Check Out Loreal Patterson’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Loreal Patterson.

Hi Loreal, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Growing up, I have always loved stationery. I was the little girl who owned all the Lisa Frank pen holders, notebooks, and trapper keepers. As an adult, that love has transitioned into brands such as Franklin Covey and Erin Condren. Although my love for stationery continues, as an adult I began to notice that I didn’t own and had a hard time finding stationery that represented who I am as a Black Woman.

Most of what I seen didn’t speak to me on a personal level. By creating Shea Butter & Intuition, I was deciding that a group of women deserved to be seen, deserved to have their culture embraced as well as highlighted, and deserved to have tools that made writing easy. Along with that writing, I wanted to encourage women to follow their intuition. I believe that we have all innate feelings that provide guidance and help us make better decisions. Prior to launching in 2020, I had six years of Higher Education experience and two years of Non-profit experience. With that being said, I had some exposure to managing various types of processes, but there was a lot for me to learn about selling journals. One component that was to my benefit was working remote during the pandemic. This allowed me to have time to buckle down and become disciplined with my brand. During this time, I invested in a business coach to assist me with building my foundation and did tons of research to help shape the identity of my brand. While it took a lot for me to actually launch my business, the real work started in maintaining it. Since my launch, I have a small inventory of journals that I am looking to expand, including various sizes, along with pens and other writing utensils.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road, but definitely a road worth traveling. One of my biggest struggles is funding. Since the beginning, I have been using the money from my day job to launch and sustain my business. Along with that, it can difficult to navigate a path that not many in my network have been down. So much of my entrepreneurial journey is about experiencing things for the first time, taking chances, and learning what works along the way. The key to this is to give myself grace for the things I don’t know.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
By day, I am the Director of Education for a non-profit organization that specializes in workforce development. By night and on the weekends, I pour into my journal brand, Shea Butter & Intuition. Shea Butter & Intuition was created to provide powerful & descriptive stationary for women of color. Our motto is “Write it Down and Make it Real” because we believe that you can manifest your own thoughts into fruition. What sets us apart from other stationery brands for women of color is that we do not use illustrations or cartoons to depict how we feel. Our journals feature powerful & descriptive sayings or phrases that resonate with women of color. Each hardcover can help you capture everything from to-do lists to achieving your biggest dreams. What I specialize in is helping women of color feel seen in an industry where we don’t often see representation. I am most proud of launching a business as a woman of color, along with having the opportunity to provide such a powerful tool for women who look like me.

How do you think about happiness?
What makes me most happy is having autonomy over my life. Having the freedom to show up in any way I want, to live where I want, dress how I want, talk how I want, and be present during all of this. It is through these experiences that I can become the author of my life. I have the autonomy to take up space, while still allowing space for others.

Contact Info:

• Email: hello@sheabutterandintuition.com
• Website: www.sheabutterandintuition.com
• Instagram: @sheabutterandintuition
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sheabutterandintuition

Image Credits:
Sara Loretta