Meet Trailblazer Lauren Hallez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Hallez.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story?
Crystals, gems and the consciousness community has changed my life in so many ways. Not only creatively, but spiritually as well. After the powerful loss of a dear friend in 2015 who shared his love and affinity for crystals and rockhounding with me, I became inspired to create and adorn beautiful souls all over the world with handmade jewelry in his honor. After four years of hard work, passion, soulful intention and dedication towards building my brand, I have evolved into an influencer among the consciousness community, a crystal dealer and healer while creating one of a kind treasures that harness the alluring and cosmic energy of mother nature.

Mineral Gypsy is not only a place for finding unique pieces and wonderous gems, but it has also transformed into a source of sisterhood and inspiration for many of my followers and fellow shops to breed love, creativity, and spiritual awakening. By pursuing my lifelong dream of becoming a self-made entrepreneur lady boss, determined and ambitious, I am so proud to have worked my way to the top of this ever-challenging social media circle next to several other incredible artists and shop owners whom I have gratefully befriended and admired for years.

Being able to do what I love and love what I do every single day has been the most satisfying, rewarding and invaluable thing I have ever done with my life. Continuing to spread positive awareness about the consciousness community, the healing and powerful benefits of crystal energy, while utilizing the gift of creativity allows me to send them vibrating back out into the world. My adorable furball assistant and “mewse” @lunatic.the.lynx and I work from home together here in Denver and push out around 60 – 80 packages or more per month. She has become a wonderful source of photos and relatable content captivating the hearts of animal and crystal lovers alike.

In just over four years of dedication, commitment, consistency, and hard work, I am finally getting ready to approach an unbelievable 100K follower milestone. Eternally and wholeheartedly grateful for every single soul, artist, and creative mind who continue to support and clap back for me, it is truly a dream and honor that I never imagined would come true.

Has it been a smooth road? Any advice for other women, particularly young women who are just starting their journey?
Like any other self-made entrepreneur, owning a small business and self-employment has its daily struggles. Working from home for myself has also presented a few mentally challenging conflicts such as forcing myself into a routine schedule, wearing something other than pajamas, and ensuring that I take adequate breaks to eat something healthy daily. Regarding operations; personally, attracting my customer and fan base through social media, mainly Instagram and Etsy have been the most successful route in growing my brand thus far. Figuring out how to navigate the challenges of this platform’s algorithm by building connections with other artists and shops has ultimately been my saving grace. Once I made a name for myself and established a solid reputation, I just had to keep myself motivated with a desire to thrive. While it is a highly competitive market and industry to be in, I have overcome many obstacles by remembering why I decided to build this dream in the first place. 

As a young adult, I never had much luck working for someone else or being micromanaged, so I decided to dedicate my life’s work to my craft and ensure that I never had to punch the clock again. Every day I push a little harder to expand my goals and broaden my path to success. Even when times were tough, I committed to investing in myself both mentally and financially, trusting the universe to guide me in the right direction. 

My best advice for anyone who is at the beginning of their journey or who may be struggling to find progress, just remember that you are not defined by the number of followers you have or how much profit you have earned, the only thing that really matters is how hard you are willing to work in order to earn those things. I wish anyone the best of luck in their journey to be self-sustaining and to never give up on your daydream.

We’d love to learn more about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a brand, organization or service provider? What sets you apart from others?
What started as a way for me to make a quick buck during a short period of “fun-employment” in 2016, I became a self-taught jewelry maker specializing in wire wrapped crystals for the purposes of healing and enlightenment. After a few years of experimenting with new styles and gems, with the help of some amazing close artist friends, I taught myself how to create with the art of electroform. Electroforming is an intricate process of fusing metal onto any medium with pure copper and an acid bath mixed with a low voltage electric charge to form a shiny surface. 

Through the use of crystals and gems, this medium has become widely popular among some very talented artists in my immediate community, but I believe what sets me apart from everyone else is not only in my versatility to offer the beautiful gems themselves through monthly LIVE Instagram sales, but creating handmade adornments as well as home décor.  My latest innovation and most original, highly sought-after product are my electroformed crystal suncatchers. Created with hand selected crystals that decorate a window or sacred space, then electroformed to perfection, these one-of-a-kind beauties have really helped to build my reputation as an artist. Typically selling out right away, they have become a huge compliment to my craft. Although suncatchers have been around for ages, no one else in my creative circle is making something quite as uniquely beautiful as these.

I would also like to add that over the past four years, I have built some incredible connections not only with other artists, but truly amazing customers as well. Because of my genuine and wholehearted passion for helping others find something that speaks to them, many of these relationships have transformed into friendships, repeat sales, referrals and lifelong customers. Connecting with others on a much deeper level outside of business has personally been a total game changer for me. 

Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
As a young adult, I have consistently had an entrepreneurial spirit. From destroying my clothes in high school just to create new ones, making loads of hemp jewelry and selling them at concerts, and countless other things, being a small business owner has always been my destiny. Both my parents are highly creative individuals, my mother more of an artist and my father a practical “make it yourself” kind of man, helped shape me into the artistic and imaginative person I am today. Holding down a variety of sales and customer service jobs along with a background in photography has also greatly contributed to my success. Additionally, I hold a high honors bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Marketing from 2017. Truth be told, although very helpful, this was just an expensive steppingstone for me in a career I eventually built for myself.

Which women have inspired you in your life? Why? Sources of Inspiration.
I am overwhelmed by the amount of incredible people and women in my life who have inspired, encouraged and supported me over the last four years, I could list so many people I am beyond thankful for. First and foremost; my mother, who was once a small brick and mortar floral shop owner, has always had an invested interest in my dream down to the numbers and accounting while also pushing me to keep it alive. I am thankful for the tiny but mighty circle of cherished and supportive girlfriends in my life, some of whom have even taken an interest in my business and assisted with different aspects of my brand. 

Working my way to the top of an artist community has also blessed me with an abundance of fellow female artists whom I can rely upon for inspiration, motivation, daily struggles and challenges that we face together in such a competitive market and online platform. These women and small business owners have given me hope, saved me from giving up, and most importantly, they have provided true friendship for which I am continuously thankful for.  Most importantly, I wish to mention my husband James who has supported me in every way possible. From allowing me to take over our home with boxes full of gems and quit my full-time job. He has been my biggest cheerleader and watched me completely evolve while I pursue my dream for the past four years. 

Lastly, a huge thank you to all my friends, family and followers and everyone who took the time to read this article. An extra special thanks to Voyager Magazine for the wonderful feature, I am sincerely humbled and grateful for every opportunity I’ve been presented with. Not only will I continue to energize my life through spirituality and creativity spreading genuine positive vibes through the power of crystal healing, but I intend to never lose myself or what’s truly important to me in the process. 

Stay humble and slay!!!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mineralgypsy.com
• Email: mineralgypsy@gmail.com
• Instagram: @mineralgypsy
• Facebook: @mineralgypsy

Image Credit:
Only a few select photos are courtesy of @theeancients @macphotographystudios

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