We recently connected with Sharlyssa Duncan and have shared our conversation below.

Sharlyssa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

Ooh, most definitely. I am constantly trying to be different than the “big dogs.” We foster an environment for our team to feel safe and transparent. They each know they can call me for a mental health day at any point. They feel safe to communicate with management, and we work hard to ensure we can accommodate. This also reflects back to me. If I need a break, each of our team members will do all they can to step up to the plate.

This bleeds into how they care for our customers. When they are treated with empathy and understanding, they can approach customers with empathy as well. There is usually at least one happy or sad cry a day in our space. We provide a nurturing and vulnerable space for our customers. We ask how they’re doing with sincerity. When the answer isn’t bright, we let them know it’s okay to feel however they feel in here, no need for a “happy face.” This often allows us into their world, an opportunity to feel seen. We have built a reputation within our community as a place of refuge on hard days. Our customers know they can come in, “just to feel good,” and we are here for it.

Sharlyssa, 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?

The short answer of who we are, is a Self-Care and Gifting Boutique. Yet we are much, much more. There is intention and charm within our walls. Often as customers come in, they let out a heavy exhale from the stress of their day as they delight in their surroundings. We have some sassy products in the shop (naughty words)–we can usually hear people giggling through the shop as they explore and catch sight of them. Before leaving, they usually make a point to let us know they are in a better mood having just come in. We also focus on curating gifts for our customers. It’s important to note, shopping is not fun for everyone. Sometimes they hate shopping, often they’re in a hurry, and other times, they’re shopping for a sad life event (death, cancer, etc.). We create an environment where our customers share what and who they’re shopping for, then we’re able to scan our products and bring items to them within their budget. We then remove price tags and tissue wrap everything so it’s gift-ready! We all have big things happening in our lives, and an extra step like this, can be what changes their day.

We value every customer who comes through our door with an unsaid, “thank you,” for shopping with us. We understand they could have stayed in sweats and ordered something online, but they chose to come shop with us. We want them to feel something special within our walls. Every dollar spent with us, goes to support small artisans, as well as the lives of the 8 staff members we have on the team.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Absolutely! As a small business owner, I think “pivot” is our word of the month. Every. Single. Month.

The start of Golden Leaf is a huge pivot for me. I had built my massage business over 10 years when COVID hit. My fiancee had also pivoted from his long-time, secure management role to branch out into self-employment in another field. The plan was for me to float us while he built his new business. We still had bills to pay, but neither us had an income any longer. I looked at my passions: self-care, nurturing of others, working with my hands. I had dabbled in bath and body care in the past, so I just started working on things I could make. I actually started DoorDashing for income as well. I would put a sample of a product and business card linking people to our Facebook shop. I then took every opportunity I could find. Some fabulous ladies at Great Clips knew me from massage and offered to let me set up a little holiday table inside Great Clips. It’s weird, but you have to take those opportunities.

At this point, pivots are daily joke within our team. Sometimes they’re big, sometimes they’re minor. The pivots build resilience. Taking them in stride builds character. At this point in my career, I feel VERY capable of conquering curve balls. It’s not always pretty, but I know I can trust myself and my team to conquer.

Let’s talk M&A – we’d love to hear your about your experience with buying businesses.

Happily! We recently acquired Ms. Betty’s Original–a beloved candle and skin-care brand celebrating a sassy, brutally honest older woman by the name of, you guessed it, Betty. We have carried and loved this brand since the onset of our gift shop. The bold black and white branding is a contract from our pastels, and the sharp titles like “Bad-Ass Bitch Balm,” are a perfect fit for those who don’t take life too seriously. At some point last year, we saw they were closing their shop on their wholesale platform. I knew they had been around for a while, so I reached out simply to thank them for creating their brand, giving us some good laughs, and wish them well on retirement. From this simple message, one thing led to another, and I was able to have a phone chat with the original owner, Scott. I learned more about the shuffle of his life and the desire for him to simplify. As a small business owner and artisan, I know too well the emotional and financial investment in building a company, and couldn’t imagine how I’d feel if I had to walk away after building such a legacy. We discussed numbers as human beings, actually left lawyers out, and came to a reasonable number being the first time for both us. In regards to the lawyer bit–I shouldn’t condone that haha. Once I transferred the large sum of money, I felt panic for 2 days, and checked my email constantly. I did trust this man. Especially since I had reached out to him. It’s not as though he had hounded me for a sale. I do also know, however, I am an insanely trusting person. And that is not a trait without complications in the world of business. At the end of it all, it was a really beautiful exchange between two genuine humans, who happen to be business people.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.goldenleafstudios.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/golden.leaf.studios/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoldenLeafApothecary/