265 From Lighthouse Island Upbringing to Jewelry Business Founder: The Incredible Story of Leah Yard
Leah Yard
Owner and Designer of Leah Yard Designs
Leah is the owner of Leah Yard Designs (a Canadian Jewelry Company).
She is also the host of the voted least likely podcast, a show dedicated to demystifying what it means to be successful.
The inspiration behind her jewel line is to add a touch of glamour to every day.
Each piece is designed in Vancouver, Canada and with over 10 years of experience, Leah continues to run LYD out of her studio in historic chinatown.
In this episode, we chat about:
Her upbringing living on a lighthouse island (& how that impacted her life)
Working entry level jobs and the key lessons learned from those jobs
What’s working right now when it comes to marketing her business and finding customers for her jewelry.
Access the transcript for this episode:
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Leah, welcome to the visionary life podcast. There's something that I read in your bio online and it said that you actually grew up on a lighthouse Island. I need to know more about. Please tell us more about this upbringing?
Absolutely. First of all, thank you so much for having me. Yeah, so it's a very unusual way to start. So from ages four to nine, I lived with my family on an isolated Lighthouse Island, which means you are in the middle of nowhere on an island food and mail arrives by helicopter once a month. There are no stores, there's no, we didn't have internet. You know, this was this was really real off the grid off the grid. And it was a very bizarre experience. It was a really beautiful experience. I mean, just seeing things, you know, sea lions and orcas and jellyfish. And I mean, it was it was unbelievable. And such an incredible experience to have at such a young age, just when, you know, just learning about things. It was I will say challenging in the sense that that's four years out of my childhood that I'm not learning how to socialize, how to cross a street, how to buy something in a store. So we integrating into society, my first experience with my well with anyone really were my peers, which were like preteen girls, which is a tough crowd. Yes. Yeah. So and just not understanding how to navigate that not understanding how to socialize. My first experience in school was grade six. And I remember I would just stare at people because I didn't know you don't know what's appropriate, what isn't appropriate. And I was a weird little island kid. I didn't know. So there were definitely some downsides to it. I'm grateful for the experience, because it certainly shaped me into who I am. But it was there were certainly some challenges and some, you know, kinks along the way, just getting back in and learning things that you don't that you don't know. But yeah, it was it was an incredible experience.
Fascinating. You know what, I'm probably going to spend an hour after this podcast Googling, yeah, I can. message you, and we can talk about that after but so interesting. And I can see how that would come with a lot of challenges. I'm also curious, are there any personality traits that you feel like were downloaded onto you while living on the island that have actually served you in a positive way, at this point in life, or even in your entrepreneurial journey?
Definitely, definitely, I used to joke and say that my design career started on the middle in the middle of the ocean on a rock, because I really feel like that just gave me the sense of creativity. I mean, there weren't craft stores. So anything, you you really had to think outside the box. And as much as my family wanted to live off the grid, I never did. Even when I was little, I was really interested in fashion and the city and stuff like that. So I would create, you know, hats that have ferns and shoes that have egg cartons, and you know, that kind of thing. But that ability to create something with little or kind of No, supplies really helped. And it forces you to innovate and pivot. And it's funny, because I never would have thought about that at the time. But now that's something that looking back, it's like, oh, yeah, I was developing my brain in that way to look at things differently and gain a different perspective. And that has certainly helped with my design career. It's helped with just entrepreneurship, just that, you know, navigating, pivoting, all that all of those things. So there's definitely some, some good that came with it and things that are really truly ingrained, for sure.
Very fascinating. Thank you for sharing that. And yeah, I love that you were able to nurture that creative side of your brain, which I feel like is not as common these days when we're plugged into the Internet, and there's stimulation everywhere. And so I can see how that would serve you very well in this chapter of your life. I am very curious, I know you went on to high school and eventually ended up dropping out of high school. So take us back to that chapter. Did you have any idea what you wanted to do with your life? That big, grand old question that we get asked when we're in high school? What prompted you to eventually say this isn't for me and to leave that structure?
