Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Marie Patchem.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story?
Your life shatters when a loved one dies. That’s what happened to my family and me when my older brother, Daniel, killed himself in 2014.
I received the usual sympathy cards and gifts, but after the flowers wilted and the food was gone, I was still not okay with my new reality and felt even more alone. I finally found comfort in the light from a handmade candle sent to me with love from a friend.
It did something that the other gifts did not; it filled a void those gifts could not touch. It wasn’t there to try to make me feel happy. Instead, it gave me the freedom to be sad. It was a tiny companion to help me navigate through my grief. It made such an impact on me that years later, I decided that this idea could help others.
I created the AFTER Company to help people in their grief as well as help the supporting loved ones around them. I put the first product, our signature grief candle box – AFTER: Love and Light, on the shelf of my retail store in 2018. Since then, we have sold over 200 grief support boxes and continue to sell more across the country via our eCommerce website. www.TheAFTERcompany.com
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
For the most part, there haven’t been many challenges. Sure, flowers are the traditional go-to bereavement gift, so I have to compete with that billion-dollar industry. However, our candle boxes are truly resonating with customers. In the retail shop, “what a good idea!” is something we hear regularly. Consumers are looking for an alternative to sending flowers. They want a unique, meaningful gift that conveys their sorrow for their hurting friend or co-worker.
Our sympathy support boxes offer a way to heal during grief without trying to fix it as if it were a problem to be solved. People want to help their hurting loved one; they just don’t know how. This is where AFTER comes in.
A large percentage of our customers return to make additional purchases. Some recipients of the sympathy boxes end up becoming our customers because the product meant so much to them that they decide to send one to their friend.
It’s easy to run a business that provides consumers with products that are needed. Our customers inspire me every day to keep going. Operating AFTER is my way to help others connect in the face of grief.
Operating AFTER is how I can help heal the world of grief.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
AFTER sells grief support candle boxes that include a hand-poured soy candle, 16-page booklet, coaster, keepsake box, matches, and tissues (all made in Longmont). It sells for $49, which is less expensive than most bouquets. Our signature product (and best seller) is AFTER: Love and Light. It is intended for general grief, to be sent during the funeral timeframe up to two years of grieving. This candle box can be applied to most deaths; i.e. suicide, accidental, illness, etc., as it talks about grief in a universal yet supportive way.
Our ‘Yearly’ candles are similar but are more specific to the hard days throughout the year, such as anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, etc. My personal favorite is AFTER: Deathiversary, because it’s the heaviest (emotionally) and represents the griever’s first day of the rest of her days with grief.
I feel like this product can be the most supportive because there is nothing on the market that addresses this day. Most people don’t have a clue on what to do with themselves, and this candle box can help with that.
Our ‘Remembrance’ candle line offers grief support for loss such as losing a pet, miscarriage, and soon to be released AFTER: Cancer and AFTER: Divorce. It’s important to remember that grief is not just about death; it is about loss.
What sets us apart from other gift stores is the complimentary service we offer. To me, it is not enough to just sell a product. I want to make sure we are doing all that we can to help illuminate grief. AFTER reaches out to the supporting loved ones (our customers) to remind them of the hard days their grieving friend has ahead of them. We offer them guidance to help educate them on how to be a good friend in difficult situations. Grief doesn’t end after the funeral, nor six months later. It is a lifelong struggle, and we are here to help.
What were you like growing up?
I am an artist and always have been.
Creating something with my hands is the way I recharge. There isn’t much in the arts I haven’t dabbled in, whether it was painting, textiles or computer imaging. I am not shy to try new creative channels. My brother Daniel showed me the world of woodworking and we created a few projects together before he died. When AFTER was still an idea in my head, I knew I had to have something made of wood, for him.
Pricing:
- AFTER: Love and Light $49
- AFTER: Beloved Pet $24.99
Contact Info:
- Address: 634 Main Street, Longmont CO 80501
- Website: www.TheAFTERcompany.com
- Phone: 3032227943
- Email: admin@theaftercompany.com
- Instagram: theaftercompany
- Facebook: theAFTERcompany22
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