Meet Andrea Gutillo

We recently connected with Andrea Gutillo and have shared our conversation below.

Andrea, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?

For the most part, my childhood was a good one; stable, loving, and full of memories I am grateful for. I was raised Presbyterian and incredibly involved in church life until my mid-teens. I was especially close to my grandmother; her presence grounded me in ways I still carry. My mom was also a major force in my life. She believed in tough love and didn’t let me get away with much, which, at the time, I did not always appreciate. My dad, on the other hand, was more easygoing and let me slide. Looking back now, I see that my mom was usually right, and she has been my rock through it all.
Like many families, ours had challenges. Alcoholism runs deep. My father struggled with it, and by the time I was seventeen, I was drinking heavily myself. That pattern followed me into adulthood and lasted until I was thirty-four. I was a wild young woman…. fiery, loud, the life of the party. From the outside, I looked like I had it all together. I am a Leo… boisterous, animated, full of energy. I thought I was confident, and so did everyone else. But the truth was, that confidence came from alcohol and performance. Underneath it all, I was struggling. I carried wounds from my past, damage from the poor choices drinking comes along with, and a constant sense of not being enough.
Everything changed in 2019. I got sober. That is when my awakening began. I started deeply exploring spirituality. Working with the elements, reading, researching, and practicing. I consider myself an eclectic spiritualist, not boxed into any one path, but always learning and aligning with what resonates with me.
At first, I practiced privately. I was doing deep shadow work. I started using affirmations, changing my inner dialogue, and treating myself with compassion. I removed people, places, and habits that no longer aligned with the woman I was becoming. I was healing. And though the process was quiet, it was profound.
In late 2019 and early 2020, I began dipping into the spiritual community, attending classes, meditations, and even a life-changing retreat. But when COVID hit, everything shut down.
Then, deeper waves came.
In 2021, I entered one of the heaviest seasons of my life. Addiction claimed someone who had been one of my best and longest friends. Not long after, I put my life on hold to move my grandmother in with me and my family, and I became her caretaker. I found out I was pregnant, but soon after, I had a miscarriage. Just days later, my grandmother passed away. In between those losses, I also lost another dear friend.
All of this happened within the span of months. It was grief on top of grief, and it cracked me open in ways I cannot fully describe. I felt raw, quiet, and deeply alone. But even in that darkness, I kept showing up for myself. The healing became sacred. The solitude became strength.
During that time, I danced daily. I told myself I loved me. I practiced gratitude. I spoke to myself with gentleness. I began to look at myself the way others who love me do, and slowly, I began to believe it. I stayed devoted to my path, continuing to study, learn, and practice various spiritual traditions and rituals. Even in isolation, I was still seeking, still growing.
When the world started to reopen, I stayed withdrawn longer than most. Carrying a kind of anxiety I had only ever heard about but never personally known. Social anxiety. It was completely new to me. I had always been outgoing, extroverted, energized by people… and suddenly, I wasn’t. I knew the only way through it was to face it. I had to work through the discomfort, push past the fear, and slowly get myself back out there.
Throughout it all, I was still nurturing a family, still pouring into my role as a wife and mother. My son came into this world in 2016, my daughter in 2022, two little lights who reminded me daily why I kept going.
Eventually, I came to realize that hiding was no longer healing… showing up was. I felt ready to reconnect with others. I started attending regular gatherings and found deep connection with like-minded women. That sisterhood changed EVERYTHING for me. It reflected the work I had been doing within and gave me a sense of community I didn’t know I needed. My confidence began to bloom. Not from being seen, but from finally seeing myself.
In early 2023, I began doing markets with my husband, Mark, who owns Vincent’s Fine Jewelry and Coins in Seminole, Florida. We’ve been married since 2012, and from day one, he’s believed in me and all the wild ideas I’ve come up with. Back when we started doing markets together, he brought his vintage and antique jewelry (plus a few of his own handmade pieces), and I brought pre-loved metaphysical items and spiritual tools. We made a great team and were really starting to find our rhythm, until I was in a car accident that forced me to pause everything. But even in that stillness, the dream didn’t die. It just waited for me to be ready again.
I have a love for thrifting and giving items the new life they deserve. I wanted to combine that with my love for metaphysical items, practices, and hosting meaningful events. I’ve always had a passion for event planning; creating experiences that feel intentional, warm, and magickal. I dreamed of opening a metaphysical resale shop where people could bring in their gently used spiritual tools for cash or store credit. I hadn’t seen anything like it before, and I felt called to make it real. Eventually, I opened Enchanted Treasures Trading Co. A safe space in Seminole FL built on love, healing, commUNITY, and transformation.