Yeah, not a clue. Not a clue what I wanted to do at all. I am most definitely not a born entrepreneur. I cannot start I said enough, I never wanted to. I didn't have big goals and dreams, which I know sounds a little dark. But the thing is, I think because of the upbringing, it was really challenging to integrate into school. So I kind of went in and out of public school and homeschool. And then eventually, I dropped out after grade nine, I moved out. And I worked two jobs and lived alone. And it was entry level jobs. I was a high school dropout. And I was very, I think it was just a lack of experiencing that. I didn't express enough other people. So I think it was whatever I was told, I would believe. So I knew that if you don't get an education, you don't amount to anything. And I remember just thinking, well, that sucks. But I guess that's what it is, you know, and it sounds really dark, but I just was really gullible. And and I just didn't have big dreams, because it was like, Well, I guess I'm just not one of those people that gets to do that. And so really all through my 20s, it was just entry level jobs. And when I look back at it now, I think survival is kind of the word that comes to mind, I think I was just kind of getting through and just doing what you had to do, it didn't mean that I didn't want to do things, I just thought, Well, I'm just not one of those people that gets to do that. And it's I makes me sad when I think about it, because I feel like oh, there was such a waste of time there in a sense, but it was also you don't know what you don't know. And I knew just survival. And I knew that, you know, you just got to tough it out. And I had a lot of terrible jobs that I'm grateful for. Because you'll learn so much when you're at the bottom. And it makes you appreciate, it really makes you appreciate things. So I did end up getting my GED. It's my highest level of education. And everything else is just kind of self taught and just failure all the ways until you get it.
So you mentioned you're kind of in that survival mode working these entry level jobs. And I feel like often because I've totally been there too at that stage, you really almost don't even have the capacity to think about entrepreneurship, like that is a word that also comes with feeling safe in what you do. And being able to take a risk and to be able to even dream about a big dream, like you were saying that you didn't even have for so much of your life, it does require some safety and like feeling like okay, I'm allowed to explore what else is out there. So at what point in your 20s? Did this idea to start a business? or at what point did you start to explore this side of yourself that would one day become a jewelry designer and an entrepreneur?
It was I feel like it was in the back of my mind without me knowing it for a long time. I think a lot of the time it comes down to sort of the language that we have around things. So when I would hear you know, business owner or entrepreneur, just who I envision that person was, I didn't match up with like that didn't my identity didn't match up with who that person is. To me that sounds like somebody who's really got their shit together and is educated. And that's just not how I viewed myself. So I had made jewelry. For years. It was always a hobby, love doing it again, it was that working with your hands thing, it was really therapeutic for me. And then I just kind of started, I remember it was a friend who said why don't you just put it online, like put it on Etsy and see what happens. And so I just started doing that, and a few things sold. And I mean, I I technically launched my business in 2013. But I did everything wrong for the next five years. Oh, it was like, a lot of just, you know, I didn't ask for help, because I didn't know what I was doing. And I didn't want anyone else to know, I didn't know what I was doing. I just didn't even know where to start. I didn't you know, find seek out guidance of any kind, which I really regret. I just kind of plunked away and I quietly assumed that I would fail at it. And it's kind of interesting, because it wasn't that I thought it's one of those things where it's like, what would you try even if you knew you were gonna fail. And that's really what it was, for me. It was like, well, it's not like I'm leaving some path I'm already on. I'm just doing entry level jobs. So why don't I just kind of keep doing this on behind the scenes and keep growing it. And then eventually it just got to the point where I couldn't do that and my day job timewise financially wise, it was a big risk when I leapt in. It's not like I was making tons of money, but I was making enough that it felt like I think I just want to try and jump in. Again. This is five years at this point like it's not like it was six months or a year it was very, very slow growth for me. And again, doing everything wrong for a long time. but it really, I just felt, it's just why not, you know, it was like, why not? And I haven't really tried anything else I'm not. So I'm not doing the college thing I'm not doing. I'm not having kids. I'm not doing the career, corporate things. So I don't know, maybe I'll try. I'll try this. So see if that takes. But with kind of zero vision, it was really just a total risk, to be honest, which I am not much of a risk taker. But I think, again, this is a five year in the making risk. So it was it was a long time. But for me, that was that was a big deal.
