating in events such as markets and pop-up shows. In addition to that, I am available in brick mortars throughout NC geared towards marketing small business owners and their products. I also have a website for my online customers, so that I can reach a wider population of witches. My hope is that Little Shop of Magick can provide a renewed connection to oneself, nature, and the witch within. My products are meant to inspire the magick inside us; whether it’s something you wear, drink, or light, there’s something for everyone. I wanted to create something inclusive for all that want to tap into their whimsical spirit. It’s super fun when I know my customers are buying a product that aligns with their values because that usually means it aligns with my values too! The collaboration of believing in self-expression and valuing your spirituality allows many of my customers to connect with me organically, creating a community.
My work consists of all things for the modern witch! I offer many products that fall into the realm of apothecary as well as beauty. I create zodiac herbal blends with herbs dried from my organic garden that can be sipped in tea, smoked loose or rolled, or placed in the bath! My best sellers are my soy wax wood wick candles adorned with herbs and charged crystals. I also specialize in herbal-infused essential oil rollers, consisting of feminine and masculine scents, as well as aromatherapy blends for morning & evening, and even an all natural bug repellent! I have matching vegan body butters that can be paired with the roller scents for an added touch of magick or as a stand alone self care item. I make deodorants and lip balms for sensitive skin, and sun screen bars for skin protection! All of my products are vegan and chemical free, and stored in glass containers to reduce any plastic use to prioritize sustainability. Outside of herbal products, I use polymer clay to create witchy and nature-inspired jewelry. Pieces that are bold and eccentric for witches to wear and feel connected to their spirituality.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
That being a practical person was the only way to survive. My childhood was filled with the pragmatic lessons of life- to always be prepared for the other shoe to drop, to financially plan for my future, and that anything beyond necessity was luxury. Taking risks was not only never taught to me, but a complete nonstarter. I didn’t grow up in an environment where coloring outside the lines was considered brave, it was just something we couldn’t afford.
Hence my fear to try something new for myself. After investing ample time and money into a new endeavor, there wasn’t really a financial option for me to test the waters. I had to succeed going full steam ahead. Now I realize that taking risks is exactly what I needed to discover who I truly am. To have real happiness and pride in my work without my shadow creeping in to expose my in-authenticity. It feels amazing to walk my own chosen path knowing that I will be okay no matter what! Owning a small business will always come with fear of failure, and sometimes even now I have to remind myself that trusting my gut to continue moving forward is imperative for success. BUT there is always value in seeing something through even if it doesn’t turn out the way I expected.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I still have a really long way to go to becoming a social media guru. But I cannot express enough that people want to connect with the owner behind the brand 10/10 times. There is a natural instinct from consumers to want to know things about the owner of the small business selling them “x”. What do they look like? What do they like to do besides post pictures of their products? What proves that they are the face of their business?
I was camera shy at first too, but now I am fully showing myself online as much as possible. It doesn’t need to be polished with a full face of makeup or a super curated skit. It can just be you talking about how you made your product, you showing them your craft room, or even what makes your niche so fun!
Since I am a magickal shop, I share a lot of content about regular every day things I do that seem witchy. Maybe a reel of me in my garden, or of myself applying the face oil I made, or even an outfit I wore. It makes the whole brand feel more trustworthy to consumers. And if you are being your most authentic self (like me!), it shouldn’t be too hard to have lots of B-roll content ready for posting.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://littleshopofmagick.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilshopofmagick/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lilshopofmagick
Image Credits
Ashleigh Bri Photography