With growth comes contrast and lessons. One of the biggest shifts in my confidence came not long after opening my business. Someone I had once seen as a mentor, someone I thought I had deeply respected, opened a shop in the same realm as mine. I had supported them fully and made it clear I did not view us as competition. Our business models were entirely different, and I even shared knowledge I had gained from just opening my own store. I gave them a few of my wholesaler leads, sent some of my favorite vendors and customers their way, shared their events with my followers, offered help with setup, gave décor ideas, honestly, I gave a lot. I just really wanted to see them succeed and did whatever I could to help them get started.
Even though I had been nothing but supportive, I started picking up on strange energy. Something just felt off. Then little things began making their way back to me… Subtle jabs, comments, questions about my qualifications… From someone who didn’t truly know my background, my experience, or my heart. It felt like they believed I had opened my shop to spite them, as if my success was somehow meant to overshadow theirs. Quietly, they began working to discredit what I had built, through snide remarks and passive comments that trickled back to me through mutual friends and customers.
This person especially took issue with the way I openly welcome others to teach and share their offerings in my space, as if creating a platform for others somehow diminished my own. But I don’t believe in gatekeeping. I believe in rising together. One of my deepest missions is helping the community expand and share their beautiful, unique gifts.
There were clear signs from Spirit that something wasn’t right. It wasn’t just hearsay, it was a full-body knowing. The disruption wasn’t just verbal; it was spiritual. And I couldn’t ignore it.
At first, it shook me. I started questioning myself. Was I wrong to pursue this? Had I accidentally overstepped? Was I really qualified to hold this kind of space for others? I took some time to reflect. I had to sit with the discomfort, sift through my self-doubt, and come back home to my own truth. I prayed, cried, danced, and asked God to protect me and help me see clearly. I talked with people I trust, I re-grounded in my purpose, and I reminded myself of how far I’ve come. And eventually, the noise quieted… and the knowing got louder.
No, I wasn’t wrong at all. This was my dream too. Two people can hold the same dream and rise together, especially when their paths and offerings are so different. The truth is: yes, I am enough to do this work, or any work I feel called to. I’ve been walking my own path for years. I’ve studied. I’ve practiced. I know my work. I know my heart. And what I’ve built is working, beautifully. My shop is rooted in love, and everything I do is about building confidence and connection in my commUNITY.
Over time, it became clear that their focus on me, and my business, was more than casual concern. It started to feel oddly obsessive. Eventually, I chose to block their energy. Not out of spite, but out of self-preservation. And the moment I did, I felt lighter.
That experience taught me one of the most valuable lessons of my journey: discernment. Not only discernment towards that specific person, but also with whom I learn from, who I allow into my personal space, who I support, and who I trust with my energy. It reminded me that not everyone clapping for you wants you to win, and sometimes, those who criticize or copy are simply revealing their own insecurity. More than anything, it showed me how to trust my own vision, to stop doubting myself, and to remember that my worth is not up for debate, especially not by those threatened by my growth, who were never rooting for me to begin with. In the end, it didn’t break me. It added another beautiful layer to who I am and helped me rise even higher.
My confidence and self-esteem did not just appear, I earned them. Through sobriety. Through solitude. Through spiritual practice. Through God. Through motherhood. Through marriage. Through sisterhood. Through entrepreneurship. Through betrayal and healing. And most of all, through the daily decision to love myself. Even when it’s hard. Today, I’m not just surviving… I am thriving. I’m the best version of myself I’ve ever been. I always walk with an open heart, a grounded spirit, and a deep trust in the woman I’ve become.
I still get triggered. I still have moments. But I keep dancing. I keep affirming. I keep showing up for myself. And every single day, I get stronger.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m the owner and founder of Enchanted Treasures Trading Co., a metaphysical resale shop in Seminole, Florida. I built this space to be safe, welcoming, and magickal. A place where people can show up just as they are, find healing, grow, and feel a true sense of community. I’m also a mother and a wife, and the love I pour into my family is the same love I pour into this shop… It’s all heart, all the time.
Balancing it all is a dance, some days it’s graceful, and some days it’s beautifully chaotic. But I wouldn’t trade it. My husband is my biggest supporter, and my children are the heartbeat behind everything I build. They remind me daily why this work matters, and why holding space for others is so important.