Well, I think what you share is so important. And my husband and I talk about this all the time that we think entrepreneurs just have it all together, you think a company that has 100 employees is like oh, they they've just figured everything out. But we see this often and like even where he works now, it's like, it's a shitshow, behind the scenes, like nobody knows what they're doing. There's not as much structure as you think the vision is non existent. And like, it's just, we figured out something that works by trial and error. And we're just, we're in the rat race with everybody else. So I think it's really refreshing to hear you share that, like, there wasn't this grand master plan and this beautiful diploma on the wall. It was like, Okay, I'm just gonna try and nothing's polish. But let's see where this goes. I'm curious, like, how did you know it was jewelry? Was that like a surefire thing for you? Are you dead set that like, I have a talent in jewelry design that nobody else does? Or how did you land that this is going to be what I bring to market?
Oh, that's such a good question. I don't think anyone's ever asked me that specifically like that. I love that. I think that I've always done it as a little kid, I've always loved it. And it's funny, I'm the only one in my family that in my immediate family that wears jewelry, again, I come from a family that wants to live off the grid, like they don't even have wedding rings, like all that stuff is seen as very frivolous. So I was I'm the weirdo in the family. Yeah. And so I've always loved it. And then I think it was as a hobby, it was an easier one to get into in the sense that it's not a huge investment, it's not, you know, you can kind of get a few pieces here. And there. I used to buy things from thrift stores and take them apart and redesign them and stuff like that. So, you know, I love clothing and shoes and all that. But to go in it just as a hobby, that would have just been a harder hobby, I think. So I think it was kind of just logistically, it made more sense as I was growing up. And then, you know, when I was living alone, when I was younger, I you know, didn't have the space or the money to invest in huge amounts of anything. So again, it was just jewelry is something you can just use what you've got or reuse things or find things along the way. And I have just always loved it, there's something about the feeling when you put jewelry on, it just makes you feel different. And you know, I love beautiful clothes and all that. But there is something about when I put jewelry on it just it just makes me feel good. And then being able to make something and and create that same experience and then seeing other people have that same experience of something you've created. I mean, it's just phenomenal. So yeah, I think I think it was always jewelry. I think that was always a thing. But I also kind of feel like things lined up in a certain way that it just made more sense. But yeah, it's definitely my thing. I love it.
Amazing. And I'm curious, how did you get your first few sales? Like I know, you mentioned you set up an Etsy shop and you know, things did not go according to plan for the first few years. But once you decided, okay, it's gonna be jewelry, and you decided, okay, I have a product to sell. Where did those first few sales come from? And how did you get the product into more hands from there?
Definitely in person's pop ups and that were huge. Online was great, because it's a great way to test things out. So you know, I'd have a few sales on Etsy, that kind of thing, nothing major. But it was just once you get it in front of people, and you hear the feedback, and you can take what people see see what people gravitate towards watch people pick it up, feel it, have the experience of it. You'll learn so much more about what you should be designing what works, what doesn't work. And that was definitely the thing for me that really changed things I was so I'm very introverted. And I did not want to put myself out there at all. And I like just hiding behind the scenes and being online. And also in the fashion industry. I was terrified to put myself out there. And now what am I going to say I'm a high school dropout. I'm a, you know, self taught does not you know, all of these things that again, it's that identity piece that I didn't view myself as what I thought a jewelry designer was supposed to look like. And I was so scared to show up as who I was who's going to buy from somebody who didn't get to grade 10 You know Um, but again, it's just stories that we tell ourselves instead of actually just going forward and doing it. But once I did do the in person events that really helped sales, I still didn't share my story for several years later. But it was like the first step was putting it out there and seeing the public reaction to it, which was positive, which is amazing.
And I want to fast forward a little bit just because we're on this topic today, you are sharing your story, and you have your own podcast. And, you know, just speaking with you on the mic, like I can tell you're a lot more comfortable with who you are, and owning these incredible aspects of you that maybe once you were ashamed of, but now you're like, I think this is something I need to be sharing and not feel any shame around. How did you get from the point of I'm so scared to be who I really am to now, building a platform, having kind of your own personal brand, like, what are some of the things you had to do to get to this point, because there's a incredible transformation that has happened.
