We recently had the chance to connect with Shelby Jonse and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Shelby, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Morning garden walks with my family. We have a large flower garden at home and every morning before we go to work my husband and I walk the garden with our two young boys and our dog. We smell all the flowers, search for bees and bugs and pull weeds. My boys also like to cut flowers and take them to school for their teachers and friends. Getting two small kids out the door in the morning can be chaotic, so this is a nice calm way to reset in the mornings.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I started Wander and Graze as a fun side gig when I went back to school in 2018. It was a time of transition for me. I was leaving a career in retail management after 13 years and starting something new. I loved the idea of grazing tables and grazing boards but I wanted to do things a little differently than other people. I wanted them to be colorful and inviting to anyone regardless of dietary restrictions or preferences. I also strive to be environmentally conscious in all aspects of my life and that can be difficult in a food service business. In an effort to be more sustainable, our boards, cutlery, and packaging are entirely recyclable, compostable, or reusable. We try to avoid using any excess packaging or single-use plastics. We source organic, local produce whenever possible. Sometimes even from our own garden at the shop where we grow an assortment of edible flowers, herbs and unique veggies for garnishing in the spring and summer months.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
Hustle. Since my childhood, I have always been very responsible. I learned early that I would need to work hard to create the life I wanted for myself and my future family. I didn’t have any financial support from family, so it was vital for me to seize every opportunity I was given to prove myself. I never thought I would be a business owner. The idea of the risk was so scary to me. But when I started Wander + Graze, I threw myself into making it the best it could be. It grew, and when COVID shut the world down, we pivoted quickly to contact-free delivery of date night boxes, and our business exploded overnight. During that time I was still in school full time and my husband and in the Fall of 2020 my husband and I were newly licensed foster parents and placed with a baby boy. So I was running a business, had a newborn without daycare, and I was taking 15 and 18-hour semesters online. It was a wild time, and I honestly think sleep deprivation helped me block the stress from memory. But within a year, I had graduated, my son was finally in daycare, and I had all this extra time to focus just on our business. We found and began building out a brick-and-mortar location for Wander and Graze in the West Highlands neighborhood in Denver. We opened in early 2022, and it was a dream come true. We expanded our team and our business, and I started talking to my husband about opening another location. But in the Summer of 2022, we got another foster placement. Another baby boy who rocked our little world. My oldest was adopted the year before, and we wanted him to have a sibling. We were open to any age, but ended up getting a 3-month-old baby. But having a newborn and a toddler at the same time is no joke. Throw in running a business, and I quickly realized that if I wanted to be present for my family and my team, I needed to simplify my life. Just because I can hustle and do it all doesn’t mean I should. I have a fantastic team, and I have hired people who are great at areas where I struggle. I love this company and that it gives me the life I always wanted for myself and my family.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
You are enough. Your achievements don’t define who you are and you shouldn’t have to prove your worth to others.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That you can’t afford to pay a living wage and/or benefits. The food service industry is a tricky business. Costs are high, and many companies struggle to fill and keep staff. Denver is an expensive place to live, and I spent over 10 years in a retail management position where I couldn’t increase staff’s pay. Most of my employees were full-time students living partially off their student loans or worked multiple jobs, working well over 40 hours a week, so that they could live in the same city they worked in. This caused a lot of burnout. I was always happy for them when they found a job that would pay better. I work side by side with my employees every day. I care about them and I only want the best for them. So when I started my business, I vowed that my starting hourly rate would never be less than a living wage in Denver. And as soon as I had an employee who needed health insurance, I started looking into small business plans. So while our prices might not be the lowest in town, our customers’ purchases and support provide our small team with a living wage, paid time off, and health care benefits.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I am gardening. I love working in the soil, weeding, feeding, and caring for plants. I love seeing the bees and spiders going about their work. There is something deeply satisfying about starting something from seed and seeing it grow. It’s also fun to share some fresh cut flowers or produce from the garden with friends and neighbors. I have a large garden at both my home and the shop, and it is always a treat to see the joy it brings others.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wanderandgraze.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wanderandgraze/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelby-jonse
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wanderandgraze/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/wander-and-graze-denver
Image Credits
Caroline Brackney Photography
