Meet Kristin Rehkamp

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kristin Rehkamp a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kristin, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

Our journey, story, brand, business (La Vie Est Belle gift shop) and purpose is plain and simply (but not so plain and simply) inspired by our beautiful daughter. The following is taken from our book, “Finding Us, A Mother’s Memoir of Braving Mental Illness with Her Young Daughter” published in October, 2022…

“My name is Kristin, proud mother to a beautiful 12-year-old girl that experienced an unsuspected and alarming panic attack at her 11-year-old well-child check on September 16, 2020 that triggered an acute anxiety/severe panic disorder (a Mayo diagnosis, not mine) that changed our life, perspective and path forward suddenly and without warning. Any stigmas or preconceived ideas about mental illness…let’s just get rid of those right now. Our daughter is blessed with a loving family, beautiful home, safe community of friends and neighbors, A-student and a dancer. Sadly, like any physical illness, mental illness can present just as
suddenly and happen to any of us.

Between September 2020 and August 2021, we logged a total of three ER visits, three extended hospital stays and a trip to Mayo. We have a medical 3-ring binder for our daughter that is bursting at the seams. In February, 2021 I put my corporate career on
hold…adding care provider to my personal/professional resume. I remind myself every day my greatest and most important job is and always will be ‘mom’. The job does not come with a fancy corporate title like those I have held in the past or a paycheck that supported a more than comfortable lifestyle. I have neither of those today…but I have our daughter.

Although I may never understand the ‘why’ behind our journey with our daughter, I do believe all things happen for a reason. I am hopeful our family will lend a strong and positive voice for children/adolescents, families and those serving our communities working to break down barriers, raise awareness and make a difference in the lives of those braving mental illness. As we advocate for our daughter, we look forward to evolving mental health/well-being thinking and care models for those that journey with us. These individuals and families are some of the most courageous people we know.

I look forward to tomorrow without the fear and uncertainty the past has caused realizing the blessings and strength that have found us when not looking. Life marches on…it always will. We cannot control the deck we are dealt, but we do get to choose how we play the cards.”

And so…we created La Vie Est Belle (gift shop). French for ‘Life is Beautiful’.” Our little gift store in Lake Elmo, MN is inspired by our story and will always be a passion of the heart. A store that donates and will always donate a percentage of our net profits and time to youth mental, emotional and social health and well-being. Our purpose…my purpose…our daughter. Always.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Founded by Kristin Rohman Rehkamp in 2020, La Vie Est Belle was born out of the desire to inspire giving and kindness, tell her family’s story of experiencing anxiety and panic with their young daughter, and be a voice or community for others on a mental health journey.

Creating a gift boutique rooted in the foundation of inspiring beautiful living allowed Kristin to fulfill a lifelong dream. With a background in interior design and retail, she had long envisioned her own boutique centered around serving others, purpose and mission. With the need to be home with her daughter braving acute anxiety and panic disorder, a high-level corporate career was no longer realistic. Kristin’s heart was in caring for her daughter and family, creating a platform to give back to youth mental health initiatives, and opening a store that creates joy while making a difference.

In 2023, motivated by wanting to connect her community and never wanting anyone (specifically women, families and girls) to ever feel alone, she included “gathering” in La Vie Est Belle’s portfolio of offerings. Now La Vie Est Belle “Gifts and Gather”. An addition truly inspired by a time in her life when she felt lost and alone with her daughter.

So, Kristin’s little store hopes to be so much more than a simple retailer. She found and designed a space intended for “gathering”. A place to find joy…not over-think or over-plan. A place to laugh, inspire, and connect. A place to simply be and find peace in the crazy busy of life.

For details and events calendar, you are invited to visit shoplavie.shop/pages/events.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The most important leadership advice I have learned and can offer others is to lead with your strengths and know your opportunities. It is not necessary to quantify your skills or be good at all things. But it is important to always step first with your strengths and areas of passion. It is much easier to be great at the things you love. Attempting to lead with areas of opportunity will feel more frustrating, may not come naturally and take more time. Knowing your opportunities is a strength. It takes a confident leader to recognize and admit where they are not strong. I believe great leaders/strong business owners surround themselves by a team that soars in their areas of opportunity. And always – strong, confident and courageous leaders hire others smarter than them.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?

La Vie Est Belle is a small little gift store in Lake Elmo, MN. We are one of two retailers in the old village of what has been a quiet rural community (but now one of the fastest growing communities in the state of Minnesota). Dollar and potential for business growth is here, but commercial opportunities are or feel limited and slow.

Our store is approaching 4 years of age and has experienced fairly significant and steady growth. But given limited real estate opportunities in our immediate surroundings to increase the square footage of our brick-n-mortar store, challenges with and dollars needed to effectively grow ecommerce, operating expenses that continue to grow at a faster rate than the already tight retail margins within our current economy…growth could stall and/or our business could be at risk without some significant investment or next step.

For this reason, we are considering multiple locations to increase capital and flexibility with cash flow/investments. Quite literally as I type this, we are evaluating the purchase of an established retailer to add a second location to our real estate portfolio. There are pros/cons…always.

I am confident in my brand and 20 years of retail experience (Target and West Elm). But risk (regardless) is scary. But I do believe business owners that truly thrive and those that survive are set apart by those willing and smart enough to take calculated risks. I am not sure which business owner I am yet. Time will tell. But there is one thing I do know…I am determined and strong…like my daughter.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Chelsea Madsen Images and Rachel DesJardins Photography

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