Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Yvette Wyatt. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Yvette, appreciate you joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
There are many metaphysical stores around Michigan – what makes The Motown Witch different is that we are more centered around African Traditional Religions. We have many hard to find items, or items folks have only heard of. We also offer tarot reading and spiritual counseling.
Yvette, 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’ve been spiritual my entire life. My earliest memory is seeing a man stand outside my bedroom window and my Grandmother explaining that it was her deceased husband watching over me. I saw him through most of my childhood. When my mother forced me to go to church with her, I saw spirits there too. My Dad (who was an athiest) said I didn’t have to go back. I spent every childhood summer down in Alabama on my Great-Grandmother’s farm. I watched her and my Grandmother fix anything that ailed folks by making teas, burning herbs, etc.
While working as a legal assistant for 30 years, I vended my products on weekends at festivals and events. I’ve done lots of spiritual work for people over the years (as well as several weddings). I hold space for people to be able to vent and unload. Many times that’s all that’s needed, but there are times where other workings have to come into play. It really is a case by case basis.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
Yes. I always made my own soaps and body butters. While working as legal assistant, the attorney I worked for encouraged me to sell my products at a Christmas bazaar being held at another law firm in the building. I did it and sold out of everything I brought. That led me to vending more, then I also began bringing the mojo bags and other spiritual items that I made; so it grew from there.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
My store began in a small corner in the back of my husband’s dance studio. I had a couple of counters with soaps, body butters, a few candles and herbs and bracelets. I got to a point where I hated my job and decided to leave and devote myself to my store full time. The lawfirm I left, paid me for my unused PTO and vacation time and I used that money to buy products like candles and herbs and statues.
Fast forward to the pandemic and my husband could not teach in person = my client based tripled. They were spending their stimulus money with me and my variety of products increased and I took over the entire space.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.motownwitch.com
- Instagram: motownwitch
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Motownwitch
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvette-wyatt-5b169719/
- Twitter: motownwitch
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@motownwitch
