We were lucky to catch up with Leanne Kampfe recently and have shared our conversation below.
Leanne, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?
I’ve developed my ability to take risks in seasons, usually the ones where I realized staying comfortable was actually the bigger gamble. When I went to college, everyone assumed I would major in music. While I loved music (and still do), I also craved financial stability, so I chose to major in accounting. However, in the fall of my sophomore year, I realized that my creative side was starving while I tried to learn the principles of finance. At that time, it felt risky to switch my major to music education – I wasn’t even sure I wanted to teach – but I also didn’t want to regret not doing the thing that made me feel most alive. It ended up being a great decision. I loved teaching music, and I spent 17 years doing it!
About 10 years ago, I moved into administration, and while it definitely challenges my brain, I started to miss the creative spark I used to experience daily. I think that’s what nudged me toward entrepreneurship. What started as a permanent jewelry side business quickly grew into a larger vision of offering beauty, jewelry, and lifestyle experiences that help women feel more themselves – and it has given me a creative playground I didn’t even realize I’d been craving.
As I think about how I could make a transition from education into full-time small business ownership, I’m learning that risk doesn’t have to be dramatic or reckless. It can be intentional. Every small step I’ve taken has built my confidence and expanded what I believe is possible.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
In January 2025, I launched a permanent jewelry business with not much more than a welder, a folding table, and my belief that small luxuries can also be authentic and simple. I started as a mobile business, doing pop-ups and markets all over the Twin Cities, and quickly realized I wanted something bigger and that the people I was meeting seemed to as well. Watching customers connect over the experience of getting personalized jewelry together sparked the idea of creating a space where folks could have multiple opportunities of that nature.
By summer, the demand (and my excitement) had grown enough that I opened a small studio space in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis. That was the beginning of what has now become the heart of my brand: an “experience boutique” designed for people to come and engage in interactive beauty and wellness-oriented experiences without pressure or pretension.
Now the studio is home to permanent jewelry, a charm bar, and a custom scent bar – all of which are interactive, joyful experiences that let people play, personalize, and feel taken care of. My first major studio event in September confirmed what I had hoped: people love spaces where they can create, shop, and recharge. Since then, I’ve expanded into monthly events, including a holiday Sip & Shop with four other small businesses.
I am still doing mobile events, but my focus as I head into 2026 is to grow the studio experience side of my business. My goal is to eventually move into a full boutique space, where permanent jewelry, beauty services, scent creation, retail, and community events can all live under one roof.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, there are three qualities that have shaped my journey more than anything else: connection, analysis, and work ethic, and each of them arose from very different seasons of my life.
Seventeen years as a choir teacher trained my brain to think in harmonies, not silos. I got used to bringing many voices together, creating a shared moment, and building something bigger than any one person could produce alone. That way of thinking shows up in my business every day. It’s the reason I see opportunities for collaboration everywhere, and why the experience boutique model felt like the most natural evolution of All That Glitters.
Even though the career path of an accountant wasn’t meant for me, the confidence I gained in my technical and financial skills has been key as a small business owner. I’ve learned so much in the past year, from forecasting, budgeting and pricing, to managing inventory, margins and event booking. I’m grateful that the numbers side of this doesn’t intimidate me. It’s like a dream to be able to use both my creative and analytical sides, and I am hopeful that this combination will serve me well into the future.
Finally, I was raised on a ranch in South Dakota and there is probably no better place to develop a strong work ethic. I wasn’t a fan of outdoor ranch chores, but I absorbed something more important: commitment. My dad left the business world to return to ranching because he believed in doing work he cared about. My mom poured her whole heart into education. Their examples shaped me more than anything. I learned to appreciate the value of hard work, but also the value of meaningful work.
As far as advice goes, you have to be willing to do hard things even when you’re tired. You can’t avoid learning the skills that scare you, especially the financial ones. And you should never underestimate the power of simply trying. You don’t have to take a giant leap, you just have to take the next right step.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I’m always looking to collaborate with other Twin Cities small businesses, especially those who offer hands-on, interactive experiences. My Sparkle Saturday events at the North Loop studio are a place where people can create, play, and discover something new, and I love bringing in partners who share that same energy.
If you’re a maker, artist, beauty pro, wellness provider, or anyone who brings a unique, creative experience to the table, I’d love to connect. The goal is simple: curate unforgettable moments for our community and support each other’s businesses along the way.
If you’re local and this sounds like your kind of collaboration, reach out at [email protected]. I’m always excited to explore new partnerships.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.leannekampfe.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allthatglittersmn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leanne.kampfe.ATG
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanne-kampfe-b05a8335b/
Image Credits
Engle Olson
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