Meet Lindy Spurgeon

 

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lindy Spurgeon. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lindy , thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

Throughout my thirties, I began a quest to romance the little things in my everyday life. A quest to find joy in the littlest things and the most unlikely places. That is the well I draw my creativity from.

A lot of what I create has specific meaning to me. For example, No. 09, a scent in my flagship line, is based on the first fall camping trip my partner and I took after moving to Minnesota. That experience was special and one I wanted to remember, so I memorialized it through scent.

I mostly draw inspiration from the things around me—people, places, and memories. I always try to snap a quick picture if I notice something that sparks me joy. I save those in a little folder and revisit them when I am stuck. I also spend time in quiet reflection most mornings where I journal and practice gratitude. I will look back through my journals for notes about specific times in my life that I want to use.

The most important thing I’ve learned over the years is not to force it.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

My journey with Apothecary19 began in 2020. Like a lot of people, I found myself in a position where I was wrestling with the balance of my career and values. I had worked in marketing and advertising for over a decade and the small agency, where I built my career, was sold to a larger company that was profoundly misaligned with who I was and what I believed. I will never forget sitting at dinner with my husband, in tears, and pleading the case to quit my job. I assured him that if he just trusted me, I would figure out a way to come up with my half of the bills. It was the week of Thanksgiving. That following Monday, I took the leap and put in my notice.

While I’ve not been 100% confident in much, my life experience has taught me that when I bet on myself and trust my gut, I don’t lose. In just a week or so I had formed a legal business, brainstormed ideas of what I could feasibly do to make a living, and reached out to a small group of trusted contacts I’d made over the years. I was very fortunate that few folks offered me contract positions to help bridge the gap until I was solidly on my feet.

While the consulting work I was paying the bills, I still found myself frustrated. My energy was drained. My bills were paid, but I was unfulfilled. Each week, I would do this elaborate self-care ritual to alleviate the Sunday scaries and get myself ready for the week. At this point, I was making most of the bath oils and salts I used. I had been making all of our candles for a while. That was when it dawned on me. This is what I love. This should be the business.

I spent the next several months coming up with my product line, reaching out to friends to serve as product testers, and researching all of the rules and regulations for bringing self-care to the masses. On Small Business Saturday, almost exactly one year after I put in my notice, I launched Apothecary 19, a small-batch self-care company.

Apothecary 19 is half home fragrance and half personal care. I am most passionate about offering products that make folks feel good about themselves and their space, especially when the world around us is heavy and dark. I’ve connected with thousands of people through ritual practices, books, and my scent stories that remind them of a special person or time in their lives.

My favorite project of the year is my 25 Days of Self-Care boxes. These are carefully curated advent-inspired boxes. Each day is thoughtfully built around a specific intention and includes a short self-care practice, journal prompts, and a gift that coordinates it all. This will be the third year that I’ve made them. I set out hopeful that I would create a way for people to take a little time for themselves each day during the busiest time of the year. My customers get so excited and watching everyone share their experiences brings me so much joy.

I work harder now than I have ever in my life. Though the hours are very long and days off are a luxury, one thing that I have noticed over the years is that I am happier doing this than I ever have been before.

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?

Knowing Your Product/Craft the Best – I have taken a lot of care to learn everything I can about the ingredients and mediums I use. There’s not a question someone could ask me that I don’t know the answer to. Theres not an ingredient I use that doesn’t have a specific reason or purpose behind it. Does that mean that every maker that makes something similar to me agrees with me? Absolutely not, but I know why I made my choices and I can stand very firm in those answers.

Connecting With Your Community – this is a cornerstone of my business. I have connected with my customers on many levels all very personal which I love. Full disclosure, especially on the internet side of things, managing parasocical relationships is very important and I recommend figuring this out before you engage with folks online. I have also connected with local artists and makers in my community which is an amazing support group to have when things are up and down. These friendships keep me going on the hard days and having folks to celebrate even the littlest wins with is really lovely.

Letting Things Go – as a creative it is imperative to understand that what you do will not resonate with everyone. So many folks at markets will tell me what I should do for my business, how they should just make their own candles, etc. etc. The first couple of times it really hurt my feelings. But, after years of being in business and literally 10k+ candles later, I know that most people enjoy my stuff. I don’t let the few naysayers bring me down. Same goes for the products I love that don’t sell. Those can be just for me, and I just move on to the next thing.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

Honestly, my therapists.

Over the years I’ve seen a few different therapist and they all had a profound impact on my life. From helping me identify my mental health struggles and what those mean to learning to quiet my internal dialogue. While I still struggle with anxiety, depression, and CPTSD, I have a solid group of tools in my kit that keep me from severe executive dysfunction. Not every session is heavy life altering work, but every session makes me feel better and lifts my spirits with a renewed sense of excitement to cease whatever the coming week brings.

I will say the most important part of this is finding the RIGHT therapist. One you vibe with. One that specializes in what you’re dealing with.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Lily Lancaster- candles and room sprays
Shy Fox Photos – outside picture of the ACOTAR boxes set

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