Thank you. Yeah, it feels I feel like a different person. And I appreciate that being palpable, and you can see that, I think, a few things, I think I just got so tired of everything looking perfect all the time, you know, and I just feel like we've seen every single version of perfection. I don't want to be another version of that. And I just start to think What does what I don't have the best jewelry, I'm not the best jewelry designer, I'm not the best brand. When people buy from me, they buy from me, I love what I make, and the people that buy from me love it, but they buy because of who I am. And they buy because what the brand means to them. And once I really connected those dots of you know, it's I'm not going to be, I'm not going to have the funds that maybe a gigantic brand has. But that doesn't mean that I don't serve a purpose or fill a gap somewhere. And I think it was bridging that concept, because I love fancy things. But I'm not a fancy person. And that's really what the brand is to me is that, you know, I'm in this industry. I'm a total misfit in here. I'm like the weird Island kid that I started when I was younger, I like dropped out of high school. I'm just not what you would think of this person. But I want to wear beautiful things. And I appreciate beautiful things. So that's my personality. That's who I am. So how can I make that my brand? And then it was at these in person events. The things that people were interested in about me, were the weird things. Were this the story I lived on an island, which I used to be so scared to tell anybody. But that's the thing that's interesting. Like why not? It's weird it but it makes you like I did Girl Guides by correspondence. That's a weird story, right, like, and that's something that's interesting. And that's unique. And it doesn't have to do with jewelry, but it's part of the brand. And it's part of the people that I sell to and the people that resonate are those people that, you know, they are looking for something real, they're looking for connection, and I'm very much focused on community. And I think once I realized the only way you can have community is by being vulnerable and open and sharing your story with people and hearing other people's stories. That's when everything kind of clicked. And I think because I didn't have that community growing up, it is just so important to me to have that now. And you know, you have to give in order to get back right. So the more I shared with my own story and made people feel seen and heard and like, Oh God, I felt like that to the podcast, the one episode where I talked about I hid in a washroom at an event, because I felt like such an impostor. That's such an embarrassing story. That's such a dumb story. But that's the story that people resonate with. Because it's like, everybody has been somewhere where they felt, Oh, what if I'm going to be found out? What if you know, that kind of thing. So that was sort of the transformation once it all clicked of talking to people. And then you realize, oh, the thing that connects us all is the stuff that makes us human the stuff that nobody cares, really all your accomplishments like good for you, but it's how you make people feel. And once that all clicked then things really changed and there's just no going back. I could not do the perfection thing again and No, not for me.
Love that you dropped perfectionist from your resume and that problem. So good to take that title. What a burden. What does Lea yard designs look like today? Can you describe the business and what you do and what problem you solve to somebody who's never been on your website or never seen your incredible products before?
Totally so it's a demi fine jewelry. And so essentially, we're just one step below fine jewelry. So price ranges around 50 to $200. So it's not cheap and cheerful. But it's like a nice quality piece of jewelry that you can invest in and enjoy for several years, if not a lifetime. And it's really meant to be like express your personal style. So for me, I love wearing lots of layers of gold jewelry with like today I'm in T shirt and grip jeans. And that's like always what I'm in with just a ton of jewelry. So it's that kind of juxtaposition of fashion, which I love, which is very on brand. Again, it's that mixing of I'm not fancy, but I like fancy things. I'm a beer and Nacho kind of girl. So like that's very much the
we should we should hang out,
get your jewels on, let's go. And it's just it's really meant to be I mean, when it was strictly online, the goal is just to have a little piece of internet real estate where people are supported and encouraged. And it's very community based. My favorite part about my company is the email marketing, I the email list. That is where I treat people. And it is just so fun. We share stories, get little VIP perks, and it is just that sense of community. And it's very cool, because now now the in person events are back and I started doing those. It's so wonderful when you're at your little booth, and people come up and tell you like, Oh, I'm on your list. And I just want you to know how much I appreciate, like the connection that I feel. Oh, I mean, it just gives me goosebumps. Like, I just love that. And that to me is is why it is bigger than just a jewelry brand. i There's a million jewelry brands out there, you know, and it's just I want when people have a piece to feel celebrated and not just in how they look but in who they are. And we also donate 5% of our profits to the Downtown Eastside Women's Center, which is a local charity here that helps vulnerable women in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, which is very important to me, because we work very closely to that neighborhood. So it's not going to solve any problems. But again, it's like the idea of giving back building community helping people out. It's yeah, it's a real sense of camaraderie. And I just love that part of it. And that's the part that's been the most surprising to me is I never saw that coming. I thought it was just making jewelry.