The shop is filled with a mix of new and pre-loved metaphysical treasures. Everything from crystals and tarot decks to ritual tools and sacred décor. One thing that makes us unique is that customers can bring in their gently used spiritual items for cash or store credit. I hadn’t seen this done in the metaphysical world before, and it felt important to create a space that wasn’t just about buying things. It’s about making spirituality more accessible, more personal, and giving beautiful tools a second life.
One of my favorite things about this work is seeing people light up when they connect with something meaningful. Whether it’s a forgotten treasure, a stone that speaks to their journey, or a class that helps them remember who they are. And sometimes, it’s the hug I offer that becomes the very connection they did not know they needed. I love curating and hosting events, workshops, gatherings, and circles that go far beyond retail or resale. That’s where the true magick happens… when people come together to learn, release, create, and reconnect with themselves.
Our commUNITY section is one of the parts of the shop I’m most proud of. Though honestly, calling it a “section” doesn’t really do it justice. It’s everywhere… It’s in the shelves, the displays, the energy. It’s how the whole space breathes. Offerings from local artists, makers, healers, entrepreneurs, and spiritual creatives are placed with intention in every corner, creating a shop that truly reflects the heart of our community. Whether it’s handmade jewelry, herbal blends, copper bookmarks, intentional art, second chance bears, candles, custom tools, or beauty product-, each piece carries someone’s energy and heart. I cherish giving others space to share their gifts, be celebrated, and grow. I have always wanted Enchanted Treasures to feel more like a platform than just a business- a space where people can connect, collaborate, and feel truly seen.
Here is a peek at some of what I offer through the shop:
• Monthly Full Moon and New Moon gatherings
• Make-and-take events and creative classes
• Spiritual BINGO nights
• Psychic Readings every Saturday, Thursday, and pop ups throughout the week.
• Special seasonal events and hands-on workshops
Everything I do is designed to support people on their spiritual journey, whether they are just beginning or decades in. This isn’t just a shop; it’s a living- breathing space where healing, curiosity, and connection are always welcome. And it’s one of the greatest honors of my life to hold space for that.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, the three most impactful things in my journey have been:
1. Self-awareness and shadow work.
Learning to really know myself- my patterns, my triggers, my wounds, and my worth- was the foundation for everything. Shadow work helped me face the parts of myself I used to hide or deny. Instead of running from them, I learned to hold them with compassion.
Advice: Start small. Journal. Sit with your discomfort. Get curious about your reactions instead of judging them. Shadow work isn’t easy, but it’s where true healing begins.
2. Discernment.
This one was learned the hard way. Not everyone clapping for you wants you to win. I had to learn who to trust with my energy, my time, my dreams. Discernment saved me from burnout, betrayal, and unnecessary noise.
Advice: Pay attention to how you feel after spending time with someone. Watch how your energy shifts around someone. The universe whispers through gut feelings, ringing ears, flickering lights. Don’t dismiss those nudges. And don’t ignore red flags just because someone has spiritual language or a shiny exterior.
3. Resilience.
Life handed me some incredibly painful chapters- addiction, homelessness, grief, loss, and deep self-doubt. But I kept showing up. Even when I didn’t feel strong. Even when it was messy. That consistent return to myself, to my practices, to love. That’s where true strength was born- not in perfection, but in persistence.
Advice: Don’t wait until you “feel ready.” Show up for yourself anyway. Start with one small thing- one affirmation, one breath, one step- and let that build. Your power grows in the showing up.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

I’d spend it exactly how I am now, just with even more presence. I’d soak in every moment with my kids and my husband, dance more, laugh louder, hug longer, and speak love even more freely. I’d continue building Enchanted Treasures not just as a shop, but as a legacy of healing and commUNITY. I’d host more gatherings, create more opportunities for others to rise, and keep using my voice to remind people that they are enough, exactly as they are.
I’d travel to places that feel sacred. Hold more ceremonies under the moon. And I’d tell my story again and again. Not because it’s unique, but because someone out there might need to hear it to remember their own power.
If I had only ten years, I’d live them boldly, softly, with purpose and peace. I’d love hard. I’d serve well. And I’d make sure my children know, deep in their bones, that their mama lived with intention, heart, and a whole lot of magick.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photos by my loving husband, Mark, and my dear friend Paulette- thank you both for seeing me so clearly.

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