Check Out Faith Bigley’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Faith Bigley.  

Faith, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Hello, my name is Faith Bigley and I’m the proud owner of B & C Craft Co. The name comes from my marriage and my maiden family names. It’s me, and who helped me become who I am today. I’m a Certified Holistic Life Coach and Certified Mind Body Fitness Coach that resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado just south of Denver. I’m originally from Pennsylvania, raised in the small town of Ardmore, a suburb about 20 mins outside of Philly. I always had the entrepreneurial spirit. One summer, when I was about 7 or 8, I remember recruiting my friends to pick cherries from our cherry tree so we could make some money for some ice cream. I got them all organized, and we loaded up one of those red wagons and hit the neighborhood. We didn’t quit until we made enough money so that every kid helping got an ice cream. Ardmore was a wonderful place to grow up, I have many fond memories. I met my husband Heath when he was stationed at the Naval Base in Philly. I had just turned 20 and hadn’t been living in Philly for very long. My best friend’s boyfriend who was a dear friend had stayed up one night listening to me go on about the lack of good men. Mind you, we were all of 20, funny. I told him I was giving up on men and just wanted to concentrate on myself. He told me that he had a friend that was saying the same thing about women. He smiled and said, “Matter of fact when you meet him, you’re going to want to marry him.” I told him that was the last thing I was looking for and we had a good hard laugh. He asked if he could give his friend my number. They were in the same department on the aircraft carrier they were on. I had several friends that were in the military; my father served in the Army and so did my brother, so I have much respect, but I wasn’t interested in a fly-by-night relationship. I reluctantly agreed to give him my number only because I trusted my friend. I was not a fan of blind dates. Anyway, Heath finally called me after 2 weeks but once we met it was love at first sight regardless of race, and we’ve been together ever since. We were married within months which family and friends thought it insane. We married in the spring of 1991, so as an interracial couple living in South Philly, we had some adventures but together we got through. After we had our son and Heath got out of the Navy we moved to Wyoming with his family. Talk about a culture shock. His family welcomed me, and we started our lives in little Rock Springs. A few years later we had our daughter. After 7 years living in a small-town opposite of where I grew up, I needed a change. My husband grew up in Colorado so one day while we were visiting my mother-in-law, I received a message so strong I knew I had to act. God told me that we needed to move there by Oct. I told Heath and since he’s my ride or die and knows my craziness, he just said OK. Just like everything else in our lives, when we both put our minds to it, we make it happen. We moved to Colorado Springs at the end of Oct 1999 and have been here ever since. Now, our children are adults that I couldn’t be prouder of. My daughter married in 2020 so now I have another son. This spring I am blessed to be celebrating my 31st anniversary with my wonderful husband. 

B & C Craft Co started from my dream to have my own store. I wanted to give people the same joy I had shopping with my family for little treasures. No matter how crazy things got with the big personalities in my family, my parents would load us kids in the car, and we would take a shopping trip. Some of my fondest memories would be discovering a new gift shop treasure. That’s where I discovered I liked music memorabilia and whimsical novelties. Have you ever gone into a store where you lose track of time? The staff is so friendly, and the merchandise is so fun and interesting that you want to take your time and look at everything? Well, that is my inspiration for my gift shop. 

I started making incense out of necessity. I love incense, they not only smell good but ground me. It is both cultural and spiritual. At that time, I lived in a small town in Wyoming and could not find a good place to buy incense. I missed that Pennsylvania shopping experience and the diversity of expression. So, I taught myself how to make incense and candles. When we moved to Colorado at the end of 1999, I had gone through a spiritual awakening. I was no longer afraid to explore the metaphysical world that had always been of interest. Being raised as a Black American Christian woman, it was not such a popular topic. Little did I know that God had led me to an area that was rich with knowledge. Not New Aged crazies like I was led to believe but everyday people. That began my journey into Holistic Wellness. I was always a holistic thinker, but this gave me more understanding as to why I was always drawn to nature and Indigenous cultures and beliefs. There the dream morphed into a gift shop where I could sell novelties and handmade gifts that nurtured the mind, body & Soul. I could bring my love for shopping together with my love of sharing knowledge. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Have I had any setbacks? I sure have, as an entrepreneur you expect things to happen. You just pray you can get through the other side of it. So, my life was work and my family. I thought I was going to be an Insurance Agent and just craft in my free time. In 2005 due to a chronic pain condition, I left corporate America and took some time for myself and family. I started this booth at our local indoor flea market and set up shop. I was selling candles, incense, and home deco-type gifts. Over the summer my husband and I got to know our surrounding vendors well. So, when the subject came up to go in on a storefront rental, we took a chance. It was great at first. We had a perfect spot in Old Colorado. The foot traffic was amazing, and the smell of my soothing incense brought people back. The long story short, I started noticing my partner sending my checks out later and later. I was feeling the rob Peter to Pay Paul vibe. He did not think I was smart enough to go through all the bank statements. My partner was using my profits to pay for everything. Meanwhile telling me that it was the brokerage house our accountant used that caused our check delays. Luckily, I was able to severe ties quickly, but that experience broke me. It took me years to work up enough courage and money to even entertain that thought again. I must say, my life coaching studies helped a lot. I always had a passion for it so I took classes when I could. I got through it which allowed me to have the boutique I have. I love being an entrepreneur. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
For many years I would do craft shows and Flea Markets here and there. Every time I thought I found a venue to sell my merchandise it never quite fit the stereotypical craft mall type. I was a crafter who dappled in any medium that moved me. As I experimented with various places to sell our product line, I gained a small following. We moved into Willowstone Antique Marketplace in the spring of 2019. I wanted to sell my handmade candles and incense. My passion is Mind-Body wellness, so I wanted the gift items I sold to have that connection in some way. So, B & C Craft Co was born. Whimsy collectibles that have a retro peace & love vibe. I lost my mom unexpectedly that Fall. It was a traumatic experience and my job at the time took a back seat to my grieving. Nonetheless, we parted ways. They were understanding about my situation and suggested I take a leave. Then the pandemic hit. I knew then I had to really get serious about the business. We were just starting to be profitable when the pandemic hit and the shutdown but, with the support of our loyal customers, we were able to survive. Then another hit, our venue decided to downsize the vender rental spaces and we lost one of our booths. That hurt. It was a blow to our sales so as I was figuring out whether to go back to the corporate world and bag my dreams. I prayed on it and put out my intent. One day, that same voice I always heard, reassuring me to keep going, encouraged me to make a call. The next thing I knew I was signing a lease. B & C Craft Co had a home. That’s how I got my funky little gift shop with a retro vibe. We sell gifts for the mind, body & soul. I make all types of our candles and hand dip my own incense. I also offer custom orders. 

What matters most to you? Why?
I mentioned that I am a Holistic and Mind Body Life Coach. I offer in-person sessions as well as online. Through my life coaching, I simply wish to help my clients add more peace and love in their lives. As a Life Coach, I use mindful techniques, to incorporate positive changes with wellness thinking at the forefront. Each person is different, so the approach varies. I love what I do and encourage anyone to follow their dreams no matter what. 

Contact Info:

• Email: bccraftco@gmail.com
• Instagram: bccraftco

Image Credits
Faith Bigley
B & C Craft Co