You realize that the vision is so much bigger than just you know, right? And that's when the magic happens is when you're like, it's not all about me. It's about everybody and the people that this has connected me to so that's really beautiful. Yes, totally. And so are you doing everything? Like are you the jewelry maker, the marketer, the person who's out at the events, the one posting on social media, though and hosting the podcast? Tell us what your week looks like? Totally.
So I'm always very careful to say we because I I was, you know, I think it's so important that nobody does anything alone. So I don't do everything. So everything is designed by me in Vancouver. I do have a production team. I have helped with sales I have helped with bookkeeping. Usually it's just me in the studio, you know, packing orders, if you get an email, it's from me. in person events always me. Yeah, so it's, and as far as day to day, it's a lot the podcast is on me and that that's a lot but very fun. I'm kind of like you Kelsey, where I just like, I love what I do. So you know, it's there's definitely parts of my job that are not my favorite thing. But overall, it's you know, you get that energy to take on so much just because you're so revved up about what you're doing and who you're connecting with. The pandemic definitely push things back a little bit, I was on track to get a little more help in the studio and that, you know, put a bit of a curveball, say in the in the journey. But we're back on track. And again, now the in person events are back it's there's just nothing like it. There's there's nothing like it. So I'm very excited to more pop ups and collaborate with other brands and just show my face a little more in the public.
So true. I'm so glad that stuff is back to because I know as a consumer I love interacting with brands and getting to know the founder and just like meeting you or seeing and touching things. So I think that's so powerful, even if you do still want to hide in the bathroom someday. It's just so good to get out into the real world. Yeah, and yeah, have that back on our side.
Definitely.
So before I let you go, I just need to dive deep on the podcast for a minute. So you host the podcast voted least likely, which I just had the pleasure of being featured on. I love the name, by the way, and I'm assuming you named the podcast because you're kind of the least likely to become an entrepreneur to start the podcast. What else were you voted least likely to do? Or what else would you have said you were going to be voted least likely to do in your life that you're doing now?
Definitely. Yeah, that's absolutely where the name came from. It's also kind of a little joke at, you know, in your books, they would say, you know, voted Most Likely, well, I didn't finish high school. So I was definitely, definitely voted least likely to be in the yearbook. So yeah, it just popped into my head. And I used to joke and say, I'm the least likely person to have ended up in the fashion industry. And I still very much believe that. And I find a lot of things I take on, I feel like, I'm the misfit a little bit. Because of my upbringing. In those four years, where I was removed from society, I kind of felt like I was always playing catch up, and I was always behind. And the podcast, I mean, it's really all about, like, I'm definitely not the person to tell you how to be successful. There are people that are way better at that than I am. But I'm kind of the person to make you feel less alone on your way to success. That's, that's what my goal is. Because I think when I started my journey, I just felt like there was something seriously wrong with me, I didn't understand why I wasn't looking like everyone else in the fashion industry, why my brand wasn't growing, why I wasn't making sales, like everybody. And you know, you can relate, I'm sure when you're working alone, you can spiral and you start, you know, thinking what's wrong with me and all of that. And, you know, I do see a shift in social media where there is more vulnerability out there. But we still got a ways to go and demystifying what it actually takes to be successful. Because it isn't all glamour and working from a beach or you know, it's there's a lot of early mornings, late nights hard work sacrifice. It's worth it, but it's not for everybody. So that's yeah, the the title kind of whispered by that just, I can't believe I'm doing what I'm doing. Because there's just no way I would have thought that was the path, you know, when I was little, or God, even 10 years ago. Thought so. Yeah.
Well, we're so glad that you are doing what you do. What you have created is so inspiring. And just the transparency around the fact that it's not easy, and there's gonna be a lot of ebbs and flows and ups and downs. And it's okay to be honest, and to share the highs and the lows. So thank you for being on the visionary life podcast for sharing so vulnerably with us, and like I said, cannot wait to meet you in person and hang out and grab some beer and nachos together. I am in complete admiration of everything you've shared today. So thank you for being on the show.
Thank you so much, Kelsey. This is like a vision board moment to be on the show already. Check something off the new year. Thank you so much and for for having me and for just all the value you put out there and for always being yourself being consistent and cheering us on.
Awesome. Thanks, Leah. Thank you
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