We recently had the chance to connect with Michelle Rademacher and have shared our conversation below.
Michelle, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
My girls, the family I raised and get to share time and space with. I’m so grateful for their love, support and their own inner wisdom and visions that they share and shine. Now, being adults together/ knowing they choose to – and want to spend time with me is my greatest joy.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Michelle Stacy Rademacher, founder of The Crystal Guide — a heart-centered crystal and divinely spiritually aligned shop in Portland, Oregon — and creator of the Saturday Makers Market, a seasonal gathering that brings together local artists, makers, and musicians.
Alongside that, I’m building Balanced Design Co., a studio focused on creating spaces that blend energy, beauty, and function – where design supports wellbeing. My goal is to help people feel grounded and inspired, all while being able to tap into a feeling of calm and healing – whether that’s through the environment they live in or the crystals they work with.
What started as a deep love for Earth and nature itself, along with its rocks and crystals has grown into a movement rooted in connection and intentional living. After a propane explosion has temporarily closed our shop, I’ve been focused on rebuilding — not just walls, but community. This new chapter is about transformation, balance, and bringing light back into spaces that hold meaning.
At the core of everything I do is the belief that energy, design, and community can come together to help people heal, grow, and shine — one space, one moment, and one person at a time.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I believe the bonds between people begin to break when we deceive ourselves, when we drift away from our natural center, the place within us that holds peace, calm, and joy. It’s often fear that causes that distance, fear of change, fear of truth, or even fear of leaving behind the comfort of dysfunction.
But when we listen to our heart’s quiet calling… to our inner visions and dreams- we begin to move back toward authenticity. That’s where connection is restored: when we live honestly, love openly, and allow ourselves and others to be seen as we truly are. That’s the space where healing and trust can grow again.
Is there something you miss that no one else knows about?
I miss the feeling of being surrounded by the people who truly knew me, my lifelong best friends, my support system, the ones who showed up through every season. When I moved away from where I grew up, I knew it was the right choice- it was far too cold for my bones and I love nature and needed to be able to be in it more and I craved the adventure.
But leaving meant saying goodbye to the comfort of being fully seen and held by people who loved me without question. I miss them terribly. Yet in that absence, I learned to rise, to be my own source of strength, softness, and stability- for myself and for my girls to see.
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. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, the public version of me is very much the real me. And honestly, that’s not always easy. My number one core value is honesty, so I tend to tell it like it is- shadows and all. You can’t talk about light without understanding darkness, and truth doesn’t need to be polished to be powerful.
Because of that, I’ve sometimes surprised people, like when I’ve asked someone to leave my shop or an event for acting without respect or awareness. It tends to catch people off guard- maybe because they assume I’m just there to smile and sell crystals (which, yes, I love doing, but only when the energy’s right 😄).
Authenticity can be misunderstood, but I’d rather be real than agreeable. The version of me you see in public is who I am- honest, imperfect, light and shadow both, doing my best to walk through this world with integrity, heart, and a little humor along the way.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
An unequivocal yes 🙌🏽. I’m doing what I was born to do. I think I always knew it, even as a kid. I used to play “store” on my staircase, selling rocks I’d collected to my family- and now I’ve simply grown that dream into something real.
For a long time, though, I tried to follow the paths that made sense to others. I was late diagnosed as neurodivergent, and I’d learned to blend in, to make life work in ways that didn’t always work for me. My mind has always been sharp, creative, and endlessly curious, which can be both a gift and a challenge when you see the world in layers others might not notice.
Eventually, I stopped trying to fit into the mold and started honoring what actually makes me me. People once told me I could never make a life doing what I love- but here I am, doing it. Building it. Living it. Just as I was always meant to.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thecrystalguide.com
- Instagram: The_crystal_guide
- Linkedin: Michelle Stacy Rademacher
- Facebook: The Crystal Guide
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