In this episode, I’m chatting with Larissa Stewart, esthetician and founder of Clover Skin Studio in Fairhaven.

Larissa has been an esthetician since 2011, and her work is rooted in holistic skincare, intuition, and meeting people exactly where they are. We talk about the early days of Clover Skin Studio, the pivots that brought her back to skincare, how motherhood shaped the way she works, and the new Fairhaven location she recently opened - with skincare services upstairs and a curated boutique downstairs.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Clover Skin Studio began and what the early days really looked like
• Why Larissa moved away from services that no longer felt aligned
• How motherhood helped her trust her body, time, and energy in a new way
• The importance of intuition when making business decisions
• The story behind her new Fairhaven location in Bellingham, WA
• Creating a space that feels easeful, calm, and intentional
• The systems and tools that help keep a business running behind the scenes
• What may be next for Clover Skin Studio, including online shopping and community events
• Advice for anyone dreaming of starting a service-based business

Favorite quote from the episode:

“I took my intuition’s hand, and I let her lead me.”

If you’re dreaming of starting something of your own, or learning how to trust the next right step, this conversation is full of honest encouragement and thoughtful insight.

You can find Larissa at Clover Skin Studio in Fairhaven, visit cloverskinstudio.com, and follow along on Instagram at @CloverSkinStudio.

And since Larissa and I talked about the possibility of adding online shopping to her next chapter, I’m also sharing my Shopify link below. Shopify has been a game changer in my own business for selling products, managing inventory, and keeping everything connected as my shop has grown. If you’re thinking about upgrading your website or adding e-commerce to your business, it’s worth checking out!

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

What does it look like to build a creative business that is colorful, handmade, empowering, and completely true to who you are?

In this episode, I’m joined by Tori King, the artist, maker, and owner behind Tori Tornado - a bold paper goods and gift brand based in Skagit Valley that inspires what Tori calls “badassery.” Her work is bright, funny, honest, and often a little sweary, but behind every card, calendar, magnet, and gift is a deeper message about self-worth, humor, and living life on your own terms.

Tori shares how she moved from graphic design into handmade goods, how a nickname from her bartending days became the name of her brand, and what it really looks like to run a creative business alongside a full-time job and motherhood. We also talk about markets, wholesale, pop-up shops, letting go of a physical retail space, and why not being for everyone can actually be one of the strongest parts of your business.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Where the name Tori Tornado came from
• What “badassery” means to Tori and how it shapes her brand
• Moving from graphic design into handmade paper goods and gifts
• Building a bold brand voice that uses humor, color, and swear words
• How Tori decides which markets, shops, and events are the right fit
• What she learned from having a physical shop and why she recently let it go
• Running a creative business while also working a full-time job and being a mom
• Growing through wholesale, online sales, and intentional markets
• The importance of knowing the difference between revenue and profit
• Why using your authentic voice matters in a creative business

Favorite quote from the episode:

“Badassery is living your own badass life. It’s your choice, your life - not what someone thinks you should do.”

Connect with Tori online:

Website: https://www.toritornado.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toritornadocreative

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com

Marisa Papetti, founder of Marie’s Bees, didn’t set out to build a large product-based business. What started with honey, beekeeping, family, and caregiving slowly grew into a thriving Pacific Northwest brand with wholesale accounts, farmers markets, in-person events, cooking classes, employees, and a full production setup.

In this episode, Marisa shares the real story behind Marie’s Bees - from caring for her grandmother and delivering farm baskets, to discovering the grounding magic of bees, to learning how to build a business that could keep going even when life gets messy.

We talk about:

• How Marie’s Bees started and the personal story behind the name
• What the early days of selling honey and farm baskets looked like
• Why Marisa moved from pouring honey at home to a commercial kitchen
• How she built systems, hired employees, and stopped doing it all herself
• What she learned from past business challenges and burnout
• How she works with her husband without stepping on each other’s toes
• Why finding your people and building community matters in small business
• Her best advice for starting a product-based business today

This conversation is honest, funny, and full of practical wisdom for women in small business, especially anyone building a product-based brand, selling at markets, growing a team, or trying to create a business that can last.

My Favorite Quotes

• “Stop thinking you can do it alone.”
• “If you don’t have systems in place for when actual life happens, you’re dead.”
• “A good business owner is like a business ninja - you constantly adapt, adapt, adapt.”
• “The secret to keeping good people is to take care of good people.”
• “You need to prepare to build a business, not build a hobby that has a business name.”
• “People have their talents. You have to go with their strong suits.”
• “Stop overthinking it. Get out of your own way. Stop being so damn scared.”

Connect with Marisa:
Shop Marie's Bees online: www.mariesbees.com
Text Marisa Papetti: (360) 224-2387
Events + Classes: https://mariesbees.com/pages/events
IG: https://www.instagram.com/mariesbeeswa
PNW Artisan Marketplace: https://pnwartisanmarketplace.com

Connect with Julie | Moss Bags:
Website: https://mossbags.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/moss.bags

Photography by Lisa Aamot | https://www.merakiphotographynw.com